Posted on 08/16/2007 11:08:18 AM PDT by 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."
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
Or it might be the fact that you always take the liberal position in debates - like the AG Morrison, Marines vs. JAG, southern pride, judicial supremacy, etc...
utter nonsense.
The bible is clear on the issue of sexual behavior and cultural references. Especially when puting the NON-biblical sources in context with the time period biblical references.
In addition, divorce has been around since the start. The orthodox christian church has had eclisiastical divoces for over a millenia. But there are rules, you are confusing the modern no fault secular divorce from something else.
Also divorce is a FAR HUGE cry from the sexual recreation of homosexuality. Divorce is not about recreation or poping orgasms. Homosexuality is ONLY AND EXCLUSIVLY about recreational sex, NOTHING else.
Every morning @5:30. Rumor has it that family was a little course with the ministers.
Rumor also has it the man's services was pro bono.
Back to something being liberal because you say it is? Well, thanks for clearing that up for us.
You don’t have to have full out orgy pictures to have objections over including a dead persons trip to a hedonism resort. (the ones run by club med)
There could have been a VERY easy way to resolve this and quite frankly the dead man’s family should have been a bit understanding and less demanding.
The man had a lifestyle he chose. Choices have consequences. The churches position would be no differnet for a polygamist, satanist, wife swapper, or any other behavior lifestyle.
Just a hand over the crotch of the man's partner, and one where he shot the bird at someone. Nothing offensive.
Well the easiest way to resolve it would be not getting into the situation in the first place. Had the church not made the offer then they wouldn't have had to withdraw it.
The man had a lifestyle he chose. Choices have consequences.
Although whether or not the church knew the man was a homosexual before extending the invitation depends on which story you read, they did choose to extend the inivitation. That choice also had a consequence, which in this case turned out to be a boatload of publicity when they withdrew their offer.
Were those the only two you saw?
Which is why they could not celebrate his sin of sodomy.
By George, I think he's finally getting it!
And this isn't the first story posted about this, the picture figured prominently in the previous ones.
Two distinct situations. When a man gave his wife a bill of divorcement he was obligated to return her dowry. A low-life would simply put his wife away (no bill/dowry) meaning he was still MARRIED, and would be committing adultery. This is what Luke refers to.
Similarly, to Jesus (in Matthew) the only Biblical grounds for divorce was adultery/sexual immorality, and only on that ground could a husband and wife divorce (with bill of divorcement and dowry). Other than for this reason, any divorce was Biblically unjust, and to God if they remarried they committed adultery.
Luke concerns separation/remarriage, Matthew unBiblical divorce/remarriage.
One would have been enough.
As a pastor in a conservative Lutheran denomination, no one has a right to a church funeral. If the church’s view is that homosexuality is sinful, then do not be surprised if the church decides not to have a church service for a practicing homosexual. There are plenty of liberal denominations that embrace homosexuality. I suggest that those who are openly gay go to one of those.
EXACTLY. The real story is out there online; I've read it. People who wound up attending his funeral at another facility confirmed that it was indeed a service very homosexual in tone.
The church did precisely the right thing, and I emailed the church to say thanks.
MM (in TX)
And why churches should not allow second spouses or their families to attend the funerals of those who divorce and remarry, since that would be celebrating the sin of adultery. Using your standards and definitions, of course. Right?
And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of "divorcement, and to put her away.
And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.
And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery." -- Matthew 10: 3-12
It doesn't look like Jesus is talking about fraud or unpaid dowry, and it looks like He's talking about divorce here, as well. Divorce and remarriage is adultery.
Undoubtably. But according to news stories that's not what the pastor objected to. He claimed, "Some of those photos had very strong homosexual images of kissing and hugging." Pictures that the family denies giving him. Now what you described were two tasteless pictures which had no business in a church under any circtumstances, but they're hardly the kind of pictures Pator described. So if you didn't see any of the other ones then did they exist, as the Pastor claims? Or did they not, as the family says? Or did you even see them at all?
RIP, may God have mercy on your soul, dearly departed!
true, but I think most divorced couples (at least Christian ones) realize that divorce is wrong and repent (at least I hope they do) I have not seen a Christian advocating that divorce and remarriage is an acceptable let alone a glorified lifestyle.
The gays, however, see nothing wrong with what they do and try to celebrate it. God does forgive after repentance, Thank God. He does not forgive when not asked in the name of Jesus Christ to forgive a confessed and repented of sin. All Christians sin and are forgiven, but no true Christian can proclaim and celebrate sin. Rather it is something to confess, receive forgiveness, and move on. This is what the homnosexual movement refuses to do.
Depends on which Gospel you refer to. But at best He allowed for divorce only in cases of infidelity.
I think that's a good point. As I understand it, even though somebody may divorce and remarry they can ask for forgiveness, be forgiven and move on with their life. Of course the model is never to divorce.
In regards to homosexuality, God specifically calls this behavior an abomination in the Old Testament. In Romans 1 he refers to a depraved mind. In 1 Cor 6:9-11 we see some of the Corinthians were previously adulterers, some were homosexual, but they were washed, sanctified and justified.
The idea here is to repent of your sin and to stop the sinful behavior. I don't see it as that complicated.
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