Hundreds of Faith Leaders Call for Marriage Equality in MN

Advocating for the religious freedom to have the marriage ceremonies they officiate be recognized by the state of Minnesota, 340 clergy and religious leaders have signed onto a powerful statement calling for the legislature to act and bring marriage equality to the North Star State this year.

[Truth]

There is a religious freedom issue as denominations believe in marriage equality, why should some religions ban something supported by other religions?

[Not Yet Equal]

“There is a significant and growing consensus among biblical scholars about the few biblical texts that are often referenced as the basis for condemning same-gender loving people of God. Contemporary biblical scholarship argues strongly against this condemnation and finds a much more significant Gospel message that supports the inclusion of LGBT persons into the full life and mission of the church.”(United Church of Christ)

[Not Yet Equal]

The scriptures can and have been used to justify genocide, slavery, apartheid, segregation, crusades, inquisitions, and many other atrocities. They are currently being used to dehumanize and demonize gay people, even though there is no rational, reasonable, or scientific reason to treat gay people differently than you would want to be treated.

The only excuse for prejudice and discrimination remains in a few questionable religious texts, which have been misinterpreted and mistranslated over time, and which are contradicted by other verses including the most important one according to Jesus, namely that you love God and love others the same. Accepting alternate interpretations of those few verses that seem to condemn same sex love does not require abandoning your religious beliefs, only expanding them to include the idea that God created all things, including gay people, and He wants you to love them as you love Him, not judge and harm them.

http://www.wouldjesusdiscriminate.org/biblica...

[Fa-Foxy]

Truth wrote:

There is a religious freedom issue as denominations believe in marriage equality, why should some religions ban something supported by other religions?

EXACTLY !

I've been a Lutheran (ELCA) for over 50 years, and a also a member of the United Church of Christ (where I presently attend each Sunday) for over 15 years, and both denominations welcome LGBT lay members, and LGBT clergy, and support marriage equality.

It's a matter of Americans' FIRST AMENDMENT religious Liberty RIGHTS,

[Wade]

Fa-Foxy wrote:

<quoted text>
EXACTLY !
I've been a Lutheran (ELCA) for over 50 years, and a also a member of the United Church of Christ (where I presently attend each Sunday) for over 15 years, and both denominations welcome LGBT lay members, and LGBT clergy, and support marriage equality.
It's a matter of Americans' FIRST AMENDMENT religious Liberty RIGHTS,

You certainly misrepresent both of those declining denominations. Only about 10% of UCC congregations are 'open and affirming.' A sizeable percent of the ELCA also still supports the Bible's many explicit commands against all homosexual behavior.

Anyone who rebells against God's Commands really isn't Christian.

[Wade]

Not Yet Equal wrote:

“There is a significant and growing consensus among biblical scholars about the few biblical texts that are often referenced as the basis for condemning same-gender loving people of God. Contemporary biblical scholarship argues strongly against this condemnation and finds a much more significant Gospel message that supports the inclusion of LGBT persons into the full life and mission of the church.”(United Church of Christ)

From the same radical homosexual hate site that you plagiarized the above from: " The UCC is a diverse denomination and not all its members and congregations embrace LGBT equality. Because UCC organizations and churches are autonomous and not held accountable by any national governing body, groups that disagree with the General Synod or Executive Council are able to discriminate against LGBT people without fearing reprimand from the national denomination. For example, in 2003, the Western North Carolina Association of local UCC churches banned the ordination of openly gay clergy members, and the General Synod had no authority to prevent the policy from taking effect.

In addition, a national group of UCC church members, the Biblical Witness Fellowship, often denounces the denomination’s support for LGBT equality. The group opposes the ordination of LGBT ministers and publicly criticized the denomination’s creation of a scholarship fund for LGBT seminarians. The group has also proposed several anti-gay resolutions to the General Synod.

Some congregations also criticized the Executive Council’s opposition to the anti-gay Federal Marriage Amendment. In June 2004, the First Church of Christ in Wethersfield, Conn.— the largest UCC church in New England — voted overwhelmingly to become independent from the denomination, citing the UCC’s support for marriage equality as one of its major reasons for doing so."

According to the UCC's official Web site, an overwhelming majority of UCC congregations have NOT chosen to be 'open and affirming.'

[nhjeff]

Does anyone know if, according to Christian theology, hate-filled, lying Topix trolls will be through into the lake of fire? Or will they simply die like the rest of the animals?

[Fa-Foxy]

nhjeff wrote:

Does anyone know if, according to Christian theology, hate-filled, lying Topix trolls will be through into the lake of fire? Or will they simply die like the rest of the animals?

Hopefully, they're sent to the moon Acheron (LV426).

[Fa-Foxy]

And at my church, "St. Martin's Second Reformed Church, Microbrewery, and Gay Bar", we welcome ALL people.

Our motto is: "On Sunday mornings, pull up a pew, and grab a brew !"

:)

(Free mugs and condoms available to all in the narthex.)

[WasteWater]

Ahh. The true people of God have their say.

It's about time.

[Not Yet Equal]

"The Unitarian Universalist Association has a long-standing and deeply held religious commitment to support full equality for gay people. We dedicate ourselves to work for justice, grounded in faith, which calls us to support everyone's full humanity, everyone's ability to love, and everyone's value in the world."
Rev. William Sinkford, former President, Unitarian Universalist Church

[Not Yet Equal]

nhjeff wrote:

Does anyone know if, according to Christian theology, hate-filled, lying Topix trolls will be through into the lake of fire? Or will they simply die like the rest of the animals?

"My young son asked me what happens after we die. I told him we get buried under a bunch of dirt and worms eat our bodies. I guess I should have told him the truth - that most of us go to Hell and burn eternally - but I didn't want to upset him.”
Jack Handy

[Not Yet Equal]

Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Colossians 3:12-14 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Matthew 7:12: So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

[Fa-Foxy]

Not Yet Equal wrote:

Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Colossians 3:12-14 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Matthew 7:12: So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

WOW ! Looks like the Founding Fathers violated ALL of those commands when they started slaughtering all the legal representatives of the King in 1775.(As Jimmy McMillan says: "Their taxes were too damn high !")

[WeTheSheeple]

Even 60% of catholics support marriage equality according to recent polls.

[WeTheSheeple]

More important, the news reports are the Dems (technically DFL) have the votes to pass the marriage bill out of both the House & Senate committees when they vote on Tues.

[Fa-Foxy]

WeTheSheeple wrote:

More important, the news reports are the Dems (technically DFL) have the votes to pass the marriage bill out of both the House & Senate committees when they vote on Tues.

Let's hope they do so. History is now clearly on our side.

[WasteWater]

nhjeff wrote:

Does anyone know if, according to Christian theology, hate-filled, lying Topix trolls will be through into the lake of fire? Or will they simply die like the rest of the animals?

I vote for the Lake of Fire.

[Robert In West Hollywood]

WasteWater wrote:

<quoted text>
I vote for the Lake of Fire.

I think the "lake of fire" is being too kind...

[Robert In West Hollywood]

Wade wrote:

<quoted text>From the same radical homosexual hate site that you plagiarized the above from: " The UCC is a diverse denomination and not all its members and congregations embrace LGBT equality. Because UCC organizations and churches are autonomous and not held accountable by any national governing body, groups that disagree with the General Synod or Executive Council are able to discriminate against LGBT people without fearing reprimand from the national denomination. For example, in 2003, the Western North Carolina Association of local UCC churches banned the ordination of openly gay clergy members, and the General Synod had no authority to prevent the policy from taking effect.
In addition, a national group of UCC church members, the Biblical Witness Fellowship, often denounces the denomination’s support for LGBT equality. The group opposes the ordination of LGBT ministers and publicly criticized the denomination’s creation of a scholarship fund for LGBT seminarians. The group has also proposed several anti-gay resolutions to the General Synod.
Some congregations also criticized the Executive Council’s opposition to the anti-gay Federal Marriage Amendment. In June 2004, the First Church of Christ in Wethersfield, Conn.— the largest UCC church in New England — voted overwhelmingly to become independent from the denomination, citing the UCC’s support for marriage equality as one of its major reasons for doing so."
According to the UCC's official Web site, an overwhelming majority of UCC congregations have NOT chosen to be 'open and affirming.'

Normally I don't feed trolls but... Hey, sh*t-for-brains you're still at it? YOU'VE LOST! IT'S OVER, TIME TO SURRENDER! Go back to redlining books in your church basement where all you religionists belong and let the real world have some peace and quiet for once...