City
Episcopal bishop says gays pushed out of society
Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
The Right Rev. V. Gene Robinson, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire and the first openly gay, non-celibate bishop in a major Christian denomination, speaks at the Bates College Chapel in Lewiston on Thursday.
Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
The Right Rev. V. Gene Robinson, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire and the first openly gay, non-celibate bishop in a major Christian denomination, speaks at the Bates College Chapel on Thursday.
LEWISTON — Five years after he became the Episcopal Church's first openly gay, non-celibate bishop, V. Gene Robinson still receives death threats.
"I've had lots," Robinson said. On the day he became a bishop, he had to wear a bulletproof vest beneath his clothes. A few weeks ago, Vermont State Police arrested a man who planned to kill Robinson with a sawed-off shotgun.
"All think this will go away if I go away," the 62-year-old grandfather told a group Thursday at Bates College. He refuses to hide. Before his speech arguing for the rights of gays to marry, he greeted people in the aisle of the school chapel, shaking hands and smiling.
He refuses to bend to hatred or what he calls, "heterosexualism."
It's a word he favors over homophobia, something that too many people easily dismiss. Rather than fear of gays, too many people have combined prejudice and power to push gays out of society, he said.
"In large and small ways, the culture is set up to say, 'You don't measure up,'" Robinson said.
One of those ways is marriage, he said.
"Britney Spears gets drunk and gets married and gets all these rights just like that," he said, snapping his fingers. Yet, Robinson and his partner of 21 years, Mark Andrew, are still waiting for their civil union to be considered a marriage.
On Jan. 1, when New Hampshire's new marital law takes effect, they will become spouses.
It's been a long time coming for the father of two grown girls who divorced in the 1980s and chose to come out publicly. He has fought AIDS in the United States and Africa and has challenged investors to use their money in socially conscious ways. In January, he accepted an invitation from President Barack Obama to give the invocation at an inaugural ceremony on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Robinson believes the gay-lesbian-transgender cause is maturing. And religion has a place in the discussion, he said, not only to guide people spiritually but to remind people of the separation of church and state, something that has been blurred by Christian conservatives.
"We need to take the Bible back from the religious right, which has been taking Christianity hostage all these years," he said.
If some folks disagree, that's all right. People who think the church is all about peace and quiet are missing something. The church has always been fighting about something, he said.
"If you're trying to have a relationship with God, seriously, you're going to be trying to figure things out," he said.
dhartill@sunjournal.com
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“We establish no religion
“We establish no religion in this country, we command no worship, we mandate no belief. Nor will we ever. Church and state are, and must remain, separate. All are free to believe or not believe, all are free to practice a faith or not, and those who believe are free and should be free, to speak of and act on their belief. At the same time as our constitution prohibits state religion, establishment of it protects the free exercise of all religions. And walking this fine line requires government to be strictly neutral.”
- Ronald Reagan
I, like many accept them for
I, like many accept them for who they are. Dont call it marriage...any thing else. Call it civil union, call it hooking up, call it ANY THING but marriage.
verified THAT IS A SCARY POSITION TO
THAT IS A SCARY POSITION TO BE IN! DEATH THREATS!!! AND SOMEHOW-STILL KEEPS HIS HEAD UP ABOVE ALL THIS CHAOS! I HOPE THE VERY BEST FOR REV. V. GENE ROBINSON.
"Speak without offending,
"Speak without offending, and listen without defending"
The way I see it, there's only ONE judge and it is NOT up to anyone to pass judgement on anyone. My husband and I both feel the same way in that, it makes no difference if a couple is gay or straight, EVERYONE has the right to be happy, and if being married is what makes them happy, then so be it!!
Death threats! If that isn't
Death threats! If that isn't clear statement of just how whacked religious wingnuts can get, I don't know what is!
So if your acusation is
So if your acusation is true, people who watch sports are whacked too? People kill at sporting events...Oh I get it, because there is a small goup of people who do that at sporting events, everyone who likes sports gets piled in with those few who are extremeists. Just like in sports and anything else, there are people who take it to the extreme. Probably less then 1%. Dont pile us all into one 'group'
Seperation of Church and
Seperation of Church and state defined.
I entered that line into google and clicked on the first one at the top of the page.
http://www.allabouthistory.org/separation-of-church-and-state.htm
Check your cash bills.......
Check your cash bills....... they all say : "IN GOD WE TRUST" Where is the separation of church and state? Guess if you don't believe in God then you should not have money...
verified You won't find the phrase
You won't find the phrase "separation of church and state" anywhere in the Constitution. What we do have is the 1st Amendment, which protects the church (religion) from government intrusion, NOT to keep the church, or by extension religious citizens (or their views), out of government. The latter is impossible.
At the time this country was founded, the governments of Europe dictated to the people what they should believe. (It all started centuries ago when Constantine when he made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.) England also had an official state religion. The founders believed that religion should be a personal choice, and the way they chose to protect that choice was by the statement found in the 1st Amendment "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
The phrase "separation of church and state" was coined by Thomas Jefferson in a letter he wrote to a religious organization assuring them that the 1st Amendment protected them from government interference. Over time, this phrase has been misconstrued by those who wish to erase any mention of this country's Judeo-Christian heritage from public schools and other public venues. Laws that prohibit prayer in public schools (prohibiting the free exercise thereof), and courts ruling to have religious artifacts removed from public places (respecting the establishment of religion, or in this case, doing away with religion), are unconstitutional.
John A. Chick
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." -- Thomas Jefferson in a letter to Colonel Charles Yancey (January 6, 1816)
"...Guess if you don't
"...Guess if you don't believe in God then you should not have money... "
Perhaps money should be changed to reflect the diverse population of our nation.
It reflects our nations
It reflects our nations history....at the time that was decided, America was 95% christian. That is why its all over Govn't buildings.
This is wrong. "If you're
This is wrong. "If you're trying to have a relationship with God..." then you probably shouldn't go agaisnt what he said. A bishop who thumbs his nose at the bible and what is taught in it should not be leading a church, let alone all of the churches in a state. There is nothing wrong with him being gay. To each his own. But he should not be in a position that leads and teaches against the doctrine of a religion. The founation for Christianity. Dont get me wrong, I do not hate or dislike people in any way shape or form for being gay. But this.....
So, you are implying that
So, you are implying that gay people cannot be Christian. (Or maybe they can if they sit quietly in the back of the church.) Seems discriminatory to me.
I totally agree with you.
I totally agree with you. I'm sure that the church would accept their money though when the offering plate is passed each week!
Not what I said at all. Just
Not what I said at all. Just saying that he should not be leading if he in fact is not following what he should be preaching
verified I'M SURE HE'S PREACHING
I'M SURE HE'S PREACHING ABOUT GOD, NOT WHO HE'S DOING!
verified HOW IS IT AGAIN??? THAT A
HOW IS IT AGAIN??? THAT A PERSON'S RELIGION IS THE ONLY AND RIGHT RELIGION? IF I WAS MUSLIM WHY WOULD I HAVE TO BE MADE TO FEEL THAT A PERSON'S RELIGION IS FAR MORE SUPERIOR TO MINE? AREN'T WE ALL EQUALS HERE? ON THIS MESSED UP EARTH?
He is not teaching God's
He is not teaching God's word, do a little research
you cant just talk the
you cant just talk the talk......he needs to walk the walk.
It would be like me shooting herion while telling my kids not to...
verified We are all sinners, no one
We are all sinners, no one is exempt, but if we choose to follow Christ we must repent of our sin and do what he says.
Jesus said "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." - luke 9:23
It is important to note that he said "daily". The goal for a Christian is to be conformed to the image of Christ, but it doesn't happen overnight, it's a process.
Jesus also said "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" - luke 6:46
That one always gets me.
John A. Chick
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." -- Thomas Jefferson in a letter to Colonel Charles Yancey (January 6, 1816)
I agree with you 100%. This
I agree with you 100%. This is just wrong what he's doing. He should read the bible and see what it really says because what he is teaching is very wrong.
verified OH YEAH-SO GO MAKE SOME
OH YEAH-SO GO MAKE SOME DEATH THREATS! THAT MAKES IT ALRIGHT!
verified people are truly
people are truly ignorant-the story is about a man who has had death threats made. aside from the REAL issue here. people can slander, cut down, and try to make it personal. where is the sympathy for another HUMAN BEING!?!?! FOR JUST ONCE I MAY GET A LITTLE GLIMPSE OF HOPE THAT OUR GENERATION AND THE NEXT WILL BE MORE ACCEPTING, SYMPATHETIC, CARING, AND NON-JUDGMENTAL-UNLIKE THE OLDER GENERATION. ITS LIKE SAYING "WELL-HE'S GAY AND A REV. SO HE GETS WHATS COMING TO HIM" WHEN ITS NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL. HUMAN BEINGS NEED TO BE VALUED. OUR NEIGHBORS! NO MATTER SEXUAL PREFERENCE, COLOR, OR RELIGION.
ITS THE ONES THAT DON'T ADMIT THEIR OWN FAULTS AND HAVE TO POINT OUT EVERYONE ELSE'S THAT ARE TRULY LOST AND MISERABLE.
POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING!
VOTE NO ON QUESTION 1!
You definitely need to go
You definitely need to go seek some professional help. There where NO death threats made by me.
Bravo. A hero for our age.
Bravo. A hero for our age.
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