New US church leader says homosexuality no sin

[DaKCMan AP]

New US church leader says homosexuality no sin

Mon Jun 19, 3:50 PM ET


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Newly elected leader of the U.S. Episcopal Church Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said on Monday she believed homosexuality was no sin and homosexuals were created by God to love people of the same gender.


Jefferts Schori, bishop of the Diocese of Nevada, was elected on Sunday as the first woman leader of the 2.3 million-member Episcopal Church. the U.S. branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion. She will formally take office later this year.

Interviewed on CNN, Jefferts Schori was asked if it was a sin to be homosexual.

"I don't believe so. I believe that God creates us with different gifts. Each one of us comes into this world with a different collection of things that challenge us and things that give us joy and allow us to bless the world around us," she said.

"Some people come into this world with affections ordered toward other people of the same gender and some people come into this world with affections directed at people of the other gender."

Jefferts Schori's election seemed certain to exacerbate splits within a Episcopal Church that is already deeply divided over homosexuality with several dioceses and parishes threatening to break away.

It could also widen divisions with other Anglican communities, including the Church of England, which do not allow women bishops. In the worldwide Anglican church women are bishops only in Canada, the United States and New Zealand.

Three years ago when the Church last met in convention, a majority of U.S. bishops backed the consecration of Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the first openly gay bishop in more than 450 years of Anglican history.

The Robinson issue has been particularly criticized in Africa where the church has a growing membership and where homosexuality is often taboo.

Jefferts Schori, who was raised a Roman Catholic and graduated in marine biology with a doctorate specialization in squids and oysters, supported the consecration of Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the first openly gay bishop in more than 450 years of Anglican history.

The 52-year-old bishop is married to Richard Schori, a retired theoretical mathematician. They have one daughter, Katharine Johanna, 24, a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and a pilot like her mother.

Asked how she reconciled her position on homosexuality with specific passages in the Bible declaring sexual relations between men an abomination, Jefferts Schori said the Bible was written in a very different historical context by people asking different questions.

"The Bible has a great deal to teach us about how to live as human beings. The Bible does not have so much to teach us about what sorts of food to eat, what sorts of clothes to wear -- there are rules in the Bible about those that we don't observe today," she said.

"The Bible tells us about how to treat other human beings, and that's certainly the great message of Jesus -- to include the unincluded."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060619/...HBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-

[58-4ever]

Originally Posted by vailpass

She only represents a portion of the Episcopal church. Upon news of her election several US factions wrote to the Episcopalian boss in England asking to be placed under the leadership of another bishop.

Theirs is a house divided and I see now way, short of a wholesale splintering, for them to ever get it together and move forward.

In other words, one of the other bosses is gonna have her whacked.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

She is just eyeing up some sweet little 18 year old with a killer rack, fat box and nice chops out there in her congegation asking herself how she can pull this off without losing her job.

Because no one can be accepting of gays without being gay themselves . It's nice to see that you are more tolerant of an artificial category of dog than your fellow human beings

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by luv

I don't trust any woman that is in a leadership role at a church (church, not sunday school class or women's outreach ministries). There are also passages in the bible about that, too.

And the Bible was written by a bunch of semi-literate Hebrew tribesmen who would be considered schizophrenic by the standards of the DSM-IV.

I guess that as a woman, it also doesn't bother you that women make 75 cents on the dollar for what a man makes in the same occupation. Nothing like cutting off your nose to spite your face

[Kylo Ren]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

Who really gives a **** what this stupid box thinks?

She also believes there should be a ban on certain breeds of dogs.

[BIG_DADDY]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Because no one can be accepting of gays without being gay themselves . It's nice to see that you are more tolerant of an artificial category of dog than your fellow human beings

You're a ****ing moron. My girl is bisexual and I am all for them having the same rights. How much more on board can I get without actually promoting the lifestyle for a legal standpoint. It's just ****ing sex people need to relax.

Please explaing to me what an artificial category of dog means? That makes not sense.

To tell you the truth I am getting sick and tired of people speaking for god all the time too.

[BIG_DADDY]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

There are no gays that want sexual practices taught in school.

That's why we have celebrate diversity week. That's why we had the thread about the school backing the teacher telling stories of the prince and the prince to 5 year olds. Lifestyle promotion to little kids now who shouldn't have to deal with this shit, sexual practices tomorrow.

I must be on the right side of this subject I got goat cheese, Hamas and Phoney Gonzales all on the other side. IMO that's gods way of telling me I am doing something VERY right.

[Eleazar]

Episcopal. This is nothing new. If there is a more liberal denomination out there I couldn't name it. The tide of opinion isn't turning in the mainstream.

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

That's why we have celebrate diversity week. That's why we had the thread about the school backing the teacher telling stories of the prince and the prince to 5 year olds. Lifestyle promotion to little kids now who shouldn't have to deal with this shit, sexual practices tomorrow.

I must be on the right side of this subject I got goat cheese, Hamas and Phoney Gonzales all on the other side. IMO that's gods way of telling me I am doing something VERY right.

Soon the line between adult-child relations will be broken down. Wait and see.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

You're a ****ing moron. My girl is bisexual and I am all for them having the same rights. How much more on board can I get without actually promoting the lifestyle for a legal standpoint. It's just ****ing sex people need to relax.

Please explaing to me what an artificial category of dog means? That makes not sense.

To tell you the truth I am getting sick and tired of people speaking for god all the time too.

Because this post just reeks of tolerance for gays:

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

She is just eyeing up some sweet little 18 year old with a killer rack, fat box and nice chops out there in her congegation asking herself how she can pull this off without losing her job.

The warrant behind your claim is that this Episco woman's viewpoint is obviously fallacious b/c for her to espouse pro-gay viewpoints must automatically mean that she wants to do someone in her congregation.

An artifical category of dog was used for emphasis--you spend more time advocating for a breed created through artificial selection and seem to care more for it than you do the rights of your fellow citizens. It seems to me like your priorities are a little fucked up.

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by Cochise

Soon the line between adult-child relations will be broken down. Wait and see.

Yeah i heard about Colorado changing the law that allows children to be married at age 15 without parental consent a couple days ago. I'll try and dig up the story. Can anyone who lives there help me out with this?

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

However, various religions and the schools should not be forced to promote their agenda. That's when their rights cross the line and infringe on other people's rights.

This 'forcing' isn't coming from without.
Right or wrong, she is the elected head of the Church.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

This is just my opinion, and I'm not even sure how well formed it is, but perhaps the best way to define sin is 'that which separates you from God.'
Therefore, homosexuality may or may not be 'sin.' If you accord yourself as a follower of Jesus and lover of the Lord, who happens to situate his family and obtain sexual release through a homosexual partner, the sexuality itself is no different than any other. If you allow your sexuality [homo or hetero, married or unmarried] to dominate over your striving for a relationship with God, it's sin.

Excellent post; that seems to agree with much of what I've been taught.

[Mr. Kotter]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

This 'forcing' isn't coming from without.
Right or wrong, she is the elected head of the Church.

Steadily declining membership in the Episcopal Church over the past 3 decades or so, says she's the head of a church in decline. A trend that accelerated three years ago. It is also a part of the Anglican Church which is on the verge of being expelled from the worldwide body...

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I guess that as a woman, it also doesn't bother you that women make 75 cents on the dollar for what a man makes in the same occupation. Nothing like cutting off your nose to spite your face

Not so fast, Lenin.

One of the main reasons women make less is because they choose professions that pay less but provide more flexibility in time and committment, take periods of time out of their careers and/or do not want the responsibility that such positions brings due to conflicts with other personal choices etc. It's a matter of having a different set of priorities, needs and wants. Why is it that homosexuals choices are considered innate, even genetic, but not a woman's choices? Little inconsistent aren't we?

Subject of a different thread.

[BIG_DADDY]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Because this post just reeks of tolerance for gays:


The warrant behind your claim is that this Episco woman's viewpoint is obviously fallacious b/c for her to espouse pro-gay viewpoints must automatically mean that she wants to do someone in her congregation.

An artifical category of dog was used for emphasis--you spend more time advocating for a breed created through artificial selection and seem to care more for it than you do the rights of your fellow citizens. It seems to me like your priorities are a little fucked up.

No you're ****ed up. I don't care if she wants the hot 18 year old girl in her congregation, hell I would probably want her too. I have already said I am a lesbian trapped in a mans body. How much more tolerant do you want me to be? I am very tolerant of the lifestyle I am just not for forcefeeding it to everyone on the planet especially young children.

As far as the dogs go WTF are you talking about artificially selected? What does that mean? Last time I checked we weren't rounding up the homo's and executing them. We are talking about their right to force feed everyone their lifestyle. My lifestyle would be considered alternative I have no problem with people doing whatever they want until they infringe on the rights of others. That's what we are really talking about here. You have become sooooooo PC you don't even try to see what is really going on you just want to pull the homo victim card. Why is it their right to infiltrate any religion they want? Why is it their right to promote their lifestyle in our school to young children who shouldn't even be thinking about this shit?