CP's Most Popular, Trending Stories of 2017
10. Fixer Upper's Chip Gaines on LGBT Backlash: Disagreement Is Not Hate, 'Don't Believe That Lie
The hullabaloo over "Fixer Upper" stars Chip and Joanna Gaines and their stance on same-sex marriage began in November 2016 when BuzzFeed published a story revealing that their Waco, Texas, pastor did not support gay marriage.
What became The Christian Post's 10th most popular story this year was the Gaineses' response in January.
While lamenting the fact that "humanity" is more divided than ever, he appealed to the public to put down their stones and build bridges instead.
"If there is any hope for all of us to move forward, to heal and to grow – we have got to learn to engage people who are different from us with dignity and with love. Joanna and I have personal convictions. One of them is this: we care about you for the simple fact that you are a person, our neighbor on planet Earth. It's not about what color your skin is, how much money you have in the bank, your political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender, nationality or faith. That's all fascinating, but it cannot add or take away from the reality that we're already pulling for you. We are not about to get in the nasty business of throwing stones at each other, don't ask us to cause we won't play that way," Chip Gaines wrote in a blog.
"Jo and I feel called to be bridge builders. We want to help initiate conversations between people that don't think alike. Listen to me, we do not all have to agree with each other. Disagreement is not the same thing as hate, don't believe that lie."
