C. S. Lewis, probably the most influential Anglican thinker (and layman) of the last century, wrote in his book Mere Christianity, "Either marriage, with complete faithfulness to your partner, [he meant man with woman] or else total abstinence." What a far cry from what we read in the words of John Shelby Spong, former Bishop of Newark who has written, "There is no external, objective, revealed standard writ in scripture or on tablets of stone that will govern our ethical (meaning sexual) behavior for all time." Lewis would profoundly disagree with that statement.

Lewis's views are mocked and ridiculed by today's leading clerical pansexualists in The Episcopal Church. Spong is more to their taste.

In his chapter on "Friendship in The Four Loves," Lewis opines that the Seraphim in Isaiah's vision crying "Holy, Holy, Holy" to one another (Isa. 6:3) shares the Heavenly Bread between us. "The homosexual theory therefore seems to me not even plausible," he wrote. While acknowledging that Friendship and abnormal Eros have on occasion been combined (Johnson embracing Boswell, David and Jonathan, et al )they are the least biological of our loves, wrote Lewis.

Homosexuality, that is sexual relations between men, was just the first step in the long push (some would say slide) towards a more "fuller" view of sex outside of heterosexual marriage. Dr. Louie Crew, a homosexual English professor and layman, became its first most outspoken advocate. With him came the long hard drive for full acceptance of homosexual persons in The Episcopal Church. He founded Integrity, the official pansexual organization for homogenital persons in The Episcopal Church. Thus began a decades-long push for the rights of homosexuals to attain all ecclesiastical levels within the church. It has been a long road for which he can positively claim victory. In his last official act before his retirement, Spong awarded Crew a Bishop's Cross and said in the citation that Louie had done more than anyone else to change the face of the church. He may be right. But the cost, in the end, has been enormous.

With homosexual acceptance for men came lesbianism for women. What was good for men demanded equal expression for women, who wished to sexually indulge themselves with those of the same sex.

They slowly filtered into the church, sometimes without congregations knowing; at other times with full compliance at least by vestries if not entirely by congregations. One couple I spoke to, who had been attending a mainline Philadelphia Episcopal parish for over 40 years, were suddenly told that a new woman rector was coming on board. The couple did not know she was bringing her "partner" along with her. When they found out some weeks later, they fled to the spiritual safety of a nearby orthodox parish.

For heterosexual men, lesbianism remains something of a mystery. An Internet search by this writer revealed more than he really wanted to know. Women wear strange apparatuses with artificial male appendages, which begs the question why bother with Rubbermaid when you can have the real thing. Male appendages do come in various sizes, shapes, colors and makes, including rubber and plastic models complete with triple A batteries. One wonders, in the course of sexual activity, if one screams over loud vibrating noises, "I love you Mildred", does that in fact qualify as a legitimate love call. I digress.

Not to be outdone, other aggrieved sexualities now demanded admittance to the expanding Episcopal Integrity sex club. Bisexuals, according to Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, is a sexual attraction which refers to individuals of both their own and the opposite sex which again begs the question how one can be in such committed relationships (which TEC demands) with two men and one woman or two women and one man. One wonders how much stamina is needed to maintain it.

Finally there are transgendered persons. Again, according to Wikipedia, transgender people may identify as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual or asexual which pretty well covers the waterfront of sexualities, human or otherwise. The nomenclature for this Pandora's Box of sexualities, now rife in The Episcopal Church, is Lesbitransgay. Some transgendered persons have sex change operations.

In the Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Oklahoma has admitted a transgendered person to the Diaconate. Bishop Robert Moody ordained history's first transsexual deacon (formerly Paul now Paula Schonauer), and offered him/her a position as a deacon in the cathedral. To this writer's knowledge, this has not been replicated. One would think in an age of equal Episcopal sexual access for all, that Judy Wineberg, formerly a Jewish procrastinator ("I'm against circumcision") and now into weekend Wiccan, should seek admittance to the sacred space of the Episcopal Church priesthood. She should have a sex change operation, being granted the phallus size of her choice, and then be inducted into the Diocese of Washington with hands laid on her by Bishop John Chane in the National Cathedral. Why settle for anything less! Forward thinking demands full acceptance at the highest levels. An invitation would be issued to all White House staff and the President herself, if it happens to be Hillary Rodham Clinton. For her to refuse, would be a slight that might take centuries to heal, especially as this IS The Episcopal Church where hurts and slights of pain of disenfranchised persons of multiple sexualities could also take centuries to correct.

It probably comes as no surprise that Bisexuals are more likely than straight or gay people to develop mental health problems (really), according to an Australian study published on the subject. This should certainly come as no surprise to Episcopalians bearing in mind that we have such illustrious sociopaths as Charles E. Bennison, Bishop of Pennsylvania, and Orris Walker Bishop of Long Island who would not answer a New York Times request as to whether or not he has AIDS, and if so, how he contracted it.

It was at the church's 65th General Convention in 1976 that the church chose to reaffirm Resolution A069 that "homosexual persons are children of God who have a full and equal claim with all other persons upon the love, acceptance, and pastoral concern and care of the Church." The resolution said, that in our understanding of homosexual persons, differences exist among us about how best to care pastorally for those who intend to live in monogamous, non-celibate unions; and what is, or should be, required, permitted, or prohibited by the doctrine, discipline, and worship of The Episcopal Church concerning the blessing of the same.

This was a tacit acknowledgment that The Episcopal Church had now ratified homosexual fornication for all time and embossed and enshrined it in a resolution to which presumably God Himself (or Herself depending on your gender preference), had now given His/Her heavenly blessing.

At the 73rd General Convention (2000), Resolution D039 was passed that said sexual relationships should be characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect, careful, honest communication, and holy love reflecting the image of God, and that such relationships existed throughout the church. This was full blown acceptance of BOTH homosexual and heterosexual fornication, outside of marriage. Liturgies for such persons were put on the table, prompting the Bishop of Pennsylvania to write his own Visigoth Rite which he said he would administer on request.

At the 2003 General Convention, Resolution C051 was passed which blessed committed same-gender relationships - a sexual triumph for Dr. Crew and Integrity who had worked so laboriously for complete inclusion in the church's canons.

The circle was now complete. So this is what we have.

A heterosexual can become a homosexual, but must first dispense with the "other" partner. Bishop Gene Robinson did this. He and his wife got divorced. Later he met his now male partner on a beach in the Caribbean. That's acceptable.

Retired Utah bishop Otis Charles can dump his wife and marry his Hispanic partner who between them have five former marriages. No shame there.

A woman can dump her husband, pick up a woman, and live with her according to the new Episcopal rules. No problem there.

A man or a woman can live in what was once called sexual sin without benefit of marriage. That gets a pass. (see D039)

You can be divorced and remarried at least three times without the church's opprobrium, just ask Bishop Walter Righter (Iowa and Newark) and Barry Beisner, the new bishop of Northern California.

What won't get a pass is if a married man, living with his wife, should suddenly be overtaken in sexual activity outside his marriage. He has committed ADULTERY and will be summarily tossed into ecclesiastical outer darkness. Just ask Bishop Cy Jones or any one of a half dozen Episcopal priests (mostly orthodox) who have fallen off the sexual bandwagon in recent years. Their sin is of the worst and most egregious sort.

A homoerotic priest on the other hand, who is living in a state of homosexual fornication, can switch partners by writing to his bishop and informing him of the change. Bishop Tom Shaw, the sexually conflicted Bishop of Massachusetts, has deposed heterosexual priests who have fallen into adultery, but homosexual priests get a pass because (a) they are not legally married and therefore no ecclesiastical law or law of the land currently applies to their behavior and (b) they can switch partners without fear of ecclesiastical retribution. If two homosexual men are able to get married and one cheats on the other (there is a very high degree of promiscuity among homogenital men), has he committed adultery and should he then be tossed out of the church? Inquiring minds want to know. What sexual standard applies to heterosexuals should apply equally to homosexuals living in committed relationships. Maybe.

The sheer hypocrisy and vulgarity in all this should not be underestimated. This is the current state of affairs in The Episcopal Church and it stinks to high heaven.

The Apostle Paul writes in I Corinthians 6:9-11, "Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God".

Is it any wonder then that C.S. Lewis observed: "There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.' All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell."

The Episcopal Church is sadly going to Hell and taking tens of thousands of souls with it. That, said Jesus is the worst sin of all - leading others astray.

END