From the Faith In America website:
Faith in America has announced the launch of a five-city "Call to Courage" campaign to educate Americans about the misuse of religious teachings to discriminate and isolate gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. The campaign officially kicks off on May 6th in Ames, Iowa.
"Today marks an important day in the shared history of America’s religious and GLBT communities. For a long time we’ve stood on separate sides of an impasse” said Jimmy Creech, Executive Director of Faith In America. “But through this education campaign we will begin a deep and sustained dialogue, to bridge the gaps of tolerance and understanding in this country."
FIA’s national campaign will proceed to Reno, Nevada; Greenville, South Carolina; Manchester, New Hampshire; and Colorado Springs, Colorado. The five campaigns will be held between May and the end of November 2007.
Faith In America through the five-city campaign will:
Create dialogue regarding religious teachings and practices which foster discrimination and oppression against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
Demonstrate how misguided religious teachings were used historically to justify injustice and discrimination (slavery, racism, anti-interracial marriage, sexism) and are being used today to deny full and equal rights to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens.
Provide accepting clergy and people of faith a forum to express disagreement with religion-based bigotry.
This is the mission statement of this organization:
To end legal and spiritual discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people in America and to gain full and equal rights for those citizens.
Can anyone here support that? I thought so. I recommend checking them out if you're anywhere near one of the towns they will be visiting.
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ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I hope I'm not attacked by having my post removed for having a different view. That would be rather hypocritical and intolerant on the part of the blog administrator. I think that it is critical to have an open dialog when people disagree about something and many times that means agreeing to disagree, and agreeing to disagree without name calling. I pray that this post will post as a first test of a civil, loving, open dialog.
ReplyDeleteThank you for leaving my post up...I think. I don't know how often this site is checked or updated so I'm not sure if it was left up or nobody realized it was here.
ReplyDeleteAfter attending the Faith in America forum in Ames Thursday night, I realized that there are some things that sometimes are better left alone. The one thing that was very obvious to me last night is that a lot of the people at this GLBT gathering know just as much about the bible as they need to to feel good about themselves. Many people read God's Word for that reason and in that way...to feel good about themselves and sometimes even interpreting scripture so that it makes us look good and thus feel better about ourselves. That is sad. God also says "Don't think of yourself more highly than you ought." God said that He sent His Son to die for us while we were yet sinners. He didn't die for us so we could keep on sinning. If someone doesn't think that homosexuality or adultery or idolatry or drunkeness are sins and they claim to be a Christian which means the Holy Spirit lives within them, I don't think that I'm going to convince them of that. God's Word is sharper than a two-edged sword, it cuts between the bone and the marrow, the spirit and the soul. That is a very precise instrument, indeed! If God's Word can't accomplish that in the life of a human being, then nothing can. I know a number of people who practice homosexuality. I don't hate them. I don't treat them with disrespect. The Holy Spirit shames me when I make fun of someone elses behavior as well He should. My heart hurts for them. If there is no repentance or turning from our sin, then there can be no salvation. I pray that whoever reads this will come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. God bless! Mike
Mike,
ReplyDeleteI join you in praying for those GLBT people (and straight people also) who don't have the joy of knowing Jesus. Unfortunately, the church has had a LOT to do with pushing GLBT people away with their demon spirit of judgement. There is a gradual awakening withing Christ's church and a growing revelation about the place of our GLBT brothers and sisters in God's kingdom, and churches like mine are working hard to rebuid the bridges that have been destroyed and bring a healing to the hearts and souls of many in the GLBT community without their having to disavow their God-given gift of homosexuality. Just because we don't understand why He made some people straight and others gay doesn't mean either one is wrong.
Jim,
ReplyDeleteYou make my point...once again.
"If someone doesn't think that homosexuality or adultery or idolatry or drunkeness are sins and they claim to be a Christian which means the Holy Spirit lives within them, I don't think that I'm going to convince them of that."
This is a disagreement that will not be settled in this lifetime. We will know when the final chapter is written in each of our lives. You know you are right. I hope for your sake and the lives of all of those who believe the same as you do that I am wrong but I can't deny what is written in God's Word. I know. You say that I'm interpreting it wrong. Well, one of us is wrong! We both can't be right! Right? Whew!
I think it is rather sad that you use the words "demon spirit" to refer to anyone who might not agree with your opinion that homosexuality is a gift from God. Actually, I find that very offensive that you would give God glory for homosexuality. I believe that is bigotry against me and blasphemy against God but, sadly, you can't see that. I think that the name-calling must stop.
I was talking to a friend of mine today about this subject. We had never discussed it before. She says she has a different belief than me because she has a relative who is homosexual. I asked her if her belief was based on the fact that her relative was a homosexual and she said yes. I then asked her, based on your opinion, if she thought it was a gift from God? She looked at me like I was nuts! She said that she does not believe that it is a choice because "who would choose a life like that?!" Now, what am I supposed to glean from those statements?
By the way, my biggest issue is with people who call themselves "Christians" and then deny their claim by the way they live their life on a regular basis.
We all stumble and fall but if we are practicing a sinful lifestyle, something and Someone is seriously missing in that person's life. I do not exclude myself from any of this.
"God-given gift of homosexuality"?
So, you believe that homosexuality is a gift?...from God?! God does give...He finally gives up and gives people over to their desires! "Ok! Have it your way! But I have given you fair warning." We don't have any excuse to go on sinning!
Jim, it is really very simple. I believe that homosexuality, along with a list of other things, is a sin. I'm sure you know the verses. You don't believe that based on....what?
I will be on my internet radio station tonight at 10 central time. I hope you will tune in. You can find out more by going to www.mukradio.com and clicking on the Radio button on the left of the page. I would love to have an exchange with you via email.
God Bless!