Comments on: 95 Lutheran Pastors Stand Defiantly During ELCA Vote

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:02:00 +0000

hi jon. fancy meeting you here! great comment. you have my vote.

By: Values

Values — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:22:03 +0000

I am with you on this and if our church doesn't condemn this then I will have to take my family to a church that believes in the scriptures and is willing to stand by our values that we were all raised up by.

By: Laura

Laura — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:01:43 +0000

I concern myself with this line of thinking as the truth is I don't know anyone who isn't a sinner – including my pastors (present and past). Still, I have faith that they were called to shepherd me into a relationship with God, and I listen to my heart to guide me (in terms of practicing my faith under the leadership of my church). Also, I think the bigger question to ponder is why do we stand firm on this notion of "Natural law" that requires people to reproduce? The ability to reproduce doesn't trump the internal workings of a human. If someone is attracted to another of the same sex, and commits a life-time of love toward that person, and raises children, can't they still come to know God? I think it would be unnatural to force homosexual people into a lonely life without a mate. It seems to me that to live alone in this world is against natural law. I'm not overly comfortable with homosexuality, but I think that I need to reevaluate why I'm not comfortable. I don't believe it's the Bible that leads to my discomfort as much as it is the society in which I have been raised.

By: Insulted

Insulted — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:47:52 +0000

As a life long Lutheran, I believe that the 95 "so called pastors" who stood "defiant" should apologize to the thousands of Lutheran's have believed in Martin Luther's 95 Theses. Their using "95" as a statement is insulting if not blasphemous.

By: Not Luther

Not Luther — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:53:29 +0000

For the same reason I do not want a tax cheat as head of the U.S. Treasury, I do not want a self avowed, practicing homosexual as a leader in my church. If I condone such homosexual behavior in the leadership of the ELCA then the condemnation is attributable to me for having allowed fellow brothers and sister to be led astray. If one were to look at natural law, taking religion completely out of the picture, homosexuality is completely at odds with nature, and reproduction of the species. It is by definition a deviant act. I do not believe I nor my family can receive the best counsel from a sexual deviant nor am I being morally honest to allow others to receive such counsel. Should the church welcome gays, yes. Should the church establish them in positions of leadership, power and authority? Hell, no.

By: sara vanscoy

sara vanscoy — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 01:03:43 +0000

Craig –

why particularly are you afraid for your son to be around gay clergy?

i suspect it is because you hold to the age-old prejudice that all fags are pedophiles… (harshly said, i know – but you get the point)… the scientific truth is that the vast majority of pedophiles identify themselves as heterosexual, meaning that you should be more afraid of your sons being with their female teachers or clergy…

By: Craig

Craig — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:49:06 +0000

I do not agree with the decision made by the ELCA. Gays have the legal right to do as they please with their own lives, sure. A gay pastor sufficiently relate to man and wife marriage situations, children, or normal family issues. I certainly wouldn't let a son of mine go near a gay pastor.

By: Sol

Sol — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:47:36 +0000

The "defining" legacy this generation will leave the future Church is whether we decide to believe in the absoluteness of scripture or not.

By: Angleman

Angleman — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:08:59 +0000

The ELCA should embrace gay everything. For more than a generation, the Word of God, the Sacred Scriptures, has meant next to nothing to this organization. They should stop pretending, and go with the gods of this world.

On the other hand, those who don't agree with any church that stands under the authority of Sacred Scripture, can always form their own church.

By: gdubbs

gdubbs — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:49:00 +0000

yes, a defining issue, and noteworthy… Too bad few people in any camp will notice what COULD BE defining issues of this generation IF WE WANTED THEM TO BE, that the ELCA is also considering, like fighting malaria and HIV/AIDS in Africa.

We would be close to HEAVEN if we tried so vigorously to hold each other Biblically accountable for matters such as poverty, clean water for Africa, feeding the hungry, creating and building economies in the two-thirds world that the first world has shamelessly pimped into poverty.

I might give a $h!t about sexual orientation, when Christians would get serious about the poor. MT 25:31f.