Page 16 - C.A.L.L. #32 - Summer 2010

KALEIDOSCOPE

most certainly not by coercion. That applies to all those who advocate equal gender partnership as well
as those who oppose it.
All of us possess a conscience that indicates to us what is right and what is wrong. This moral compass
shows us through all problems and will never let us down. It is our best friend. If we listen to our
conscience we then have to make a choice and make a decision. That choice has to be made freely and
can never be imposed. Each decision we make has consequences. When we make a good one, there are
good consequences. When we make a bad one, there will be bad consequences.
A word of encouragement for all those who feel attracted to the same gender: when you listen to your
conscience, you will find the right answer. Some of my best friends faced that question. I witnessed a
whole bunch of them coming out of the closet, many of them are very dedicated people who work quite
eagerly to serve their communities.
Marriage, sex and family are the most important areas of a human life. They influence the spirit, the
body and the soul. Great damage occurs, when those intimate aspects of life are not respected.
Wherever that happens, it is always the children who suffer, throughout their life they carry those
marks on the soul. I have experienced this to be the truth during the many years of my service as a
pastor.
We are all human beings with the same hopes and fears. Life is hard enough. Let us respect other
people, if we want them to respect us. We must help each other to make the right choice, when we are
faced with a decision. But above all let us listen to our conscience. It will always lead us to the right
decision.”

I had barely had time to recover from my surprise, when I discovered on the back cover of a
Feb. 2010 “Beehive” , the newsletter of Maple Ridge High school, the following “readers
respond” column, which seemed to have taken a page from Johann Christoph Arnold’s text:

“I’m afraid that the belief that gay people are not born gay comes out of the same basket that has
said the earth is flat, earth is 6,000 years old, and left-handed people are sinister. I cannot in good
conscience fail to encourage you to seek the truth of this matter with a mind open to evidence which
you have not yet considered”. John K. Stoner, PA.

The final touch came in the form of Tim Otto’s celibacy vow, as described in “Shalom
Connections” of March 2009 – a frank and honest report about a gay Christian’s decision to
live in celibacy. Not a particularly original choice, and no guarantee of success, but
nonetheless a brave attempt at living by his Faith.

I feel a need to comment that my taking a vow of celibacy is not
a result of thinking that this is the only faithful choice for
homosexual Christians. Celibacy is what I think God has for me
in the specific context of Sojourners. In the next year I hope
to write something about homosexuality that might contribute
to the conversation taking place in the church. Please pray for
me as I do that, and I'd be interested in any thoughts you have,
or book recommendations.
Grace and Peace,
Tim Otto

Israel’s famous (some would say infamous) late, one-eyed
commander Moshe Dayan once remarked, when
confronted with his frequent changes of wives , girlfriends
and political views: “Only donkeys don’t change their
minds”. Well, to the right is printed positive proof (PPP),
black upon white, to the contrary.
Cheers, bye, Joel Dorkam.

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