>Dr. Ken Hutcherson Dr? His highest degree is a bachelors.

Good for Mr. White. I think one of the most damaging things to Christianity has been the effort to become more political. Politics becomes nothing more than a sport for judging others and it pushes against doing work for God, and instead, puts us in the role of working for Caesar.

Well, believer, the Biblical interpretations are certainly different whether one is a very conservative Christian or one that is less so. By and large, conservative Christians view any mention of same sex relationships as a condemnation of all same sex relationships. My church has looked at the contexts of the biblical passages most often used to clobber homosexuals and sees that they are either c...more

Well, believer, the Biblical interpretations are certainly different whether one is a very conservative Christian or one that is less so. By and large, conservative Christians view any mention of same sex relationships as a condemnation of all same sex relationships. My church has looked at the contexts of the biblical passages most often used to clobber homosexuals and sees that they are either condemning male rape, Pagan ritual orgies with male on male sex, child molesters and the children they molest and young male prostitutes. None of these describe committed, loving same sex relationships as we know them today. So, for us, to connect rape or pedophilia with homosexuality isn't an accurate connection to make with homosexuality.less

I am a Lutheran, so my church's truth about homosexuality is much different than yours. You see, there is variance in Christianity on the subject of homosexuality and how to approach it from a Christian perspective. So no, I didn't preach your "truth" about homosexuality to my lesbian neighbors. We just go to same church together as we have for years, all of us as welcomed, respected and loved mem...more

I am a Lutheran, so my church's truth about homosexuality is much different than yours. You see, there is variance in Christianity on the subject of homosexuality and how to approach it from a Christian perspective. So no, I didn't preach your "truth" about homosexuality to my lesbian neighbors. We just go to same church together as we have for years, all of us as welcomed, respected and loved members of the community, children of God and saved by his grace.less

>cindy, you don't get it. To love thy neighbor is to tell them they are in sin, and to help them to Jesus. Oh, I get exactly what that kind of "love" is. That's replacing myself for God and deciding I'm the one, not him, who should sit in the seat of judgement. I'm rooted firmly in Matthew when I say, my job as a Christian is not to take inventory of everyone else's sin. Only God can see the wh...more

>cindy, you don't get it. To love thy neighbor is to tell them they are in sin, and to help them to Jesus.

Oh, I get exactly what that kind of "love" is. That's replacing myself for God and deciding I'm the one, not him, who should sit in the seat of judgement. I'm rooted firmly in Matthew when I say, my job as a Christian is not to take inventory of everyone else's sin. Only God can see the whole heart. Not me. And not you.less

The second highest commandment is a flimsy excuse? That's interesting. And with all due respect, foreveralive, I don't believe you care about me or are so interested in sharing "the truth" with me. Frankly, your judgements are of no interest to me. I work with a higher power. In the meantime until I meet him, I'll stick with following the Bible's teachings as my church and I understand them. An...more

The second highest commandment is a flimsy excuse? That's interesting.

And with all due respect, foreveralive, I don't believe you care about me or are so interested in sharing "the truth" with me. Frankly, your judgements are of no interest to me. I work with a higher power. In the meantime until I meet him, I'll stick with following the Bible's teachings as my church and I understand them. And judging just isn't part of it. Loving is.less

So let me get this straight. You've never seen a gay person "flaunt their sexuality", yet you accuse them of doing so. And, in order for your life to be ok, you need other people to hide who they are and pretend that they don't exist? I'm not sure that sounds particularly gracious or reasonable.

>If I’ve over estimated a proper judgment and understanding of this situation, then the fault lies with the Creator of this universe who has clearly established the baselines for this type of moral discussion. He has made it very clear what to do in this situation, no doubt. Love they neighbor as thyself.

Clover001. I'm presuming you're not a Christian, based on that post. Am I correct? FYI. I've been coming to the Christian Post and commenting on it for years now.

I always find it incredibly amusing when other Christians decide that a person who disagrees with them is living "under satanic deception". You seriously over-estimate your powers of discernment and judgement when you say such things. And, it makes a person sound a little delusional. Respectfully, of course. He he. As for your "honest" questions, I don't think much of them. I don't believe Amer...more

I always find it incredibly amusing when other Christians decide that a person who disagrees with them is living "under satanic deception". You seriously over-estimate your powers of discernment and judgement when you say such things. And, it makes a person sound a little delusional. Respectfully, of course. He he.

As for your "honest" questions, I don't think much of them. I don't believe America is any less moral than it's ever been, nor any more moral. This country has always had problems, has battled over moral issues since its inception and our time is no different. We're often guilty of thinking we live in the most challenging times. I'd say a country founded with slavery, with women legally considered property of their husbands and lying to native Americans to take their land really has no where to go but up in the morality department.less

>Respectfully, you’re deeply deluded and deceived of satan. Too funny. I'm pretty sure not many people would find anything respectful about being called deluded and deceived by satan. That's pretty silly, though I thank you for the laugh. No one is "openly sodomizing the military". Again, that's pretty silly. I'm 55 years old, happily married for 30 and have two beautiful daughters. I ...more

>Respectfully, you’re deeply deluded and deceived of satan.

Too funny. I'm pretty sure not many people would find anything respectful about being called deluded and deceived by satan. That's pretty silly, though I thank you for the laugh.

No one is "openly sodomizing the military". Again, that's pretty silly.

I'm 55 years old, happily married for 30 and have two beautiful daughters. I also have lived across the street since I was a child from two wonderful women who've been together longer than I've been with my husband. Because of them, I just see gay people as people, really no different than you or me. They love, laugh and grieve just like the rest of us and they deserve the same rights as anyone else in this country.

Maybe some of you should meet some actual, real-life gay people. Not these stereotypes that seem to have you worked up into such a foaming fear of them. They're just folks.less

>Flaunting your family pride and flaunting your "sexuality" are two very different things. What exactly is the difference that you see between a gay person talking about their partner and you or me talking about mine? How do you imagine gay people are "flaunting their sexuality"? What are they doing? Most of the time when I see that phrase used in about gay people, it means they've acknowledge...more

>Flaunting your family pride and flaunting your "sexuality" are two very different things.

What exactly is the difference that you see between a gay person talking about their partner and you or me talking about mine? How do you imagine gay people are "flaunting their sexuality"? What are they doing? Most of the time when I see that phrase used in about gay people, it means they've acknowledged they're gay or maybe they held their partner's hand in public. I just haven't seen a bunch of gay people "flaunting their sexuality" all that much. How in the world have you?less

Please, Angela. Let's not pretend that all of us that are straight don't openly flaunt your heterosexuality every day in public. I have pictures of my husband and children on my desk at the office. I kiss my husband goodbye on the street, in front of the restaurant after meeting for lunch.I tell my co-workers about my children and my husband and what we're doing for the holidays. We all do this. T...more

Please, Angela. Let's not pretend that all of us that are straight don't openly flaunt your heterosexuality every day in public. I have pictures of my husband and children on my desk at the office. I kiss my husband goodbye on the street, in front of the restaurant after meeting for lunch.I tell my co-workers about my children and my husband and what we're doing for the holidays. We all do this. To pretend we don't is either willfully dishonest or in complete denial of what it might mean to you if you were forced to hide those aspects of yourself. Try it not talking about your husband or family for just one hour and see what it feels like. I bet you can't even do it, you flaunter of heterosexuality you.less

I don't look to "pop culture" to provide me with the meaning of any Christian foundations. Why in the world would I expect that from the nightly news?

Just as it has been for all of the other western powers who long ago allowed homosexuals to serve in the military, I'm going to go ahead and bet this change is met with a big yawn and no real difference to our military. Much ado about nothing, except for the obvious benefits to our country's Constitutional basis for equality, freedom and liberty.

I really can't think of too many things more small-minded and small-hearted than this naughty/nice campaign. Is our faith so small, so fragile that we have to force everyone to say what we think they should say?

I find it sad that Christians can't, for even one day, just leave homosexuals alone. This fixation with gay people has just become silly.

You are right on one point. The rights guaranteed by our Constitution are above the so-called current "will of the people". It represents the founding will of our people in saying that certain of our rights are untouchable, for all Americans, whether they are in the majority or the minority. In that way, all people here are to be treated equally. The fact that we occasionally create laws, eithe...more

You are right on one point. The rights guaranteed by our Constitution are above the so-called current "will of the people". It represents the founding will of our people in saying that certain of our rights are untouchable, for all Americans, whether they are in the majority or the minority. In that way, all people here are to be treated equally.

The fact that we occasionally create laws, either by popular vote or from our state and federal lawmakers,that are challenged in court and found to be against the founding rights in our Constitution does not mean voting is "immaterial". It is incredibly important. It does say, however, that sometimes we are simply wrong, even if a majority vote on it. I would hope that "the majority" would have the maturity to allow that they can sometimes be wrong and that our Constitutional rights are important enough to be able to accept that we aren't always perfect, even when voting as a majority.

Our democracy requires an effort at goodwill, understanding and maturity, something that seems so sorely lacking these days with the constant cries of "but the will of the people!" to the detriment of our founding constitutional principles. Those rights matter to all of us and we'd be wiser to support them over in the moment heated issues that seek to take them away from others.less

>Exactly what does Democracy mean to Americans if the will of the majority is challengeable in court? To Me this means that your Democracy is fake, an illusion and a pipe dream. The only way to challenge the will of the people is through the votes, period! I'm concerned that you, and many here, seem to have such a fundamental lack of knowledge about American democracy and our Constitution. Our...more

>Exactly what does Democracy mean to Americans if the will of the majority is challengeable in court? To Me this means that your Democracy is fake, an illusion and a pipe dream. The only way to challenge the will of the people is through the votes, period!

I'm concerned that you, and many here, seem to have such a fundamental lack of knowledge about American democracy and our Constitution. Our Constitution purposefully set up a system of checks and balances so that laws created could be challenged in court to assure all Americans maintain the fundamental rights under the Constitution. All Americans, even those not in the majority, are guaranteed these rights.

The founders were smart enough to recognize that sometimes, lawmakers and the people will sometimes overstep their rights by attempting to limit the Constitutional rights of groups that may be in the minority or unpopular at the time. The court system is there precisely for those moments. The tyranny of the majority notwithstanding.

To me, this is one of the most amazing and foundational pieces of what makes America great. Our Constitutional rights are not up for majority vote. They just are our rights. Though folks may occasionally attempt to vote rights away from certain groups, our system has a built in way to return them back to all citizens -- the court system.less

Ah yes, Prophet. The old "I'm more Christian than you" argument. It's not a particularly compelling one, I must say. Your arrogance might keep you from being around too, don't you think? I'm not comparing the Constitution to Christianity, but am pointing out how the Constitution supports our rights to practice the Christian faith as we see it. That you imagine your Christian faith is the only o...more

Ah yes, Prophet. The old "I'm more Christian than you" argument. It's not a particularly compelling one, I must say. Your arrogance might keep you from being around too, don't you think?

I'm not comparing the Constitution to Christianity, but am pointing out how the Constitution supports our rights to practice the Christian faith as we see it. That you imagine your Christian faith is the only one that is valid tells me that you don't value religious freedom at all.

And that, believer, is why I see you'all as wishing for a theocracy. You're willing to legally limit others freedoms, even religious freedoms, to try and force it to your understanding of your particular faith. That is a theocracy, no matter how you spin it.less