"Local Church Affirmed for Accepting Gays," published by the Colorado Springs Gazette, points out that Vista Grande has long been open to the GLBT community, making the UCC recognition something of a formality. Nonetheless, many of the comments on the piece suggest that such a move by the small congregation (average weekly attendance: 45) is a sin so horrific that God is probably preparing for apocalyptic retribution at this very moment.
Here are some examples:
manitoumon wrote: Another fallen church. Please pray for these people.swordministries wrote: This story does not suprise me. Please visit http://www.biblresearchers.org and click on our study, " WHO ARE THE SODOMITES? " We teach Bible Truth that is not taught by Organized Religion. Also feel free to check out, " WHO ARE THE CLERGY. " God bless! www.bibleresearchers.org
gunny42 wrote: plummy wrote: "It is so rare to see Christians doing what they are supposed to these days. This church has it right by not playing god and passing judgment on others."
No, it isn't so rare to see Christians doing what they are supposed to these days. It is however very rare to see Christians who are doing things right ... according to your standards!
We (Christians) are told explicitly in scripture that homosexual activity in the eyes of God is an abomination! And, you are right that we are not to judge ("Judge not, lest ye be judged by the same measure"), But we are also specifically mandated to call to our brothers and sisters attention the fact that whatever activity they are in engaging in that is sinful, is to be called a sin, and that we should make effort to help them change (or repent).
We are called to love those who are living in sin, and to not condone their sinful activity. So, we don't have to like what they do at all, but we need to continue loving them, and trying to help them understand their sin, and repent from it. It is precisely that which the homosexual and transgendered community find so distasteful, the fact that that we are telling them they are doing something very wrong, and their desire is to continue doing something they enjoy anyhow.
It is simply another of life's tough decisions that's all!
I am diabetic, and there are certain foods I cannot have ... I love them, but they are deadly for me. Should I just take a little chance once in awhile? That's up to me to decide. Do I feel like taking that chance?
elderstatesman wrote: freethinker, you should go out there and kill all the homos. They are trying to corrupt your kids!!! My God, people like you are SO STUPID!!!!
freethinker1 wrote: Veedek, what do I do when the homosexual agenda floods through my children's school? What do I do when my son is taught how to have safe anal sex or to experiment with homosexuality so that he can figure out what his sexual preferences are? What do I do when he comes home and asks me what fisting is? What do I do when he comes home with MRSA or HIV?
And how about my daughter? When she is taught that lesbianism is a method to explore sexuality without the danger of pregnancy, what do I do?
Homosexuals want their sexual preferences to be adopted, accepted, legalized, praised, and force fed to the next generation. Everyday they disrupt life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for millions upon millions of people who choose not to accept their behavior.
I stand against the homosexual agenda, not because of some religious reason, but because it is a (currently popular) abnormal sexual behavior that does great damage to the cohesiveness and stability of a society.
wm25burke wrote: [nrkofover wrote: homosexuality has crossed time and culture since written history and presumably long before written history.]
So have cancer and syphilis. Are they "part of some larger plan of reality" too -- or are you just grasping at dysfunctional, delusional, straws?
Granted, these comments also include a great many from people who dispute these kinds of assertions in no uncertain terms. But the venom is still disturbing... if not particularly surprising.
