Friday, July 14, 2006

Presbyterian pastor: Gay rights opponents "use the Christian religion as a camouflage for bullying."

The Rev. Jim Rigby, pastor of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Austin, Tex., has a terrific column on Alernet this morning. He describes the religious right as bullies and "vicious predators" who hide their hatred behind a veneer Christianity.

Rigby writes:
I want to suggest that the day has come when Christians must declare that gay bashing is an attack on the gospel and that real Christians do not participate in any form of discrimination....

I believe the time has come to say that genuine followers of Jesus Christ do not participate in discrimination against gay and lesbian persons...

Gay bashing is not just an opinion, it is an assault.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I've heard this argument before and it is not the same as what Jesus Christ taught.

Christianity is not about rolling over and placating to any whim of the secular world. Homosexuality is a sin and those who commit it are subject to the punishment laid forth by God. As humans on this Earth, it is not our duty to deliver this punishment, but rather to do everything possible to rehabilitate the sinner. The fact that Jesus congregated with sinners does not mean he endorsed their sin or did not discriminate against them. Jesus welcomed and loved sinners because he wanted to change their hearts and have them follow in his teachings.

Columns like the one you linked to (which are a more than plentiful), are very close to being the proper path for Christian to take. However, rather than simply doing away with "discrimination" and turning a blind eye , there must be some correction of the sin.