Homosexuals
Sir: May I as a born and bred Methodist who, faced with the ever increasing divergence of modern Methodism from the Methodism I knew as a boy sixty years ago, has fled to evangelical Baptism, comment on the views Lord Soper expresses in the current issue of The Spectator.
Perhaps my thinking is influenced by the fact that a life of Christian endeavour, has also included a career in the Merchant Navy, ranging from involvement in Civil Wars, to service in Popular passenger liners. In this life, meeting as I did, almost every type of Person, I early came to accept as facts of life, things that scarified the mature Lord Soper. Perhaps that too is responsible for the fact that I cannot accept homosexuality as other than abnormal and unacceptable, and home sexuals tims. certainly not as helpless vic If. as Doctor Soper seems to sug gest, his views are becoming those of the Methodist Church; this, it seems to me, does much to explain the spiritual decline of that once great church, and the reason why, when one attends a Methodist service seeking spiritual food, one so often is offered a stone.
But, that apart, I must reject absolutely, his suggestion: " We've practically got no precise evidence trom the teaching of Jesus about the matter at all."
Matthew 5, verse 17. Jesus: "Think not that I come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets I am come not to destroy, but to fulfil." But the Law dedares, in Leviticus Chapter 18, verse 22: "Homosexuality is absolutely forbidden, for it is an enormous sin." (Living Bible). To suggest that in such circumstance we have no teaching seems to me as natve as to say of a newly-appointed Home Secretary, who has vowed to" have the law respected and enforced." " But he doesn't say what he is going to do about armed robbery with violence." Finally, to suggest " There is a kingdom of heaven for everybody," is a clear example of the false teaching which the Bible clearly warns us will be freely offered in these Latter Days. By contrast the Bible warns, in Matthew 7.12-14. There will be but few who find their way to heaven, and only such as forsake their sins and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, and accept him as their personal Saviour.
Leonard H. Pendlebury 2d4onSisdEfoird House, Hercules Road, Lon
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