Good As You

"You cannot study god with your intellect..."

"No one 'wants' to go around just beating people to death, because they have different values than you."

So, this guy actively commands the minions to check their intellect (such as it is) at the door on the way in, and never compare the lies to anything "intellectual". Then he seems to be suggesting that the minions go out and beat the people with "bad" hearts to death! At least he IS owning up to the lies and hatred that they espouse!

The purist of hearts will have the courage to wear another's shoes, with a pebble in it.
That's why one of the most fundamental commandments is to love one's neighbor as oneself. There are variations of this in most religions and cultures.

From empathy stems bravery and the most just decisions and actions. This requires less intellect, and sometimes more heart because even a child can learn it. This IS how we teach children to share and have respect for others and their property. This is the foundation on which treating each person with EQUALITY rests.

We are not born selfless, nor generous, but the simplest acts of kindness carry the most return. Which is why it's a shame that it's not done more often because it's RIGHT, not because there is a reward somewhere. In heaven or anywhere else.

That people like this man, see no reason to invest that fundamental directive,nor the simplest act of wearing the skin of a gay person for two minutes is worthwhile.

Nor is he the least bit cautious about doing something which has abused members of mankind simply because of what they were, and not especially how they treated another person. We have historical, RECENT historical context and precedent to inform that.

He talks about beating someone up because they have 'different values', than who he agrees with.
He's not qualifying that with the factor that gay people have MUCH THE SAME values that HE embraces, but are not credited with it.
There is a difference. There is a difference between recognizing that, then assuming those values will be damaged if embraced by gay people.

That is the purist form of bigotry and dehumanization. That espousing equality and empathy is wasted on anyone because they are gay. Or that these values are not appreciated, or in the capability of gay people.

I am disgusted that any anti gay clergy get away with rationalizing why they can skip that directive of Christ, and make exceptions ONLY when it comes to gay people.

Just as they expect the same of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

He's so cool and casual and doesn't in the least bit sound like he's oozing something terrible.
And that is truly scary.

Jeremy,

What an interesting post. We were practically neighbors growing up (well not quite but I have a lot of family in Gallatin now, even though I grew up a little north of there out in the country).

I consider myself to be a gay Christian and just the other day encouraged my father, who has been out of church since my parents divorced, to go to Cornerstone because he seems to like it. I'm really shocked to hear this man, a man who was so rough and so bad in the eyes of society, say these things considering there is not a single person throwing stones or judging him for what he has done. Plus to say God can't be studied with intellect is insane! How many Christians have come to God through a more intellectual revealing than a 'I just had a feeling' revealing? Quite a bit, I assure you, including myself.

Geez....It's clips like these that are very frustrating. It was hard enough to get my father at a comfortable place with my sexuality; I prefer not to start the process over because he's heard pastors like these.

I guess it's a good thing my father didn't go to this service on Sunday. Perhaps unanswered prayers ARE blessings in disguise???

And once again...

preventing same sex marriage does not prevent homosexuality. And, if we're gonna get technical, the Bible doesn't say that two men can't get married. (A technicality, I know)

If a Christian (or any of person of faith) thinks that something is a sin, then don't engage in that sin.

In my Assembly of God upbringing, I can recall countless numbers of times in which going to a secular college was discouraged because the ministers felt that "too much learning would make one mad" in other words, once our youth got smart, they gave up the Assembly of God! they spoke constantly of a "heart knowledge" vs. "head knowledge" and the implication was that smart people just couldn't understand God in the ways that this group of christians did (which of course was the only proper way to know God.)