Tapping the Market for Gay-Friendly Churches

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It's so interesting that people still use the bible to condemn homosexuality, while they continue to turn a blind eye to other portions of "God's Law". There was no word for homosexual, in either ancient greek or hebrew.
There is documentary that I saw in Rhode Island recently that actually uses theologians, religious and greek scholars to debunk what the church has used as the 7 biblical versus against homosexuality. Sodom and Gomorrah included. It's called Fish out of Water. For those of you who wish to use the bible to condemn homosexuality and believe in Christianity, please read the book the way it was written. Fish out of Water will certainly help you understand what the ancient languages meant to say. This is a socially twisted issue. It has nothing to do with Jesus' teaching.
God bless.

Elizabeth of CA 3:27PM August 19, 2009

It is clear that you completely missed the point here. And you use a wild exaggeration to attempt to make yours. Of course I do not stone my children, nor do I demonize homosexuals. You confuse Christianity with Islam. One can disagree and refuse to condone behavior without demonizing the individual. Otherwise, disciplining our children would be considered 'demonizing' them. As far as the nature vs. nurture argument, the jury is still out on that one my friend, in spite of the homosexual activists out there who push so hard to have their lifestyle accepted. As far as it being 'natural', that is also hotly debated. If the purpose of sexual intercourse is to propagate the species, then homosexual behavior is a dead end. Sure you can find isolated instances of animal behavior straying from the norm, but the overwhelming numbers of heterosexual relationships both in the animal kingdom, and in Homo Sapiens Sapiens is testament to what the 'natural' order is. As far as human relationships, homosexuality, throughout history, has never been a widely accepted practice. The largest example used is Rome and its acceptance of the practice of homosexuality. However, Rome's overall societal structure, values, and mores led to its collapse. I would prefer not to go the way of Rome...

Blake of WA 1:55PM July 22, 2009

US News 'God & Country' Blogger Sees 'Growing Market' for Non-conservative Evangelical Churches
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/ken-shepherd/2009/07/21/us-news-god-country-writer-paints-churches-brands-competing-market-sha

Thomas Stewart of MD 8:50PM July 21, 2009

Unchanging, huh? Do you stone your children to death if they misbehave? Please pray that your "God" forgives me and my wife. We only send them to their room. How many times do we need to tell you: the folks that wrote the bible didn't know what we know today about sexuality. Homosexuality is part of the natural world and always has been. Gays brains are built differently. It is not a choice. They don't hurt anybody. It took the catholic church hundreds of years to stop condeming Galileo. How long will it take you guys to stop demonizing gay people?

chris of MO 4:17PM July 21, 2009

probably never read the Bible either. As stated earlier, our doctrine is unchanging and Church's that adjust to secular pressures are false churches.

swathdiver of FL 2:35PM July 21, 2009

"So far, though, neither the Episcopal Church nor the other mainline traditions have figured out how to fill that niche."
What I have failed to understand, is that if God Himself is unchanging, perfect, omnipotent, etc..then should not His fundamental doctrine be equally static? For a religion to change itself in order to appease a societal trend and fill a 'niche' plays more to marketing a particular viewpoint and is clearly a grab for more of the populace, and in turn, their 'tithes and offerings'.
What these studies show is our nations increasing desire to abandon any type of universal moral code or ethic in favor of an appeal to the masses. Unfortunately, the views of the masses change depending on their feelings and circumstance. Doesn't the Bible say something about "For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." James 1:6
Good luck basing any theology on such change.

Blake of WA 12:52PM July 21, 2009

The author put a big emphasis on the UMC membership going down 20 percent, but he does not offer any reasons.
The different UMCs vary greatly. Some are conservative evangelical churches and some are openly accepting of gays.
The African-American UMC paster, Rev. Kirby, in Houston, TX was Bush's spiritual advisor and married his daughter last year.
The location and members of each church have a major influence on whether a specific church is conservative, moderate, or liberal.. Rev. Kirby has an evangelical church. Kirby removed considerable anti-gay information from his website when he decided to endorse Obama for President. Kirby seems like a hypocrite to me.
The numbers for the UMC church are not meaningful without knowing whether the drop came from the evangelical or mainline churches. Of course the definition of evangelical is not consistent.

Julie of CO 3:33PM July 18, 2009

What country do you live in? You appear to be as Pathetic as Palin is.

Wayne of OH 3:28PM July 18, 2009

John Warren is definitely wrong on the facts of this "ability" of Gov. Palin. If you listen to her or read what she's said orally, it is quite often not possible to understand what she's said. Her syntax is confused quite often. Of course, the hearer or reader can get the drift of her meaning because she's usually spouting platitudes (in her own garbled way).
I can almost understnad people like Warren liking her because of what she seems to stand for, but I cannot understand otherwise intelligent and educated people ignoring Palin's very strange and inarticulate speech patterns.
To call attention to Palin's very confused syntax is not to smear her; it is instead to point out an ojective, demonstrable fact. Those who support or like her ought at least to acknowledge that truth.

Rob Winslow of FL 2:05PM July 18, 2009

I wouldn't vote for Sarah Palin to lead America if she was the only one on the ballot. "And I said Thanks but No Thanks" on that bridge---". Do you not know that a repeated liar is not a leader that anyone should follow?

Muser of NM 1:30PM July 18, 2009