When Evangelical Churches Bow to Gay Demands?--

Townhall.com ^ | Marvin Olasky

[Anti-Hillary]

Should biblical churches host gay-glorifying funerals? Should evangelical politics move leftward? Many news organs give us one answer: Yes!

The lead of an Aug. 11 Associated Press story seemed to expose a clear case of homophobia: "A megachurch canceled a memorial service for a Navy veteran 24 hours before it was to start because the deceased was gay."

The story stated that officials at High Point Church in Arlington, Texas, offered to host the service for a gay janitor who wasn't a church member but had worked there -- only to say no when his obituary listed a life partner. The deceased's sister said, "It's a slap in the face."

The AP story did quote the church's pastor's concern that the service would promote the gay lifestyle. That quotation was a throwback to the old AP style of trying to present both sides equally, but the new AP is politically correct, and the overall slant of this story was clear: Christians lack compassion.

A Dallas Morning News story was more nuanced. It noted that the issue was not the deceased's unrepentant homosexuality but that "his friends and family wanted that part of his life to be a significant part of the service."

[Non-Sequitur]

That's what Jesus says, and I believe Him. Can we at least agree that those who divorce for reasons of infidelity and who later remarry are, in fact, NOT committing adultery against their former spouse?

Let me state for the record that I do not accept your interpretation of Mark 10. However, even if I am correct it is clear that in Matthew Jesus does make the exception for infidelity. Far be it from me to second-guess the Son of God in this matter. So I will agree along with you that those who divorce for reasons of infidelity and who later remarry are not living an adulterous lifestyle.

[A. Patriot]

I googled the terms “put away” and “divorce” and found 2 sites that explain the difference pretty well:

http://www.divorcehope.com/apoluoshalachputtethaway.htm

http://www.totalhealth.bz/divorce-and-remarriage-put-away.htm

This second site is really interesting. It argues that when Joseph was considering “putting away” Mary because she was pregnant, if putting away was the same as divorce, how could he divorce her since they were not yet married? The conclusion is that the two terms are not the same. Putting away is a separation or abandonment without legal divorce proceedings. This would result in adultery if the man re-married.

[puroresu]

Now you hopefully see the problem with denouncing the Confederate flag for having flown over the institution of slavery. Once a church capitulates on one sin (divorce) they’ll be expected to capitulate on others, or be called hypocrites. Same with the Confederacy. If it was evil for tolerating slavery, so was pre-war America. If the symbols of the Confederacy are unfit for public display, so are the symbols of America.

The lesson you’re unknowingly conveying here is that capitulations to liberalism lead to further demands for capitulation. It’s what many have tried to tell you in the Dixie threads.

[longtermmemmory]

You are incorrect. Not to question your church faith, however there are provisions which allow for ecclisiastical divorces under orthodoox teachings. (but then again they do go by the untranslated original text new testament) The marriage is not an equivalent to a lifestyle based on mere hedonistic sexual recreation.

as for the funeral, you are making it to big. focus. it is really simple. If the family did NOT make a focus of the homosexual conduct of the person, the funeral would have gone forward. The homosexual life partner and the family refused to give proper dignity and respect to the church. They saw it as a mere building for hire not as a place of worship.

[4CJ]

It argues that when Joseph was considering “putting away” Mary because she was pregnant, if putting away was the same as divorce, how could he divorce her since they were not yet married? The conclusion is that the two terms are not the same. Putting away is a separation or abandonment without legal divorce proceedings. This would result in adultery if the man re-married.

Bingo. I said it wasn't difficult. Kudos to you.

[scripter]

Indeed, Jesus said adultery was a sin. If somebody isn't a believer it doesn't matter, but if they are a believer it truly matters. To understand the bigger picture we must understand what being washed means, what justification means and what sanctification means.

Maybe I'm not reading you correctly but you don't seem to recognize the very real possibility of forgiveness. That is, committing the sin of:

• adultery, recognizing the sin, asking for forgiveness and moving on with life
• homosexuality, not recognizing the sin, not asking for forgiveness, continually living in sin

There's an obvious difference.

[Kahonek]

“The whole truth lies somewhere in the middle”

I ran across this from the Dallas paper today. It would suggest that your suspicion is correct...

http://religion.beloblog.com/archives/2007/08/another_side_of_the_story_of_t.html

[Jehovah Shammah]

opinions does not change composition. Pull your trousers down, if you have a penis you are a man. Be a man. If you have ovaries you are a woman. its that simple.