There goes that Oscar nomination

But even if Jennifer Hudson DID get an Oscar nomination, she would be unable to attend the ceremony ...

nobody in Hollywood would design a dress for her or be willing to do her hair.>

I'm sorry. Is there some history of Oscar blacklisting with which I'm unfamiliar? Serious question.>

If there's any blacklist she'll be on, it's be the Colorado Springs blacklist where the Cheney family is because they don't denounce your daughter. Nothing there souind homophobic or anti-gay to me, but maybe your gaydar is sharper than mine.>

Daniel, go sit in the corner and be quiet.

Rod has given us a forum for our rational and reasonable retorts in a venue usually closed to us, the proud parents, friends, and siblings of homosexuals.

Three things are obvious for anyone wondering.

1. These topics get the hits. It's in Rods best interest to stir up as much interest in his blog as he can. That is understandable and acceptable from my point of view.

2. There are some folks like myself that love to tackle the subject from any angle possible. My first choice is the Biblical one, I'm lazy, character flaw.

3. There are those out there that want to express their feelings and beliefs about the sin of homosexuality. I welcome them with open arms. We are family.

Now tell me, wouldn't you rather read about the pros and cons of homosexuality than the differences between Catholics and the Orthodox?>

Lots of Christians think that homosexuality is a sin. Many of those same people support gay rights and aren't judgmental of gays. I don't think that she said anything that would make people in Hollywood dislike her.>

I agree with vichy-- Rod is super gay-obsessed. He talks more about gay stuff than Andrew Sullivan!>

Seriously, Rod, do you realze that over half of the last 20 posts dealt either with homosexuality or Muslims. What is Crunchy about focusing on gays and Muslims? Why are these issues so important to you?

Of the last 20 posts, how many were devoted to which topic?

Church matters: 7
Politics: 3
Children and consumer culture: 2
Baylor: 2
Iraq war: 1
Homosexuality: 3
Islam: 2

And I am the one who's obsessed with these topics?

Look, there's no way to write a blog about the intersection of religion, politics and culture without writing a significant amount about both Islam and homosexuality. They are constantly in the news. The reaction to these phenomenon constitute two major cultural fault lines. That's where the conversation is. The problem, I'd wager, is not that you mind talking about either Islam or homosexuality. The problem is you don't like what I and some readers have to say about either. That's your right, of course, but then again, it's your right not to participate in the exchange. But be aware that we're going to keep talking about this stuff.>

your "church matters" posts had nothing to do with homosexuality? "father plushy" and priestly celibacy? right. you're homo obsessed.>

Mainstream society seems more tolerant (that is, nice enough to be patronising) of orthodox Christian faith and views when they come from blacks (thanks to the ripoff of Christian manners and ethics that is political correctness). As awkwardly as she put them her views aren't different from mine. It's a sin but if it doesn't harm me it's none of my business and charity is for all.>

According to today's Studio Briefing on imdb.com, Hudson has reacted angrily to the "slur" that she called homosexuality a sin.>

On the "equality" of sins:

I've thought about it like this. Our sinful nature puts us miles and miles from God. A small (venial?) sin puts us an inch further away, a serious (mortal?) sin puts us another foot away. In terms of relative distance, we're still miles and miles away, needing Christ to bridge the gap.

Is that an accurate analogy to Catholic belief regarding mortal and venial sin? Do the Orthodox have similar beliefs?>

Rod's awfully defensive today, isn't he?>

Relativisim, Blah. When are people gonna lean that it doesn't work. To each his own -- until it has an effect upon me

Yes - how horrible it would be if we all minded our own business until something actually affected us.>

IBreakCellPhones-

Not really an accurate analogy regarding Catholic theology of mortal and venial sin.

Traditional Catholic theology teaches that venial sin "separates" us from God, impairs our relationship with him, and could potentially lead to serious sin. Those in venial sin may receive communion without confessing these sins, and are still considered "in a state of grace." To put it bluntly and crudely, if you die with venial sins on your soul, you go to heaven (albeit after burning these sins off in Purgatory).

Mortal sin, on the other hand, not only separates the sinner, but severs his or her relationship with God. You can't receive communion until you confess them, and if you die with a single unconfessed mortal sin on your soul, you go straight to hell (to put it bluntly and simply).

I am sure the Orthodox approach is less legalistic about this stuff, but essentially similar.

I have heard Billy Graham say something similar to "all sins are equal," so perhaps this is an evangelical/Baptist theological viewpoint. Since there is no confession or Eucharist, the distinctions between sins are less important.>

Yes - how horrible it would be if we all minded our own business until something actually affected us.

There is some myth running around out there about all of us being islands and the stuff that other people do doesn't affect us. Well, it does.

For example, person x sleeping with his girlfriend doesn't affect me per se, but 2 million people sleeping with their girlfriends makes it a whole hell of a lot harder for me to be chaste AND even harder to teach chastity to my children.

We're all in this together, folks.>

I learn more about being/acting Christian in these pages than I do in any theology class, research project or bible study. Crunchy Con and all who participate is truly an embarrassment of riches. Vunderbar. :)>

Mike - "all sins are equal" isn't a Protestant viewpoint. It's a Scriptural one.
James 2:10 - "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.">

RB- THe doctrine of venial and mortal sin is entirely scriptural.

1 John 5:16-17: "If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. "

Both Orthodox and Catholics have held to the doctrine of the differentiation of levels of sin for 2,000 years.>

Do you regard collections of correspondence as literature? If not, why not? There are are least a couple millennia of precedence for regarding a person's collected letters as literature -- Cicero's letters, Pliny's letters, Lord Chesterfield's letters to his son, etc., etc.>