Posted on 01/27/2008 6:29:28 AM PST by Gamecock
This winter, as the Rev. Joel Osteen graces the pages of People Magazine, the familiar image of the old-school, anti-gay televangelist is rapidly being replaced by a new iconography: a younger generation of mega-church leaders with upbeat and inviting messages. Unfortunately, while this generation's tone may seem less harsh, many of their mega-churches still enforce policies of exclusion and teach theologies that label Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people as sick, sinful, and in need of change.
An "American Family Outing" is taking shape in the spring of 2008 so LGBT families can talk with mega-church leaders and congregation members to share the message that justice for LGBT people is compatible with Christian teaching. Pot lucks, picnics and soulful talk are the order of the day as Soulforce, the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), and COLAGE invite churches to talk-the-talk so everyone is free to walk-the-walk.
On behalf of the four partner organizations, Soulforce Executive Director Jeff Lutes has written letters to:
• Rev. Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church in Houston, TX
• Bishop T.D. Jakes and The Potter's House in Dallas, TX
• Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr. and Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, MD
• Bishop Eddie Long and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, GA
• Rev. Bill Hybels and Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, IL
• Dr. Rick Warren and Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA
"These pastors are part of a new generation of evangelical leaders in America," says Lutes. "We are calling on them and their congregations to demonstrate a new kind of leadership, one that models compassion and justice for all families, including families with two moms and two dads."
The letters inform each pastor that a delegation of families with two moms and two dads, as well as supportive heterosexual-parent and single-parent families, plans to visit each church. The letters invite their congregations to collaborate in creating opportunities for meaningful conversations. Over the next several weeks, staff from Soulforce, UFMCC, NBJC, and COLAGE will negotiate peaceful forums with members from each of the congregations.
Then, over the weekends between Mother's Day (May 11, 2008) and Father's Day (June 15, 2008), dozens of families with children will travel by air and by bus to engage in dialogue about faith, family, and the harm done by religion-based discrimination to LGBT families.
"It is difficult for mega-churches to claim to be progressive in the area of Civil Rights and at the same time deny the equal dignity and value of LGBT persons," said Rev. Dr. Ken Samuel, pastor of the 5,000 plus, LGBT-friendly, Victory Church in Atlanta, Georgia.
Samuel will join Rev. Jay Bakker, son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, as a clergy leader on the American Family Outing.
"Homophobia and heterosexism directly contradict the principles of equality and justice for all God's children, and I think that the younger generation of evangelicals are beginning more and more to see this contradiction," Samuel continued.
According to a recent Barna study of young churchgoers, 80% said Christians show "excessive contempt and unloving attitudes towards gays and lesbians."
Soulforce is a national civil rights and social justice organization. Our vision is freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from religious and political oppression through the practice of relentless nonviolent resistance. For more information go to www.soulforce.org.
The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC) is an international fellowship of Christian churches with a special ministry to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black same-gender-loving, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people. The Coalition works with our communities and our allies for social justice, equality, and an end to racism and homophobia.
COLAGE engages, connects, and empowers people to make the world a better place for children of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender parents and families.
Chritianity is being pushed aside by something “Christian-ish”...
My money is on Warren to be the first to cave. I don’t think Osteen has a stand on the matter. Don’t know enough about Hybels or the others. I can’t help but wonder if gay marriage became legal across the land if certain group would claim a new revelation and hold marriages in their temples.
Let me know when they re-write The Law and Romans 1.
*****************
Heterosexism?
From Wiki:
Heterosexism is a term denoting the presumption that everyone is heterosexual and/or the belief that heterosexual people are naturally superior to homosexual and bisexual people. Heterosexism also encompasses discrimination and prejudice in favor of heterosexual people over gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. As a predisposition toward heterosexuals and heterosexuality, heterosexism has been described as being "encoded into and characteristic of the major social, cultural, and economic institutions of our society."[1]
Heterosexism thus includes the underlying beliefs and attitudes of such preference. Stemming from the essentialist cultural notion that maleness-masculinity and femaleness-femininity are complementary, heterosexism is not limited to heterosexuals; people of any sexual orientation, including gay men, lesbians or bisexuals, can hold heterosexist beliefs."
Unreal.
I doubt that Jakes will get on board for this. The white guys will probably do whatever the marketing folks tells them sells the best.
delayed ping
Anyone who has heard of the cities of "Sodom and Gommorah" knows that they were notorious hotbeds of homosexuality. Gen 19:5-8 "and they called to Lot and said to him, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.' But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, and said, 'Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly.'" The Greek word in the New Testament for homosexuality is literally "a sodomite". Jock is trying to redefine what the term "sodomite" means. (A term that has unchanged in 5000 years, even today- "sodomy") Apart from the fact the city was clearly destroyed by God because of homosexuality in the narrative of Gen 19, even the New Testament clearly states exactly the same thing in Jude 7 "Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example, in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire." Any sinner should always remember that the God who commands us to love our neighbour is the same God who will cast any and all unrepentant sinners into the "eternal fire".
Here are more Bible quotes, Lev 18:22-23 "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination." Lev 20:13 "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death." 1 Cor 6:9 "Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals" 1 Tim 1:9-10 "realizing the fact that (civil) law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers" Rom 1:26-27 "For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error."
If the homosexual community chooses to practice homosexuality in privacy, that is there free choice. But let such persons know for certain that the Christian Bible condemns all such practices and God will judge them unfit for the kingdom of heaven if the continue to practice and openly promote homosexual sex.
How "old school" do you want to be?
There was a time when evangelists never mentioned the taboo subject.
"We are calling on them and their congregations to demonstrate a new kind of leadership, one that models compassion and justice for all families, including families with two moms and two dads."
All the buzz words. "Don't step in the leadership."
Show of hands -- would anyone be surprised if, somewhere down the line, Joel O. did a same sex blessing?
Best I can figure the mortal sin at the Lakewood Praise-O-Dome and BookstoreTM is to have low self esteem.
Coulda sworn I checked into a thread like this already once... ?
Maybe it was this one
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1934458/posts
But I didn’t post anything there.
I am just dying to find out which churches respond and how.
Osteen wouldn't surprise me, but my money is on Warren to be the first.
You may be right. If Osteen does, it will be because he's clueless. If Warren does, it would be scarier.
And didn't Rev. Hybels of Willow Creek Mall(R) have Brian (Mr. "5 year moratorium on calling homosexuality a sin") McLaren in to speak at a recent conference?
I go with Osteen. He can’t even come out and say homosexuality is a sin.
Who ever came up with that crazy notion? /s
What happened to repentance of sin?
Guess it just doesn’t matter to some folks.
homosexuality is about pride. Christ is about humility. homosexuality is about self-indulgence. Christ is about self-sacrifice. hate the sin. love the sinner. but don’t celebrate the sin.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.