[Brookhaven]

Maybe it’s because these churches were merely following cultural trends to begin with, and now that the cultural trends have changed, they are simply following the new ones (just as they followed the old ones).

You’ve heard the story of what happened when a German and American Baptist group met each other. The Americans thought it was scandalous that the German women drank beer. The Germans though it was scandalous that the American women wore make up.

Far too many churches in the past have jumped through scriptural hoops to prove their cultural bias is backed up by scripture. But, misusing scripture (even if for a just purpose) always ends up with bad results.

[CityCenter]

Because most church in the west have become nothing more than social clubs.

[wmp46]

On changing culture; Calif prop 8 as it made it through the courts the original judge ruled it unconstitutional, and one of the reasons was that Biblical/Religious reasons for being against same sex marriage proves the bible was written for the sole purpose of establishing bigotry.

[presently no screen name]

Denominations change ‘their’ rules/law because they can. It’s theirs and they have nothing to do about God.

God’s Word never changes! Jesus, The Word, didn’t come for the ‘religious’/denominations or did He start one either. Those who believe on HIM - believe ONLY in His Word. There are no man-made teachings in God’s Body of Believers - His church.

[aimhigh]

1 Thess 4:1-8 draws a line in the sand. It COMMANDS against sexual immorality and concludes by saying that those who reject this command have REJECTED God. Churches who allow for sexual immorality have rejected God.

[Ransomed]

What might be more insane than a faith actually changing the definition of marriage to include ‘gay marriage’ is to then only conduct same sex marriages if the state gives its permission. “Sorry Steve and Bill, our faith says it’s fine for you to get married, but our state still doesn’t, so no dice, fellas.”

Freegards

[SaraJohnson]

Your libertarian pro-homo boundries for the discussion are stupid. People can say what ever they want to say regarding what you claim is “tolerance” and embracing of sodomy in their churches. Christians can do and say what they want about their own religion and churches. You worry about your own and mind your own freaking business like a good free man would do recogonizing religous freedom in this country.

[tomkat]

Take your choice:

Noun: cowardice
1. The trait of lacking courage

Noun: appeasement
1. The act of appeasing (as by acceding to the demands of)
2. Political policy of trying to pacify a hostile country, e.g. by granting concessions

[Morgana]

I think churches only do this because they are desperate for members and most of all money. They believe this is the way to get both in the door.

Not realizing if they just preached what the Bible says there would be no problem.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

There is a simple litmus test to determine if your church is part of the problem. These churches who belong to the National Council of Churches are nothing but left wing arms of the Democrat party and the purpose of the NCC was to promote communism.

• African Methodist Episcopal Church
• The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
• Alliance of Baptists
• American Baptist Churches in the USA
• Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
• Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
• Church of the Brethren
• The Coptic Orthodox Church in North America
• The Episcopal Church
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Friends United Meeting
• Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
• Hungarian Reformed Church in America
• International Council of Community Churches
• Korean Presbyterian Church in America
• Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
• Mar Thoma Church
• Moravian Church in America Northern Province and Southern Province
• National Baptist Convention of America
• National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc.
• National Missionary Baptist Convention of America
• Orthodox Church in America
• Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA
• Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
• Polish National Catholic Church of America
• Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
• Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.
• Reformed Church in America
• Serbian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. and Canada
• The Swedenborgian Church
• Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch
• Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America
• United Church of Christ
• The United Methodist Church •

[Cronos]

1. A Church should not change with the times. The Church's message is eternal.
2. There should be a fixed sense of what is accepted and shat is not -- what has been accepted as dogma by those in the past cannot be changed.

[Cronos]

drinking -- the Bible doesn't say it's bad to drink, rather that one should not drink to excess -- moderation is the key

If there is any Church which supported abolishment, it is most likely to accept homosexual "marriages" in the future.

Gambling -- the same

Rock music is not a matter of dogma. If rock music praises God, it's very good. if it praises the devil, it's not good. If it's something in between, it depends. it's not more evil or less.

So, if a church/denomination "took a stand" against drinking and smoking or gambling, etc it is more likely to now change with the wind to allow "gay marriages"