Posted on 10/17/2016 7:16:46 AM PDT by tuffydoodle
A north Dallas church is sticking to its convictions after it revoked a gay man's membership, saying he no longer desired to resist sin.
In a candid facebook post last Sunday, Jason Thomas wrote about a painful anniversary one year ago about the day Watermark Community Church sent him a letter revoking his membership. Thomas said he spent years of his life in church programs that promised to help him over come his attraction to men. Many of those years was at Watermark Community Church. One program he participated in is described as a "12 step discipleship through recovery", also aimed at helping people with eating disorders, drug abuse and pornography addiction.
"I was told, very convincingly, that I can change my attractions, and that's just not the case." Thomas said.
(Excerpt) Read more at fox4news.com ...
Thank you. I was beginning to wonder how badly I would be hammered for that statement. And how many people would read it incorrectly!!!
I wish that your church were near to me. I have never heard a statement like that from any church I have attended.
I know people who have had marriages annulled as well. It is not a decision the Church takes lightly. And it is not an easy process to complete. More annulments are denied than are granted.
It's not a matter of "changing your attractions". It's a case of "controlling your impulses", a key facet of being a grownup.
For example, I'm attracted to hot young women. Particularly the very fit college girls I see at my gym. That's not likely to ever change. But, since I'm married, I'm supposed to be able to control my impulses and not ACT upon my attractions. This guy doesn't seem to understand that ACTING on same-sex attraction is the issue.
A friend of mine had some very sage advice on this issue. She said the church shouldn't be trying to turn people from homosexuality to heterosexuality, but rather from homosexuality to holiness. Once they've truly accepted the Lord and repented, the Holy Spirit will do the rest. Darkness cannot exist where there's light.
This reminds me of a similar incident in an Evangelical church several years ago, where a cross-dressing man wanted to attend a weekend (overnight) retreat for women. Of course, thankfully, he was denied.
And, predictably, he splattered this incident all over social media for the attack dogs to latch onto and attack.
Also remember a couple of other things before pulling the trigger.
1) It is easier for the cops if they only have one story instead of two conflicting stories as to who was the threat to who. Warning shot, or shoot to wound (miss or not) and the authorities are going to have to sort out which version is closer to the truth.
2) When explaining what happened, take into account that these days there may be video. (Lots of cops are being tripped up on that one).
“Addiction involves inseparable biological and behavioral components. It is the quintessential biobehavioral disorder…Addiction should be understood as a chronic recurring illness. Although some addicts do gain full control over their drug use after a single treatment episode, many have relapses. Repeated treatments become necessary to increase the intervals between and diminish the intensity of relapses, until the individual achieves abstinence.” (Alan I. Leshner, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health.)The addict (whether the target of the addiction is alcohol, drugs, or sex) will not lose his desire. The point of treatment is to get the addict able to CONTROL his desire, rather than being CONTROLLED BY it.
Then he needs to change membership to one of the apostate churches which have no problem with condoning the abomination of homosexuality. I can’t think of any good reason for a person to attend a Biblical church and then get indignant when that church won’t accomodate itself to sin, and they attempt to change that church. Considering how many churches there are now which are apostate and do condone sin, the only reason they could have for attending a Biblical church and then kicking against its Biblical stance, is to try to destroy the remaining Biblical churches in this country.
I’m guessing you meant to post that to a different thread.
Sorry about that. Posted to the wrong person on the wrong thread.
Exactly-that’s one of my favorite verses. Our “feelings” are not a sound basis for discerning right and wrong, God’s Word tells us what we need to know to discern that.
Matthew 11:18-19 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; 19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.
Luke 5:29-32 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
29 Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them. 30 The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus answered, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick;32 I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
Yes. Wrong thread, wrong recipient. But there probably are a lot of security cameras at that church.
Hm, I don’t know about that. Most churches of any size usually have Constitutions or Statements of Belief (that new members are given before joining) that state the church’s position on members who are openly participating in sin. If a member refuses to repent, refuses the discipline of the church and restoration, and refuses to stop the sin, then they are voted out as members. I would think that would protect churches from such frivolous lawsuits, even as 501(c)3 organizations. But I’m just someone on the internet.
Peach
I agree, in normal times. But we never thought a baker would be sued for NOT baking a cake.
The church I go to has a constitution. In order for you to join you have to agree to it. It says that it only marries members of the Church. The second line is that they recognize that a marriage is between a man and a woman.
Don't give them any ideas. It's more likely that the demonic left will initially demand that any tax-exempt status be removed from the Watermark Church... for "hate," or something....
Any lawsuit WILL be shopped out to a concurring judge and then the split Supreme Court would allow the lower court decision to stand (remember, that Court narrowly allowed the Boy Scouts to set standards for its own members.)
We are only a hair's breadth away from totalitarian insanity.
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.