The Grand Imam of the al-Azhar in Cairo has denounced the bishops of the
Episcopal Church of the USA for endorsing gay marriage saying the
innovation was contrary to the clear words of Scripture. Speaking at the
University of Syarif Hidayatullah in Indonesia this week Sheikh Amhed
el-Tayeb asked American Christians whether their actions were faithful
to Christ. Sheikh el-Tayeb, held to be the highest Sunni religious
leader and Islamic jurist in the Muslim world, also denounced US
government policy of pressuring less developed nations to adopt its
views on homosexuality in return for foreign aid. He further stated
liberal church leaders in the US were complicit in this blackmail by
giving moral sanction to an immoral agenda. “Unfortunately some Heads
of Churches in the United States accept same-sex marriages. I wonder
what is left of the Bible in those Churches. And what will they say in
front of Jesus, peace be upon him", Sheikh el-Tayeb said in a question
and answer session, according to a spokesman for the university.
Speaking at a question and answer session at the School of Theology at
the University of the South on 11 Feb 2016, the chairman of the Anglican
Consultative Council, the Rt. Rev. James Tengatenga, said that in the
eyes of many African and Asian religious leaders, the Episcopal Church
was an arm of US foreign policy. Dr. Tengatenga said the heavy handed
approach taken by the State Department under the Obama Administration in
advancing gay rights in Africa, Asia and the Middle East was resented
as a colonialist intrusion into the affairs of independent states. The
retired Malawian bishop said it was not uncommon for local activists in
Africa to be undermined by the well-intentioned but misguided support
from overseas groups, often leading to the unfortunate outcome of a
hardening of attitudes against gays and lesbians.
Source.
You just can't make this stuff up.
Is it any wonder that people searching for religious truths are turning from Christianity and turning to Islam? The Grand Imam is right, "What will they say in front of Jesus?".
ReplyDeleteExcellent quote, kudos to John for posting it.
ReplyDeleteHow long will it be before conservative Christians and conservative Muslims realise that they have more in common with each other than they do with their respective secularised co-religionists?