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 Some Christian denominations have officially welcomed gays and lesbians in recent years.
October 25th, 2011
12:09 PM ET
My Take: Why Christians are embracing their LGBT neighborsEditor’s note: Ross Murray is director of religion, faith and values at GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. By Ross Murray, Special to CNN America is embracing its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens. Don’t believe me? Just look at the progress being made in faith communities. The Christian church was once considered the final holdout for those who oppose equality for LGBT people. Staunch believers could gather in worship with people who thought just like them to hear sermons affirming the anti-LGBT beliefs they held in common. For those of us who identify as LGBT, church was a place of fear and secrets. We had to figure out how to hide ourselves or how to find a more welcoming community. But that is changing. Although there is still a variety of scriptural interpretations, an increasing number of Christians are reading scripture and understanding that God’s design for the world includes LGBT people. It follows, good Christians believe, that if God made them, then I am called to love and support them. Whole Christian denominations have accepted and embraced the reality of LGBT believers within their ranks and in their leadership. Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, the United Church of Christ and Unitarians have formally accepted LGBT people within their denominations. Even within denominations and faith groups whose policies don’t fully welcome LGBT people, there are growing numbers of people who have learned to love and accept their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters. The Public Religion Research Institute found this year that as many as 71% of Catholics in America support lesbian and gay people, even up to the point of civil marriage, despite the Roman Catholic hierarchy telling them otherwise. Of course, there still are Christian groups who work actively against equal protections for LGBT people and their families. Indeed, as more Americans get to know and love their LGBT neighbors, the messages and vocal misinformation of anti-gay activists become even more shrill. And yet more and more Christians are now living out the message of 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” How did this happen? More Christians now know someone who is LGBT. They probably even know someone from their church. There are countless faithful Christians who identify as LGBT. These are folks who have found their faith in God to be stronger than the opposition of vocal anti-gay activists. These LGBT Christians have shared their lives and their stories that build up love and break down fear, leading to tangible progress, especially with young people. According to the Public Religion Research Institute, there is at least a 20-point gap between those ages 18 to 29 and those ages 65 and older on every public policy measure in the survey concerning equality for gay and lesbian people, with younger Americans gravitating toward equality. Even Christian-identified young people increasingly support protections for lesbian and gay people, the same survey found. Those who oppose equality can call it what they like, but the reality is that we are living in a society that has learned how to value LGBT people as they would others. That attitude doesn’t rely on fear or lies, but on caring relationships and trust. It lives out the apostle Paul’s wish for the Corinthians that someday we will know fully, even as we are fully known. It is a biblically informed reality that is helping to make the world a better place. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ross Murray. soundoff (2,403 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Sorry. Still dont like BLT's.
They are ok with a little bit of mayo.
and some really fresh tomato on multigrain bread. Yum.
It's all in the bread.
Try 'em with Russian dressing instead of mayo. And use fresh lettuce & tomatos, with thick sliced bacon on toasted multi-grain bread.
"Try 'em with Russian dressing instead of mayo. And use fresh lettuce & tomatos, with thick sliced bacon on toasted multi-grain bread."
Now your talking!!
With a big fat red jersey tomato!!
Also try pepper bacon for a new twist...
Perhaps a nice MLT — mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean.
I love Princess Bride! 🙂
I love when atheists / unbelievers use science as their reason for not believing in God. If science is so great, why can meteorologists accurately predict the weather less than 30% of the time? And...gotta love this one...why do "proven" scientific methods show that the age of rocks FORMED DURING the 1980 Mount Saint Helens' volcano eruption as being "BILLIONS" of years old rather than 31 years old as we KNOW them to be? Ah, how science proves everything....what a joke.
It's funny how Christians used to burn people at the stake for believing the FACT that the earth revolves around the sun. How many hundred years did it take science to convince the church.
"If science is so great, why can meteorologists accurately predict the weather less than 30% of the time?"
Because weather is a chaotic process. You need to take a refresher course in chaos mathematics and dynamical systems.
"...why do "proven" scientific methods show that the age of rocks FORMED DURING the 1980 Mount Saint Helens' volcano eruption as being "BILLIONS" of years old rather than 31 years old as we KNOW them to be?"
What methods are you talking about? Got any references to cite for your assertion, or are you just making this up as you go?
That's the trouble with you Creationists posting your ignorance to the world: you aren't ashamed of yourselves and you should be.
How accurately did "god" predict the weather today? I didn't hear him on this mornings news telling us just how much rain he was going to send with a wave of his magic wand. Don't you think that if he was really there... he would've said something by now? What a joke!
Matt,
"If science is so great, why can meteorologists accurately predict the weather less than 30% of the time?"
More proof that 61.72% of all statistics are JUST MADE UP.
Matt, the components of those rocks are billions of years old. The magma/lava that formed those rocks are simply melted rocks, and the age of that material doesn't change regardless of it's being melted or not. Think man, think!
What's the difference between believing that God exist and believing that God holds you down so you don't fly off into space instead of gravity being the force that does that?
Just so nobody is confused. That bit about the dating of rocks from Mt. Saint Helens is a lie. that never happened.
Matt, if the bible is your guide for statistics, science and predictions, well, something's wrong. Oct 21 was supposed to be another rapture day according to the bible, some say, oh shucks. Didn't work. Ehhhhr were did you get the figure 61.72% of all statistics???? Should you believe statistics to prove that statistics is inaccurate??? LoL. One thing's for sure:
You, my friend, are no brain giant. No need for statistics there. You made it clear to all of us.
Not true @DenverGirl....http://www.straight-talk.net/evolution/sthelens.htm
Such ignorance, what a shame. Science and religion are not irreconcilable, which is why so many scientists, including Galileo, Descartes, Pascal, Kelvin, Darwin, Mendel and Newton, to name a few, were strongly religious. However, they didn't park their brains when they picked up a bible or walked into a church. Your comments about the weather and Mount St. Helen are so spectacularly ridiculous that they remind me of the Inquisition. Please try to make some semblance of a sensible response in these posts.
Matt,
Try reading something other than biased creationist web sites regarding that Mt. St. Helens rock dating experiment.
http://www.noanswersingenesis.org.au/mt_st_helens_dacite_kh.htm
Um, @Smiles...that has to be the dumbest comment on the board thus far. Because someone (Harold Camping) states that the Bible says something, doesn't mean the Bible says that. That guy was a false prophet, and no Bible-believing Christian would ever agree with him. Matt's comment is legit, and you did nothing to invalidate his points other than making up some stupid statistic. And, @GodSpeed...read the article I just posted. It's obvious you are as ignorant as your post suggests.
@Matt – you failed high school science, didn't you.
"What's the difference between believing that God exist and believing that God holds you down so you don't fly off into space instead of gravity being the force that does that?"
There is no such thing as gravity. It is intelligent falling. The hand of god forces you down. Except for Chuck Norris. He can float because he is stronger than god.
Matt there you go trying to make sense with people who hate God. But you have accurate points.
"Matt there you go trying to make sense with people who hate God"
You can't hate something that isn't there, that's just stupid.
you don't use electricity do you? luddite
You have got to be kidding me?
Yes, they are kidding you.
Only a fool believes he can speak on behalf of the almighty.......accept all people in life, and let God decide his intentions in death.
ONLY the Enema Bandit can speak on behalf of the almighty. It is HE and HE alone who understands how full of sh-it the bloggers are and only HE knoweth the remedy! A little enema.
Yes and don't forget Jesus too... oh yea an He said that if you look with lust then you've committed adultery. Then guilty of sin and judgement. But I did say that He did I'm just mentioning it...but of course you have no problem if you've never looked with lust then your ok but then there is lying and stealing and...
Romans 1:24-32? .....or maybe we should just throw that out of the Bible since our society does'nt approve...Oh wait...then I'd just be serving my own selfish desires... Oh well I always wanted to be God....Not! Love the sinner....hate the sin!
Selective use of the Bible is a regular habit of xtians. Or don't you support slavery Paul?
St Paul spoke of pagan activities where there was no committed relationships or love or partnership.
Geoz – Perhaps you are simply justifying your potlically correct edits.
Anglican – Really? The text does'nt seem to read that way.
@Paul,
How do you justify wearing mixed textiles? Or do you just throw that commandment out of the bible?
"They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator"
You moron you must have skipped this part when talking about gay christians the rest of the scriptures do apply since they do worship god and not other created things. Oh...that's right you're one of those fundamentalist that twist things to justify your personal prejudices
Ring Ring Ring
Hello?
Hi, is this christians?
Yes, this is christians, how can I help you?
Oh hi, this is the dark ages, we'd like our myth back.
....and our blood letting and perhaps a little enema....
Insightful. Not.
Using "not" and the end of claim is really over now. Language, trends and biology all evolve so catch up or go extinct.
This is more clever than comprehensible. And it's not really very clever. Also your grammar sucks. Oh, and you suck. Oh, and you're ugly.
We are all, ALL created by God in His image. All are members of the same family. Peace is intended to all.
If we are all made in God's image what set of genitalia does God sport, male, female, or somewhere in between?
Another fine candidate that is full of sh-it. Make an appointment and let me know if you want soap.
We are created in God's image? So god is part gay, part atheist, part murderer, part philanthropist, part drug addict, part NASCAR fan, part handicapped?
That's really an absurd concept, Anglican.
Fraud. So you say. God is not the image of man. You got it backwards.
"part NASCAR fan"
I can just hear god now....TURN LEFT!!!!!
No, Anglican, he got it correctly. When you assert that god made us in his image, as a reflection of himself, then that means god must be all of those things, since we are. Or, maybe you meant to say that man created god in HIS image...that sounds more like it!
Anglican, you are very correct! The King James Version of the Holy Bible reads "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he him;" That is from GENESIS 1:27. Anyone got a problem with that, take it up with God!
Respecting the person is not the same as respecting their actions. What this author is celebrating is that some people are choosing to ignore Christians authority (the scripture) and believe what they want to–while still calling themselves "christian". This neither respects Christianity, nor LGBT, nor honesty. Christians should respect all people, but not all activities regardless of orientation.
Christians are full of sh-it and need a visit from the Enema Bandit!
scieng, do you really think God is so small minded and petty as to care who you sleep with? Seriously think about, what difference could it possibly make to God if a person is gay or straight, it doesn't effect how or when or even why a person would believe and worship. Besides, God made them that way, if God wanted them different God could change them, since he didn't I have to believe God really don't care. So ask yourself why would anyone else care?
Yeah, but Christianity just just made up nonsense so everything you just said is nonsense.
The CNN bias comes through (as usual) in the second sentence. Yes there has been change. But only the liberal would consider that progress. Those that believe in scripture would consider this a setback. I'm not saying it's one or the other. But this so called 'journalist' is. Just the facts, please. We don't need your opinion. (Remember Journalism 101?)
@Bill
This is not journalism. It is a blog. It is based on OPINIONS. The section is called "OPINION" dumbas-s. Call when you are ready for your enema. You are clearly full of sh-it.
The "Beliefs" section of CNN *IS* all about Opinion, Bill. True, the gentleman writing this piece may not be a journalist by trade (I think that is implied in his intro). And by the way, if you see civil awareness as a "set back," Exactly what do you see as progress – a return to The Garden? Ain't gonna happen, William.
Not real Christians, only the fake liberal ones accept it that want to keep their membership up.
Root post is No True Scotsman fallacy
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/No_True_Scotsman
There is a huge difference in loving sinners, and "accepting" lifestyles!
Hom o se xuality is not a lifestyle moron. It is an orientation. Traveling, getting married, buying expensive things you cannot afford. Those are lifestyles. Se x ual orientation has nothing to do with lifestyle. You do realize that every time one of you nitwit fundies calls it a lifestyle, anyone with a shred of intelligence only hears "I am stupid" coming out of your trap.
The debate regarding the scriptures is on going. The case has been made that the fundamentalist interpretation is wrong based on the facts regarding sexual orientation as it's understood today. You have to remember the people who wrote the bible could have been just as prejudice as you.
@TiredODaCrap
You said, "There is a huge difference in loving sinners, and "accepting" lifestyles!"
So you are saying that we shouldn't accept the christian lifestyle? Considering that you have to intentionally stay ignorant to believe the bullshit put forth in the bible, being a christian is a lifestyle choice.
Since, by your own admission, we don't have to accept lifestyle choices, it is only logical that all christians from now on be excluded from marriage. Any preexisting christian marriage will have to be dissolved. Christians will no longer be allowed to openly serve in the armed forces. They will also no longer be allowed to teach. Private employers will be allowed to discriminate against anyone who professes to be christian.
If you choose that filthy lifestyle, I will still love you, but I won't accept it.
Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father except by me." Seems there's a lot of arguing here about who possesses the Truth but very little acknowledgement of Him. I wonder if those who purport to know so much really know Him. Always be prepared to give the reason for the hope that lies within you! Jesus is Lord. Enough said.
Paul,
What did Jesus say about gays?
What did Jesus say about heteros? Plenty and much of it was bad. Try reading the Bible more and maybe then you'll pick on the FAR FAR GREATER number of Christians who sin by remarrying. Till then, just pick and choose the sins you want to make an issue of.
Jesus isn't even A way anymore, if in fact he can be said ever to have been. The world has moved on and our understanding of it vastly exceeds his.
I am a Christian. Which means I follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught us to love everyone and we should not judge people as it is not our place to do so. That is what Christians are supposed to do. Anyone who does otherwise is not following the teachings of Christ. The old testament is the history and the new testament is describes how we should live our lives. So, it is not my place to judge where being gay is wrong or right. It is my place to accept everyone as Jesus would have. If "marriage" wasn't GOVERNMENT regulated then all people would have the same rights. It's the GOVERNMENT that prevents equal rights not Christians. If two people want to have a union they should be able to do so.
Unfortunantely, those who run government often do so based on their religious beleifs that certain things may be wrong...
"it's the GOVERNMENT that prevents equal rights not Christians"
No, it's the people who have been voting on blocking their civil rights and since 70% of the people are christian it is YOUR fault.
Unfortunately @EDT, that's not what Jesus said. Jesus DID say to judge when sin is taking place, but to do so after we have made sure we are in right standing with God (Jesus). This notion that we shouldn't judge is not scriptural. We are to confront sin; we are to call wrong behavior, wrong. We are to encourage others to follow Jesus, not our own selfish (sinful) desires. While I respect your feedback, I respectfully share with you that you are wrong.
Please read Romans specifically chapter 1, written by Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Mike and NT, Romans / Paul aren't Jesus last time I checked. Unless it's a direct quote from the Man himself, why do you follow it?
@Mike – so, who gets to say they are in 'right standing' with god? How do you make that distinction? Is that a personal pronouncement, or is there some sort of sign that tells you that you are the sanctimonious ass that you think you are?
"We are to confront sin; we are to call wrong behavior, wrong."
So Mike your prejudice and bigoted mind set is wrong, especially since the APA and the AMA have stated being gay is normal and not a choice.
Just after the verse "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." Do not judge, or you too will be judged. Then it says to take the log out of your eye which follows with don't cast your pearls before pigs... that sounds like a judgement call to me. It ends with the broad road and the narrow gate. Why because many are the ones who find it. What the broad road the easy road the person who gives in to what is wrong. Read your bible and see if it isn't so. Mat 7
All the Christians I know pretend to be GLBT friendly, but they say things like "hate the sin love the sinner", which is insulting and condescending. They still vote anti-GLBT and they still teach each other and children that its wrong to be Gay, Lesbian, Bi, or Transgendered.
I'm gay and it is but so is all the other stuff everyone else is doing.
IF YOU DON'T STAND UP FOR SOMETHING YOU'LL FALL FOR ANYTHING
Stand up for civil rights part of the foundation of this country.
If you'll fall for fairy tales about magic snakes you'll fall for anything, too.
Sao – please, sit back down!
"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”
Then, as your personal choice, don't live in it. But that does not mean you force others to your way of thinking. That is sinful (as well as un-democratic).
David, you completely missed the point being made.
Well, maybe if it made sense, we'd understand WTH you were trying to say...
I love how we Christians are supposedly forcing our view on people when it is the gay activists who want to change the definition of marriage as we all know it.
Frankly, what I find most disturbing and sad about this article is the fact that the concept of accepting your fellow citizens is even up for debate and discussion in churches. Acceptance and love should be the NORM and a REQUIREMENT to claim any spiritual belief, and the fact that "loving thy neighbor" is, in 2011, STILL radical in some churches is pathetic.
The issue is that you're not aloud to make claims about what is or is not ethical.
The church, or ANYONE for that matter, has right to make a claim that something isn't virtuous... but this is different than hatred. This article uses polarizing language... the fact that there is no middle ground is what's so obnoxious. You can disagree with something without hating it. This pluralizing movement is really dangerous to freedom of thought in general.
Just as active wars suddenly convince the military to stop kicking out gay people, the recession has found churches wanting the disposable income that many gay households have. We aren't wanted until we are needed.
You're allowed... but not aloud!! 😉
LANCE:
I understand what you are trying to say, but the article's "polarizing language" is not the problem. The problem is that many churches go way beyond teaching what is "virtuous" and "ethical." Being in the LGBT community, the hatred emanating from some organized religions and leaders is palpable, and this hatred is fed to followers in the churches (including children), who then bully (and even kill in extreme cases) their fellow citizens. When hate, bullying and even murder are products of what one is taught in a church, we have a SERIOUS problem.
"My right to swing my fists ends where your nose begins" - Oliver Holmes
Like it or not, judgmental Christian, real Christians are starting to come around to learning to live, let live, and love. The very cornerstone of the teachings of Jesus. I am happy to see more faith-based believers are accepting their fellow men and women for who they are.
Great. Do these "faith-based believers" also believe in the "end times" and the persecution and death of all nonbelievers? Then they can all kiss my a s s and go to h e l l. If it was ONLY about jebus and going to heaven, then believe away. But once you include the death of the nondelusional folks, then your faith is a problem.
Here in New Hampshire we are able to do that. However, a small vocal supposedly x-tian group in the legislature is trying to turn back the clock. It is ridiculous what passes for knowing gods will. These legislators have a x-ianatiy as reliable as Harold Camping's, who said the world would probably end on Friday of last week.
Religion = Delusion
Coexistence is Futile
maybe it's you who is delusional. you wouldn't know it if you were.
But here's what I don't understand. Okay, so the "natural" way to keep human survival going is for men and women to procreate. That is true, and the small percentage of people who are LGBT are in no way keeping children from being born. If your logic were to hold true (that being gay is a sin b/c "normal" people are on earth to procreate, and gay people don't), then does that mean Nuns and Priests are sinners? Does that mean married couples with no children are sinners? Does that mean women who cannot have children are sinners? Your argument doesn't make any sense at all. And as a gay man, I resent the implication that I am somehow a societal illness on par with drug abuse and alcoholism. Who I love and go to bed with does not impact your life in the least (unless you allow it to).
AMEN! You said it all!
Hear hear!!!!
Amen. The world's population is growing fast, even with LGBTs. LGBTs are no inherent threat to human procreation, no inherent threat to religion, no inherent threat to society. And what does a church care if someone gets a _civil_ marriage? In the early days, the church did not care about civil marriages, and did not make marriage a sacrament since Jesus taught there is no marriage in heaven.
Actually, the world needs a lot less population growth, and it needs it now. We are already at a critical point of resource depletion: major fisheries like salmon and sharks have been dangerously depleted. The inevitable carbon emissions caused by (or for the sake of) each person is becoming dangerously high. Malthus is going to be proven right in the near future.
Go forth and procreate is becoming very bad advice. I don't see God bipping in and saying "Hey, we need to change strategies now."
If you really want to know:
1 Corinthians 7
That whole "be fruitful and multiply" thing was written when there wasn't a whole lot of people on earth. People who have litters and litters of kids based on that verse are just plain retarded.
Paul,
Corinthians (11:6) also says “For if a woman does not cover her head (while praying), let her also have her hair cut off”.
So what is your point?
The "flaw" here is that you are applying logic. 🙂
REPLYING TO PAUL: 1 Corinthians 7 commands: "Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion."
Crazy logic the Bible has at times: One minute people are commanded to procreate and "multiply," and in the next minute they are told to stay unmarried and remain virgins?? And this book of contradictions is considered a moral guide to life??? Now I see why so many Christians are so confused.