Restless Wanderings

I have this strange craving for pancakes.

This looks so exciting that I might turn gay just so that I can get healed.

I used to laugh at those 'healing' services until I realized how much psychological damage is wrought on the poor deceived souls who participate and sincerely believe their 'ailment' (literal or perceived) can be eliminated with a hand, a breath, a prayer or a shove. I dated a guy who loved to play baseball but had experienced a knee injury that left him with a lot of pain. His family had recently involved themselves in the charismatic movement and he walked forward for a knee healing one night during a crusade. The 'evangelist' prayed and spoke in tongues over his knee. My ex-boyfriend said he felt a rush of exhilaration and believed his knee was healed but an excited run around the block proved otherwise. He didn't have the heart to tell his family the truth and played baseball in pain for years, worried they would judge him for being unworthy of healing.
This poor soul. I couldn't watch the video because it states it has been 'removed by the user' but my heart hurts for this young man. I can't even imagine the persecution and judgment he has already endured in order for him to believe he needs healing from homosexuality.

I used to be the pastor of a mainline denominational church in the same community as IHOP. It's a different kind of place; evangelicals can't quite get what they're on about, and so mainliners can forget it. There's a unique emphasis at IHOP on the "forerunner" idea, that the things they're doing are actually preparing the way for Jesus' return. Taken to its logical conclusion, it's a frightening orientation to Christianity.

Rocky,

Thanks for your personal perspective on this issue.

Bruce

I just finished reading Jim Palmer's book -Divine Nobodies. His chapter on meeting a gay friend really impacted me and I guess you could say, changed my view.
IF christians believe that this needs a 'deliverance intervention' then we need to get the gossips, gluttons, lusters, haters, liars, and the list goes on...into the same deliverance program. I'm sick of the degrees of acceptance that christians put on what they consider 'sins' ... homosexuality being worse than telling a lie...or gossiping...and then saying that the Bible is their pattern for living? I'm rethinking a lot these days and for the better.
I could say so much more but I won't.

It is always the sins of others that are worse.

Divorce used to be THE sin in the Church. Sleep with 300 women. Fornicate at will. God will forgive you. Go serve God. Yet, let a person get a divorce and that's the end of it. Can't do this or that in the Church. Marked forever. It was amazing how we we singled out this one group of "sinners" and ignored the rest.

Bruce

Imagine a world where gay kids could just be themselves. And, if they choose to, go to church with everyone else. The real crime here is that this kid was not allowed to be simultaneously gay and religious, that he was forced to choose between his faith and his genes, and that his choice was motivated by fear, hatred, and misunderstanding. It makes you want to cry.

Other the other hand, IHOP and other fundamentalist churches are cornered by the Bible. The inerrancy doctrine forces you to play chess with the world without the rooks, knights, bishops, and queen. You can't win, because every deductive argument created to deal with the world's problems starts from an absurd premise. What's needed is a massive paradigm-shift, a theological revolution that allows Christians to maintain the best, most essential elements of the Christian faith without having to maintain a commitment to the absurdities created by inerrancy. I maintain the hope that such a thing is possible.

I think you are quite correct.

I am not as hopeful as you. I want to be, I really do.

Bruce