Bigotry in the name of Jesus.

[Zen Badger]

Being a part of a minority in no way stops you from being a bigoted arsehole.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/...new-black/

The pastor in question is denying that there is any similarity between the civil rights movement of the Sixties and the current LGTB fight for similar rights. To whit....

The first problem with the idea of conflating "sexual orientation" and race is the fact that homosexuality is undetectable apart from self-identification. Determining whether or not a person is black, Native American, or female usually involves no more than visual verification. However, should doubt remain, blood tests, genetics, or a quick trip up the family tree would suffice. Not so with homosexuality. There is no evidence that can confirm or deny a person's claims regarding sexual orientation.

Also.....

This is a frightening prospect not only for those of us who understand marriage to be a testimony of the relationship between Christ and his bride, the church

Since marriage predates Christianity by many thousands of years and has been practiced by dozens of cultures that have never even heard of Jesus this can only be a testimony in the minds of deluded christians.

[Polaris]

Well to be honest, they are quite different issues. It's like comparing apples and oranges...both are civil rights issues yes, but are not that similar to one another.

[Tea Earl Grey Hot]

This is a frightening prospect not only for those of us who understand marriage to be a testimony of the relationship between Christ and his bride, the church

It's so weird how they can take a simple metaphor and deduce all these strict rules from the arbitrary surface features of the metaphor.

How about since God had a relationship with Israel before the church, therefore premarital sex is ok? Or does that count as a past marriage therefore divorce isn't wrong? Or are they still married and this is a polygamous marriage? Oh noes, can't go there!

How about since when Jesus comes to "marry" the church, he condemns and judges all the non-believers, weddings should have torture and execution of all the women who rejected the groom on dates? Oh noes, can't go there!

How about since Jesus is all knowing and all good, women should never ever question their husbands and should take any physical or mental abuse as a necessary part of their husband's perfect plan. Oh noes, can't go there!

You can come up with many more absurd conclusions from this metaphor. Saying homosexuality is wrong because of a single metaphor is just yet another example of using the Bible as a ventriloquist dummy.

[cratehorus]

The first problem with the idea of conflating "sexual orientation" and race is the fact that homosexuality is undetectable apart from self-identification. Determining whether or not a person is black, Native American, or female usually involves no more than visual verification. However, should doubt remain, blood tests, genetics, or a quick trip up the family tree would suffice. Not so with homosexuality. There is no evidence that can confirm or deny a person's claims regarding sexual orientation.

This logic is also what Christians use to discriminate against people of other religions.

[Minimalist]

Well to be honest, they are quite different issues. It's like comparing apples and oranges...both are civil rights issues yes, but are not that similar to one another.

[Zen Badger]

Well to be honest, they are quite different issues. It's like comparing apples and oranges...both are civil rights issues yes, but are not that similar to one another.

How are they different?

They were/are fighting for the same thing, equality.

So please explain the difference.

[Polaris]

Well to be honest, they are quite different issues. It's like comparing apples and oranges...both are civil rights issues yes, but are not that similar to one another.

How are they different?

They were/are fighting for the same thing, equality.

So please explain the difference.

Well for one, they could actually get married within their group and were prevented in certain regions from marrying outside their group. With homosexuals, people aim to prevent them from marrying their own kind and encourage them to marry non-homosexuals.

On another, we generally do not see segregation of homosexuals and even the violence is no where near the level as it was during the 1960s...mind you there is still violence and murders of homosexuals, but it is no where near the level that the African American community faced and continues to face.

[Ryantology]

I have no doubt that, if Christianity had a hold on America the way Islam has a hold on Iran, gay men and women would face death sentences, casual, non-official murder, and harsh legal oppression, just as they often do there.

That gay people are not as oppressed as blacks were fifty years ago is irrelevant. There isn't a tolerable level of oppression.

[Mikethechristian]

religion is about loving your neighbour and neighbours are not put to death. i have friends that do not believe in god that have failed schools many times in their lives and now they are paying the rpices for taking lessons from the devil. please do not think i hate gays i just think their lifestyle is sinful to the point that if someone were to have sex with me as a man i would hate it.

[Faith No More]

And because you don't like it, no one can, right?