The nation’s first openly gay Episcopal bishop told a crowd of about 200 recently that come June he’s marching down the aisle with his longtime male partner, according to a Miami gay online news source: “I always wanted to be a June bride,” said Bishop Gene Robinson at a talk on Nov. 27 at Nova Southeastern University.

He continued: “It may take many years for religious institutions to add their blessing for same-sex marriages and no church, mosque or synagogue should be forced to do so. But that should not slow down progress for the full civil right to marry,” Robinson said.

Wearing a raspberry clergy shirt with a cleric collar and pectoral cross, Robinson characterized the “religious right” as close-minded, taking a literal interpretation of Bible condemnation of homosexuality. “The greatest single hindrance to achievement of full rights for gays and lesbians can be laid at the doorstep of the three Abrahamic faiths– Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It’s going to take people of faith to end discrimination,” said Robinson, who was invested as the ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire in 2004.

Anyone else seeing any irony here? If Christianity is so bad, uh…why are you a Bishop?

Robinson, a divorced father of two adult daughters, emphasized that scripture must viewed in its historical context. You know what that means, don’t you? It means you can read anything you want into the gospels and nobody can say you’re wrong.

Citing specific verses in Leviticus calling male homosexual acts an abomination, Robinson noted that that same holiness code says eating pork is an abomination and that children cursing their parents is punishable with death.

So, I guess therefore there’s no sin at all. It’s just make it up as you go time for everyone.

He also said that the concept of sexual orientation didn’t emerge until about a century ago.

So therefore Jesus probably didn’t understand all of that stuff way back then, right? It’s the old Jesus was a product of his times reasoning. I love that one.

Jesus said divorce is only permitted with adultery, for which the Episcopal Church used to deny the divorced Communion and view remarriage as adultery, Robinson said.
“We changed our mind as a culture, as a nation, as a church about something we have been very sure about for a couple thousand years.”

The Episcopal Church has been around for a couple of thousand years?

But you have to love his baby and the bathwater analogy that because his Church changed on one thing then everything else is open to change as well.

Robinson also tried to link what he sees as oppression of human rights of homosexuals to discrimination against woman, blacks and others forgetting the difference between what people are as opposed to their actions.

I’m running to my mailbox now looking for my invitation…Didn’t come. I wonder where he’s registered? Probably not the St. Jude shop.