Omaha Christian Ministers Apologizing To Gay Community!
Not just one or two Omaha-area Christian ministers are apologizing, but DOZENS!
In what is definitely some wonderful news, a bunch of ministers are signing a proclamation that includes an apology to the gay community:
The Rev. Eric Elnes, minister at Countryside Community Church, said that more than 100 ordained Christian ministers have signed the proclamation, including leaders from Lutheran, Episcopalian, United Church of Christ, Methodist and Presbyterian churches.
The proclamation calls for an end to religious and civil discrimination based on sexual orientation.
So incredible!
The reason why they're banding together is that they're fed up with notion that being Christian means being anti-gay!
This is a heartwarming step in the right direction, for sure!!
Now just to have them fully support same-sex marriage!
Equality for All!!
[Image via AP Images.]
Tags: anti-gay, apology, band, church, community, discrimination, equality, gay, incredible, marriage, sex, strong, support, wonderful
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the ends do justify the means however i have a hunch they are more fed up with loosing numbers to their church do to the fact the younger generations are not supporting organizations that discriminate against homosexuality
Many so-called "Christians" are too busy hating gay folks and actively trying to hurt them instead of preaching love and helping others.
Good for theses ministers. They are reaching out with love instead of hate. Someone doesn't have to understand my homosexuality but loving each other and being civil is what a real Christian is.
Re: toolman85 – Be it what it may, it's an influence. Parts of the Church are realising by the fact that younger people are abandoning relision, maybe they are becoming outdated. Whatever the change in mentality, it's for the good. Like you said the end justifies the means and it's a start.
This is the type of change you want. Not the government forcing clergies to marry same sex couples, where one leads, others will follow, it just takes time.
i'm glad there are other christians who have some sense about them. hearing about the westboro baptist church (god hates f*gs church) breaks my heart because it was never the love of god being shown, but rather the ignorance of mistaken people. god hates nobody and we are all made equally in his image. if god does hate the gay community then he hates the rest of us too. why would i serve a god like that? answer: who cares, because i don't.
PR stunt, nothing more. Might as well post a sign saying "Gay money accepted here!"
Now that's a CROSS!
Re: Jajay119 – absolutely.. and i hope their apology includes how they perverted the bible to fuel public ignorance to strenghten their numbers/loyalty
Re: toolman85 –
I don't know a single person in my life out of probably 1,000 friends I have actually hung out with and met across states and countries that will bluntly defame the gay community. u are absolutely right.
People are not interesting in hearing hate every sunday morning.
religion does not bring anything positive to the world, they inflict fear on people, make them feel like there's always a higher spiritual bar, uses any and all ways in order to manipulate people. but people are not that stupid, people think and will use common sense in order to free themselves from religious nonsense. this can't go forever… people have started to wake up for life…
This actually makes sense. Mainline Protestant denominations such as Anglicans, Lutherans and Methodists are pretty reasonable. Even many Catholics are reasonable on the issue of gay rights.
It's those biblical literalists that are the problem, with regard to gay rights. Pentecostals, many Evangelicals, and Charismatic worshipers who are obsessed with the end of the world & fetishize what a woman does with her body tend to be the MOST anti-gay.
I live in Omaha and I haven't heard about this..was it recently that this happened? It wouldn't surprise me if it was missed on the news as almost all of the attention is going to the flood happening here with the Missouri River. I am glad this is happening here though. People have a lot of ideas about what Nebraska is about, but I think Omaha has a good mixture of people and Ideas. This just makes me even more proud to call it home.
Re: alexie silver – I am truly very sorry this has been your experience with religion, but please do not discriminate against CHRISTIANS by lumping us ALL into one category. If we can't lump gays into one category, or Jews, or whoever, then why is it ok for you?
The Christianity I practice and follow daily in my life and weekly at church is a religion of love, acceptance, doing what is morally right, and striving to be a good person to others. I'm not sure how that means I have been manipulated or how it hasn't had a positive impact on my life. I don't feel as if I fail just because I don't live sinless as Jesus did. I never will. The thing that saves me is God's grace and forgiveness. I do the best I can, and at the end of the day, I thank God for what I was able to do and sleep peacefully.
Just because you didn't have a good experience with religion doesn't mean that some people haven't taken the lovely gift God gave us and ultimately changed our lives for the better from it. God bless!
Perez you might be surprised how many priest do agree that being Christian doesn't make you anti gay. Surprised about how many preform gay marriages in their churches, that may not be legal by the state but have been performed in a church. In general they keep it quite as to not draw attention from ignorant people who may throw a fit and ruin it for everyone. I am happy that churches are seeing that times are changing once again and just like women and people of color before them that gay and lesbian people are getting as much respect as anyone else.
The equality snowball is gaining steam and rolling downhill. I've witnessed this same thing while living in another country. It's only a matter of time.
Re: alexie silver – Is this why Christian church attendance has increased? Your statement is contradictory. Thank God that Christian churches are formally revising their positions on Gays. I dare you to profess your statements to the Muslims using your full name, phone # & address. I'm sure that they will accept you and your trite comments about God with open arms.
Perez…when was the last time you went to church, BTW. Since you've been harping on the topic, I assume that you attend church regularly and adhere to the doctrines of the church. If you don't attend church, then you have no business professing what Christians should or should not do. Just as I doubt that you would walk into a mosque or temple and chastise their adherents on their beliefs.