Pastor losing congregation over his pro-homosexual stand

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/05/29/stance-on-gay-marriage-may-cost-rev-his-church/

Now here's where the homosexuals could help this dude out. Come on in to church and fill up the pews. That means also that you're gonna havta let go of some of that legendary homosexual wealth.

 

What does a church and losing wealth have in common? Are you insinuating that the majority of those in the pews are poorer? I'd agree, actually.

 

"legendary homosexual money" what does that mean? Is there like a homosexual treasure chest or something, hmmm perhaps I could be persuaded to switch teams.

 

Wrong denomination. The Episcopalians are the wealthy ones. I'm only partly joking.

The United Church of Christ as a denomination supports marriage equality, but it's up to individual congregations whether or not to adopt this and declare themselves "Open and Affirming". I'm guessing this particular congregation hasn't done so.

 

The people who left are bigoted. Good on this pastor for sticking to his opinions. At least he had the guts to say what he believed.

 

It's good to see a man of the cloth supporting his gay paritioners.

However, I can't really say that I'm shocked to see him having a hard time because of that stance. Hopefully he will find some help from the community.

 

Perhaps the stance will draw a new crowed, particularly with the bit of publicity it has landed. Either way, he walks away from this with his loan paid off, or walk away from it with a large sum to put towards another purpose.

 

not at all. They simply disagree with the pastor who apparently misread public sentiment. If he wants to create new groups based upon how one has sex then bully for him. His congregation disagrees and thus the results.

 

I'm very happy that pastor stood up and did the truly moral and compassionate thing.

All these pious JERKS claiming to know Jesus, yet they judge and persecute homosexuals as if those people are the WORST people on the planet... are doing NOTHING GOOD with their HYPOCRISY.

 

You are correct. The way most Christians think of and deal with homosexuality and homosexual people, isn't something I view as being "Christian" (or Christ-like) per se.

Most of it is convenient piety and abject hypocrisy. Simply shameful and disgusting stuff.

 

Most people go to church to get some religion, not the pastors personal beliefs. Probably would of been better off had he taken a pro equality stance as opposed to a pro homosexuality stance.

 

your observation is correct. As I stated, he obviously misread the feelings of the congregation and now is feeling the results of that. Neither side is right or wrong because both sides are nothing more than feelings and opinions. He simply had hot coffee when what the people wanted was cold water.

 

The way scores of so-called "Christians" look at and treat homosexuals, is certainly NOT Christ-like; it is obvious enough.

 

It is the job of a true pastor to emulate and communicate the character the Jesus Christ, not to be overly concerned with the "feelings of the congregation".

 

I believe that he's mixing homosexuality up with leprechauns via the pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow.

 

Sounds like it to me.

 

Im an atheist, but see this whole GAY marriage thing to be nothing more than social engineering designed to help gays feel better about themselves and the rest of society feel better about them, and using the institution of marriage to do it.
Thousands of years of tradition, culture and religion has encouraged or required heterosexual couples to marry because without doing so, single mothers and unknown or absent fathers was more frequently the result, long before government decided to latch onto the institution as a good thing. Using marriage which is a religious institution for many Americans, to promote homosexuality, which for many of those same Americans view as sinful, makes a mockery of the institution that is the foundation of the nuclear family since the dawn of human civilization. Men and women becoming husbands and wives before they become fathers and mothers to the children THEY bring into the world. Yeah, gays have orgasms also, but other than this, what they do, really has no relevance to the institution.

 

He wasnt communicating the character of Jesus Christ in the bible and instead promoting his purely personal opinions on homosexuality. Those who go to church to come to know the character of Jesus Christ, probably found it offensive that the pastor would instead use the opportunity to promote his personal views on homosexuality.

 

So now we're denying all those reports and studies on how homosexuals have such great lifestyles and are in the artsy professions that bring in loads of personal cash.
Tax problems looming?

 

Well dixon, it would NOT take THAT much study to find out that is merely your opinion.

Actually, I can respect that you see things that way; but only to the degree that your education, perceptions and experiences lead you to see things that way. To the degree that you think/believe you MUST coerce or control others concerning the same (being married legally), I (and millions of others) would strongly contend against the same.

I wish that you would see that your premise above isn't proven, and that it is mostly a THEORY you are entertaining in your mind. That is, I can even see you pursuing what you think... but I cannot shake the feeling that you believe it is more 'reality' than it actually is.

As a gay man (and KNOWING that from the age of a young teen), I can assure you that I don't advocate for "GAY marriage" to make myself "feel better". Even so, I DO see allowing gay marriage as a civil right whose time has arrived. It is time to stop with IMPOSING the preferences and/or biases of certain people upon those who happen to be homosexual.

Really, can't or don't you realize that people who are homosexual get into relationships, love one another, seeks to make families and also desire the legal privileges and benefits that come with marriage??!! Come on man... you cannot blame or be so angry about this, because society has 'moved' from where you THINK it should be. Even before I was a man, I saw the changes coming, mainly because I knew that being homosexual wasn't some temporary or chosen thing. Early on, I had to consider things such as what life in America would be like for myself and others who were homosexual.

I'd even listen closely to the pastor at church, address it. And while I eventually disagreed with what he pulled from the Bible on the matter, I DID see that he never promoted the kind of abject fear, hatred and persecution I'm seeing from various charlatans speaking out in today's society.

Meanwhile, I know (and have known) that this society is changing. I believe what you see as "social engineering"... is primarily social-evolution. From my learning and experiences, I understand that what we are seeing today, was inevitable. The more people learn and know, the more things change; that is reality. Gays and homosexuality were once HIDDEN in many societies; now we know people like me (while existing in fewer numbers overall), are beyond significant in number. So yes, now that we know there are many gay people and also fewer of those who are homosexual or bisexual are willing to HIDE it today... it may indeed seem as if some "gay agenda" is afoot seeking to change people into GAYS and alter the world.

I think the reality is that gay people (over time) have been shunned, pushed to the margins (for no truly justifiable reasons); but traditions, religious views and civilizations do change. And we have NO DOUBT that homosexual people are HUMAN... just as heterosexual people are. And in America, no one should relegated to having fewer rights and liberties, simply because they are homosexual.

In due time, this nation's laws WILL reflect that sexual-orientation is not a valid reason to deny (at least two) human beings "marriage". The politics will be what they are (people can argue the color of the sky, if they want to) but what laws control in the lives of individuals will ALWAYS be discussed, argued and fine-tuned under THIS nation's Constitution.

 

????? He was talking about giving homosexual couples the tax breaks and governmental entitlements of marriage. Not how "so called christians treat homosexuals" I suspect Jesus wouldnt concern himself with such matters. "Render unto Ceasars, that which is Ceasars", "my kingdom is not of this world", "obey all authoities instituited among men" and all of that.

 

We have to disagree. And where religion/Bible is concerned... we could argue for years. If that church broke up, then I don't blame the pastor per se... it is just the way people are.

...should become more like Him.

As I said, even the most devout and sincere religious believers often disagree; I've seen it happen THOUSANDS of times in my own experiences and surely we know that occurs an unfathomable number of times within the history of mankind.

So be it.

 

This argument won't end. How you/I interpret what we've been taught and read from the Bible... likely won't ever match up.

In general, I see Jesus Christ as possessing certain characteristics. Many speaking out the way(s) they do on homosexuals and homosexuality, don't strike me as being particularly emulative of Jesus Christ.

People are going to disagree on religion; which is exactly why we should not seek to create or enforce laws from the same. If we ever do, say goodbye to true freedoms and liberties.

 

Witholding tax breaks and governmental entitlements from homosexual couples doesnt "coerce or control" anybody.

 

Sooooo the preacher should probably speak to his congregation about that. Whats this nonsene about gay marriage?