Posted on 08/06/2003 7:08:03 AM PDT by Miss Marple
With apologies for posting a vanity, but I wanted to put this theory up for serious discussion.
The gay movement in churches does, indeed force people out (along with other divisive liberal issues). I myself have left my life-long church, the Methodists, because of several doctrinal and political disagreements.
I have noticed that the gays are not lobbying in the Southern Baptists, nor in the Church of Christ, nor in the Assemblies of God. Now, one would on its surface think that it is because those churches are less susceptible to the message of "inclusiveness." That may be true, but there is another underlying reason as well, I think.
The mainline Protestant denominations, as well as the Roman Catholics, own a great deal of real estate and have fairly large bank accounts. The real estate (in Manhattan and Boston and other large cities across this nation) is owned by the denomination, not the individual congregation, and is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. An entire Episcopal congregation who wishes to split from the church and go independent must LEAVE the building, abandoning it to the gay-friendly people. This holds true for the Methodists as well, and I believe for the rest of the mainline denominations and the Roman Catholics.
On the other hand, most Southern Baptist congregations own their property individually. They can withdraw without losing the building, nor would they lose control of their bank accounts.
It seems to me that this is a concerted effort to not only shape public opinion but, more importantly, to control real estate and money. Money is used to sway political beliefs, push certain social issues, and shape public discourse.
If I wanted to control a lot of real estate and church bank accounts, so that the money could go to causes I believed in but were not supported by most of the congregants, I would choose to infiltrate the church with people whose presence would FORCE OUT those who have less radical views, and I would also be forcing them to leave the very expensive real estate, bank accounts, and endowments behind. I could then funnel money to groups like anti-war organizations without any objection.
It seems to me that there is a plan afoot to rob people who have donated their time and treasure (in some families' cases, for generations) to a congregation and church building, and secure the land and money for their own purposes.
In other words, this is about money as much as sex. Otherwise, why wouldn't these people simply start their OWN churches? I have not forgotten how once before we were distracted from the real evil by a story about sex.
They don't want to start their own churches, because they want the land, the buildings, and the money. I think this needs to be looked at with more attention to the financial side.
I also would like to point out that manay mainline churches also control large universities, and this also supports my theory that the issue is financial and political control, not simply sex.
Let us not forget that Satan comes as a thief in the night.
Homosexuals do not build civilization.
Fair assessment. No different really than others on this site who bash Catholics because a small percentage of priests happen to think it is acceptable to fondle little kids. As for me being a StormFront follower....forget it. I work with many wonderful Jewish people in my office....people who are far more decent than many others I work with. My point was, as I said, lost in a digression that you picked up on and was unfairly broad. I see the homosexual agenda being pushed by unwitting partners.
This is true, but staying may mean compromising your witness by stifling your good deeds. Consider: liberals never take over a denomination and raise it to new heights of evangelism, discipleship, and acts of service. They take it over and run it into the ground. The EC has been losing members for decades. It's budgets will continue to shrink and the faithful will find churches where they can be reasonably assured that the ministers believe the Bible.
I grew up Southern Baptist, and my wife Methodist. I've stated several times that I had some strong disagreements with the ruling class of the Methodist church, and I don't want any of our money going to anything but specific missions, and to be controlled only by our local church. The Methodist Church has politicized itself, and it has politiced itself with liberal seeding. The day is coming when I lay the law down and tell her we will have nothing else to do with the Methodist church.
What is happening is that different institutions are being infiltrated by those who would do them the most harm. In churches and in the Boy Scouts, it is homosexuals. In Hollywood it is primarily those who promote free sex, violence, and anti-Americanism.
All of these groups work together. When the Episcopals become sufficently controlled by these groups, funding of outreach will go to peace movements, gays, environmental causes, etc. None will go to unwed mothers homes, Right to Life, or organizations which promote marriage. They will have appropriated the money for their own purposes.
I am concerned about this because I think a good discussion of this is a tool to enable us to take back these institutions. We need to start asking up front why they want the money. They need to be put on the defensive about this, because they portray themselves as meek victims and us as intolerant. If they can be shown to be grasping, greedy sorts who are simply after worldly wealth (such as the Methodist Church's investments in K-Mart and such) perhaps they will lose some of their clout and we would have a better chance of reclaiming the church.
Not out of the realm of possibility. What a terrible shame that you had to go through that. I hope that you found another fellowship where the Bible is preached and the hearts are turned towards God.
The whole thing comes down to the fact that mankind is basically rebellious to God and it's only through acceptance of Christ, death to self, and regeneration of the Holy Spirit that one can be born again and live in a way that pleases God.
And since man has a need and longing for God, you have a contingent of folks (the homosexual crowd) who want to do their own thing but still want God (in some form) in their lives. This is fence sitting to the Max (a pick-and-chose religion).
And because some/too many denominations are not firmly rooted in the Bible that has left them open to the culture to 'shape' them.
It's a case of people wanting to continue to sin and wanting to have it be approved of (just to make em feel good... i.e. they are redefining 'sin'). And they're just choosing the path of least resistance to do so (er at least it appears that way).
Exactly. Follow the money. Also, think about it this way: if you were a leftist determined to corrupt society and destroy traditionalism/Christian culture, what institution would you seek to take over. A universtiy, certainly. That is where the next generation of leaders are taught.
But of course you wouldn't bother taking over the Engineering Dept. or a school of hard sciences. There is no agenda there. You must find the place where Truth is taught with a capital "T". You take over English Lit. Depts., Sociology, Psychology and...Seminaries! The biggest plum of all.
Take over a seminary, and within a generation the results can be seen in culture. The pastors and ministers turned out from the corrupt institution will be turned loose on an unsuspecting flock. The flock will be well-trained in the leftist worldview. You will have corrupted a denomination from the inside out.
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