Last night on my local news ( I live in Southern Ohio and so my local news covers the "Tri-State" area Southern Ohio, Eastern KY, and West Virgina.) they had a story about some local churches in a small West Virgina town going to protest a Cancer benefit in their town, simply because the organizers were going to have some female impersonators -("Drag Queens")- performing. I don't know the reason the organizers for the cancer benefit chose this type of entertainment as the news story didn't focus on that. instead they focused on the local Christian community and churches who were against it. (In my personal view....to each their own...I don't think people should get all up in arms about it especially if the profits goes to help a benefit such as cancer research..but whatever.)
Anyway, the news reporter interviewed one of the church leaders and the guy said and I directly quote what the news footage aired:
......."I don't care if they think I'm being closeminded. That's what Preachers and Pastors are supposed to be is closeminded."......
I think the quote was kinda funny in a facepalm, stick your foot in your mouth sort of way. But, I also found it to be sad and disappointing.
True Facts.
I can't make this up even if I wanted to.
Here is the link, I don't know if its covered in their on-line print version of the story but the quote was said last night in their 11 o'clock TV coverage.
Drag Show to Help Fight Cancer Concerns Kermit Area Churches - http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/65382412.html
anyone wanna discuss, what do you think about this quote? personally I think it gives religion a bad name I do not feel that a religious leader in a community no matter the religion should ever be "closeminded" quite the opposite they should be openminded, compassionate, understanding, loving, forgiving, and tolerant.
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Comments: 19
Yeshua reached out and fellowshipped with everyone and loved unconditionally and never judged, instead of showing people hate Yeshua showed understanding and compassion.
Mahatma Gandhi said it best when he was quoted as saying:
"I Like Your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
To which Gandhi replied : "YES!> And I am a jew, and a muslim, and a Buddhist, and a......"
Lonnie Ray Fowler
We're called to love our neighbors, of course. But that does not mean when they're doing something that God would consider a sin that we are to rejoice and join in with them. It only means we're supposed to love them.
Christ said, "No man comes to the Father but by Me". If I tell you that , I'm not judging you. Christ said it, I didn't. It's intent is for you to tackle that statement and decide if you will embrace or reject it.
Few messengers of the Christian message can carry it in a fashion that does it Justice in the slightest. That is no reason to reject the message and in fact is a logical error to do so...
Would I have supported a cancer benefit that "glorified" drag queens? Most likely not.
Would I have protested the benefit? Probably not.
"I don't think people should get all up in arms about it especially if the profits goes to help a benefit such as cancer research..but whatever."
I respect your opinion, but I do have to agree with the old cliche' the ends does not justify the means.
I don't see how people putting on a show for entertainment to help raise money for a cancer benefit effects your faith or because you don't like it thinks it gives you a right to be a militant angry jerk about it in the name of your religion.
If you personally don't like something or you think that your religious doctrine and dogma and leaders would not approve of it you have every right not to do that thing, but that doesn't give you a right to try to force your very narrow minded and subjective viewpoint and morals on the population at large.
no one is being forced to go to that show. or to dress that way. those people are choosing top go to that show and to perform to help raise money for cancer research.
if you don't like their method of entertainment then don't go its that simple.
grow up. your viewpoint is not the only view point out there, we live in a free country where people have a right to express yourself, if you want to live in a religious theocracy and oligarchy then take yourself to Iran.
That is true for a real theocracy, such as Sharia law.
But, many interpret remarks like yours to say that people do not have a right to advocate for their own values in society. Because I belong to a church, I don't give up my right to advocate for those values that I believe make out society better.
I am against murder, which is a religious value ("Thou shalt not kill") that has become a social value. There are many of us advocating for and against the death penalty these days and moral values are involved.
So, when remarks like yours are interpreted to mean that I don't have a right to speak out about controversial values, like same-sex marriage, pornography, or abortion, then they are talking about my First Amendment right of freedom of speech. When they are interpreted to mean my pastor doesn't have a right to preach on homosexuality, then they are talking about his First Amendment right of freedom of religion.
Religious people have the same rights under the Constitution that others do.
Yes, if you don't like something by all means express your concerns, but I think staging protests and threatening people is a bit overboard, write a sermon or something and keep it in your steepled building.
if you don't like something then don't participate, that simple. no need to make these big flashy "Oh, Look at me, Watch as I Protest!." protests.
Every religion does!
Part of the problem with religions is the people practicing it-- and leave it at that.///LRF
... try and imagine if the same event had taken place in Iran or Afghanistan?
The drag queens would have been imprisoned or even executed. There are varying degrees of tolerance.
" HATE THE SIN, BUT LOVE THE SINNER! "
These words still ring true regardless of faith or affiliation. I am a Pagan ( by the laws of Nature ) and totally see problems in being what you weren't originally born to be. In my thinking, those who "pretend" to be as opposed to what they were born to be, denies that there was a specific purpose to experience this existence as was Divinely intended. However, that does NOT mean that it is right for others to interfere in a person's own choice of how he/she chooses to live his/her life! The Nature of consequences ( God, if you will ) will have the final answer when that person leaves this existence.
True love is what heals all wounds! The 'church' ( read: the people in congregation ) does a disgrace to all that is righteous and sacred by engaging in hostile behavior towards others, rather than setting a positive example for others to see! This is why I have totally renounced doctrine and dogma, and have NO affiliations with any of these "state-approved" church-organizations. I don't particularly care for the hypocrisy that is routinely expressed in churches that follow a limiting doctrine. Each and every living thing has its own, unique way connecting to the Divine, and communicating as well as communing with its creator. I think the protest could have been done a little bit differently ( or maybe even joining the fund raising effort as a community ).
" You will draw more flies with honey, than you will with vinegar! "
I like the quote. It is funny. Especially because it was said in full seriousness. No irony intended. And there are people like that. As illustrated by some of your Christian correspondents. From whom I would like to dissociate myself.
I suppose for them there is a danger to being open minded. It gets you on the slippery slope. You start sliding and you don't know where you will end up. It can be scary. All the old verities up for grabs. Hey, you have to think for yourself. Not coast on what others, read preachers/ministers/priests/popes, said.
I have been enjoying the ride on the slippery slope. And I find I cannot abandon what is good in Christianity. But there is a lot that needs abandoning.
Cheers.
Jim