Presbyterians Week Headlines
[1] New Presbyterian Church in Ireland Moderator Condemned for Saying Homosexuals Should Remain Celibate
---
[1] New Presbyterian Church in Ireland Moderator Condemned for Saying Homosexuals Should Remain Celibate
An 11 February 2014 Belfast Telegraph article by Rebecca Black titled “Just a Day after His Election, New Presbyterian Church Moderator Sparks Row by Telling Gay People to Stop Having Sex” reports that the Rev. Dr. Michael Barry, moderator-elect of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, came under fire from the homosexual community for saying just one day after his election that homosexuals should remain celibate.
Barry commented:
"We welcome all people into the Church, but we would have a problem with those who are involved in a gay relationship because we believe the Bible teaches that is against the word of God.
"We would encourage people who are gay to live a celibate life."
Barry described advertised gay conversion courses as a "very difficult situation", and said: "Personally, I am not convinced that that is possible."
Barry continued:
"I think the whole origin of where gayness comes from is still up for debate and I would be a bit concerned at being dogmatic one way or the other.
"Certainly we'd want to help people who are having difficulties with their sexuality to live in such a way that is honouring to God."
+ Belfast Telegraph, 124-144 Royal Avenue, Belfast BT1 1EB, Northern Ireland, 028-9026-4000, writeback@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
+ Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Church House, Belfast BT1 6DW, Northern Ireland, 028-9032-2284, Fax: 028-9041-7301, Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
A 7 February 2014 Christian Post article by Morgan Lee reports that the Rev. Hyo Bin Im, English ministry pastor at Contra Costa Korean Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)) in San Ramon, California, has been arrested for allegedly having sex with a seventeen-year-old female runaway who lived with him and another runaway female. Im is charged with unlawful sexual intercourse and child concealment.
Im is additionally charged with animal cruelty for allegedly mistreating a dog at his home badly enough that the pet was ultimately euthanized.
+ The Christian Post, National Press Building, 529 14th Street Northwest, Suite 420, Washington DC 20045, 202-347-7734, info@christianpost.com
+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005
A 9 February 2014 Chicago Tribune article by Michelle Manchir titled “Church Votes to Sell Michigan Camp to Pay $7.9M Debt” reports that the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)’s Chicago Presbytery has voted to sell Camp Gray in Saugatuck, Michigan, to pay a US$7.9 million debt from a confidential 2007 settlement with several men who claimed they had been sexually abused by a PCUSA minister.
+ Chicago Tribune, 435 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611, 800-874-2863, ctc-editor@tribune.com
+ Chicago Presbytery, 815 West Van Buren Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, 312-243-8300, Fax: 312-488-3044, Contact Page
+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005
A 9 February 2014 The Standard article by Tatenda Chitagu titled “RCZ Reverend Sued US$10 000 for Adultery” reports that the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ) minister the Rev. Mernard Zvenyika of the RCZ’s Pamushana Mission in Bikita, Zimbabwe, is being sued for US$10,000 by Chezhira Mukobvu, who alleges Zvenyika has carried on a seven year sexual affair with Mukobvu’s wife that resulted in two aborted pregnancies and a breakdown of his marriage.
Zvenyika filed a counter-claim for the same amount alleging defamation.
+ The Standard, Block 1, Third Floor, 1 Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe, 04-773934/8, Contact Page
An 11 February 2014 The Scotsman article by Alistair Munro titled “Free Church Leaders Attack Child Protection Bill” reports that the current and several former moderators of the Free Church of Scotland oppose a provision of a proposed Child Protection Bill in the Scottish Parliament that appoints a named person, most likely a health visitor or teacher, for every child in Scotland.
The moderators have branded the plans as a “gross intrusion into family life” and “completely undermining of parental responsibilities (sic)”. They claim the bill would create a “snooper’s charter”.
A letter to First Minister Alex Salmond from the moderators says:
“We would be wary of the statutory appointment of a ‘named person’ for every under-18 in Scotland, especially given that this ‘named person’ will have legal authority to ensure our young people are raised in a state-approved manner.
“We do not doubt that the proposal is well-intentioned but we believe it to be fundamentally ill-conceived and liable to cause needless hurt and alarm to conscientious parents when their views conflict with the opinions of the state appointed ‘nanny’.”
Former Moderator the Rev. James MacIver, minister of Knock Free Church on the Isle of Lewis, said:
“We want the very best for all Scotland’s children and are fully supportive of the Scottish Government’s intention to improve outcomes for our most vulnerable children, but this does not warrant such a gross intrusion into every home in the country.
“Surely the Scottish Government would be better investing in more community nurses and social workers to provide help at a grassroots level for those who are really struggling?
“The very concept of ‘corporate parents’ sets alarm bells ringing and is something becoming of a Big Brother state.”
Former Moderator the Rev. Dr. John Ross, who ministers in Drumnadrochit, added:
“The Scottish Government now seems intent on hijacking the legitimate rights and duties of parents to bring up their own children free of state interference.
“If this legislation is not amended, the Scottish Government will make itself the judge of every parent in this land.
“Historically, the Free Church of Scotland has always fought to be independent of state interference in all of its spiritual affairs – this does not stop at the church door on a Sunday, it goes right into the heart of the family home.”
Ross claims that “too much power” would be given to the discretion of professionals, some of whom have never raised a family of their own and many of whom are already stretched to the limit.
Ross added:
“There is also a very real possibility that this legislation could be used as a backdoor means to completely undermine parental values, judgment and discretion for their own children.
“It does not take a rocket scientist to foresee the potential for future conflict between Christian parents and the secular political correctness brigade.
“This is the sort of thing we would expect in a Fascist or Marxist regime, not in 21st century Scotland.
“We urge Mr. Salmond to do everything in his power to get rid of this snooper’s charter and restore some common sense.”
+ Free Church of Scotland, 15 North Bank Street, The Mound, Edinburgh, Scotland EH1 2LS, 0131-226-5286, Fax: 0131-220-0597, catherine@freechurchofscotland.org.uk
The J.C Ryle Archive website contains links to twenty-two other sites with over Ryle materials.
The website additionally has information on Ryle’s books, photos of Ryle, and Ryle quotations.
The website can be accessed here:
+ The Heartland Institute, One South Wacker Drive #2740, Chicago, Illinois 60606, 312-377-4000, Fax: 312-377-5000, think@heartland.org
-- Obama Administration to Supersede State Rights by Granting Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ Benefits Nationwide
-- Kansas School in Furor over Poster Encouraging Anal Sex, Grinding, ‘Touching Each Other’s Genitals’
+ LifeSiteNews.com, Incorporated, 4 Family Life Lane, Front Royal, Virginia 22630, 888-678-6008, Contact Page
-- If You See Something, Film Something II: Recording Police is a Dangerous but Necessary Thing to Do
+ YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Avenue, San Bruno, California 94066, 650-253-0000, Fax: 650-253-0001, press@youtube.com
Articles from the past week regarding kings and rulers setting themselves against the LORD and against his anointed:
-- Americans May Be Locked Up in FEMA Concentration Camps Admits Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia
+ American Vision, 3150-A Florence Road, Suite 2, Powder Springs, Georgia 30127, 800-628-9460, Fax: 770-222-7269, Comments@AmericanVision.org
+ Western Center for Journalism, 42104 North Venture Drive, Suite B-122, Anthem, Arizona 85086, 202-370-6366, Contact Page
Articles from the past week about the religion of peace:
-- Obama Administration Unilaterally Eases Restrictions on Immigrants with Ties to Jihad Terror Groups
