Part 7. It's all about love.

Those of or a certain age remember The Beatles bursting on the music scene. (I preferred The Rolling Stones.) Memorable lyrics but none more so than love is all you need, all you need is love.

As we saw in Part 1 love is the basis of the two Great Commandents,  summarised by The Salvation Army as love God, love others. 

It all sounds so simple and it is. However the principle that we must love our neighbour has been swamped by arguments for and against inclusion.  The battleground is mostly but not exclusively over  full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in faith organisations. In some faith groups there is partial inclusion but also restrictions to stop progress to positions of leadership, or even membership: but you are welcome to turn up and contribute to the collection.

Refusal to agree to full inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals is based on  a mixture of dodgy theology, scientific ignorance and prejudice. Faith groups engaging in exclusion should be ashamed. Hardly seems to be love  in action. 

I support campaigns for full inclusion in faith groups and specifically in The Salvation Army to which I belong as an Adherent. I do not intend to present a balanced opinion on the theological grounds for full inclusion or full or partial exclusion. My thoughts are directed entirely to the promotion of full inclusion and the scriptural basis for so doing.  I trust this expresses my opinion in clear  simple and unequivocal language. Nailing the rainbow to the mast.

(I should make it clear that I agree with the view that Luke's Gospel is, as the Roman Catholic Church puts it: a positive option for the poor. Inclusion is for all and as well as LGBTQ+ individuals includes those on the margins of society as a consequence of poverty, homelessness, relationship breakdown, alcoholism, drug dependency, physical abuse, gambling etc.)

So, to the second Great Commandment. I wish to keep each of my jottings short. Therefore I shall consider the subject in Part 8.