JourneyOnline
The following three letters are in regard to the article “Uniting Church marches with pride”, April 2015, page 10.
Don’t talk about it
We wish to lodge a complaint about the article in Journey about Uniting Church members marching in the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, stating they were also going to do it again in 2016.
We truly don’t believe Journey should have published such an article.
If it upset us, there must be a lot more people feeling the same way. We have even considered pulling out of the Uniting Church and going to a local Presbyterian church.
We are sure the reach out work that is being done by this group is worthwhile and has God’s blessing, but we were surprised about taking part in the parade.
Offensive to God
Who authorised some members of Uniting Church to use the Uniting Church logo in a celebration of lust and perversion? They are dishonouring God by its use. His anger at showing allegiance to Baal must surely be at breaking point. Australia, dedicated, “The Southland of the Holy Spirit”, along with the Uniting Church, will be held to account!
Isn’t it fortuitous that the article on weasel words (“5 weasel words to watch out for”, April 2015, page 17) was printed in the same edition? Your article on Mardi Gras was full of weasel words!
The headline includes “pride”, which in context means “gay pride”. The dictionary definition of “gay” says it is a word used by homosexuals of themselves. Don’t use it unless you are homosexual!
Also, “Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras”. Are lesbians not gay? With constant use males only will be gay. If gay is not offensive to you, you’ve been conned! It has exactly the same meaning. A rose by another name smells just as sweet or sour as the case may be.
Horror and disgust
In the April edition of Journey I was horrified to read the headline, “Uniting Church marches with pride”. All I felt was disgust that we could be associated with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in any way. The Bible is very definite on this issue.
Where in the Bible do we find “We are participating in the parade because sexual and gender diversity are part of God’s plan, part of the fabric of creation woven by God”?
We are not condemning the people—rather their actions. We love the sinner but hate the sin.
Yours in Christ,
Gallipoli not just about Anzacs
Dear Sir,
I enjoy the new style—colours, brief statements, brisk. I thank you. I write about the Anzac editorial (“Lest we forget”, April 2015, page 3). It is meritorious, supportive, but awfully one-sided. No mention of the British Navy offshore and British ground troops. There were soldiers from France. But the largest contribution was the Gurkhas from Nepal, three battalions of them fighting alongside the Anzac troops from mid-August 1915.
I could add more, but there is a limit on reading a 94-year-old whose father was at Gallipoli. I apologise for the scrawl. Keep up the good work. Put some “zip” into tired parishes.
Writing to you on Easter Sunday—my birthday!
Yours in the same kingdom work,
Looking at religion in a new way
It was interesting reading the article on postmodernism in Journey (“Beyond modern”, April 2015, page 12).
Postmodernism is God’s way of looking at religion in a new way, but is not a new religion. Jesus was the great postmodern. He broke social norms to befriend the socially outcast woman at the well and had supper with the socially shunned tax collector.
Postmodernism will play its role in the present era. Postmodernism will strip off the many layers of religion and piety and move us beyond the secular and sacred to Christ himself.
The ultimate truth that defines us as humans is still called love.
Living in separation of that love is still called sin.
The God that judges us on the basis of love and love alone will still be our God.
Postmodernism, like the Honest to God debate of the 1960s will pass away. But God’s continual breaking into history, to communicate in creative ways his love for us will remain our hope always.
Derrick Fernando
Sunnybank Hill Uniting Church
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