Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. . . . It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:
James 3:1 & Luke 17:2 (ESV)
New York Methodist Bishop Allows Same-sex Marriages
Liberal 'Church' Sues North Carolina to Overturn God's Decree
Liberal 'Churches' Conforming to Decadent Culture
President Obama's National Cathedral is the Seat of Apostasy
-- From "Presbyterian Assembly: Gay Marriage Is Christian" by Jeff Karoub and Rachel Zoll, Associated Press 6/19/14
The amendment [that marriage can be the union of "two people," not just "a man and a woman"] approved Thursday by the Presbyterian General Assembly requires approval from a majority of the 172 regional presbyteries, which will vote on the change over the next year. But in a separate policy change that takes effect at the end of this week's meeting, delegates voted to allow ministers to preside at gay weddings in states where the unions are legal and local congregational leaders approve. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia recognize same-sex marriage.
The votes, during a national meeting in Detroit, were a sweeping victory for Presbyterian gay-rights advocates. The denomination in 2011 eliminated barriers to ordaining clergy with same-sex partners, but ministers were still barred from celebrating gay marriages and risked church penalties for doing so. Alex McNeill, executive director of More Light Presbyterians, a gay advocacy group, said the amendment was "an answer to many prayers."
But Bill Norton, of the Presbytery de Cristo, which covers parts of Arizona and New Mexico, urged the assembly to delay any changes. "We are laying hands on something that is holy, that God has given us, so we need to be sure any changes we make are in accord with God's will revealed in Scripture," Norton said.
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From "Presbyterians vote to allow gay marriage by whopping 3-1 ratio" by Lauren Markoe, Religion News Service - Washington Post 6/19/14
The Presbyterian Lay Committee, which opposes gay marriage, urged congregations to launch a financial boycott out of protest.
“The Presbyterian Lay Committee mourns these actions and calls on all Presbyterians to resist and protest them,” the group said in a statement. “ . You should refuse to fund the General Assembly, your synod, your presbytery and even your local church if those bodies have not explicitly and publicly repudiated these unbiblical actions.”
“God will not be mocked,” the statement continued, “and those who substitute their own felt desires for God’s unchangeable Truth will not be found guiltless before a holy God.”
. . . the General Assembly’s vote stands out as a church adapting its policy to fit a rapidly shifting culture even as most other Christian denominations have resisted.
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From "Presbyterians Vote to Allow Same-Sex Marriages" by Laurie Goodstein, New York Times 6/19/14
The Presbyterian Church, a historic mainline Protestant denomination that spans a broad spectrum from liberal to conservative evangelicals, has been mired in the debate over homosexuality for about three decades. The General Assembly’s decision in 2010 to ordain openly gay ministers caused many congregations, including some of the largest, to depart.
About 350 of the denomination’s congregations have left since 2010, when the General Assembly voted to ordain openly gay clergy members, said the Rev. Gradye Parsons, the church’s stated clerk, in an interview. But it is still the nation’s largest Presbyterian denomination, with 10,038 churches in 2013 and about 1.8 million members.
Heath Rada, the newly elected moderator of the church, said at a news conference that he thought the measures passed because many Presbyterians were simply tired of having themselves and their church defined by the controversy over homosexuality.
The Presbyterians follow other religious groups that have taken similar steps, including the United Church of Christ, which affirmed “equal marriage rights for couples regardless of gender” in 2005; Quakers; the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations; and the Reform and Conservative movements in Judaism.
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From "Presbyterian Church USA votes to allow gay marriage ceremonies" by Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press Staff Writer 6/19/14
Presbyterians number about 1.8 million but have an influence beyond their numbers. Eight U.S. presidents, including Ronald Reagan and Dwight Eisenhower, were Presbyterians, the second-most-popular denomination among presidents.
. . . conservatives are concerned the move could divide the church and lead to further membership declines. Since 1992, Presbyterian Church USA has lost more than a million members, declining 37% from 2.78 million to 1.76 million last year. Some conservative congregations have broken away, and more could leave after Thursday’s vote.
A Presbyterian man from Pennsylvania said people who are backing gay marriage are acting as “agents of the state,” not as “ambassadors of Christ.”
LGBT advocates said they were amazed by the high percentage who voted for both proposals. Two years ago, at the last Presbyterian gathering in Pittsburgh, a proposal to allow same-sex marriage was defeated 52%-48%. Since then, the cultural landscape has changed, with 19 states now allowing same-gender marriage.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Click headlines below to read previous articles:
Presbyterians Delete God's Character from Hymnal
United Church of Christ Eliminates 'Heavenly Father'
UCC Supervisor Bans Jesus & Bible from VA Chaplains
Drop Morals for Catholic School Teachers, Say Parents
Notre Dame Rejects Students for Natural Marriage
Church is About Friendships, NOT God: Study
Methodists Team Up with Atheists for Bible Study
Liberal Clergy to Obama: U.S. Must Pay for Abortions
CBS News Gives Voice to Atheists, Heretics, & Apostates
Also read Gay Agenda will be Complete when Christians are Muzzled, Say Homosexualists as well as Senator Ted Cruz Says the Gay Agenda Ends Christian Liberty
And read American Decline: Obama's Gay Agenda vs. Christians as well as America Going to Hell; Christians Lose Convictions
