A rift is developing in the ranks of the Episcopal Church. Many in the church are split over the issue of homosexuality.

A retired bishop from Iowa is being tried for heresy, because he ordained a homosexual man five years ago. Many conservatives in the church refer to a 1979 church policy that states that it is “not appropriate for this church to ordain a practicing homosexual.”

Others argue that the church should not substitute its moral code for society’s current moral standards.

In the debate over homosexuality, religion has always played a major factor, and it’s often been very difficult to contend with. It’s hard to make an argument supporting homosexual rights when the response often is “The God I believe in says that homosexuality is wrong.”

Even though this may be an illogical argument, when it comes to that point, the argument is over.

And now the Episcopal Church is going as far as to hold a heresy trial against a bishop for ordaining a gay man. What century is this? Did the church ever consider whether it was dealing with a good human being, regardless of sexual preference?

It is true that a church should be able to choose it’s own system of morality for its congregation. But when minds are closed and people are discriminated against, all in the name of God, then maybe it’s time to find a new church.