From: JBRADLEY@HQ.ROW.COM (Bradley, John) Date: 96-09-10 11:13:41 EDT The following letter appeared as a half-page ad in the September 9 edition of The Washington Times. It has been scanned from the original. Please feel free to redistribute. Has a similar ad appeared in other major newspapers? -------------------------- AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDING BISHOP OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH September 8, 1996 Dear Bishop Browning, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Devout Episcopalians were shocked by what you, as the Presiding Bishop, told the Executive Council in Charleston recently, referring to the trial of Bishop Righter: "I can say that I not only believe, I know, that it is possible for gay men and women in committed relationships to be wholesome examples. We see such examples everyday. Let us remember that Jesus said precious little about homosexuality, being more concerned with hardness of heart. Would that we could turn our attention similarly." (E.N.S.) Let us examine what you said so that your opinions and convictions are clear. 1. You depart from what recent General Conventions called "Christian Marriage" and defined as "a physical, spiritual and mystical lifelong union of a man and a woman in an holy estate instituted by God." 2. You were talking about same-sex partnerships or unions. 3. The expression "committed relationships" suggests that the persons involved in these same-sex partnerships are faithful to each other. In reality the clinical literature proves that homosexual men are extremely promiscuous-because of internal fears that drive them away from women into homosexuality in search of their masculinity. The typical male homosexual encounter is transient, more than half the time with a stranger. A study of 156 gay couples, itself conducted by a pair of homosexuals, concluded that "all couples with a relationship lasting more than five years have incorporated some provision for outside sexual activity in their relationships" (cited by Socarides, p 113). 4. As you are aware, the expression, "wholesome example," has been used in the traditional Anglican Ordinal of both presbyters and bishops. Those to be presbyters promised to be "wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of Christ." In the prayer for the newly consecrated bishop was the request that "he may be a wholesome example in word, in conversation, in love, in faith, in chastity, and in purity" (1928 BCP). In the 1979 Prayer Book both the deacon and priest promise to be "a wholesome example" while prayer is offered that the bishop will be an "effective example." 5. You also claim that "we" (members of the Executive Council or all of us?) see gay men and women in such "wholesome examples" all the time and all throughout the Episcopal Church. Presumably you have information that same-sex unions are common in the Episcopal Church. 6. You do not say so, but you must be aware that what you are stating as being "wholesome" is not so regarded by the "official" Christian tradition of teaching on sex and marriage in all the major branches of Christendom. In fact you are advocating behavior which is a complete reversal of traditional Christian teaching on relations between the sexes. You are describing what the Church has called "fornication" (sexual intimacy outside of marriage) and "sodomy" (unnatural sexual intercourse between two males). The Church never gave an official blessing to such. Any sexual intimacy between persons of the same sex has been declared a sin, requiring repentance and divine forgiveness. The secular rationale for this Christian doctrine is found in reams of clinical studies that explain the pathological nature of homosexual orientation. Homosexuality and its unconscious roots cause psychic pain to the sufferer that is due far more to internal fears and rage than to societal opprobrium. The cruel irony is that now clinical psychoanalysis has found a cure for the disorder, the sufferers have embraced their perversion and convinced gullible liberals in society that it is traditional society itself that is ill. 7. Your acceptance and spreading of the homosexual propaganda concerning sexuality of the well organized gay movement makes sinfulness into holiness, wickedness into righteousness, and perversion into wholeness. It is as serious as if you were advocating adultery for people living in so-called "faithful heterosexual relationships." To you as a casual observer it may appear that two gay persons are happy together, but your observation cannot be allowed to usurp the clarity of the known will of God concerning the one-flesh union of a man and a woman in holy matrimony. 8. You have accepted the propaganda of the gay movement that Jesus said "Precious little" about homosexuality and therefore its practice is presumably not against his will. The fact that Jesus said nothing specifically against homosexuality speaks against the homosexual cause, not for it. Jesus was quite able to make his views known about vital issues and in this case it is obvious that he accepted the clear teaching found in the Law and the Prophets which he took to be the moral will of Yahweh, his Father. He came not to destroy but to fulfill the Law of Moses. You, also, should come not to destroy but to fulfill the Law. Further, it has been plain to Christians for two millennia that Jesus' commitment to the doctrine of marriage as the one-flesh union and his dislike and/or rejection even of marriage after divorce (see Mark 10:2ff.; Matthew 19:3ff.;Luke 16:18) means that he is against fornication of all kinds, active homosexuality of all kinds and adultery of all kinds. 9. Certainly you are right that Jesus was against "hardness of heart" and where it exists there is no room for the fruit of the Holy Spirit to grow and no place for faith, hope and charity. But certainly you are wrong when you imply that all those who oppose homosexual practice suffer from "hardness of heart." The healers in the psychiatric and psychological professions, who help suffering homosexuals shed their burden, have more true compassion than those who appease socio-political activists by affirming their delusions. 10. Hardness of heart includes not only lack of love for other persons, but also lack of interest in the truth. The homosexual lobbyists have consistently and desperately discouraged open discussion of the massive amount of evidence showing that homosexual behavior is: (a) disease-producing - the average lifespan of the male homosexual is low, even before AIDS is factored in; (b) compulsive and addictive-homosexual persons cannot cease behavior that is killing them; (c) associated with massive medical costs and other social consequences; (d) changeable - the Exodus, Courage and other Christian ministries show substantial success in helping homosexual persons leave the "gay lifestyle" for what is truly a wholesome Christian example. Clinical studies show again and again that approximately 30 per cent of homosexuals who enter protracted psychotherapy or analysis for any reason will change their orientation to their innate heterosexuality. (For verification see books by Drs. Charles Socarides, Irving Bieber, Gerard van den Aardweg, and Joseph Nicolosi.) Denial of the truth of a destructive behavior ultimately betrays lack of love for the persons who engage in that behavior, whether compulsively or willingly. 11. Many people in the ECUSA have concluded that you and your staff are not interested in open, honest discussion of the matters. You could change that very easily by holding open discussion with both sides represented, free to present whatever evidence they saw fit. If you are not willing, then their conclusions will stand as accurate. It is the duty of the Presiding Bishop to deplore the sins of fornication, of adultery and of sodomy committed by clergy and laity. It is also his duty, in imitation of his Master, to love the sinners and in compassion bring them to penitence and into the joy of forgiveness -that they may have life and have it more abundantly in Christ Jesus our Lord. Devout Episcopalians hope that you will do your duty. Yours faithfully, The Rev. Dr. Peter Toon Mr. & Mrs. William Cheney The Rev. & Mrs. Dick Kim Donald P Moriarty The Rev. Dr. Tim Smith The Rev. Canon Bill Atwood The Rev. Michael E. Hess The Rev. Richard A. Cantrell David W Virtue Adam Margrave Morley S. Stevenson The Rt. Rev. Terence Kelshaw The Rt. Rev. William Wantland The Rt. Rev. Jack Iker The Rt. Rev. & Mrs. John Howe The Rt. Rev. Alex Dickson The Rt. Rev. Maurice Benitez The Rt. Rev. C. FitzSimons Allison The Rt. Rev John David Schofield The Rev. Canon Philip E. P Weeks The Rev. Neil Lebhar Eben & Charles Appleton Hartley Connett The Rev. Dr. Forrest Mobley The Rev. Rebecca C. Spanos The Very. Rev. Dr. John Rodgers Jr. Dr. & Mrs. William Boerhringer M. Gardner Moody The Rev. Jane McDermott Mary A. Moody The Rev. Samuel L. Edwards Mary Jo & Scott Ruthven Lee A. Buck The Rev. David H. Roseberry Mary Terrell Haines (Mrs. Ronald) David P Mills The Rev. Alexander M. Greene The Rev. Dr. John Guest John H. W Rhein III [Concerned Clergy and Laity of the Episcopal Church] CCLEC, P.O. BOX 723115, ATLANTA, GA 31139 1-800-307-7609