Happy 500th Birthday to John Calvin with Paul Capetz: Homebrewed Christianity 56

Best podcast yet!

Boy, in the first of this podcast I really learned a great deal of theology. It was interesting but very hard for me to follow as I have so little knowledge of the subject. However, again I must say I learned a lot. Now whether I can remember it all is another thing. I could relate to what was said about the eucharist. Could never wrap my head around the wine and bread actually becoming the body and blood of Christ even though I am a mystic of sorts. Justification and atonement are subjects that are argued even today and I have my own take on each that might not be what theologians would even consider. When the subject changed to diversity and homosexuality my ears really perked up. Two subjects I feel very strong about. My simple belief is that there are more than one paths to God. I was raised in the Christian faith and still choose that as my path today but affirming the goodness of other religions and that most have and still do lead persons to God. God for me is where we want to ultimately go in our beliefs and thinking. If all of us stop at Jesus, I think we have lost God somewhere along the way. Jesus was the son of God but Jesus was human. God for me is not human. God is only divine yet God made God's self avialable to us through God's Holy Spirit as I see it. God's Holy Spirit lives within me, around me and apart from me, is what I believe. We are diverse, we are all God's children just by being born, as I see it, because God began/created/set into motion everything. I know I came from my mother's womb but God began the entire process. "Most people think of diversity as being bad and that bad is scary" so the speaker said. Homosexuality is a very touchy subject but one that I feel very strong about. I am not a lesbian. I am a "straight" person but have a number of friends that are homosexual that I love dearly. My heart breaks because of the way that others treat people that are homosexual and the fact that for the most part they cannot marry. To deny anyone this right is unthinkable and we who call ourselves Christian should work very hard to have that right given to everyone. People are born with the ability to love either a male or female and they should be granted the right to marry whichever they choose. My one question was when he talked of celibecy being a gift of God. The only way I can see this as a gift from God is if a person was born with the inability to have sex. I can understand why someone such as a monk or sister, etc. decidiing to be a celibate person and they see this as a gift to God not a gift from God. I love God and as a widow and as a Christ follower, I feel it is necessary that I be celibate. It is not my desire. I desire to find a loving husband and give up my life of celibacy. Through a lot of hard work, discipline, prayer, etc. I can do this but I cannot do it without the help of God. The sexual need and the desire for love is very strong within me and I believe that to be a gift of God. A gift that once I am married can be bestowed upon my partner. I agree with the speaker and I must say again, we Christians need to work very hard to correct a great wrong and bring about laws that will give freedom of choice to homasexuals as well as hetorosexauls and laws that will give them equal rights in every way equal to each of us.