Date: October 21st, 2003 04:16 am (UTC)From:(Anonymous)
I wouldn't cliam to have the background knowledge you have; but the argument arises from African priests and their bishops, not from me. It is certainly possible that these folk are grasping at straws, or using their position vis-a-vis Islam as an excuse to be homophobic. However, that there *is* an actively homophobic faction in African Islam is beyond debate, and *apparently* the issue of Christians fostering homosexuality is a point of argument in places as far apart as Malawi and the Sudan (leaving out, say, the tribal complexities of Nigeria).
I have no idea if proselytising to celebrate active, practicing homosexuality is really what Christians should be focussing on to the exclusion of all other issues and needs in life. What bothers me about the current debate is that, apparently, anti-homophobes are keener on pushing that issue as far as it will go, regardless of the effects on the Church as a whole (including, broadly, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and the Protestants of various types in this broad definition). I can't help but think that this debate undermines the efforts of ordinary Christians to visit the imprisoned, help the sick, aid and be alongside the poor, and to succour the weak.
But maybe it's time to let it all go and get back to those pastoral issues, regardless of who is poking whom where. I blame the snake, myself. :-)
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
chiming
Re: I don't see the particular relevance of Islam in this...
Date: October 21st, 2003 04:16 am (UTC)From: (Anonymous)I have no idea if proselytising to celebrate active, practicing homosexuality is really what Christians should be focussing on to the exclusion of all other issues and needs in life. What bothers me about the current debate is that, apparently, anti-homophobes are keener on pushing that issue as far as it will go, regardless of the effects on the Church as a whole (including, broadly, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and the Protestants of various types in this broad definition). I can't help but think that this debate undermines the efforts of ordinary Christians to visit the imprisoned, help the sick, aid and be alongside the poor, and to succour the weak.
But maybe it's time to let it all go and get back to those pastoral issues, regardless of who is poking whom where. I blame the snake, myself. :-)