There is an amazing energy on the edge of God's possibilities for us. It attracts folks from all places in all times. It is that: an attraction, a longing, a hopeful, resilient willingness to move more closely into the Presence of God.
For some this is a scary process. Who wouldn't be a bit unsettled moving more closely into the power and presence of God. For others, it is awesome and more. It is welcoming and sought after presence.
Perhaps the question of whether we are scared by God or excited by God may be at the heart of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) being held this week in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
What scares you? What excites you? It seems that God does both to folks and welcomes both the frightened and the excited.
However, there is another group. A group that uses God in the name of God's awesome presence as fear - combining idolatry and abuse, in order to impose itself on others. Idolatry because it raises fear above God and an abuse because of the repercussions of such actions. A church that uses God or Scripture to exclude people who are gay (LGBT) is complicit in violence not faithful in loving.
Fear is how G-6.0106b got into the Book of Order in the first place. So, it makes sense that those who used fear to get it in - will use fear to keep it there.
It should not be that the excitement of God's unfolding Spirit in this world elicits the type of fear that pushes the Spirit back.
This afternoon, in the committee hearings on a change to the Book of Order that would remove the bar to ordaining leaders who are gay (LGBT) a vote was taken in favor of the exciting God. Overture 06-09 passed by a vote of 36-16-1.
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