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08/17/2007
Video: Where reason & fairness hit a Romans 1 roadblock
This video featuring Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education founder Tony Campolo is as interesting as it is frustrating. Watch it (or at least the first two minutes) and then we'll get back to you:
Okay, so Mr. Campolo makes loads of accurate and insightful observations about heterosexual marriage and evangelical hypocrisy on the subject. In fact, he almost sounds like a pro-gay theologian for a minute. But then, he negates all of his valid and spot-on comments about equal civil rights by using just one interpretation of one Bible passage. A passage, it must be reminded, that no tax-paying citizen is required to view as any more truthful than Harry Potter, or any more gay-unfriendly than Heather Has Two Mommies.
Basically, Mr. Campolo is operating from that flawed mindset that says even though marriage predates Christianity by thousands of years, Christians still hold right to the term and concept associated with the word "marriage." And even though a citizen is not required to be a Christian who views Romans I as gay condemnatory, they must still have their civil arrangements informed by such faith beliefs. He's making it sound like the only reason the Apostle Paul didn't sign the Declaration of Independence is because John Hancock took up too much damn room, and the only reason the Bill of Rights doesn't give marriage exclusively to Bible Believers is because the framers drank too much mead and forgot to put it in. Such outlooks are simply unacceptable in a non-theocratic society.
Mr Campolo, you sound like a reasoned, fair-minded, decent guy. But we're thinking that no matter what you may find in the Bible about women being submissive or their opinions being less valid, you might want to start listening to your wife on this particular issue! She sounds like she knows what's up.
American Evangelist Tony Campolo talks about abortion, gay rights, Islam and women. [GodTube]
**UPDATE: Read more about Tony and Peggy Campolo's stances at The Gay Christian Network.
**UPDATE2: It was suggested to us that we may have misunderstood Rev. Compolo, with the proposed idea being that he was simply referring to religious outlook and not civil law. However, what it seems to us Mr. Campolo is refuting here is the idea that gay marriage should be allowed, which is absolutely in the context of civil law. There doesn't seem to be any attempt to say "civil gay marriage: fine by me; gay marriages blessed by my particular religion: that I'm not okay with." He just says he, unlike his wife Peggy, is anti-gay marriage. Period.
We did find quotes where he says he is in favor of some sort of equal rights for gays. But in our camp, we won't accept anything less than marriage (even if the route to the goal might be long and winding). And we will take every opportunity to disconnect civil marriage from religious marriage, considering that the two already are disconnected
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Your thoughts
Tony's wife, Peggy, is for same gender relationships and marriages. They both disagree on the interpretation of Romans 1.
But don't count Tony out. Despite the fact he maybe against same sex relationships he is for equality (not marriages) for all GLBT persons. I have read interviews with him and he does not like the way the conservative Evangelical and Fundamentalists Christians treat gay people. He's been very outspoken about it.
Posted by: Ken R | Aug 17, 2007 3:43:33 PM
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