The Lutherans--Evangelical Lutheran Church in America variety--are having their convention here in town. It has attracted considerable attention in the local press, because they voted on the question of ordaining homosexuals, which is great copy. I, however, skipped the long articles in order to study the pictures of the delegates at work. Evidently they pray a lot, and when they pray, they hold hands with one another and direct their gazes toward the heavens--though it seems the view would be interrupted by the industrial ceiling of Minneapolis's convention center.
I have to say that I cannot enter into the experience of these people. What happens to them when they pray? Do they hear a voice? They appear to be having an ecstatic experience almost erotic in its intensity. Which reminds me that, when I was young, various Lutheran publications would come to our house in the mail and I would sometimes scan them for something interesting. What could be interesting? Well, one brave author took up the subject of sex. Of course I read that. The author was a minister and he advocated a "sacramental view of the marital act." He went so far as to suggest that couples should construct a prayer shrine in a corner of the master bedroom where they could ask God to bless the marital act they were about to perform. That seemed to me hilarious: couldn't help thinking of these stolid figures kneeling in their pyjamas thinking thoughts that, it seemed to me, had to be sort of mixed up and crazy.
Anyway, delegates voted to allow congregations to call homosexuals as pastors. They were divided fairly evenly, so if they were praying for guidance and did hear a voice, it wasn't always saying the same thing.
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