We'd'a met today but others who are core providers of grace to those who are among "the least of these" were not going to be participating and I, at least, felt as if the load that would have fallen on us--especially Evie--would have been too great. I know she would've done it anyway. No one I know carries her own cross more willingly than Evie does.
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Still, we are able to keep in touch and I just finished an exchange, via text, with another gatherer regarding how to respond to the brouhaha that is exploding everywhere regarding same sex marriage and Christianity.
I was startled and upset yesterday to see that, I'll call her Alli, linked on Facebook to a Huffington Post article blasting Franklin Graham for opposing same sex marriage and then arguing from Greek and Hebrew that the Bible does not have a problem with same sex sex.
Alli, it happens, is an avid texter. She is always the first to respond to a group text. We've had many good chats over the years via text and, so, texting seemed a good way to approach her. So, I confronted her.
It went well...at least so far.
I told her that I have been reading Greek and Hebrew for about forty years and that none of the conclusions the article reached are based in truth.
She said she linked to the article because she sees so much anger and hate on Facebook toward gays from her Christian Facebook friends.
I pointed out that her article was filled with hate speech toward Franklin Graham and reminded her of the many ways Samaritan's Purse shows God's love to people in need. I believe that she felt a little convicted for advancing hate speech herself.
The conversation concluded with an agreement that it is challenging to stand up for grace and mercy at a time when so many around us are so angry but that we have to hold to what is true while also walking in love.
I know that this issue is not resolved but I have taken a first step.
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Alli never reads this blog so she has no idea of the conversation that is taking place here and my criticism of CGGC mountaintoppers for actually doing nothing regarding gays other than to take legal steps to withhold from gays the CGGC version of the Sacrament of Christian Marriage.
As I think about it, I am more and more convinced that, while we, in the CGGC, will talk mercy and love and outreach, we never will walk those actions.
Time will tell.
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