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Although Jesus didn't say a word about birth-control, abortion, masturbation or homosexuality, Conservative Christians insist on condemning others for what they perceive as heinous "Liberal" sins. But when they themselves or their friends decide they want a divorce (for the first, second, or third time), oh how liberal they suddenly become in their interpretation of the clear condemnation by Jesus of divorce !
Here's just one example of many that could be cited:
From the official Assemblies of God 50th General Council site:
http://ag.org/top/gc2003/resolutions/08_marr_ceremony.cfm
Resolution # 8 � Marriage Ceremonies
WHEREAS, It has been said that one in two marriages presently end in divorce; and
WHEREAS, Increasing numbers of people within our congregations have been divorced; and
WHEREAS, It is now permissible for a minister within the Assemblies of God to have been divorced, given certain circumstances; and
WHEREAS, The prohibition on ministers performing wedding ceremonies except in the circumstances described in Bylaw Article IX, B, Section 5, paragraph b. creates an increasing hardship on the local pastor; and
WHEREAS, The prohibition forces the pastor to assume the role of judge in some very difficult and untenable situations; and
WHEREAS, The Scriptures are silent on the issue of ministers performing wedding ceremonies; and
WHEREAS, This difficult decision should be left in the hands of the local pastor who may be acquainted with the couple in question and is better equipped to decide whether or not he or she should perform the ceremony without threat;
THEREFORE, be it RESOLVED,
That we amend Bylaw Article IX, Section 5, paragraph d. Performing marriage ceremonies, subparagraph (1), page 129, (as follows):
(1) Ministerial guidelines. We disapprove of discourage any Assemblies of God minister performing a marriage ceremony for anyone who has been divorced and whose former spouse is still living, unless the case is included in the exceptional circumstances described in Article IX, B, Section 5, paragraph b. Any minister of our Fellowship who performs a ceremony for a disapproved marriage (indicated above), unless innocently deceived into doing so, may be dismissed from the Fellowship.
The following is an excellent and informative report by an Evangelical Christian on the contrast between what Conservative Christians in America profess and what they practice:
The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience
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Divorce rates among various religious groups:
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The Christian Evangelical "Barna Group" which does polling and research on issues of interest to the religious community found in 2004 that, "Among married born again Christians, 35% have experienced a divorce. That figure is identical to the
outcome among married adults who are not born again: 35%. "And those
divorces generally did not occur before they became born-again Christians, but after."
Barna research carried out in 1999, 2001, and 2004 found the divorce rates among the various groups to be :
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Pentecostals: 44%
Jews: 30%
Baptists: 29%
Presbyterians: 28%
Episcopalians: 28%
Methodists: 26%
Catholics: 25%
Mormons: 24%
Lutherans: 21%
Atheists : 21%
Agnostics : 21%
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Another great illustration is the way the Roman Catholic Church continues to fault ordinary Catholics for divorce and remarriage, while granting "annulments" to the rich and famous: After Congressman Joseph Kennedy had been married for over ten years, his Episcopalian wife refused to accept an official "annulment" of their marriage (so that the Congressman could marry some one else), because she couldn't accept the implication that the children they had conceived and brought up together would thereby become "bastards"! |
