21 Friday Sep 2018
Posted in Faith
Today I want to share a piece from Archbishop Cranmer’s blog. There may be commentary from Gavin Ashenden on this in his interview for “Anglican Unscripted”, which should be uploaded to YouTube today or tomorrow.
http://archbishopcranmer.com/rainbow-church-lgbt-eucharist-intolerable-utterances/
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All Along the Watchtower 
Yes, Paul taught that we are all the same in Christ. But then he also taught us the following as well in 1Cor. 6: “9 Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, 10 thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”
Note that they could, of course if they gave these things up and were washed and sanctified in Christ and the Spirit. But what is this ‘celebration of that which should have been given up when we became one in Christ? Do fornicators, idolater, adulterers, thieves, the greedy, the robbers etc. have flags to identify themselves as such and take “pride” in their dereliction’s? It seems that the scriptures have been stood on their head. Why is the queer culture a special group to be allowed to remain in their previous state and revel in it? Should they too not be ashamed of what they were (are) and repent and become one in Christ like the rest?
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Thinking on this incident, I am reminded of the episode when John the Apostle hurried away from a bath-house for fear of being in the company of some famous heretic or enemy – the exact details escape me. As soon as that flag was draped on the altar, there should have been a “scurrying away” by the faithful -perhaps there was. It would not surprise me if there were stern letters sent to the dean and bishop.
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Yes, the story of Irenaeus received from Polycarp about John fleeing for fear that the building would fall since this virulent heretic Cerinthus was in their midst. I would that we were all so careful about placing ourselves in the presence of heretics.
And I should hope that the letters flew in great numbers after this and that people left the church in droves. But I doubt it in this day and age. We are too dumbed down to be offended by such things: in fact, most are sympathetic and fall for the misuse of scripture that was foisted upon them by this pastor.
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Yes, people have lost all discernment and subtlety. It is as if Jesus’ advice has been reversed: they have become harmful as serpents and foolish as doves.
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They took certain Gospel truths quite literally in those days: “If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:10).
Now who wants to be in the presence of those accursed? But those days are sadly gone and we have not the fervor of the first Christians. I am sure that John would have been happy to work with the man if he were open to conversion and baptism but as it was he was the chief denier of the Christian Faith and the Gospel of his time and John wanted to escape his presence. Probably a good idea.
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There is a lesson to be learned here in discernment, I suspect. A lot of formal outreach and ecumenism is misguided because it lets the Devil in. There is something to be said for the harshness of the Pope character played by Jude Law in “The Last Pope”, particularly the scene where he is speaking to the cardinals and has a miniature door representing Catholicism. He argues that it must be the pearl of great price so that people are kicking and screaming to be let in – not cheapened by compromise.
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Well Catholics do still have a traditional teaching about avoiding the near occasions of sin’. It seems to me that ‘gay pride marches’ and celebrations of one’s sins is a public occasion of sin that a Christian might just want to make sure that they do not get near. For the consequence whether conscious or subconscious is that there is nothing wrong with celebrating your favorite sins and that you have no intention of leaving it behind to be one in Christ. So they have made their choice; their love of perverted pleasures as opposed to the pleasure of being at peace in Christ. Yes Ecumenism has become a den of snakes I’m afraid and it is not what it should be. Even the VII document on ecumenism says that we must not give up doctrine in order to forge a false irenicism; which this is.
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In the end, a lot of that dialogue makes no one happy – so it wasn’t worth it. You can demonstrate a flow of logic, but you cannot make some hold the same value judgments that you do.
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No you can’t but then again rational thought can certainly come to the proper conclusion that value judgements that are exactly the opposite of Christ, the Gospels and 2000 years of practice and teaching can be rejected out of hand. There is a divide in our countries that most recognize and the division in our Church members is now making itself know publicly where it once hid in the shadows and rarely showed its head. There are no two gospels to argue about. You either accept the Truth or you don’t or you try to manipulate the Truth into that which it isn’t and declare those who follow the Truth as homophobes, racists, xenophobes or whatever words they want to revile one with. We are not just to be tolerant of sinners in their way of thinking but we are to be tolerant (actually be fully on board and agreeable) with the sins as well. Intolerance of lies, sins, misinformation, twisted exegesis is to be twisted into a new normal and a new gospel for the modern age. It will fail as have all the previous heresies. They may win battles but they cannot ever win the war. Christ is Truth; not our feelings and desires that we deemed to be as white as snow.
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Indeed; no one can escape the objective gaze of God. Everyone must face judgment, must give an account. Every knee must bow in recognition that Jesus Christ is Lord. Even now the signs of the Day of LORD are here.
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Just like the Church has had 2000 years of growth to announce and spread the coming of The Kingdom of God, satan has had 2000 years to propagate the Spirit of the anti-Christ which we know began at the same moment that Christianity was born. So the signs of the ensuing showdown between the two forces of this world are always moving toward that final climax; and does seem like we are getting much closer to this final battle than ever before; but I guess that should be expected.
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I regard Islam as the chief thrust of the anti-Christ spirit today, though it takes many forms. So much of what is going on today has links to that.
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I think that is the flag under which satan fights in our times. In the past it might have been Communist of Fascist flags but this seems to be the trojan horse being used against the Christianized (formerly Christianized) West of our days. It is strange that all of these were were pro abortion and the leaders were also quite often what we would say today part of the gay culture of their day.
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It is interesting to observe a mooted relationship between Turkey, Russia, and Syria as a means of circumventing sanctions related to Iran, with whom they all have dealings.
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Yes there are flirtations with Iran and things could get very serious if they fall into that camp unabashedly.
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Had Russia properly been consecrated, things might have been different.
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I agree. It has not been done yet properly and needs to be done now (once we have a Pope that is not an anti-pope) for the good of the entire world.
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An interesting word from the prophetic material I browse these days – worth weighing and considering. It is presented in the voice of the Lord: “To the Nations of Europe:
Germany – you have murdered My people. The apple of My eye.
France – you have removed Me from your children. No longer am I revered in your schools and homes.
Italy – I see the evil committed within the ranks of your religious priests. I detest these deeds.”
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I am greatful to andlove the Anglican church. They don’t turn anyone away. I finally, excuse the pun, got hitched to my blushing bride Flicka. in the aguast ivey draped hall of the Anglican church. Allow me to share a photo of the happy affair
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Why not welcome homos to your church service or mass. Its just a hollow ritual. Heck, the costumed holyman performing the show is a homo. So why the duplicity?
Me personally, I follow the Lamb.
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Just like the Church has had 2000 years of growth to announce and spread the coming of The Kingdom of God….and kill men who tried to get bibles into the hands of the people, and use metal claws to tear breasts off of females and burn people to death for owning bibles.
I had the privilege to visit one of the offices, the business end of the CC, while in Rome. I thought is was a movie set at first or something like that. When the tour guide said the priests would really use these things on people, I ran out because I was going to vomit.
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