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| Washington state initiative guru Tim Eyman held an event called "Referendum Sunday" last Sunday to urge evangelical churches to collect the 100,000-plus signatures needed to get a referendum on the November ballot that could reverse the state's newly-passed gay rights legislation. Some of the state's largest churches participated, showing videos that warned of the radical homosexual agenda and urging people to sign petitions in the church foyer. I received an email from one observer asking, "Why is homosexual protection from discrimination in employment or housing something the church should even oppose? Isn't it a more biblical stance for the church to not only condemn homosexuality as sinful but also to condemn as sinful those who fire and evict gays solely on that basis?" What do you think? How have anti-discrimination laws regarding gays worked out in practice? |
| QUOTE (GutterRat @ May 30 2006, 03:10 PM) |
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| QUOTE (clayharryman @ May 31 2006, 08:08 AM) | ||
I followed your link, but I couldn't find the article. So, here's my $.02 worth: I believe that homosexuality is no worse (and no better) than any other sin including lying, stealing, adultery, failure to honor parents, loving your neighbor... Why did I include the last one? We are commanded to love our neighbor, regardless of what they have done. Does that mean we condone their sin? No, it does not. We do not sit idly by and say, "It's OK for you to be a thief because I love you in Christ." "It's OK for you to be cheating on your wife because I love you in Christ." We love them as they are and pray for God to work in their hearts, as He has in ours, to bring them about to His holiness. Does that mean that we, as a church, support or deny legislation that will restrict their rights? We need to do what is right by God. That means we do not recognize relationships He does not recognize. We do not do it with hate (like Fred Phelps). Those relationships include unmarried couples, whether gay or straight. To recognize them gives them credence, and says, "Regardless of what God says, your actions are OK by me." Is it hateful of the church to want to reverse this legislation? No. Was it hateful of Christ to condemn the Pharisees the way He did? No. He spoke the truth. Likewise, we are speaking the truth - in His name. |
| QUOTE (clayharryman @ May 31 2006, 09:08 AM) | ||
I followed your link, but I couldn't find the article. So, here's my $.02 worth: I believe that homosexuality is no worse (and no better) than any other sin including lying, stealing, adultery, failure to honor parents, loving your neighbor... Why did I include the last one? We are commanded to love our neighbor, regardless of what they have done. Does that mean we condone their sin? No, it does not. We do not sit idly by and say, "It's OK for you to be a thief because I love you in Christ." "It's OK for you to be cheating on your wife because I love you in Christ." We love them as they are and pray for God to work in their hearts, as He has in ours, to bring them about to His holiness. Does that mean that we, as a church, support or deny legislation that will restrict their rights? We need to do what is right by God. That means we do not recognize relationships He does not recognize. We do not do it with hate (like Fred Phelps). Those relationships include unmarried couples, whether gay or straight. To recognize them gives them credence, and says, "Regardless of what God says, your actions are OK by me." Is it hateful of the church to want to reverse this legislation? No. Was it hateful of Christ to condemn the Pharisees the way He did? No. He spoke the truth. Likewise, we are speaking the truth - in His name. |