Should
a church elect a homosexual bishop?
Kim: The Episcopal
Church in New Hampshire has elected a bishop who is openly homosexual,
but the election is not yet confirmed by the church's convention.
What is your comment on this?
Jesus: It
is inevitable that this topic will create a deep division in the Episcopal
church and potentially in many other Christian churches. In my teachings
on the spiritual cause of
homosexuality, I explain that a debate often becomes polarized between
two extremes. I explain that some people are so devoted to God’s
power that they tend to become too inflexible and judgmental. Other
people are so devoted to God’s love that they tend to become too
lenient and accepting. This is exactly what you see happening in many
modern churches. [See Jesus' comments on modern
Christianity]
You see people who hold on to a strict, or even a literal, interpretation
of the Scriptures. Some of these people become fundamentalist Christians
while others remain in their churches and form more conservative branches
of those churches. Others have realized that if the Christian religion
is to remain relevant in the coming age, then it must adapt to the current
culture.
It is the struggle between these two factions that you see outpictured
in the debate concerning the homosexual Bishop. This debate has the
potential to split the Episcopal Church into two factions, as has happened
to Christian churches many times over the past 2,000 years. This goes
all the way back to the different approaches taken by Peter and Paul,
which set the stage for the conflict over Christ's divinity and thereby
the split between the Eastern and Western churches.
Please understand that I do not make human judgments, and I do not condemn
any human being. I love people on both sides of this issue, and I would
like to see all of them grow. I would especially like to see them all
attain a more balanced approach to religion. I would like to see them
all realize that devotion to God’s power and law must always be
tempered by love. I would also like them to see that devotion to God’s
love must be balanced by the Christ discernment between what is of God
and what is not of God. When you have this discernment, you can love
people unconditionally without accepting or tolerating behavior that
is out of harmony with God’s law.
I must tell you that it is entirely true that if the Christian religion
is to remain relevant in the new age, it must change and adapt. Yet
this adaptation must not lead to a compromise with the basic principles
upon which the Christian religion is founded. The problem is that currently
no Christian church is fully in alignment with those principles. This
has happened because, as I explain throughout this website,
the early Christian church removed many elements of my original teachings.
[See Jesus' teachings on why
and how religion must change]
The only way for the Christian religion to remain relevant is that some
Christians must make an effort to go back and put in what was taken
out. At the same time, some Christians must make the effort to make
contact with me and receive the teachings that I can release today.
We talk more about this in the new book, Save Yourself.
Concerning the issue at hand, let me say that when you read my teaching
about the cause of homosexuality,
it should be clear that homosexuality is not a condition created by
God. Therefore, it is not correct to say that God created a person as
a homosexual. Consequently, it is not correct to say that the church
should acknowledge homosexuality as natural. When you accept this fact,
I think it should be obvious that no church should elect any official
who is openly homosexual.
Homosexuality, and any other sexual imbalance, among clergy is an invitation
to problems that will inevitably haunt the church. Why do you think
the Catholic Church is currently dealing with massive sexual abuse by
priests that threatens to undermine the Church’s credibility with
the public? (Not to mention the immense psychological wounds this has
created.)
At the same time, let me say that those who support the election of
a homosexual Bishop have correctly sensed that the Christian religion’s
approach to homosexuality must change. Labeling homosexuality as a sin
and telling people to suppress their sexual tendencies simply is not
an adequate response in this day and age. Instead, the church needs
to develop a higher understanding of spiritual principles and a higher
understanding of the true cause of homosexuality. The church can then
create a culture in which homosexuals can receive the love of Christ
and the understanding of Christ that will help them move forward on
their personal path.
The
spiritual cause of homosexuality.
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Copyright
© 2003 by Kim Michaels |
