Tweet-Presbyterians-Tweet-Marriage-Tweet

Follow me.

No, I'm really not getting sucked in. But did you know that the founders of Twitter (Evan Williams and Biz Stone) rejected a $500 million takeover from Facebook. $500 million!!!

They brag that Twitter had the first pictures of the Miracle on the Hudson landing. Well OK, but someone could also post a picture of an alien spaceship landing in Trussville on Twitter, and who would know if it is real news or not. For those who wait another 5 minutes to see news break on CNN or even Fox, isn't it worth it to know that the news is real. Most of the time.

Enough about that.

Alabama mainline Presbyterians (Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley) have voted 77-75 to drop language that requires clergy to "abide by fidelity in marriage and chastity in singleness."

Story

173 regional groups like that will vote this year on the issue. Passage by a majority would allow local presbyteries more leeway in ordaining clergy.

This might allow gay clergy who are in committed relationships to be ordained. After all, the clause being debated was added to target gays (in 1997).

So far the national vote is 39-24 against changing the language.

Marriage

Interesting concepts from today's Dear Abby column.

From Abby: some churches feel so strongly about separating the legal aspect of marriage from the religious that they have voted to only "bless unions," and their clergy no longer sign marriage licenses.

From Rev. M. N. R. in New York: Several couples I know have married without the paperwork because they regard the alternative the same as sitting at a segregated lunch counter, and they are unwilling to support segregation.

From Rebecca in Sunnydale, Calif: When the Bible was written, did they have marriage licenses then?

From God is our Witness in Colorado: Nowhere in the bible does a servant of God ask permission from the government to marry...And while there are references to "what God has joined together," there is no similar praise for what Caesar has blessed.

This 9 minute video explains a lot. And I knew there was a reason I like David Cook.