I have heard about 2 separate stories in the news today regarding homosexuality:
1. A first grader in North (South?) Carolina brought home a book from her school library about a prince who falls in love and marries another man and has a family. The girl's parents are outraged. Here in Michigan our local public schools are always crying poverty - cutting this and that program. Are the Carolina schools so flush that they have the money to shell out for what is obviously a NEW book in order to further a cause like gay marriage? And aren't the Carolinas in the "Bible Belt?" I mean, we're not talking California here!
2. An openly lesbian minister in the Methodist Church is being "tried" by her church for marrying her partner. Now, of course, to my way of thinking, the news story was already a joke when I heard the words "lesbian minister" since the Bible is pretty clear about women being ministers. Naturally there are protesters, ready to stand up for this woman's "rights." I'm torn. Part of me is pretty mad that a church cannot even conduct its own disciplinary actions any more. Why should people who aren't members of a group (be it a church, a club etc.) have a say in that group's rules and regs? Of course, that's all too typical these days.
The other part of me is...well, smirking, I guess is the only way to put it. I don't see how the Methodists CAN take a firm stand on homosexuality when they have not taken a stand on much of anything else for as long as I can remember!!
Any thoughts or comments?
Mary
1. A first grader in North (South?) Carolina brought home a book from her school library about a prince who falls in love and marries another man and has a family. The girl's parents are outraged. Here in Michigan our local public schools are always crying poverty - cutting this and that program. Are the Carolina schools so flush that they have the money to shell out for what is obviously a NEW book in order to further a cause like gay marriage? And aren't the Carolinas in the "Bible Belt?" I mean, we're not talking California here!
2. An openly lesbian minister in the Methodist Church is being "tried" by her church for marrying her partner. Now, of course, to my way of thinking, the news story was already a joke when I heard the words "lesbian minister" since the Bible is pretty clear about women being ministers. Naturally there are protesters, ready to stand up for this woman's "rights." I'm torn. Part of me is pretty mad that a church cannot even conduct its own disciplinary actions any more. Why should people who aren't members of a group (be it a church, a club etc.) have a say in that group's rules and regs? Of course, that's all too typical these days.
The other part of me is...well, smirking, I guess is the only way to put it. I don't see how the Methodists CAN take a firm stand on homosexuality when they have not taken a stand on much of anything else for as long as I can remember!!
Any thoughts or comments?
Mary