To think that the C of E church should not take a step back in time

[2beesornot2beesthatisthehoney]

So the bishops have made a statement that sex belongs only in a heterosexual marriage not in a gay relationship, marriage or otherwise , not in a civil partnership and not outside marriage. WTF
In an age where many have turned their back on religion aibu to think that they will alienate even more people
IMO the c of e used to be a broad welcoming church: it has become more and more conservative and evangelical in the last 10 years I don’t recognise it anymore.

Errol point me in the direction of a non creationist, more forward thinking Christian church but please don’t suggest JW , Scientologists or Seventh Day Adventists

Errol point me in the direction of a non creationist, more forward thinking Christian church but please don’t suggest JW , Scientologists or Seventh Day Adventists

You could always start one ?

No not the same Ginger Reforn Judaism is a schism / church in its own right , just as Methodists broke with the c if e many centuries ago.

Moved recently and went to the local CofE a few weeks ago and the entire service was 'You should all be giving more money to the church. I know you can afford to give more money. I walked around the car park and saw your cars and you don't need those expensive cars. Sell your cars and give all of your money to the church. I know where you live and I know where you work and I've done the numbers and you're not giving enough to the church. You should all be paying X amount more than a gym membership but you're all paying less than a gym membership atm. People are not leaving money to the church in their wills anymore and the old people who give a lot are dying and the new people are all families give very little and we need people to give more every week plus a higher monthly direct debit. blah blah blah We were actually given handouts with 'facts and figures' to 'support' what he was saying. Despite what he seems to think I don't have any more money to give but when I offered to volunteer after the service he looked at me and said 'Did you not listen? We don't need volunteers.'

I haven't been back. Not sure if they're all like this but it was the most shocking thing I've heard in a while. Have decided to join the National Trust and go for walks with my dog on Sunday morning instead. How can CofE not see that they are driving people away.

Meanwhile the majority of those who turn up at a CoE church on a Sunday morning will continue to hold their own range of views which don't necessarily include those of the Archbishops in charge.

I mean, I don't see why they cant pick and choose what parts of the bible they follow, seeing as they already do regarding seafood, mixed fabrics, beards and slavery.

But I'm not religious so it's no skin off my nose what they do.
It IS a shame that they're alienating people though. That doesn't seem very Jesus-y to me.

For Christians, marriage – that is, the lifelong union between a man and a woman, contracted with the making of vows – remains the proper context for sexual activity.”

This ^ is the bit that annoys me in the article - somehow trying to make out that they represent all Christians, when clearly they don't.

Errol point me in the direction of a non creationist, more forward thinking Christian church but please don’t suggest JW , Scientologists or Seventh Day Adventists

URC
Methodists

I agree with gay marriage and I'm a Christian. In fairness to the CofE, they've not become more backward looking- they're just being consistent on their teaching.

The URC isn't creationist and conducts gay marriages. Its had female ministers for over a century too. It's what I grew up in, though I've not set foot in one for years and then only for funerals - nice enough church, shame about the whole 'believing in god' part.

Or there's the Quakers, but they're rather different.

That's not the case in Orthodox Judaism though so it can be said that it's just some Jewish people just like it's just some C of E people who are moving with the times

Judaism is not primarily a convert religion though. In fact, fundamentalist churches are thriving while more liberal ones are dying off. So there’s little point in ‘changing with the times’ if they want converts

In fact, fundamentalist churches are thriving while more liberal ones are dying off

Maybe it's Gods will ?

URC United Reform Church?

I withdrew my kids from religious observance because of one of their ministers. He was a right fire and brimstone type and we were a bit* taken aback, though I guess congregations vary.

*a lot

(apologies if you mean a different URC)

@2beesornot2beesthatisthehoney the URC is great.

The Bible is very clear that whilst it tells Christians how they should be living, that Christians should not sit in judgement of how others live their lives and that only God can do that. I accept what the Bible teaches but it would never affect the care that I showed to other people who are fully entitled to believe something totally different. I don't know why people find this hard to understand. No- one who knows me would call me homophobic. We welcome friends/ same sex couples to stay with us and would love and care about them as much as any other friends and family. That does not mean I have to think that how they are living is God's wishes for their lives. But this is not just about sex, there are all sorts of other things that Jesus teaches that we find difficult to achieve as Christians. None of us are anywhere near perfect.

The Bible is very clear

Which one ?

I guess congregations vary.
For sure, as do the clergy within each denomination.

They are crazy, and I work for them! My boss (a Vicar) is not in agreement, I large proportion of our congregation is gay and many of the rest of us aren't married!

I was disappointed to see this

I'm an atheist but the local church helped when dad was in a hospice and I've been to services and socials since then. They don't seem like they have those crazy ideas.....

Interesting.....the reverend at our local church is divorced and his son is gay. I wonder how he feels about this.

I'd like to know what Rev Cole thinks.

The C of E is very skilled at shooting itself in the foot. It is increasingly evangelical these days and the current Archbishop of Canterbury is of that persuasion.

One of the beauties of the C of E used to be that it wasn't extreme and you could believe what you wanted to, or not,and no one was too fussed. A broad church in other words. Nowadays it's increasingly polarised.

This latest pronouncement just holds them up to ridicule and invites the 'out of touch' 'irrelevant' and the like comments. The very church which is available to every single person in the country regardless of belief, and this is the best they can come up with?

Evangelicals are absolutely obsessed with sex. I went to a number of evangelical Christian conferences (Spring Harvest, New Wine etc) when I was a Christian and the talks that had anything to do with sex were always packed to the rafters. There are about a million Christian books on the subject too.

I don't really understand the outrage as I thought this was always their position. They have 'tolerated' gay ministers as long as they're celibate. It's hardly a shock that the CofE are out of step with modern life and values.

Sorry should have said @ErrolTheDragon hat I might consider the odd visit not join any.
But thanks anyway and to other PP who clearly care for my spiritual being or lack of it. However like MrsSlocumbesPussy I also worship at the gardens of the NT on a Sunday —or with my DH ( which no doubt pleases those pesky bishops)

But this is not just about sex, there are all sorts of other things that Jesus teaches that we find difficult to achieve as Christians.

To be clear, though, Jesus says nothing at any point about homosexuality. He doesn't condemn it. People can hark back to the Old Testament or say, 'Yes but Paul says...' but Jesus himself didn't think it necessary to pass judgement on it.