Jesus also said: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” I just happened to open it there and it helped me to answer a rude and impertinent question, in short. .
Penny, I can't quite decide if this video is ironically aimed at churchy hypocrisy, (in which case it works), or spoofing of the kind of oily, vacuous prayer style and insincere religiosity of some of your more unctuous American Telly Evangelists and Flim-Flam religionists. (In which case it works as well). I just hope it is not a serious appeal because I fear it will do more harm than good in promoting greater understanding of 'Gay' issues in the more notorious enclaves of bigotry it might be hoping to reach, particularly among those with no sense of humour or a pathological inability to process the irony of satire. .
The inference here is that Capernaum was a worse case of 'abomination' than was even Sodom, (with all its faults), Sodom had at least some hope of tolerance on the day of judgment, according to Jesus. So what was so bad about Capernaum then? John 6:1-71. Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me; 39 and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” But they wouldn't believe that ALL that the Father gives to Jesus would come to him and Jesus would NOT cast them out. THEY wanted to make him their King by force, but they remained unwilling to accept others who THEY refused to believe worthy of being accepted by Christ as having been given to him by The Father. (THEY would not 'eat' of his teaching, so distanced themselves from him). .
Unfortunately, Tiffy, I really think it's meant as a serious prayer. But the prayer is more humanistic than godly. For example: "Together we have the common gift of glue, the common gift of community... for we are resources for one another. Together we can heal ourselves, each other, and the world around us..." Where is the reliance upon God's gifts of grace and the indwelling Holy Spirit? Where is reliance upon His healing power? The prayer glorifies man's ability to work as a "community" to "bring down the kingdom of heaven," and it does not give God glory or credit for anything.
Tiffy is being defensive against anglican74's critique. And he defends the homosexual behavior of Sodom and Gomorrah by observing Jesus' words about how they might have responded to signs and wonders more readily than the people of Capernaum responded to the feeding of thousands (instead of being awed by the power of God, they wanted more free food). That said, Sodom and Gomorrah were visited supernaturally by three angels and did not repent. Hardness of heart is hardness of heart. And sin is sin. I think Jesus was engaging in a bit of hyperbole, not making a theological statement about the relative seriousness of Sodom's sin (homosexual activity) versus Capernaum's sin (failure to believe in the Messiah in their midst). It is interesting, however, that Jesus was not above shaming the people of Capernaum for their sin. I can't picture Jesus telling the people of Capernaum (or those of Sodom, for that matter), "You are resources for one another; together you can heal each other and the world around you!"
I think it is fairly clear that Jesus considered the sin of refusing to believe His word is far greater a sin than (homosexual activity). Actually the sin of Sodom was not mere (homosexual activity), but mob riot and intended, violent homosexual gang rape of angelic guests in Lot's house, an unforgivable crime against Mid Eastern hospitality ethics, a general greedy and selfish demenour, Gen.19:1-11, and a perpetration of the lustful power abuse that fallen angels had engaged in with the daughters of men, which led to God's condemnation of the whole of mankind apart from Noah and his family. Gen.6:4-8. Also Lot was himself no innocent, being quite prepared to throw his virgin daughters to the mob knowing full well the sex crazed, lustfully promiscuous mob's intentions. The practice of the unclean act of sodomy is not only restricted to homosexuals but can be viewed, (so I'm told), on most internet Porn sites, between lustfully heterosexual men and women, apparently. Also the sins of Sodom are by no means to be restricted only to lust and sodomy but include quite a lot of other commonly unpleasant actions and false religious attitudes. Isa.1:10-16. .
For the same reason that Christians should allow and welcome any sinner (which includes all of us) into their church home: so that the person may be edified and, hopefully, be one with Christ and persevere in faith to the end. Although Isaac (which is who he will always be to Almighty God) plainly has been taught very little orthodox theology, it is God's will that he might learn and become more like Christ. Perhaps one day, many years from now, he might be fit even for leadership (all things are possible with God) although he certainly has a very long road ahead of him and some large misconceptions to discard before he is ready to shoulder such a burden. In the meantime, he is welcome to be among us for fellowship, growth in Bible knowledge, and spiritual development (although not to be an 'agent provocateur' if that be his design). Every "young in the Lord" Christian needs guidance to grow up spiritually (Heb. 5:13-14). If he is willing to grow in the Lord, then he will seek our more mature Christians who have by diligent study received wisdom and knowledge of the Lord. Alas, Isaac has not visited us since his initial post.
Rather than wrong assumptions being made, to whom do you refer? Surely not the first person singular, the answer would be already known. May we have clarification?
I find it difficult too, but it gives a window into the mind of the heathen world around us. The old christendom is gone; ahead of us is only struggle and persecution, and the sooner we grow calluses, the better.