Pushing you along to THE BRAD BLOG and Frank Schaeffer’s guest blog on this issue.  He makes some interesting connections between the rise of Reconstructionism Christianity in this country, the Family, and the current goings on in Uganda.

Not for the faint-hearted, that’s for damn sure.  Makes me look at Rick Warren again in a whole new light.

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7556#more-7556

I’d sworn that I’d reduce or eliminate the number of posts on this log that were about the role of ministering to the homosexual community in this country.

Then this stuff comes along and it swings the head around and makes you wonder if somehow this was a twisting of words, or Rick himself said what he was quoted as saying this week.

Because if this is a true statement of his position on the matter, then in my eyes, this renders null everything he’s tried to do in the GLBT community.  From the Newsweek interview, speaking about the law in the Ugandan countrs, outlawing homosexuality.

But Warren won’t go so far as to condemn the legislation itself. A request for a broader reaction to the proposed Ugandan anti-homosexual laws generated this response: “The fundamental dignity of every person, our right to be free, and the freedom to make moral choices are gifts endowed by God, our creator. However, it is not my personal calling as a pastor in America to comment or interfere in the political process of other nations.” On Meet the Press this morning, he reiterated this neutral stance in a different context: “As a pastor, my job is to encourage, to support. I never take sides.” Warren did say he believed that abortion was “a holocaust.” He knows as well as anyone that in a case of great wrong, taking sides is an important thing to do.

I never take sides?

If this is true and Rick Warren said it (and I see no denial on Newsweek’s site) then Rick’s refusal to “take sides” in this issue, verses the sides he has already taken, compels me to believe that despite his protestations to the contrary, Rick supports the Ugandans’ actions against the homosexuals and the friends of homosexuals in their country.

I can’t believe that he’s said this and if, in a short space of time, a retraction of that statement sallies forth, then I’ll be happy to forgive and forget.  But if he means it…if he really means it…

…man, that’s a scary thing to contemplate.

I’m gonna say this nicely ONCE.  Then I am going to lose my mind and further engagement on this topic will be dealt with most severely.

Do not listen to Pat Robertson.  The man’s cheese has slipped off his cracker a long time ago.  This week on the 700 Club:

Robertson: You know, there’s a law – what about a law that says it’s a federal crime to attack somebody because of his religious beliefs? Not a chance!

Actually, religious bias has been part of hate crime legislation since it started to be enacted by the states in 1980.

1980, Pat.  Look, I hate this crap because Christians who never read a book or a newspaper hear you bleat and take it as the gospel.  Let us open our recent copy of the Matthew Shepherd Hate Crimes Act and turn to page:

“(1) OFFENSES INVOLVING ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN.—Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law, willfully causes bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, a dangerous weapon, or an explosive or incendiary device, attempts to cause bodily injury to any person, because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, or national origin of any person—

“(2) OFFENSES INVOLVING ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR DISABILITY.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law, in any circumstance described in subparagraph (B) or paragraph (3), willfully causes bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, a dangerous weapon, or an explosive or incendiary device, attempts to cause bodily injury to any person, because of the actual or perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability of any person—

I’d be celebrating the passage of this long, long overdue legislation, but I read this morning that Obama’s program to assist gay senior communities is being denounced because “gay men die earlier, anyway.”  I’ll have a sip of champagne, but we still have work to do.

I’ve been working on some material about Pastor Ken.  Thoughts.  How it’s often the people inside a cause that make the struggle harder than it needs to be.  And also thoughts on self-righteousness, gracelessness, and the standard of judgment we use on others coming back to us.

That is then, this is now.

Word comes through a friend who would know that Pastor Ken is not doing well in his battle against prostate cancer.  Let this serve as a request for prayer for Pastor Ken and this physical battle.

Because next week we’re gonna pick up the spiritual battle.

…just….recovering, I guess.

I don’t know the full story yet, but it’s not looking good.  The pain is ripe and sharp.

Your prayers are coveted.  Right now, lots of tears and whys.

I’ve got a friend who’s requesting information for a family they know who are undergoing tremendous stress through transgender issues which have arisen.  Does anyone know of any additional programs, websites, reading material, etc.?  If it deals with the issue in a healthy manner, I’d love to pass it onto this family.  Strong emotions and the husband is dealing with some severe depression, so time is an issue.

Thanks, guys.  It’s frustrating in that this underlines my need to do more reading, praying, meditating on transgender issues.  My reference drawer feels fairly shallow at this point.

I got a note with this saying that requests 1 and 2 have already been answered.  But these prayer requests for the Robertson family are the aftermath of Ryan’s passing and where the family stands now with so much going on.  I know there’s a bunch of you that have been praying for Ryan and his family and I forward these prayer requests on.

Ryan is finally out of pain and his faith has been made sight.  There are days I truly envy that kid.

I am going to try to make this short, because my “To Do” list today is way longer than I can handle. But Rob and I have some prayer requests that we’d like to ask you to lift up before our God on our behalf, if you think of us. They are NOT in any order of importance…I am just going to bang them out as they come to mind.

1. Somehow, the things that were in Ryan’s bedside table did not make it home to our house…or at least, we cannot find them. There were a lot of family and dear friends helping us load up his room after he died, and in his bedside table were his hearing aids, and a soft CD case full of CD’s that were Ryan and my favorite CD’s…all the music we both loved together…about 15 CD’s…and we’re not sure what else is missing. We are both feeling stressed about this, because both of these items hold a great deal of sentimental value to us…and we’d really like to find them.

2. Lindsey lost her Bible…her best Bible…the black leather one that she used all through Torrey Honors Institute, on the night of Ryan’s memorial service, and though we’ve checked the church many times since, we haven’t found it. It has ALL her notes from 4 years of college in it…again, this is something that we’d really, really like to find.

3. Please pray for wisdom for me…Rob and I are truly both feeling like the shock of Ryan’s death is just now wearing off, and the grief is only starting to set in. I am supposed to start back to work on September 1, but I cannot begin to imagine that. We will have only been home a week since returning from Biola. But we don’t know how Lake Washington School District would view another delay, and we have no idea how we are going to pay August’s bills, much less September’s, without my income. Please pray that God will make me ready to go back to work, if that is what I need to do, or that He will provide another way.

4. Please pray for Riley…he is excited about Biola, but is NOT excited about leaving our family right now, while he is grieving so much. The timing is very, very hard. Please pray that God will provide the right mentors, and some deep, Christ-centered friendships with guys who can meet him where he is at…and, most of all, that he will continue to be drawn near to Christ as he transitions to life at Biola.

5. The girls are also really grieving. Please pray for both Lindsey and Larissa…they are both deeply hurting, but like Riley, are turning to God in their pain. Larissa has a counselor here, but we need to find grief counselors for both Lindsey and Riley in California…so that is a need, as well.

6. Please pray for Ryan’s friends who have no hope in God, and who are grieving without ANY peace that they will see Ryan again. Pray especially for his roommate Ron, his ex-boyfriend Devin, and all his friends from his “using” years who are really struggling with Ryan’s death.

7. Rob and I are going to try to be very intentional about taking a walk, or going for a bike ride together every day, to make sure that we have time to talk during this intense time. Please pray that we will make this a priority…and that God will bless our time.

8. We have so many decisions left to make and things to do in regard to Ryan…and they weigh heavily on me, in particular. We haven’t selected his plot, thought about the headstone, looked at the guestbook, gone through his things, received the death certificate, written letters to the doctors and nurses who meant so much to us, etc, etc, etc. There are so many things that are emotional and will take God’s grace to get through. We also have a lot of journaling we want to do. And I am trying to let go and not stress about the hundreds of unanswered e-mails and FaceBook messages sitting on my laptop.

9. Please pray that God will strengthen and comfort us as we go to Biola as a family of five, instead of as a family of six. This is going to be painful…especially since the last two times we were there, Ryan was with us. We will miss him so very, very much. But we know Jesus will be with us in the middle of the missing.

10. Please pray that we will continue to put Christ first, above all else, no matter what comes. And that we will stay unified as a family…and that our first priority will be to remember that this is GOD’S STORY…and He has a plan to glorify Himself…and to make us more like Him…and we have to just trust and obey, one day at a time, like we have been doing for years.

Yup, “Love Won Out” is no more, to be given over to Exodus International.

Apparently all that money aimed at getting McCain elected over Obama cost them dearly and with diminishing contributions, something had to give.

Here’s the article:  http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13049629.  Thoughts?  Feelings?

Instead of thrashing everything over again — especially since I agree with Dr. T’s conclusions — I forward you to Dr. Throckmorton’s website for the long-awaited report from the APA Sexual Orientation Task Force.  His comments will bring some light and truth to the situation.

Ryan David Robertson entered the Kingdom of Heaven at 4:55 p.m. today, July 16, with his family by his side, and is now knowing the complete joy and love of our Lord. We already miss him desperately, but we rejoice for him at the same time. “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:55…more info when we know it…it is time to grieve.

The struggle is, at last, over.  Mailing information or other contact information to send your condolences is forthcoming.  Thank you for your prayers for Ryan and his family.