Bishop Gene Robinson Retiring Due to Death Threats

I'm sure that there will be rejoicing among the modern day Pharisee crowd upon hearing that Episcopal bishop, Eugene Robinson is going to take an early retirement. It seems that the constant death threats from "godly Christians" has finally pushed Robinson to the point of retiring in order to protect his family and those around him. It's a shame that he feels he must take this step, but I can understand Robinson's reasoning. The fact that he has received non-stop death treats is truly an indictment of just how horrible Christianity has become at the hands of fundamentalists and gay-haters. And people wonder why many in the LGBT community have simply walked away from the Christian faith in which they were raised. Why would one want to remain a part of something that now has hatred and intolerance as its principal hallmark? Here are highlights from the New York Times on Robinson's announcement:
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Bishop V. Gene Robinson, whose consecration as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church set off a historic rift in the global Anglican Communion, announced to his New Hampshire diocese on Saturday that he intended to step down.
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The news took some by surprise because Bishop Robinson is an energetic 63-year-old, and mandatory retirement age for Episcopal bishops is 72. He has led a relatively stable and healthy diocese, despite predictions by some that his election would undermine the Episcopal Church in New Hampshire.
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The reason to depart, he said in a speech delivered at the close of the annual convention of his diocese, is that being at the center of an international uproar has taken a toll on him and on the diocese.
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“Death threats, and the now worldwide controversy surrounding your election of me as bishop, have been a constant strain, not just on me, but on my beloved husband, Mark” and on Episcopalians in the state, he said.
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But those who know Bishop Robinson say he has no intention of retiring from public life. His status as a symbol in the international gay rights movement means that after he steps down, he will have no shortage of platforms from which to preach his message that God blesses gay relationships too.
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In his resignation speech in New Hampshire, Bishop Robinson said: “This is the one place on earth where I am not ‘the gay bishop.’ I believe that you elected me because you believed me to be the right person to lead you at this time. The world has sometimes questioned that, but I hope you never did.”