Adoption group criticised for 'retarded homophobes' comment

I felt I just had to blog my thoughts about this. This is what the British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) had to say: Children need good parents much more than retarded homophobes need an excuse to whinge, so don’t let your worries about society’s reaction hinder your desire and ability to give a child a loving caring home.
Now let me say that I think the language used is inappropriate and offensive. Among those objecting to this statement are a number of Christian groups who are saying that Christians are being labeled as having a mental illness. One can see the point and how offense may be taken.

The question of adoption is a complicated one and what is in the best interests of the child should always be uppermost in the minds of all concerned. I am not taking a view here, but I will say that those Christians who complain at being marginalised might consider also how homosexuals are also being marginalised by society and especially the Church.

Christianity Today http://www.christiantoday.com/ whilst running this story also ran the following story contemporaneously.

Church of Scotland minister warns against inaction on homosexuality

This is what one Church of Scotland minister had to say: Rev Watson was speaking ahead of next week’s crunch meeting of the Church of Scotland General Assembly, which will rule on the appointment of openly gay minister Rev Scott Rennie, who is being supported by the Aberdeen Presbytery.

Almost one third of Church of Scotland ministers have signed a petition calling for a ban on homosexuals being appointed as clergymen. A motion has also been put forward saying that the Church should not “train, ordain, admit, readmit, induct or introduce to any ministry of the church anyone involved in a sexual relationship outside of marriage between a man and woman”.

In his sermon, Rev Watson compared inaction over the issue by traditionalists to the policy of appeasement to the Nazis, a strategy which only emboldened Hitler to make more demands and ultimately led to the Second World War.

Pretty inflammatory stuff too eh? One can also see how homosexuals might be offended with language of Nazis and the like.

So my point? Well, let's be sensible about all this. Everyone has a right to their point of view, but we must be careful not to use inflammatory language which can only hurt and make matters worse.

Salad Bar Christianity

Those who say that liberal Christians are practicing a form of salad bar Christianity are, I believe, missing the point. They would say that liberals are picking and choosing what bits of the Bible they like and dismissing those that they do not like; sometimes referred to as pick 'n mix Christianity. But in my opinion ALL Christians and Churches do the same. Indeed, the Bible would be incomprehensible if some level of interpretation or discernment were not made. What is important is to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. So, it is not really a matter of personal preference it is a genuine enquiry as to what is Truth. It is not about accepting blindly dogmas and doctrines handed down by our Church Fathers without proper reflection and personal enquiry. We must also remember that the Bible itself is a collection of writings that were canonised by our Church Fathers. They had to decided what went in and importantly what gospels and letters were to be left out. Was this a form of pick 'n mix?

But for me the real point is that some things are non negotiable. To be a Christian we are called to be Christ like....to love others, even our enemies, to forgive and be non-judgmental. To be as a child to enter Heaven. To be peacemakers and so much more. We are not Christians because we have ticked off the check list of creedal beliefs if we do not practice the love that Jesus taught.

Salad bar Christianity? I don't think so.