As a child of the Christian Church and an active Christian minister in the Baptist tradition (the Alliance of Baptists), I want to commend the coalition of LGBT groups that traveled to the Southern Baptist Convention this week in order to meet with the President of that large religious body. Coalition members took an action more in the tradition of Jesus than the actions of the group with whose representatives they met – initiating civil dialogue, laying a foundation for understanding, seeking a strategy for protecting the welfare of young people, and requesting ongoing conversations. My dear friend Mitchell Gold spoke like a contemporary prophet to people who claim to want to hear the Word of God, whatever its source. I hope and pray that he was heard.
For far too long, many leaders in Christian churches have insisted on reading the Bible solely in a “textual” manner – through which a few isolated passages are frequently misinterpreted in overly literal ways – at the expense of being “Biblical” – seeking to embody and express the love commended throughout the Bible – thereby divorcing that love from words and deeds that demonize people in the LGBT community by telling them that their very identity, their creation in God’s image, is evil. It is time for such harm to be stopped.
I am grateful for the initiative taken by representatives of the LGBT community to speak truth to the largest denomination of Baptists in America. And I long for signs of such an interest in mutual understanding and personal healing on the part of the Christian community in relation to LGBT people.
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I feel that it is the LGBT activists that are the intolerant people. It is rude and unsavory for homosexuals to try to force acceptance and indeed celebration of their personal sexual tastes and proclivities. If they want to claim to be Christians, they should act like it and leave the Christians that do not want to celebrate lasciviousness to their walks of faith and holiness.
The whole liberal thing is nothing but a different Gospel. Every day brings more and more danger towards Christians that desire repentance from these leftists that want to seduce and corrupt the faithful.
I agree whole heartedly with you, Donny! How in the world can one be “overly literal” when reading the Bible. One can read Romans 1:25-28 and read it for what it plainly says.
“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. This is why God delivered them over to degrading passions. For even their females exchanged natural sexual intercourse for what is unnatural. The males in the same way also left natural sexual intercourse with females and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Males committed shameless acts with males and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty for their perversion. And because they did not think it worthwhile to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong.” (Rom 1:25-28)
I am a christian and I am not in the business of “telling them (LGBT people) that their very identity, their creation in God’s image, is evil”. Their identity of being created in God’s image is not what is evil, but rather it is the sin they commit that is evil and that is what mars the image of God. All people are sinners and they all need a savior. John 3:16-17 is so very true:
“For God so loved the world (including LGBT) that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.” (John 3:16-17)
I do not condemn anyone, that’s God’s business and even He is patient:
“The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward us, not purposing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2Pe 3:9)
Seek the Lord and He will be found!
It is a very scary day indeed that has dawned on the Church. People like Rev Gaddy can claim they are working for religious harmony but clearly he is demanding to insert a different Gospel and a different Church onto the world other than the one begun by Jesus and the Apostles.
Other than Muslims and Islam, and Atheists, Secularism and Communism, there is a no greater greater threat to Christians worldwide than the liberalism (now morphed into Progressive-ism) that has now become just simply the evil that indwells corruption and perversion looking to devour every Christian it can.
What is cheered from the bowels of the gay rights movements, to the steps of legislation, is going to reap horror on the Church in the coming decades.
And Gaddy, like all liberals and progressives, cheers that horror loudly as a civil right!
Interfaith alliance’s compromise today will be the standard for tomorrow.
OPPOSING BIGOTRY TOWARDS ISLAM
The Interfaith Alliance is promoting a “Faith Shared” project. We applaud its efforts to teach tolerance and oppose bigotry by increasing awareness and education of different religions. In an attempt to further that goal, we are providing additional information about Islam. Here are quotes from the Quran.
1. Battle for Allah: “Those who believe do battle for the cause of Allah; and those who disbelieve do battle for the cause of idols. So fight the minions of the devil. Lo! the devil’s strategy is ever weak” (Quran 4:76). Also, “O Prophet! urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand” (Quran 8:65). And, “O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination” (Quran 9:73). Also, “O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness; and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil)” (Quran 9:123). Even more references can be found in the Quran at 2:191; 2:193; 3:118; 4:75,76; 5:33, 8:12; 9:5; 33:60-62.
2. Don’t take Jews and Christians as friends: “O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people” (Quran 5:51).
3. A Man’s Seed Comes From His Chest: “Now let man but think from what he is created! He is created from a drop emitted-Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs” (Quran 86:5-7).
4. Salvation by works: “And He answers those who believe and do good deeds, and gives them more out of His grace; and (as for) the unbelievers, they shall have a severe punishment,” (Quran 42:26). Also, “Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy, they will be successful. But those whose balance is light, will be those who have lost their souls; in hell will they abide,” (23:102-103).
The Hadith is a collection of the deeds and sayings of Muhammad and is held in very high regard by Muslims. It helps inform them about Muhammad and how to be like him.
7. Lying is okay when furthering Islam. “Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! Would you like that I kill him [Ka’b bin Al-Ashraf]?’ The Prophet said, ‘Yes,’ Muhammad bin Maslama said, ‘Then allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e. to deceive Kab).’ The Prophet said, ‘You may say it'” (Hadith Vol. 5, Book 59, #369).
8. Participate in Jihad: Allah’s Apostle was asked, “What is the best deed?” He replied, “To believe in Allah and His Apostle (Muhammad). The questioner then asked, “What is the next (in goodness)? He replied, “To participate in Jihad (religious fighting) in Allah’s Cause.” (Hadith Vol. 1, Book 2, Number 25).
9. Kill the Muslim who leaves Islam: “…for the Prophet said, ‘If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him'” (Hadith Vol. 4, Book 52, #260).
We hope this information informs you about Islam. And, since Islam has so many women in it, you might be interested in the following.
10. The Quran says it is okay to beat wives: “As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them, refuse to share their beds, beat them…” (Quran 4:34).
11. Muhammad said that women are deficient in intelligence: “O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you (women).” They asked, “Why is it so, O Allah’s Apostle ?” He replied, “You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you.” (Hadith Vol. 1, Book 6, #301).
Remember, our motivation is to inform you of what Islam teaches so you might better understand its intentions and teachings. After all, knowledge helps remove bigotry and ignorance. We need to promote love, not violence and intolerance. That is why we are sure you will agree with Jesus, who said,
12. “…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” (Matt. 5:44).
13. “…love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,” (Luke 6:27).
Jesus never promoted violence or lying. He never promoted refusing to take people as friends who aren’t of the same religion. He never degraded women. But, all these things are done and promoted by Islam – that denies the Trinity, that Jesus die for our sins, and rose from the dead. So, in this culture of tolerance and understanding, we hope this information is helpful. We also hope that those who claim to be Christians will look to God’s word for guidance and follow Jesus, lest they inadvertently promote that which is contrary to God’s word and lead many astray. That is why the Bible says,
14. “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14).
Question: Is it proper to promote the words of the Quran in a Christian pulpit in an attempt to teach tolerance when the Quran clearly contradicts God’s word about salvation and teaches violence against non-Muslims as well as the beating of wives? Is this what should be done? Is this really what tolerance means? Or, is the Christian pulpit the place where the truth of God’s word, God’s love, and God’s forgiveness in Jesus should be promoted? Isn’t the pulpit the place where Christian ministers beckon the lost to acknowledge their sin before God and realize that they will face God’s judgment without Christ? Shouldn’t they be urged to turn from their sin, look to Jesus, receive him as Savior and Lord, and accept him as the only way to God (John 14:6) and the only way to salvation (Acts 4:12). Shouldn’t they be informed that it is not sincerity and tolerance that earns favor with God, but only the work of God the Son (John 1:1,14) who died on the cross (1 Cor. 15:1-3)?
“…what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14).
Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but
through Me,” (John 14:6).