What I don't agree with is the backlash that has occurred. A protest group was created on Facebook to address the issue of the Church's comment. The Church changed the sign to read "Adultery is not okay".
The protest group on Facebook, according to the news, posted the email and phone number of the Pastor. As I type, they're currently outside of the Church with rainbow flags, marching in front of the Church.
The news interviewed someone saying that the sign was "harassment". And encouraging people to call and email the Pastor repetitively is not? How does one harassment better another? It doesn't. How is one freedom of speech okay, and another not?
Two wrongs don't make a right.
Do the protesters have the right to protest? Yes. But the sign was changed. And they're still protesting. Why? If they have the right to protest their free speech, does the Church not have the same right?
I was tempted to make a sign that said, "Protesting others freedom of speech is lame"...but I'm sure the irony would be lost.
Should the Church have posted the line? Probably not. But they have that right. If it had said "Straight is not okay" I would have said, "Eh, I disagree, but that's your prerogative to write that," and left it at that.
Remember, we'll all face our own judgement in front of the ultimate Judge. And we'll have to answer to all of our actions and words then.
The GLBT community use the words "equality" and "Freedom" a great deal, but their words and actions show regularly that what they really mean is that they want special attention and special privileges.
ReplyDeleteEvery show on TV has a GLBT character (usually as a focal point); the representation of their lifestyle and preferences is HEAVILY represented in the media as normal and mainstream. Someone from another planet watching our media feeds would have to believe that at least half the world is Gay. The truth is that they represent only a small percentage of the population, but with a very aggressive agenda and very loud voices.
I have several friends that are gay and that know I am a Christian. We can have perfectly calm discussions and they still know I am their friend. They are even comfortable asking me to pray for them from time to time. They are also not part of the group that is threatening and vandalizing this church and its Pastor.
Personally, I believe this Pastor "stepped in it" and did this without thinking it through, but he certainly doesn't deserve the hatefulness that has been dumped on him. The "hate speech" and threats he has received in email and phone calls are much more personal and damaging than anything his sign said or even implied.
If he had posted something about UFO's coming to pick them up, people would have simply driven by and laughed at him and ignored it as his silly opinion. However, the GLBT community loves the spotlight and cherishes their "victim" status every time they can find it, so here we are. It's not news that the Bible is not pro-Gay to anyone that actually reads it, but what this Pastor did (intentionally or not) was divisive; not inviting, educational, or sharing of the message of salvation for all in any way; it simply made him a media opportunity for the GLBT crowd and a lightning rod for their members that think it's OK to attack, vandalize, and threaten. You are correct Sarah: "Two wrongs don't make a right". I am praying for all of them...