Faithful Philly Forum

If there ever was a wake up call to the church about sex and pleasure it is now. The once bankrupt Penthouse which was bought up in 2004 by a group of investors has now bought up  $500 million dollars worth of internet sites that focus social networking. Their target market is 18-34 year old men who are wanting sexual media and online access. Other than yelling about censoring the ‘net, how will the churches respond? What does the Church offer this audience that would satisfy their need and desire for sexual intimacy? for sexual openness? for (perhaps) deeper and more meaningful sexual experiences? Telling them to come to church and meet a nice woman and then get married whereupon fireworks will happen is just not going to do it…obviously, since that has been the dominant message for centuries. If the Church has nothing to teach positively to unmarried people about sex and sexual satisfaction, then we have no right to complain when enterprizing investors use pornography and the latest technology to present sexuality in ways that are usually dehumanizing, sexist and mechanistic devoid of any relational quality in order to make their fortunes even larger. Guess who is shaping the views of our culture (and the world?) on sex? It sure isn’t the Church!  

There is something quite interesting happening in the evangelical churches now. Soul Force has targeted the megachurches to help members understand, appreciate and fully accept the sexual minority communities in their midst. The initiative is called the American Family Outing from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day and will include 40 families who visit these churches to instigate conversations that will educate and hopefully, build bridges. The churches being targeted are those headed by persons (Isn’t is strange the loudest anti-gay voices are men?) who are on record as making statements against homosexuality. They include Joel Osteen, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Dr. Rick Warren, Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr., Bill Hybels and Bishop Eddie Long. But, in addition, to celebrate World AIDS day at an AIDS conference he hosted, Rev Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church noted that Christians must take responsibility for the spread of AIDS. These two announcements of course have stirred up the usual Bible-quoting legalists in response and civility can’t always be counted on by those most passionate. But, isn’t it exciting that the voices for inclusion and grace are finally being asserted? And, when the focus is to create understanding and tolerance, then compassion can’t be too far behind. Right? Let us keep that as our guiding principle. With compassionate people, justice will always follow.

I don’t get it. A group that names itself “Repent America” challenges the existing hate crime law that includes sexual minorities in Pennsylvania. What is the repentance about? Repent of protecting people’s lives? Repent that we might encourage lawsuits against those who resort to violence against sexual minorities just because they are sexual minorities? Are we to repent for being too compassionate or not being judgmental enough?

I know the Hebrew prophets sometimes stridently called for the need to repent and compassionately embrace the immigrants in their midst, (known as foreigners or aliens) who were being mistreated. They went on any number of tirades about the readiness of folks to go through the religious rituals but who failed to care for the widows and orphans in the community. And, the prophets went ballistic yelling about repentance of those who paid people unjust wages and exploited the workers.

Somehow I don’t think compassion is what “Repent America” is about…Oh yes, and they won the lawsuit by the way. The PA court ruled 5-1 the legislative process that was used to make this a law was indeed unconstitutional. Sometimes it is one step forward and two steps back.
http://www.equalitypa.org/news/news_view.php?news_id=51