SEX, NOT SOUL, CONSUMES THE CHURCH

By J. Grant Swank, Jr.
MichNews.com
Apr 7, 2006



State Street Episcopal Church in Portland, near where I live, had a rector who championed the gay cause while in the pulpit. Then he retired recently, big write up in the newspaper and all that. In the article I read that he had a nice retirement home to live in — with his long-time male companion.

Guess what? You got it. Nuff said, right? Right!

Well no wonder the rector took to TV local news with his conviction of standing alongside gay rights in the state of Maine. Read between the blinds; even a blind person could do it this go-round. For sure.

Anyhow, what puzzles me is that so many with clout are making the Episcopal Church "the gay church". Not all take to a gay run religious institution within the Christian tradition. But if any group can attempt to bring it off, it’s the zig zag liberal Episcopalians.

But it amazes me how such Prayer Book enthusiasts, long on tradition and high on protocol, could fall prey to homosexuality as a legit. Doesn’t make much social sense, let alone biblical sense. But, again, if any group can wiggle waggle their way into the whatevers, it’s the liberal Episcopalians.

Now I have noted when in an Episcopal worship — of which I have attended many down through the years — that aesthetics is a big thing with that end of the religious spectrum — candle wax and pipe organs and vestments and tapestries and kneeling pads and leather bound niceties for the bishops and so on and so on.

I have read that gays go in for a lot of aesthetic ambiance. So it just might be that that kind of religious regalia attracts gays. I have a hunch that some of that kind of fancy frill attracts certain gays into the priesthood, too. Just a hunch, but I think I might be onto something there.

Then, too, there are a lot of concerts and art shows and teas and ladies’ shindigs going on in the Episcopal world of movement; therefore, gays attract to that kind of bug light as well.

In other words, I have a feeling that what’s happened recently in the liberal segment of the Episcopal Church has more to do with aesthetics than theology, though of course the theologians in that stripe have twisted one Scripture section after another in an attempt to biblically legitimatize homosexual alliances — temporary and permanent.

Aesthetics can be a strong pull, more so than theology with some.

Consequently, when it comes to ups and down in worship, sharing the holy kiss, passing the peace, intoning to even songs and setting up for rummage sales, I do believe that gays fit in quite nicely. Again, more aesthetics than theology played a heavy pull in all this recent apostasy.

Now as for the biblical Episcopalians who still know how to see through a heterosexual twosome under God, well, I guess they’re left rather out in the cold at the moment. Now that seems awfully strange. After all, for hundreds of years they’ve been in out of the cold; so now why should they shiver in the streets?

Well, of course, it’s because they haven’t heard the compassionate invitation of the gays. I’m sure you’ve heard it. The gays have said to the straights: Now don’t feel left out, fellas. There’s room for us all. We’ll leave the light on for you. So if the straights can’t understand genuine compassion when it’s meted out, then tough noogies.

FOOTNOTE: ANTI-HOMOSEXUAL PASSAGES IN THE BIBLE

Leviticus 18:22: "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination."

Leviticus 20:13: "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them."

Romans 1:18-32: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. . .For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools. . .

"Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. . .

"For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire towards one another, men with men committed indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

"God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice. . .without understanding. . . and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them."

I Corinthians 6:9: "Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

ADDENDUM: EPISCOPAL BISHOP GRISWOLD: BIBLICAL BELIEVERS ARE LIKE THE DEVIL

It’s getting hot. Hotter than hell? Well, maybe. And that’s upping the temp when coming to the Episcopal fight going on right now.

It’s not a sweet rectory meeting. It’s not a nicey-nice doily tea. It’s that which could cause more of a wrenching cleavage than heretofore within the worldwide Anglican Communion.

While the American Episcopal Church goes its immoral way of confessing the homosexual lifestyle as divinely blessed, it then turns on biblical Episcopalians within its ranks as being of "the devil," according to the Episcopal publication, the Living Church, reports Julia Duin of The Washington Times.

Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, head of the 2.3-million-member Episcopal Church, told fellow clergy at a recent conclave that when biblically-grounded Anglican leadership met recently at the Northern Ireland conference, the latter was "’out for blood’ and (Griswold) likened six conservative Episcopalians to the devil.

"The six, all of whom were in Northern Ireland during the meeting, were Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan; Canon Bill Atwood, general secretary of the Ekklesia Society in Texas; the Rev. Martyn Minns, rector of Truro Episcopal Church in Fairfax; the Rev. David Anderson, president of the American Anglican Council in Atlanta; the Rev. Kendall Harmon, canon theologian of the Diocese of South Carolina; and Diane Knippers, president of the Institute for Religion and Democracy in the District and a member of Truro."

Anglicans who regard the Bible as divine revelation are outraged that the American Episcopal Church, part of the Anglican global church, would be so blasphemous as to honor homosexual unions of any kind that it is threatening to rid the Anglican body of the American presence. The biblical believers cannot stomach being a part of the apostasy and therefore want to cut off those disobedient to Scripture.

There are scores of laypersons within the American Episcopal Church who feel the same. However, they are betwixt and between. Where do they then go? So they want in. Yet they want out.

If they stay in, they’ve got the familiar — the church building, the rectory, the fellowship hall, the ritual and their friends. If they leave, they’re wanderers in search of a loving, biblical congregation. It’s not easy being a biblical believer within the American Episcopal framework these days.

The same can be said for biblical clergy in particular. But more is involved with them. If they stay, they are a part of the apostasy by association. If they leave, they lose their home, salary, health coverage and any other employment necessities attached to the ministerial position.

Yet the biblical laity and clergy are doing something. Some of them have left. I know of one former Episcopal Church near where I live that pulled out of the denomination because of the theologically liberal contingent here in Maine. They are now a part of a biblically aligned Anglican-tradition church headquartered in America. With that, I note that they have taken any notation of "Episcopal" off their church sign. They do not want any association with the American Episcopal Church. So it goes with scores of others — laity, clergy and congregations.

To stay with the American Episcopal arrangement is a painful journey for those who are convicted that God has spoken eternal truth in His Word. The journey is a daily and weekly reminder that the church believers once considered "home" is no longer home but has turned into "enemy territory." Suspicions fly through the air. It’s like living in the foe’s stronghold.

I have received a number of inquiries from Episcopal laypersons asking "What should we do?" They can’t stand to live with the rank evil propagated by their spiritually fallen clergy and yet they just can hardly think of leaving locally what they have come to regard as Their Turf.

At the recent American Episcopal leadership meeting, there was hostility rampant. There were severe words exchanged. And so the conclusion was that for a year there will be a "moratorium" on "consecrating all bishops, saying such a refusal was preferable to discriminating against ‘our gay brothers and lesbian sisters.’"

Thus the deliberately sinful march continues downward, and more downward. With that kind of language, the American Episcopal leadership is pulling itself further and further away from the Anglican world body of biblical believers. And further and further away from the will of God.

With that kind of action, biblical believers simply regard the American body as attempting to bide time in its own power play plots. Instead of bowing to biblical truth and repenting of its sin, the American church stalls for time,

fights with biblical believers, and claims the high road for spiritual truth.

In short, the Anglican Communion is in one hellish stew. And that’s not the usual image that the Episcopal / Anglican Communion likes to project to the world.

Nevertheless, it’s true.

MORE: HOMO EPISCOPAL BISHOP GROWS SEVERAL EVIL HEADS

Did not Jesus say that when the house was vacated, if the Holy Spirit did not enter, the demons would return to take over the dwelling many times over?

Yes, it’s true. Now that the New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson has let the world know of his apostasy, he proceeds to grow more demonic heads. They will continue growing until he repents according to Scripture, refuses his practicing homosexual lifestyle and adopts celibacy in a broken heart before the cross of Christ.

Until then, Robinson will proceed to spread evil. It’s the way the demons work when set loose in an empty cavernous soul given over to the powers of darkness. Therefore, it is not surprising to read according to The Washington Time’s Jon Ward that Robinson now champions killing womb babies via Planned Parenthood.

Killing off biblical morality was Robinson’s chief agenda in slaying churchly truth. Now he’s taken up the bloody banner of killing off infants inside female bodies. Killing breeds killing. It’s all there within the pharisaical pronouncements of the New Testament record. Nothing has changed according to the demonic agenda, regardless of the era.

"Planned Parenthood should target ‘people of faith’ to promote abortion rights and comprehensive sex education, the Episcopal Church's first openly homosexual bishop told a gathering in the District yesterday.

"’In this last election we see what the ultimate result of divorce from communities of faith will do to us,’ New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson said during Planned Parenthood's fifth annual prayer breakfast.

"’Our defense against religious people has to be a religious defense. ... We must use people of faith to counter the faith-based arguments against us,’ he said."

The New Testament prophesied that in the End Times there would be those who speak the voice of the dragon while sprouting the horns of the lamb. In other words, they would appear lamb-like in following the Good Shepherd but when they open their mouths they speak the doctrines of the demonic. These are the false prophets of our time.

"’We have allowed the Bible to be taken hostage, and it is being wielded by folks who would use it to hit us over the head. We have to take back those Scriptures,’ he said. ‘You know, those stories are our stories. I tell this to lesbian folk all the time: The story of freedom in Exodus is our story. ... That's my story, and they can't have it.

"’This current administration notwithstanding, the world is not black and white. We need to teach people about nuance, about holding things in tension, that this can be true and that can be true, and somewhere between is the right answer. It's a very adult way of living, you know.

"’What an unimaginative God it would be if God only put one meaning in any verse of Scripture,’ he said."

With that, Robinson continues to damn his soul by blaspheming, particularly quoting Scripture misused, twisted, and maligned in order to spread evil. Those who are genuinely Christians must pray in intercession for Robinson and his ilk for Jesus has commissioned us to pray for our enemies, particularly our spiritual foes. They have souls.

We are dwelling in the Light of Truth, according to Jesus; therefore, though these enemies are distasteful to our moral senses, we are to intercede for them. However, if they have become reprobate, a state known only to the Holy Spirit, then they have no chance of knowing saving grace. Nevertheless, because genuine Christians know not whether they have moved into that state, they are to be prayed for.

Robinson, in his arrogance and stubbornness of spirit, continues to give forth the ungospel. Therefore, he will answer at the Judgment Seat of Christ as well as all those who applaud him. These are vile days in which the demons are rampant throughout the global church — all three segments: Roman Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodoxy. No branch is without sin. All then must be brought before heaven’s court in order to seek the reviving, cleansing Spirit of God.

Those who are true to the Word must remain true in the faith, never compromising. To see the likes of Robinson should strike fear in every believer lest we too lose our footing. Paul wrote that every Christian must be vigilant lest that believer lose out as well. Therefore, we must take stock of our loyalty to Christ to make certain that we are perfectly surrendered to the way of the cross as set forth in the Word.

"Mr. Robinson left his wife and two young daughters in 1986 and moved in with another man. He was elected bishop by state and clergy delegates in June 2003 and affirmed by the national convention two months later.

"Abortion, he said yesterday, is ‘not just a matter between a woman and her body. This is not like removing a mole. On the other hand, no one should interfere with a woman's right to choose.’"

Evil, when getting big headed, then grows several heads. It’s the way of the demons.

MORE: AND ELSEWHERE: UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA FOSTERS HOMO RULE

Canada has now gone pro-practicing homosexual.

One of the prime reasons that has taken place is because the largest Protestant denomination, United Church of Canada, has gone apostate.

I have a home in Nova Scotia. I attend the United Church of Canada when there. I also attend worships at other denominations while there; but I keep in touch with the United Church also.

It is abhorrent what has taken place in that particular denomination over decades. Liberals have taken over. Biblical Christians are leaving that denomination for biblical gatherings elsewhere.

Just a couple of weeks ago, we were chatting in our Nova Scotian home. A woman living near Halifax stated that she told her United Church of Canada pastor that she would no longer be giving her offerings to her life long church.

She said, "I told him that I could no longer support a congregation that supported gay issues. Many others are telling him the same thing. In fact, many have already left the church to attend a nearby Baptist Church. We don’t understand what has happened to our church. We can’t believe it."

A relative of mine told me the same thing. She lives in Moncton, New Brunswick. She asked her pastor what was going on regarding the homosexual allowance. She told him that it troubled her greatly.

"Why are we doing this? The church should stand for the Bible," she told her minister. "The Catholic Church sets the morals for its church and doesn’t budge. Why does the United Church of Canada have to yield to that which is sinful?"

Her pastor looked at her and said, "You know, at times I wonder the same."

But has he taken a public stand? No. Has he left the church for another position with a biblical congregation? No.

It is hard to do that. It means his salary and housing. It means taking to account his age and age discrimination. It means a lot of things but what his hesitancy means most is his standing before God when he dies. He will stand at the Judgement Seat of Christ to give an account of his earthly decisions.

So will the United Church of Canada. For years, it has been found wanting in soul. For years, it has courted the devil. For years, it has thrown out the Scriptures for the laws and moral conniving of spiritual wayward men and women.

Now the nation has gone to hell via the law passed to accommodate practicing homosexuals. And the politicians can say they have the largest Protestant denomination in the country to back them up.

MORE: CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH REFUSES TO HONOR GOD’S PERIOD

The Congregational Church is promoting a saying. It goes something like this: Don’t put a period where God’s put a comma.

With that, the United Church of Christ (Congregational) proceeds to add to the Bible. That denomination continues to distort and augment the divine revelation with its insistence on homosexual lifestyles as being God-ordained.

The UCC has become obsessed with homosexuality. In other words, read "Episcopal apostasy" into the present-tense UCC denomination-wide agenda.

In our community, the posters — large, large ones — are on church fronts. They are on church marquees. That bit about not putting a period where God has put a comma is even strewn across the front of the Bangor Theological Seminary library entrance on Portland’s State Street.

Not good.

Furthermore, when one goes to the UCC official web site, once again the apostasy is plastered across the front page, top spread. It’s as if the UCC has reinvented evangelism in their own heretical terms. And to do that is quite dangerous for the soul, not only of the individual but for the church body.

What the UCC is doing is reinventing secular religion in the name of "Christianity." The UCC is so salivating for homosexuals to come into their churches that they are bending over backwards in the attempt. They are preaching about it. They are posting it. They are scribing it across their Internet posts. Where will it end?

It will end at the Judgment Seat of Christ. That’s where it will end. Then the apostate church leaders will bow before the One who warned in His Word that a person dare not add to nor take from His revelation. For those who do, they cast their eternities into the lake of fire and brimstone.

Now that is harsh news for the UCC. But their leadership has so seared its conscience for theological liberalism that the UCC heads truly don’t care any more. They don’t care any more except for one thing: making the homosexual lifestyle widely acceptable everywhere, starting of all places in the sanctuary of the holy.

So they say God put a comma at the close of his Scripture. God put a comma? God, in other words, was not finished with his revealed truth of Holy Scriptures so he relies upon mankind to add to His sentences. And the UCC leads the way. Moreover, the UCC leads the way, not with truth amplified, but with one of the most hellish notions going — homosexuality as a legitimate, Christian lifestyle!

It is so sad to realize that thousands of grassroots worshipers are being indoctrinated weekly in that which is totally contrary to biblical truth. Where will these people go to find the eternal truth? Will they be forced to leave that so-called church on the corner where they have gone to church for years? Will they have to twist their heads totally around in order to accommodate themselves to the demonic teachings from pulpit and church school classes? That’s what is going on now in the neighborhood UCC congregation.

It is quite sad. But more than that. It is blasphemous.

The UCC is exceptionally angry with the FCC for the latter not telecasting the UCC’s homosexual propagating ad. The FCC refused because the FCC would not bow down to the UCC"s baseline of practicing homosexual lifestyles being acceptable. Thank you, FCC. Now the UCC is ranting all over its web site. It spills off the screen, headlining with a picture of two women pressed closely to one another shoulder-to-shoulder.

All I can say is that God must come to the aid of those truly biblical worshippers in the UCC who have just lost their so-called church for the umpteenth time. After all, this is not the first heretical move from the UCC. For years, that Protestant denomination has been on a course of losing the soul of the church body. But now the UCC has gone way over the scripturally moral line with this business of forcing homosexuality down the parishioners’ throats.

Shame on you, UCC. Shame on you.

You know you have created your own heretical religion and still demand to call it "Christian." You know you have backslidden into hell’s notions for furthering the godless within your own heretofore holy walls.

You know you have lost your way — far off the sanctified path of God.

MORE: HOMO ENTHUSIASTS INFILTRATE METHODISTS

It’s happening all over again. The practicing homosexuals are infiltrating big time the United Methodist Church. They have been trying for some time now, not quite able to get enough votes at the last annual conclave to turn the Protestant denomination totally around for evil. Yet of course they never give up.

So now it’s North Carolina, a previously conservative geography to United Methodism. It’s entitled "Hearts on Fire," which is a real infiltration of Methodist history and theology in that it was founder John Wesley who focused on such language in his holiness preaching—the infilling of the Holy Spirit with heavenly fire to cleanse out the carnal nature.

Now that which was once used as biblical preaching content has been prostituted to endorse sodomy in the name of Jesus Christ.

The "convocation is organized by Reconciling Congregations, the main pro-homosexuality lobby group attempting to overturn the Untied Methodist Church’s teachings on marriage and sexual ethics," according to Mark Tooley writing for The Institute of Religion and Democracy Methodist News.

This same infiltration of course is now history with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Episcopal Church of America, United Church of Christ (Congregational) and Unitarian-Universalistic Society. The worldwide Anglican Communion is suffering with this same evil. Now the so-called "holiness church" known as "Wesley’s Church" is attacked by demonic forces.

The only way that such infiltration can be overcome is for truly biblical members of the denomination to stand strong, be vocal, attend conferences (particularly where there is voting concerning denominational strength and weakness), and determine not to permit a clergyperson of liberal standing to enter their pulpits. Add to that daily prayer and spiritual vigilance at every turn.

The practicing homosexuals do not care a twit about Jesus nor Christian truth. All they care about is flaunting their sexual wares for the world to see. They are exhibitionists within the courts of the holy. They are also power hungry, especially so when entering the Christian pulpits to give forth their anti-Christ messages weekly to captive audiences. These infiltrators work night and day, get on committees, and write letters, wiggle their ways into positions or power and then take over.

The truly Christian must do the same—but more. What happens in the aforementioned denominations is that the truly Christian were more times than not asleep while the enemy took over the camp. Then the truly Christian woke up mornings to realize that their church had been robbed while they napped. It can happen in the United Methodist Church if the truly Christian are not aggressive.

There are many who consider this demonic infiltration as a part of the End Times, another manifestation of the spirit of antichrist at work to spread sin around the globe prior to the Second Coming of Christ. With this understanding must also come the biblical message to stand fast, confront the spiritual enemy and defend the coming Christ at all costs.

"Reconciling hopes to attract 400 United Methodists to the convocation, located in western North Carolina. Participants will include 7 bishops: Susan Morrison, Melvin Talbert, Joseph Sprague, Sally Dyck, John Schol, Minerva Carcano and Bishop Richard Wilke.

"Other speakers will include openly lesbian United Methodist minister Beth Stroud, same-sex union convenor Karen Oliveto, and Erin Swenson, a male Presbyterian minister who had a sex-change operation and now professes to be female.

"Reconciling has declared that Hearts on Fire will include a ‘rainbow community of faithful lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and heterosexual disciples committed to justice!’"

The United Methodist Church official position is stated in The Book of Discipline where God’s love is affirmed for "homosexuals but call homosexual practice ‘incompatible with Christian teaching.’ Human rights for homosexuals are supported, but the church denies ordination to practicing homosexuals, refuses funding for pro-homosexuality advocacy, and will not allow same-sex unions."

It is this statement that the practicing homosexuals are seeking to overturn.

In addition, the bishop spoke.

What he said does not line up with Scripture. He defied divine revelation for his own notions and being politically correct. It’s going on constantly, daily in the apostate segments of Christendom — Catholic and Protestant. It is rampant in some denominations such as the United Church of Christ (Congregational), Episcopal Church and of course the Unitarian-Universalist Society.

Now it’s a Methodist bishop who sides with those discounting God’s Word for their own word.

So it is that the lesbian Methodist "minister" seeks an appeal on her case. She was ousted from her job in eastern Pennsylvania, though her liberal senior pastor is keeping her on as a lay worker in the congregation. How adamant are those determined to champion the ungodly premises. With that, they obviously side with evil, thereby making themselves consorts to the devil.

But when the bishop gets into the devilish act, that’s an alarming turn-around.

According to the AP, Irene Elizabeth Stroud of Philadelphia, when told she could not retain the position of pastor, was informed by the bishop that there will indeed come the time when the United Methodist Church will apologize to the lesbian for removing her from her ministerial slot.

Bishop Joseph Yeakel, the one presiding over the church trial, consoled the woman who lives with another female by saying that "the day will come when the church apologizes for this decision."

Bishop: Welcome to the satanic moves within the worldwide church. Those revealing their pious games of denial

regarding biblical ethics brashly act out their devilish antics. They actually believe themselves to be furthering the love of God, the grace of Christ, and the mercy provided in Scripture. They deride those holding to biblical morality as provincial and obstacles to genuine compassion. Therefore, it is those in league with Satan who stand in their pulpits to castigate clergy and laity who hold Scriptural truth as absolute.

In their relativism, bishops such as Yeakel fold directly into the hands of the cultic within the denominations they represent. Naturally, John Wesley, founder of Methodism, having preached holiness all his adult life, would point his accusing finger at the present-day apostates, informing them to repent or send their souls to damnation.

MORE: PRESBYTERIANS GO THE HOMO APPROVAL ROUTE?

It’s not that it has not come up. It has.

The subject of homosexual practice has indeed surfaced within the Presbyterian Church of America. But it has not taken over — yet.

What will keep the infiltrating homosexuals from consuming this Protestant denomination? Only if that denomination adheres continually to the Westminster Confession of Faith — which, by the way, the denomination provides via its web site.

That Confession puts the Holy Scriptures as revealed truth. It is the Word of God without question. Therefore, considering that the Presbyterians fear for adding to or taking away from the Holy Scriptures — under penalty of God’s curse — that segment of Christendom will continue to hold to the scriptural ethic regarding all matters, including sexual practice.

While homosexuals have infiltrated the Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ (Congregational) so as to turn those denominations into apostasy centers, they have not yet seen through such devilment with the Presbyterian Church of America.

However, the homosexuals did attempt to overrun the United Methodist Church at the latter’s last annual gathering. Nevertheless, with much angst throughout the assembly, the practicing homosexuals and their team members did not win out in the balloting. But it can still happen. It won’t happen if the United Methodists cling to the same scriptural convictions as the Presbyterian Church of America.

But in all this wrestling match with souls, time will tell the outcome. The infiltrators do not give up. They continue to take over local congregations as well as pulpits and committees and seminars and talk-outs of one sort or another.

However, if the Presbyterians heed reality and biblical truth, they may stave off the devil’s crew.

The Presbyterian Church of America web site clearly states the belief concerning the Bible with these words from the Westminster Confession of Faith:

"Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation.

"Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manner, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing: which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased.

"The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or Church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.

"We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to an high and reverend esteem of the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.

"The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit or traditions of men."

MORE: UNITARIANS FLAUNT SCRIPTURE REGARDING HOMOSEXUALITY

The Unitarian-Universalist Society, headquartered in Boston MA, outrightly rejects the biblical ethic regarding homosexuality.

On the web site Religious Tolerance.com, the following UU statement appears:

THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION AND HOMOSEXUALITY

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is a liberal religious organization, serving the "UU" congregations in North America. Its churches and fellowships total approximately 250,000 members. The UUA was formed in 1961-MAY-11 from the merger of the Unitarian and Universalist Churches. They have long been active promoters of equal rights for all, having been very prominent in the fight against segregation, for access to abortion, and for equal rights for women. They continue this tradition by advocating equal rights for gays and lesbians, including the right to marry.

The UU Association was the first large religious organization in North America to welcome homosexuals and bisexuals as full members, eligible to become clergy. They were also the first major religious group to open an office to in support of equal civil rights for (and social acceptance of) Gays and Lesbians. This has expanded in recent years to include both Bisexual and Transgendered people. In the past, they have been viewed as one of the most liberal of the large Christian denominations. Currently, only about 10% of their members consider themselves to be Christians; many do not consider them a Christian group.

In 1970, their General Assembly passed a resolution to oppose laws which criminalized some forms of adult consensual sexual activity, which discriminated against gays and lesbians in employment, and which restricted US government issuance of security clearances, visas and citizenship. This led to the creation of an Office on Gay Affairs in 1973

In 1977, the General Assembly passed a resolution calling on its congregations to fight misinformation being disseminated against homosexuals. A second resolution called for an end to persecution and intolerance of gays.

In 1980, they passed a resolution urging the UUA to help openly homosexual and bisexual clergy find postings.

In 1984, they passed a resolution affirming the use of "services of union" to recognize committed same-sex

relationships.

In 1987 they called upon the UUA to promote the annulment of sodomy laws and the creation of laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.

In 1993, they publicly protested North Carolina's anti-sodomy laws. the General Assembly also formally endorsed the March on Washington for Lesbians, Gay and Bisexual Equal Rights and Liberation."

In 1994, they supported the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which would prohibit discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation.

In 1996, prior to the UUA General Assembly meeting in JUN in Indianapolis IN, the UUA Board of Trustees and the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association had voted in favor the legalization of same-sex marriages. At the General Assembly meeting a Resolution of Immediate Witness in support of the legalization of same-sex marriages was presented to the delegates. Couples who had been joined in a Ceremony of Union were specifically invited to attend and be recognized. The resolution noted that for the previous 26 years, the UUA had "adopted numerous resolutions... supporting equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons, including support for Ceremonies of Union between members of the same sex". They urged its congregations to "take an affirmative position in support of the value of marriage between any two committed persons, whether of the same or opposite sexes, and to make those positions known in their home communities." The resolution passed with only a few dissenting votes among the approximately 1700 delegates.

In 1997, they passed a resolution encouraging the patronage of businesses that have policies of non-discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity.

On 2004-MAY-20 same-sex marriage became legal in Massachusetts . Unitarian Universalist churches in the state took a major role in solemnizing same-sex marriages, and celebrating the availability of marriage to same-sex couples for the first time in the U.S.

MORE: BIBLICAL LUTHERANS CASTIGATE TASK FORCE RE HOMO POLICY

According to Neela Banerejee of the New York Times, "A task force of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America recommended that it retain its policy against blessing same-sex unions and ordaining gays, but suggested that sanctions could be avoided for pastors and congregations that chose to do so."

Can a Christian imagine the apostle Paul calling for a task force to conclude what God had already revealed? Can one think of Jesus calling for a committee to decide on what the Father told Him in prayer?

Whatever happened to "Thus saith the Lord!"?

That is the reasoning of biblical Lutherans. They conclude that divine revelation is already with us in the Bible. Therefore, why should a denomination’s task force come to any conclusion about moral issues but what the Bible presents?

Biblical Lutherans are contesting the most recent waffling of the Lutheran task force on homosexual this and that within that particular branch of Christendom.

Lutherans let the homo legit door open wide when they waffled at the start, committing sacrilege, going the way of apostasy. One cannot think of the Southern Baptist Convention granting such procedures on moral matters. Nor can one think of the Assembly of God doing same. Or the Church of God, Cleveland Tennessee. Or the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Or the Church of God, Anderson Indiana. Or any other evangelical, scripturally moored denomination.

Of course, when it came to the Wesleyan holiness-heritage United Methodist Church, they had quite the battle in their last annual conclave. Homosexuals had infiltrated to an alarming degree — both within the laity and clergy — so as to almost turn that denomination into a practicing homosexual lobby. Thank heaven the biblically grounded vote won the day. But the entire session was consumed with unbelievable tension.

The Presbyterian Church of America is dealing with the same stress. Only time will tell whether or not the homosexual infiltration overcomes the biblically aligned so as to change church policy into heresy condoned.

When it comes to mainstream churches, they are sliding so liberal theologically that it’s quite frightening. How far can apostasy go until a denomination implodes? The Episcopalians are already paying a severe price for saying Yes to practicing homosexuals. They are left with extreme turmoil in the US while the African Anglicans castigate the American church for going the way of the devil.

Such is life in the End Time.

Now the Lutheran task force has come out with its own compromising, wimpish, appearing-to-be-pious "wiggle room." Biblical Lutherans are not at all happy, rightfully so. They see the whole matter pressing on right-and-wrong issues. They count the situation as letting Satan take over their church or bowing contritely before the Lord God in holiness.

"Word Alone, a biblically orthodox Lutheran group, sharply criticized the recommendations as an attempt to hoodwink parishioners into believing that policies remained unchanging despite the fact that sanctions may not be enforced.

"The sixth-largest Christian denomination, with five million members in the United States and Caribbean, the Lutheran Church is attempting to resolve what the task force called a ‘deep, pervasive’ disagreement about the role and treatment of gay men and lesbians."

The "deep, pervasive disagreement" would not have had to be if the denomination had not permitted at the very start the blatant perversion maximum.

MORE: HOMOSEXUALS INFILTRATE MENNONITES

When visiting Mennonite friends in central Pennsylvania, they informed us of their grave concern. Because they are born again Christians, life-long Mennonites, they are alarmed at the enemy taking over the Mennonite congregations.

The theological enemy equals homosexuals — practicing homosexuals and those endorsing their lifestyle as God blessed.

So while having breakfast with our friends, Paul showed me a magazine published by the Mennonites. There were numerous letters to the editor exclaiming over the infiltration of homosexuals.

I wondered how this could be. Homosexuals have taken over the Episcopal Church of America so that now the bishop states to media that biblical Episcopalians are "of the devil." The whole apostasy has spread so far as to influence the worldwide Anglican communion.

The African Anglicans have been particularly vocal about the American Episcopal mad move. African communions have informed the Archbishop of Canterbury that he had better exercise his spiritual authority as lead pastor in warning the American congregations of their spiritually backslidden condition.

Thus far, the Archbishop has shown little gusto in doing that. In fact, he has become an irritant to the worldwide believing Anglican worshipers in not doing enough for the biblical cause.

So when I read the letters to the editor of a Mennonite magazine, I immediately thought of the homosexual plan. It’s a plot from hell. It is to infiltrate heretofore biblical gatherings with their diabolical dogma as well as sinful lifestyle. Therefore, they have now come upon not only the aesthetically prone Episcopalians but also the plain living Mennonites.

But the Mennonites? How the Mennonites? And why?

The bottom line is that Mennonites are known for being a "peace church" like unto the Plymouth Brethren and the Society of Friends (Quakers). Numerous homosexuals agree to be non-military and therefore fit right in with the peace accent of these so-called "peace churches," hence the gravitation of homosexuals to the Mennonites communities.

The "homosexual Mennonites" then champion pacifism while spreading homosexual lifestyle as God ordained alongside heterosexual lifestyle.

What is particularly alarming is that the editorial leadership, that is, especially in Mennonite printed material such as denominational magazines, have taken the side of the homosexuals. In other words, homosexual enthusiasts have infiltrated the printed word, the reading material going out into Mennonite homes and church sanctuaries.

I don’t think the rest of Christendom is as much aware of the homosexual infiltration of the Mennonites as it is aware of the Episcopal diabolical, for example. However, it would be wise to take stock of the infiltration in many locales religious, including not only the Episcopal Church in America but also the United Church of Christ (Congregational), Presbyterian Church of America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (the term "evangelical" no longer having its biblical meaning in the title of that denomination).

In short, the homosexual intruders have continued their inroads as a takeover of the Christian Church.

Copyright © 2006 by J. Grant Swank, Jr.

MONROVIA - A former Monrovia police officer is suing the department, its chief and other employees for allegedly discriminating against him because he is gay.

Michael Solarez, 38, spent seven years with the Monrovia Police Department before he was terminated in March 2005.

For many years no one knew he was gay, Solarez said, until he confidentially told Chief Roger Johnson in an attempt to protect fellow gay officers from hazing. Johnson is accused in the lawsuit of making Solarez's sexuality public, and then finding ways to terminate him.

Solarez says hazing and harassing gay employees was common at the agency.

"It created a very hostile environment," Solarez said. "A couple times it was very devastating. When I first got outed and people in the community started finding out, I got very upset. I wasn't suicidal, but about that low."

Attorney Scott Tiedemann, who represents the defendants in the case, denies all the allegations in the complaint, which was filed in December. As the case progresses, information will be disclosed that's favorable to the Police Department, he said.

Student who wrote he was gay dismissed from school
A University of Cumberlands student who revealed he was gay on a personal Web page has been expelled.
A university spokesman says 20-year-old Jason Johnson was asked to leave the small Baptist school earlier this week.

The student from Lexington was dismissed after he posted on his Web page at the popular Internet site MySpace.com that he was gay.

The university has a policy that says it reserves the right to expel a student who -- quote -- "promotes sexual behavior not consistent with Christian principles."

The university would not comment specifically on Johnson's expulsion, but school president Jim Taylor says in a statement that the school is unapologetic about its Christian beliefs.