WHY DOES ANYONE FOLLOW THESE PEOPLE…?
February 28th, 2007
While driving between students yesterday I had occasion to listen to a bit of an NPR radio show dealing with organized religions and sexual practices. One of the guests asked why it is that religious leaders spend so much time on sex when issues of poverty, hunger and abuse are so prevalent in our world. I thought it was a very good question.
Here’s one answer offered by Andrew Sullivan that comes from Episcopalian priest, Sam Pascoe:
I believe [homosexuality] is a vital issue in the life of the church. The hope of wholeness and holiness of life is integral to the Gospel message. Jesus didn’t die on the cross to save us from throwing gum wrappers on the sidewalk or using the wrong fork to eat our tofu, he died to save our deepest selves from our darkest sins.
And, because we are created with human bodies full of hormones and fallen psyches full of what my friend Bill Stafford calls “disordered affections,” many of those deepest sins will involve our sexuality. We are not given new life and new power in Christ so we can do what we darn well please.
We are not our own, we are bought with a price, says St. Paul. Therefore, he says, we are to glorify God with our bodies.
Well. There you have it.
And oh, by the way, Pascoe is looking for a new job since he was tossed out on his ass last week when his congregation decided his inappropriate relationship with an adult female congregant didn’t fall under the whole glorifying god with our bodies rule.
