Hi Meg, I split this thread from the Bayside message so as to try and keep everything tidy … hope you don’t mind?

And then I guess the fecal matter would hit the cooling device, wouldn’t it?

I had to do a double take when I read that sentence 🙂 I think what you really meant to say was the @$%& hit the fan? 😆

😆 😆 Yeah, it was just a more ‘sanctified’ way of saying it. 😉

Reading between the lines, it seems that the Pastor is basically saying that your’re welcome … so long as you conform to some sort of heterosexual ‘norm’ (whatever that is!) and don’t upset the apple cart. Sad really. I’m a big believer in diversity when it comes to contributing to worship …

I asked my partner this morning if she thought he was saying I could come to church as long as I am properly ashamed of myself? We both laughed at that, but maybe that is what he is saying…or I can come along as long as I keep my mouth shut about who I am. How am I meant to do that and be in relationship with anyone in the church? I feel I’d be reduced to sneaking in, staying for the service and bolting before anyone can talk to me. What’s the point in that? 😥

So I am back to being a spiritual bag lady I guess. I don’t know why it should matter so much to me, but it does.

Makes me think of the letter of James 2:1-8

1-4My dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith. If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, and you say to the man in the suit, “Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!” and either ignore the street person or say, “Better sit here in the back row,” haven’t you segregated God’s children and proved that you are judges who can’t be trusted?

5-7Listen, dear friends. Isn’t it clear by now that God operates quite differently? He chose the world’s down-and-out as the kingdom’s first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God. And here you are abusing these same citizens! Isn’t it the high and mighty who exploit you, who use the courts to rob you blind? Aren’t they the ones who scorn the new name—”Christian”—used in your baptisms?

8-11You do well when you complete the Royal Rule of the Scriptures: “Love others as you love yourself.” But if you play up to these so-called important people, you go against the Rule and stand convicted by it.

The Message

If I am prepared metaphorically, to wear a gold ring and fine clothes, I can have a good seat, but if I want to come in wearing my ‘shabby clothes’ I’m gonna get the dog’s seat…. It’s very sad.

Still, I don’t want to be bitter about this, or slander anyone behind his or her back. Maybe that’s not what was meant…*shrugs*

there is a tad of dont ask don’t tell in the message I think

Yes, I agree, Anthony and I don’t know that I can live in that kind of environment. Still, I am happy to continue the discussion with Ps. R by email. Not much he can do to me there, after all and we might both learn something.

😆

Aargh. The LIFESTYLE word.

My number one bugbear.

As a lesbian on another message board once said, her lifestyle consists of going to work 5 days a week, church on Sunday, and spending a lot of her spare time gardening. She’s still trying to work out which part of that is the evil lifestyle she’s not supposed to promote.

gets my goat as well……loved this piece in SMH……also talked about this in my email to a mega-church pastor http://www.freedom2b.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4041

A letter to the Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald 09.06.06.

On Monday morning my partner and I went to work, then met some friends to see a movie, ate Thai takeaway while watching Enough Rope, then went to bed. On Tuesday we went to work, met some other friends for dinner, drank a bit too much red wine, then went to bed. On Wednesday morning, work again and tonight we’ll probably just watch a bit of tele.

In those three days George Bush, John Howard, Philip Ruddock and the Vatican all announced that recognition of our relationship was a threat to heterosexual marriage and the family itself. And here we were thinking we were just living ordinary lives.

Apologies to those whose marriages and families were destroyed as a result of our actions. We will try to be more careful in the future.

Scott McKinnon Balmain

I know. What a classic and true response. Excellent.

Ann Maree