Things Heard: edition 15v2
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 at
8:30 am
- Homosexual practice and divorce compared. One problem, not confronted in that essay is that the contention “Divorce and remarriage has become generally acceptable even in socially conservative circles in western countries” is itself not by any means good or to be applauded but instead vehemently countered (if true).
- Praise of the former President Carter.
- Free-Tibet flags … made in China!?
- On the other hand, a contention that all global warming models share a feature in which the most marked warming is to be found in the equatorial troposphere … but it isn’t to be found there. A serious problem for the global warming devotee I’d think.
- Black liberation theology out of the closet.
- Beauty in song.
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Regarding divorce and the religious right, Ronald Sider has a book out that discusses these trends. It’s discussed at this site.
The intro to the book reads:
Drawing upon scientific polling from groups like Gallup and Barna, Sider takes the measure of American evangelicals on five data points: divorce, care for the poor, sexual infidelity, racism, and physical abuse in marriage. He is appalled.
People who claim to be born again divorce at a slightly higher rate than the general population. Evangelicals give a meager 4% from their income. The most likely people to object to neighbors of a different race are white evangelicals. Sexual promiscuity among evangelical kids is rampant. Is it any wonder that “a mere 22% of people have a positive view of evangelicals”?
Interesting stuff.
But I did confront that problem. I thought I had made it very clear that I did not consider this contention “by any means good or to be applauded”. Surely my intention was clear enough from my words “to meet their congregations’ expectations”. But, if not, I explicitly proposed “a less permissive attitude to remarriage”, and commended the Church of England position that “remarriage requires a bishop’s special permission”.
Dan,
I’m not sure whether your comparing apples to apples, i.e., is it really comparing evangelical and non-evangelical of the same economic and ethnic backgrounds.
In my (conservative) church tradition of Eastern Orthodoxy … second marriages are a penitential rite. Further remarriages are even more questionable (to be honest whether it’s even allowed depends on the diocese I think).
My point was that if one wants to compare homosexuality to divorce … I’d wonder why, divorce is bad and sinful, accepted or not. Right?