Monday, August 24, 2009

Evangelical Lutheran Church of America approves "Chaste" Same-Sex Relationships

ELCA validates 'chaste' same-sex relationships
By JEFF STRICKLER, Star Tribune

One vote. That was the margin Wednesday by which the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America churchwide assembly approved a social statement that, among other things, acknowledges the validity of same-sex relationships that are "chaste, monogamous and lifelong."

The margin was so close that Bishop Mark Hanson, the ELCA leader who presided over the vote, hesitated before announcing the outcome. Rules required the social statement to pass by a two-thirds vote; the final result was 66.67 percent.

"I thought it was going to be close, but I doubted very much that it would come out at exactly two-thirds," said the Rev. Peter Strommen, chairman of the task force that drew up the social statement and pastor of Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church in Prior Lake.

Close as it was, the vote bodes well for a proposal to repeal a ban on gay and lesbian ministers from leading churches unless they promise to be celibate. That motion, which is to come up for a vote Friday afternoon, requires only a simple majority to pass.

Earlier in the afternoon, a storm battered the Minneapolis Convention Center where the ELCA was meeting. That storm turned out to be nothing compared with the whirlwind going on inside.

The day's agenda called for a vote on the social statement before the afternoon plenary session was adjourned at 5:45 p.m., but at 5:30, the debate on the statement itself hadn't even started. Convention-goers had spent the afternoon arguing about amendments.

It was suggested -- but never officially voted on -- that the discussion be suspended until today. At that point, some delegates who had dinner reservations started to drift out of the hall.

Then, in quick succession, a delegate called the issue for a vote. That resulted in two quick votes, the first to halt discussion and the second on the social statement itself. As it turned out, 29 of the 1,045 registered voters did not vote.

The vote was followed by several minutes of confusion in which a number of motions were made, one of them for a closer look at the exact vote. But the motions all failed, either because they conflicted with ELCA bylaws or they were deemed to be out of order by the convention's parliamentarian.

Until then, the most angst had been generated by a prolonged debate over an amendment that would have changed the wording of the social statement. Proposed by opponents, it sought to change the wording to say, "This church regards the practice of homosexual behavior as contrary to God's intent for His children."

After a long and contentious debate, that amendment was defeated.

Supporters of Friday's proposal to change the rules governing gay clergy were pleased by the vote.

"It bolstered our optimism," said Emily Eastwood, executive director of St. Paul-based Lutherans Concerned/North America. "We are encouraged and hopeful that on Friday this foundation will result in the church's elimination of the current ban on ministers in committed same-gender relationships."

Opponents of the rule change were disappointed, but not to the point of conceding Friday's vote.

"We knew this was going to be an uphill battle," said the Rev. Mark Chavez, spokesman for Lutheran CORE. "But we're still here."

Source: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/faith/53738512.html?page=2&c=y

Monday, August 17, 2009

MAY ARAW DIN KAYO ni Conrado de Quiros

Tatagalugin ko na nang makuha n’yo. Kahit na lingwaheng kanto lang ang alam kong Tagalog.

Tutal Buwan ng Wika naman ang Agosto. Baka sakali ’yung paboritong wika ni Balagtas ay makatulong sa pag-unawa n’yo dahil mukhang ’yung paboritong wika ni Shakespeare ay lampas sa IQ n’yo. Kung sa bagay, ang pinakamahirap gisingin ay ’yung nagtutulug-tulugan. Ang pinakamahirap padinggin ay ’yung nagbibingi-bingihan. Ang pinakamahirap paintindihin ay ’yung nagmamaangmaangan. Bueno, mahirap din paintindihin ’yung likas na tanga. Pero bahala na.

Sabi mo, Cerge Remonde, alangan naman pakanin ng hotdog ang amo mo. Bakit alangan? Hindi naman vegetarian ’yon. At public service nga ’yon, makakatulong dagdagan ng cholesterol at salitre ang dugong dumadaloy papuntang puso n’ya. Kung meron man s’yang dugo, kung meron man s’yang puso.

Bakit alangan? Malamang di ka nagbabasa ng balita, o di lang talaga nagbabasa, kung hindi ay nalaman mo ’yung ginawa ni Barack Obama at Joe Biden nitong nakaraang Mayo. Galing silang White House patungong Virginia nang magtakam sila pareho ng hamburger. Pina detour nila ang motorcade at tumuloy sa unang hamburgerang nakita nila. Ito ang Ray’s Hell Burger, isang maliit at independienteng hamburger joint.

Tumungo ang dalawa sa counter at sila mismo ang nag-order, hindi mga aides. Nagbayad sila ng cash na galing sa sariling bulsa at kagaya ng ibang customers ay pumila para sa turno nila.

Ito ay presidente at bise presidente ng pinakamakapangyarihang bansa sa buong mundo. Kung sa bagay, ’yung amo n’yo ay hindi naman talaga presidente. Di lang makita ang pagkakaiba ni Garci kay God kaya nasabing “God put me here.” Pekeng presidente, pekeng asal presidente.

Sabi mo, Anthony Golez, maliit lang ang P1 million dinner kumpara sa bilyon-bilyong pisong dinala ng amo mo sa bansa.

Ay kayo lang naman ang nagsasabing may inambag ang amo n’yo na bilyong-bilyong piso sa kaban ng bayan. Ni anino noon wala kaming nakita. Ang nakita lang namin ay yung bilyon-bilyong piso—o borjer, ayon nga sa inyong dating kakosa na si Benjamin Abalos—na inaswang ng amo n’yo sa kaban ng bayan. Executive privilege daw ang hindi n’ya sagutin ito. Kailan pa naging pribilehiyo ng isang opisyal ang di managot sa taumbayan? Kailan pa naging pribilehiyo ng isang opisyal ang magnakaw?

Maliit lang pala ang P1 million, ay bakit hindi n’yo na lang ibigay sa nagugutom? O doon sa mga sundalo sa Mindanao? Tama si Archbishop Oscar Cruz. Isipin n’yo kung gaano karaming botas man lang ang mabibili ng P1 million at karagdagang P750,000 na nilamon ng amo n’yo at mga taga bitbit ng kanyang maleta sa isa pang restawran sa New York.

Maliit lang pala ang P1 million (at P750,000), bakit hindi n’yo na lang ibigay doon sa pamilya ng mga sundalong namatay sa Mindanao? Magkano ’yung gusto n’yong ibigay sa bawat isa? P20,000? Sa halagang iyan 50 sundalo na ang maaabuluyan n’yo sa $20,000. Pasalu-saludo pa ’yang amo n’yo sa mga namatay na kala mo ay talagang may malasakit. Bumenta na ’yang dramang ’yan. At pasabi-sabi pa ng “Annihilate the Abus!” Di ba noon pa n’ya ’yan pinangako? Mahilig lang talagang mangako ’yang amo n’yo.

Bukod pa d’yan, saan ba nanggaling ’yung limpak-limpak na salapi ng mga kongresista na pinansisindi nila ng tabako? Di ba sa amin din? Tanong n’yo muna kung ayos lang na i-blowout namin ng wine at caviar ang amo n’yo habang kami ay nagdidildil ng asin—’yung magaspang na klase ha, ’di yung iodized. Ang tindi n’yo, mga p’re.

At ikaw naman, Romulo Macalintal, tapang ng apog mo. Maiisip mo tuloy na sundin na lang ang mungkahi ni Dick the Butcher sa “Henry VI” ni Shakespeare: “First thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” Pa ethics-ethics ka pa, pasalamat ka di nasunog ang bibig mo sa pagbigkas ng katagang ’yon.

Marami mang sugapa rin sa aming mga taga media, di naman kasing sugapa n’yo. At di naman kami sineswelduhan ng taumbayan. Wala naman kaming problemang sumakay sa PAL at kailangan pang bumili ng P1.2 billion jet. Anong sabi n’yo, kailangan ng amo n’yo sa pabyahe-byahe? E sino naman ang may sabing magbabyahe s’ya? Ngayon pang paalis na s’ya—malinaw na ayaw n’yang umalis. Bakit hindi na lang s’ya bumili ng Matchbox na eroplano? Kasya naman s’ya ro’n.

Lalo kayong nagpupumiglas, lalo lang kayong lumulubog sa kumunoy. Di n’yo malulusutan ang bulilyasong ginawa n’yo. Para n’yo na ring inagaw ang isinusubong kanin ng isang batang nagugutom. Tama si Obama at Biden: Sa panahon ng recession, kung saan nakalugmok ang mga Amerikano sa hirap, dapat makiramay ang mga pinuno sa taumbayan, di nagpapakapariwara. Sa panahon ng kagutuman, na matagal nang kalagayan ng Pinoy, at lalo pang tumindi sa paghagupit ng Typhoon Gloria, dapat siguro uminom na lang kayo ng insecticide. Gawin n’yo ’yan at mapapawi kaagad ang kagutuman ng bayan.

Sa bandang huli, buti na rin lang at ginawa n’yo ’yung magpasasa sa P1 million dinner habang lupaypay ang bayan sa kagutuman—di lang sa kawalan ng pagkain kundi sa iba pang bagay—at pagdadalamhati sa yumaong Ina ng Bayan. Binigyan n’yo ng mukha ang katakawan. Katakawang walang kabusugan. Mukhang di nakita ng masa sa usaping NBN, mukhang di nakikita ng masa sa usaping SAL. Mukhang nakita lang ng masa dito sa ginawa n’yong ito. Sa pagpapabondat sa New York habang naghihinagpis ang bayan.

At buti na rin lang mayroon tayong sariling wika. Di sapat ang Inggles para iparamdam sa inyo ang suklam na nararamdaman namin sa inyo. Di sapat ang Inggles para ipakita sa inyo ang pagkamuhi na nararamdaman namin sa inyo. Di maarok ng Inggles ang lalim ng poot na nararamdaman namin sa inyo.

Isinusuka na kayo ng taumbayan, mahirap man sumuka ang gutom.

May araw din kayo.


http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20090817-220654/May-araw-din-kayo

Friday, August 14, 2009

Real Christians of this Country UNITE!

Nakakasawa nang pakinggan ang lahat ng kaso ng graft and corruption sa pahayagan, radyo at TV. As a fact of the matter, we are already desensitized to these things. Corruption fatigue, ika nga. Iniisip ng marami na kailangan na lamang nating tanggapin ang lahat dahil wala na tayong magagawa. Siguro nga…kasi mismo ang Body of Christ, kung hindi manhid sa nagaganap sa lipunan, nagtatago sa apat na sulok ng simbahan at ayaw makialam.

Magalit man sa akin ang ibang relihiyoso dahil sa aking ipapahayag, so be it. Naninindigan ako sa katotohanang ang magpapasimula ng pagbabago ng bayang ito ay mga taong tunay na nagsuko ng buhay kay Cristo, mga taong nasusuklam sa kasalanan, mga taong hindi nagagalak sa paglaganap ng kasamaan.

We need people like Habakkuk who would never condone and tolerate evil in this country. We need individuals like Moses and Joshua who would stand in the gap between God and their countrymen, and will do everything to accomplish God's will for their nation.

I have witnessed how the so-called Christian leaders in the Body Christ succumb to mudslinging and bickerings just like traditional politicians. Ito ba ang iiwan ninyong halimbawa sa mga susunod na henerasyon ng mga kabataang Cristiano? Itinuturing kayong mga ama ng Sangka-Kristiyanuhan ngunit kayo ang nagpapasimula ng nakalulungkot na awayan at alitan.

Bakit kailangang hatiin ng PULITIKA ang Body of Christ?

Hangga't hindi nagkakaisa ang mga matataas na lider ng mga TUNAY na Cristiano sa bansang ito, mababa ang pag-asa kong malalampasan ng ating bayan ang lahat ng krisis-panlipunan. Bakit? Malaki ang impluwensiya ng sinumang lider sa kaniyang kongregasyon. Buo ang aking paniniwala na nasa kamay ng mga tunay na CRISTIANO ang susi ng paggaling sa ating naghihingalong bayan.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

God's judgment begins at the house of the Lord (1 Peter 4:17, Revelations 2-3). May this serve as an open letter to all genuine Christians and Christian leaders in this country to UNITE, and PRAY TOGETHER for the HEALING of this Land.

Ganundin, tinatawagan ko ang lahat ng Cristiyanong Kabataan ng bansang ito na MAGKAISA hindi lamang sa pananalangin kung hindi maging sa PAKIKISANGKOT upang mamayani ang katuwiran at kabanalan sa ating bayan.

Panginoon, muli mong pasimulan ang magandang kabanata sa aming kasaysayan!

(Signed)
PTR. RONALD MOLMISA
Head Pastor
Generation 3:16 Ministries

Sunday, August 02, 2009

How would you respond to this Dilemma?

In Europe a woman named Hilda was near death from a rare type of cancer. There was one drug that doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was not expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost to make. He paid $200 for the radium and charged $2,000 for a small dose of the drug.

Hilda's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get about $1,000.He told the druggist that his wife was dying, and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later.

But the druggist said, "No, I have worked very hard and sacrificed a great deal to discover this drug. It is my property. I have a moral right to it, protected by law, and another moral right to decide what to do with it. And what I want to do is make as much money as I can so I can make my life more enjoyable. I am not running a public charity." So Heinz got desperate and began to think about breaking into the man's store to steal the drug.


Should Heinz steal the drug?