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Nov. 1, 2005 Leaders of the United Methodist Church's top court have officially declared Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stroud defrocked. The fact that she is a lesbian in committed relationship is contrary to the dogma of the church. I walked away from Christianity because I could not reconcile who I am and Christian beliefs. I wonder why she chose to remain. There are many religious orders that will welcome her with open arms. Any Unitarian Universalism Fellowship would allow her to lead their flock while keeping her Christian beliefs. The United Methodist Church and it's modern day Pharisees have a constitutional right to believe whatever they want to. Folks who been brought up with those beliefs and swallow them unquestioningly have a constitutional right to do so . Those who are not welcome in mainstream Christianity are wise to seek more accepting spiritual communities. A few years ago, I received a phone call from my friend Judy in California. Judy was raised in the Fairfax Jewish community of Los Angeles. She converted to Christianity as a young woman but missed many of the traditions of her childhood. She was all excited about connecting with a Messianic Judaism Fellowship. They blended the Jewish style of worship with the belief that Yeshua of Nazareth (Jesus Christ) is the expected Messiah. She may never be accepted in the more orthodox groups but who cares. Judy can love Jesus and be Jewish again. It is her constitutional right regardless of what the more conventional Jews think. I felt the same elation when I connected with the Appalachian American Indians of West Virginia. My grandmothers married into European Culture and their heritage got lost. I rediscovered their cultured and found that I have been following their footsteps for years. Many of the Indian Religious Practices were outlawed until the 1970's. I incorporate many of these concepts into my daily spiritual practices. They make absolute sense to me in a way that mainstream Christianity never has. I sincerely hope that the Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stroud finds an accepting congregation to lead . She is still a woman of God. Her calling to serve to God is valid despite what the conservatives in her ex-church say. Gays have a right to call themselves Christians. My friend Judy has a right to call herself a Messianic Jew. Beliefs may or may not be true. When something has been experienced, it is not belief. It is knowledge. There are religious groups that have a promote a set of beliefs and expect the followers to accept them as unqualified truths. The Rev. Stroud and my friend Judy are to be admired. They questioned the beliefs they were taught and walked away to find their own truths. It is better to step out in courage to have conscious contact and a working relationship with God. It is better to know God than simply believe there is a God and practice a religious order that tells you to be afraid of him. ------------ About the author: Bonijean Isaacs is a freelance writer and Astrologer in West Virginia. Email: inez4liberty@gmail.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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