Monday, May 18, 2009

John 15:9-17 (Interpeted) (by a layperson)

The gospel for today actually inspired this post. Don't ask me why, let's just go with the flow.

John 15:9-17 (New American Standard Bible)

9"Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.

And so we have a Lisa Fox post: "I was dismayed yesterday to read that Sudan’s Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul has “requested that" the Reverend Lauren Stanley "be withdrawn from that mission field permanently.” This is an atrocity."

The "honorable" Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul is the archbishop of all of the Sudan. That is correct, the place where men are slaughtered, women are raped and children are starved to death. Why this atrocity? Because Lauren Stanley spoke about GLBT rights. "abide in my love"

10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

Henri Luke Orombi is this very weekend not spending time in Uganda but rather with an all-mens group in Orange County California not doubt gathering up support for his anti-gay crusade in Uganda.  Oh, but wait, while he is here there is a terrible problem in Kampala.  There are literally hundreds of thousands of children that sleep in the city during the night because they have no place to go and the Lord's Resistance Army steals them and makes these 8,9,10,11,12 year olds into "warriors' with guns and bombs and hatred.  Bishop Orambi, why can't you save these children? 

"If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love."

11"These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

While we write this and while we talk about these things Archbishop Peter Akinola refuses to help the hundreds of foreigners being held captive in the oil producing region of Nigeria. Some of these persons have been held for many years.  He makes no move to free these innocent persons but he makes war on the Islamic persons in Nigeria and he is trying to make a bounty hunter game of persecuting LGBT persons in Nigeria.  "so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." 

12"This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

It seems that Uganda and Rwanda and Nigeria and the Sudan and the Congo, despite their severe problems would prefer to come to the United States and Canada and steal people and property and leave hatred and fear in their wake. 
 
13"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Archbishop Akinola has said on a number of occasions that the excuse reason he does not want  TEC to fully include LGBT persons is because "his" fellow countryman take the brunt of hatred whenever TEC consecrates a gay bishop.  Of course his fellow contrypersons take the brunt of hatred when Moslems are killed by Christians in Nigeria and of course the LGBT community takes the brunt  every time Peter Akinola approves the newest law to outlaw "LGBT persons".  

14"You are My friends if you do what I command you.  

How many times has there been a moratorium placed on invasion of the body snatchers other provinces and has any of the good archbishops given up one inch?  How about stopped invading the United States and Canada?  Oh, sure you may ask and yes Archbishop Venables does count on this one.   "does this mean these archbishops are not Jesus' friends?"

15"No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.  16"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you."

So, this passage seems to indicate that if we know what the master is doing we are no longer slaves and we need to bear fruit.  It is hard to bear fruit with all the flying around the world you guys are doing.  It is even harder to bear fruit when we apparently do not listen to what Jesus is said.  What, you ask is Fred talking about?  Well, 

17"This I command you, that you love one another."  

Is there really a need to say more?