Nearly 1,500 people from the largest Christian community in the world that primarily ministers to homosexuals recently felt a sense of affirmation regarding their sexual identity to the point of learning to influence their society to be pro-gay.
Metropolitan Community Churches just came out of its General Conference in Phoenix, Ariz., where it hosted delegates from 25 countries, including those where homosexual behavior is outlawed. While the five-day conference, which ended last Friday, gave participants a chance to discuss sexuality and spirituality, it also taught them how to stand up for "human rights" and how to get their governments to favor homosexuality.
"Homosexual activists understand that the Church is really the last bastion of disagreement over the issue over homosexuality," said Caleb Price, gender issues analyst for Focus on the Family, according to CitizenLink, the news publication of the conservative pro-family organization. "They know that if they can somehow change the Church's view of the issue and declare that it's no longer sinful, that that will be the linchpin that will allow everything else in society to become pro-gay."
MCC, which launched its international movement in 1968, claims to represent 43,000 members and adherents in almost 300 congregations in 22 countries. It fights for LGBT rights and equality, and aims to become “leaders in the world about the union of spirituality and sexuality.”
Regarding the recent conference, Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth, told Family News in Focus that he doesn't like the idea of a conference in America influencing other nations to embrace homosexuality.
"There's certainly no reason why immoral American standards should be exported to the developing world," he said. "If a country like Jamaica criminalizes homosexual behavior, that's their right."
According to a recent Gallup Poll, gay tolerance in the United States is reaching record marks with 57 percent of the American public saying should be sanctioned as an acceptable alternative lifestyle – the highest the Gallup Poll has recorded since 1982.
Last week’s MCC-sponsored conference came as the U.S. Senate was reviewing a hate crimes bill that would expand federal hate crime categories to include violent attacks against gays and people targeted because of gender. Conservative Christians are rallying against the bill, arguing that it would censor the free speech of pastors and Christians who express their biblical views on the sin of homosexuality.
As Michael Marcavage, president of Repent America, put it, “As Christians we do not advocate violence against other people, so that’s not an issue.
“However, the lawmakers in Washington are attempting to criminalize Christians because of their faith in Jesus Christ and because they choose to speak the truth of God’s Word.”
The pro-gay church conference also came as greater media attention is being given to the ex-gay movement.
Most recently, Michael Glatze, founding editor of Young Gay America Magazine and a leading activist in the homosexual community, announced that he has been “healed.” In a column entitled "How A 'Gay Rights' Leader Became Straight," Glatze said, “It became clear to me, as I really thought about it – and really prayed about it – that homosexuality prevents us from finding our true self within.
“We cannot see the truth when we're blinded by homosexuality," he wrote.
Later, in a follow-up to the column, Glatze announced that he is “going to do what I can to fight it (homosexuality).”
Christian Post reporter Eric Young in Washington contributed to this article.
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Comments
John5796 - LBGT means Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender (or transexual).
Truthprevails - how can they be worse than pagans? I know many religious people of the LGBT community. This judgmental view of homosexuality is the major problem I have organized religion.
Chris: What exactly is so evil about the relationship between me and my boyfriend? We are in a loving, monogamous relationship. We are both happy. we pay our taxes and we have good relationships with our neighbors. And why exactly would God hate such a relationship?
By the way, God is love, but He is also just. To love without differentiating between good and evil is not love but hatred.
godequalslove,
Jesus did not tell the adulteress, taxcollectors, and so on that they were good and keep doing what they were doing, He said repent. Change your ways. Sin no longer. Yes He gave them a loving hand, but no He did not accept their behavior, or any behavior against God. So if we are going to approach homosexuals the same way Christ approached other sinners, then we should do so without putting them down or discriminating, but telling them the truth about their lifestyles and what God wants for them. How many laws against heterosexuals condemned their right relationship with their wife? Zero. I really, really do not want to hear any more about David and Johnathon having some kind of homosexual relationship. If they did then they would have been sinning against God. But yeah, the liberal christians like to twist brotherly and sisterly love into gay and lesbian love all the time. This is not true. The act of laying with a man as one lies with a woman (and vice versa for women) is a sin. What part of that is confusing?
Peter 4
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us[a] in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime[b] in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
LGBT? Regardless of what that may mean although I'm sure it refers to a perverted lifestyle in some way, these people are sick, disgusting and need the power of God to be delivered from this filth. Imagine what two of these sicko's do to each other in private. Sicker than sick.
mortification71 lol hundreds, try six, however there are 362 condemnations against heterosexuals. Fighting for LGBT rights is outside of the scripture? Remind me again did Jesus fight for the adulteress, the tax collectors, and other sins to protect them from due harm ? I think you need to read some of the 66 books before making irrational comments. Nearly every church agreed with slavery, does that make slavery God ordained. There are dozens of homosexual verses in the bible. Just to name on 2 Sam. 1:26. This is the story of David and Jonathan, in the text uses the Hebrew word 'ahavah (Strong's H160), which is only used between heterosexual spouses. Further the texts show evidence of an homoerotic relationship, referring to the nakedness of ones parent’s e.g. sexual taboo as with Ham and Noah. The story also uses language that mirrors the language of intermarital sexual relations i.e. souls knit as one. This interpretation is not new it is mirrored in Elizabethan and Renaissance literature and throughout history. Please study the scripture as we are commaned to do! God Bless.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Matthew
Yes there is some kind of compromise trying to be mae but it will not succeed. And as for the bible and its many references...i've seen and read these references myself and as far as i can tell its all a matter of interpretation because each of these suppose passages has not said out right that it is wrong nor does it insinuate as such its just what a person reads into it.
I'm sick and tired of these people who are trying to compromise the word of God and truth with the desire of their flesh..... shame on them... They are worse than pagans.... to me...
sick sick sick sick sick mentaly phisicaly and spiritualy sick sick sick.jesus is the answer,however a sick person must do what the doctor says,and not spinn the prescription to there liking,or youll probaly die because of no faith in the true doctor and his advice,
The Bible says that "Homosexuality is an abomination". All throughout the ENTIRE Bible there are hundreds of references to the damnable status of anyone indulging in homosexual behaviour. There is not a single reference in the entire Bible that endorses homosexuality. Talking about a damnable heresies "43,000 members and adherents in almost 300 congregations in 22 countries...fight[ing] for LGBT rights and equality" is completely outside of the parameters of the Bible (and incidentally outside the realms of acceptable behaviour in every major religion on earth). Has this reporter, (and her employer) who claims to be Christian, no shame. Welcome to the "falling away" apostasy as spoken of in the final book of the 66 books you ignore.
Help. As a PR executive I expect that any story I feed the press will be investigated and all sided of the issue reported. I am missing the MCC side in the story. Was to reporter in attendance at the conference and there for able to report through their experience? I would have like to see a person From MCC sharing their mission as oppose to other christian organizations saying what they think MCC's mission is.
Two Quick Questions: 1. If Audrey Barrick is a CHRISTIAN Post reporter why is she writing "Nearly 1,500 people from the largest Christian community in the world that primarily ministers to homosexuals recently felt a sense of affirmation regarding their sexual identity to the point of learning to influence their society to be pro-gay?" 2. Is it the Christian Post's and/or her position that MCC and homosexuals are truly a part of the "Christian community?" The rest of the article sounds like reporting; that first part sounds like opinion. -Mike Dixon