He is very gifted and talented and has built a huge dynamic church and congregation and I truly do admire him, but I won't be going back. I also won't name him by name here.
To sit in the congregation and listen to one's pastor lash out at "homosexual" relationships when the topic doesn't pertain to nearly one hundred percent of the congregants is unfair and mean spirited. Furthermore, when that pastor doesn't take it all a step further and tell the real Biblical meanings, stories and translations is academically disingenuous and unfair to those assembled who rely on him for enlightenment.
Oh, I am well aware that one of the first places that nearly all who bash with scripture run is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. This is a story of in hospitality, assault and rape. Heck, Lot even offers his daughters to the crowd to spare the angels. Rarely is this fact discussed in church, most stop at the "know" verse and never wrap it up.
If one carefully examines the rest of the bashing scriptures and translations what we find are lots of references to ritualized temple sex, rape, prostitution, orgies and child abuse. Those who bash rarely get to the meat of scripture and they know that their flocks won't dive in and discover. The words are the words, end of the story.
I am not condoning many of the behaviors that we find in the gay community or even the straight community for that matter. There is a whole lot in the club culture that is dangerous and wrong but in order to reach those participating we must do so with love, care, compassion and an appreciation of what it is like to be young. To slam them with scripture chases them in the wrong direction and paints the larger church as narrow minded haters.
Truly though, I don't desire a place to worship where anything goes and the drum has one constant beat; there is so much more depth to the human spirit than sex and sexual attraction. The pulpit is the perfect place to illustrate the perfect love of God and Christ.
So, my journey continues, I've started attending at another church where the pastor and I are on an honest footing from the beginning. To my discredit, I didn't do this at the last place and should have, perhaps then I would have known before I started investing. At the new church, the pastor says that being what I am is perhaps not the best choice, but it is what it is; I paraphrase of course; with the recognition here that my choice for the time being is one of chastity.
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