Last weekend, I went to a conference thats goal was to educate believers on loving ways to respond to the gay community and aid those who struggle with homosexual tendancies in finding healing. Some protesters showed up. Some even posed as volunteers in order to get others in. Tresspassing, yelling, and lude impropriety ensued. Not only was it disruptive and rude, it was hurtful and contradictory to their own credos of tolerance and acceptance.
It reminds me of a time a few years ago were I attended a counter-Klan protest. Not only was there hateful yelling from the capital steps were the Klan had set up shop, but a large group of counter protesters were screaming hate right back at them. I remember standing next to a gay couple while the man on the opposite side of them was calling the Klan "fags." It made me wish I'd gone to a neighborhood icecream social that some local church leaders were putting on to promote unity.
So what justifies returning hate for hate? How does one justify disrupting a peaceful gathering geared toward healing with screaming, alarms, signs, and making out in public. How does one justify screaming hate at a hate group?
I am unclear as how I can/should respond to these situations. At the conference, I just wanted to go over and hug these girls who were so blinded by thier own wounds and bitterness. At the counter-protest, I wanted to smack some sense into some of my fellow protesters (see how the anger spreads?). What is a girl to do?
I could be wrong abut this, but it seems the premise of this get together to "heal" people with homosexual tendencies is that being gay is somehow wrong or bad or sinful. Perhaps a get together focused on educating people on acceptance and love for people no matter what their race, ethnicity or sexual orientation would not have inspired such anger. I think that we live in a complicated and challenging world and that love is love. Period.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I think you've pointed out the emperor's nakedness, HJ.Not only was it disruptive and rude, it was hurtful and contradictory to their own credos of tolerance and acceptance.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">These are strange, strange times.I remember standing next to a gay couple while the man on the opposite side of them was calling the Klan "fags." ... How does one justify screaming hate at a hate group?
A close friend of mine went to jail for a terrible, terrible sexual crime. I visited him in jail and we talked about our families. That's how I felt moved to approach him at the time.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This backs the dialogue way, WAY up. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing.it seems the premise of this get together to "heal" people with homosexual tendencies is that being gay is somehow wrong or bad or sinful. Perhaps a get together focused on educating people on acceptance and love for people no matter what their race, ethnicity or sexual orientation would not have inspired such anger
You're almost right, though: we're beginning with the premise that homosexual behavior is contrary to the created order, or sinful. "Being gay," if by it you mean having "homosexual tendencies," I tend to see as no sin in itself, and happily believe that there are homosexual persons who have found Christ to be their Savior, though they (like all of us Christians) wait for the day when their bodies will be freed from sinful lusts. That's what we're hoping for when we pray and wait for healing.
Christians have no legitimate justification for hating anyone, and in the situation that HJ relayed, there was no hate on the part of those seeking education about healing. Unfortunately, there are extremists like that guy from Kansas who holds the "God hates fags" signs. That's not the message that Christians are bringing.
<font color="#a62a2a"><font size="1">[ October 31, 2004 12:40 AM: Message edited by: Mr. Mastedon Farm ]</font></font>
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ December 25, 2004 01:10 PM: Message edited by: Mr. Mastedon Farm ]</font>
So a bunch of bigots got together to discuss how to "cure" people who are different from them, and you're upset that there was resistance?
Hell is full of Christians. Get used to the idea.
They fight, they fight, they fight and fight and fight. Fight fight fight, fight fight fight...
Thanks for adding nothing to the dialogue, Randall.
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