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 Anderson Cooper's coming out provoked the author to send a tweet that triggered some strong reaction.
July 5th, 2012
01:11 PM ET
My Take: Will there be gays in heaven? Will there be fat people?Editor's Note: Craig Gross is the pastor and founder of XXXchurch.com and is the author of seven books. He just turned 36 and is no longer a hip 20-something pastor from California. By Craig Gross, Special to CNN After Anderson Cooper came out this week, I posted a link on Twitter to a story that included this quote from Cooper: “I love and am loved.” As I said in my tweet, Cooper is one of my favorite journalists. I was honored to once be on his show. After I tweeted I got e-mails and a direct message asking the same question: "You still like him now?" I was saddened by that reaction and started thinking: What would happen if we read the Bible and, instead of highlighting certain passages, we took it all for what it is - truth. In 1 Corinthians, the Bible says don't indulge your body with food or sex: “‘Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food,’ and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” My Take: The Christian case for gay marriage I deal with people who indulge their bodies with sex. I’ve done it for 10 years with XXXchurch.com, helping people caught up in porn addiction. If you indulge your body with sex via pornography, affairs, strippers or hookers, and your secrets are exposed, you will not be preaching on Sunday. Sexual sin is not tolerated in our churches. If clergy are caught in these things, they’re disqualified. What if you indulge your body with food? Well, then you can pastor some of the largest churches on the planet and have the most successful broadcasts on the religious channels and sell a lot of books. CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories Same biblical passage, same sin. Why is one accepted and one rejected? Why is it that religious folks want to camp out on a few things rather then all things? Why do they believe that the gay guy goes to hell but the fat preacher who builds some of the largest churches in the world makes it to heaven? I have no problem bringing my fat friends to church; they fit right in. Our Los Angeles church has doughnuts to eat during worship service, which makes the hymns we sing sound so much better. My Take: Why many Christians focus on homosexuality I coached my son's soccer team last year. My assistant coach is a lesbian. My son became great friends with her son, and my wife and I have become good friends with his mom and her partner. We played on three teams this year with them and have spent time in each others’ homes. Could I bring them to church? Absolutely not. Most evangelical Christians don't have gay friends. We just have gay stereotypes and we base our beliefs on a few biblical passages, ignoring passages about things that people in the church really struggle with, like food and other addictions. The problem is that the church has only one answer for homosexuality: Don't be gay. Come as you are, but you'd better not be gay. But you can be fat. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter Most Christians believe you should just help your friends to not be gay when, in all honesty, only Christ can do that. I love my lesbian friends. Let’s say I share Christ with them and they accept Jesus - or maybe they already have. Where do they go to church? There is no way I would send them to an evangelical church, because not everyone would treat them the way they should be treated. But if they attend a gay church many Christians look at them as crazy. People will push you to take a stand one way or the other on homosexuality, but no one has ever asked me to take a stand when it comes to fat people. The goal shouldn’t be to change anyone's sexuality. Ultimately, I believe homosexuality gets blown way out of proportion in our churches. If we would all see gays as fellow sinners instead of “others,” there wouldn't be a need for gay outreach, because they would already be incorporated into our community based on a shared need for Christ. God loves gays and Jesus is for them. God loves the fat preacher. Homosexual activity and overeating are both sins - just like speeding, gossip, lying and cheating. I think I did all of those just today. All are forgivable in Christ and, with the leading of the Holy Spirit, can be changed. Just remember that change does not happen overnight. Have you ever seen someone lose 100 pounds overnight? The process takes time. When it comes to the Lord, it’s nothing less than a journey of sanctification. And wherever you are at on that journey, I think there should be a place for you at church. Because there’s probably one in heaven. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Craig Gross. |
  About this blog
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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The scientific evidence of the genetic cause of human $exuality – and that is all human $exuality – ho.mo$exuality, hetero$exuality, bi$exuality, and transgenderism is overwhelming, and obvious to any person with a modicu.m of knowledge or common sense. Indeed, I don’t see how it could possibly be any other way.
Science has long regarded $exual orientation – and that's all $exual orientations including the most common, hetero$exuality– as a phenotype. Simply put, a phenotype is an observable set of properties that varies among individuals and is directly dependent on that individual’s genes. For the scientific community, the role of genetics in $exuality is about as "disputable" as the role of evolution in biology or the role of sugar in sweetening coffee.
Don’t confuse this, however, with the so called “gay gene”. No gay gene has been found, and it's highly unlikely that one ever will. This is where conservative Christians and Muslims quickly say "See, I told you so! There's no gay gene, so being gay is a choice!" But that's not at all what it means. No "tall gene" will ever be found, but that does not make height a choice or not heavily influenced by genes.
Many genes working in sync contribute to the phenotype and therefore have a role in $exual orientation. So do hormonal influences, contributed especially during the early stages of fetal development. Just like no one gene makes a person “tall” or “strong”, no one gene makes a person gay.
Indeed, it is because so many genes express themselves in human $exuality that human $exuality is, in a sense, a continuum, with the vast majority of people hetero$exual, but individuals exhibiting increasing levels of ho.mo$exuality as one moves along an axis, through straight people who have gay fantasies, straight people who “experiment” once or twice, through bi$exuality to full blown ho.mo$exuality.
Indeed, it could not possibly be any other way, given how genes work in combination with each other and with hormones. The odd thing is, no evangelical or conservative Christian would blink at the idea that gender or hetero$exuality is heavily genetic. They just hate the fact that recognizing the same as being true for gay folk undermines their ability visit moral turpitude upon gays.
So, whatever else you want to think about ho.mo$exuality and your position on it; two truths remain; (i) human $exuality, including ho.mo$exuality is genetic; and (ii) there is no single “gay gene.”
I doubt this will change many conservative or evangelical Christians’ minds though, given that they have hardly demonstrated themselves as capable of learning facts inconsistent with their faith. However, to the extent one's view is inconsistent with the above, it is factually misguided, whatever their value judgment on the matter might be
But this begs the obvious question
What is it's genetic purpose?
Why hasn't it been eliminated by natural selection? Be it one, or a thousand gene combination, the reproductive advantage goes to the hetros
I have always suspected that "forced reproduction" and its prevalence in our history has protected it.
When ones partner is unwilling, their orientation is irrelevant
WD – Once again, there is no single gay gene to be selected against. Even with the phenotype, perhaps there is a "trade off involved" in that the same underlying genetic sub-scripts serve other purposes, or perhaps the sheer numbers of gene-hormonal permutations mean it will always manifest itself due to pure statistics. Also many, many gay people have and willl continue to breed.
I note that impotence (the ultimate genetic dead end) is still a common phenotype.
@Will
Actually their is some evidence that hom.os.exual behavior is partially a response to environmental pressures, particularly overcrowding.
"genetic purpose"?
Not every trait is, nor needs to be, a survival or beneficial trait. In fact, many traits aren't beneficial, e.g. appendix, wisdom teeth, Autism, all host of genetic disease, etc., etc.
The sum total of a population's traits need to allow for more survival than near compet.itors, that's it.
Evolutionary theory handles hmosexuality nicely. In times of population stressors (lack of food, ecological challenges, etc.) the rate of males in a species born gay increases. This reduces popluation load. Other parts of the equation are that gay individuals contribute to the well being of the group without increasing the population.
Collin, I am surprised you claim we know much about it at all, but for watever it's worth I suspect it may be viral and not solely genetic.
But it is really ironic that none address my premise.
Forced reproduction makes orientation meaningless.
Gays being forced by hetros in child bearing has served to keep the gene around.
"some evidence that hom.os.exual behavior is partially a response to environmental pressures, particularly overcrowding."
Would this not be the case in certain countries where gendercide exists?
WD – I've never heard the viral hypothosis before. Not that that means much, but it is a novel view I have never heard mentioned. Seems counter-intuitive.
I did, in fact, address your point. I said "Also many, many gay people have and willl continue to breed". This would include coerced reproduction. That said, I find it hard to believe forced reproduction is a large contributor. .
There is no gay gene. All this was refuted from those that were pressured by the gay activist groups to say there was such a thing as the gay gene. People who call themselves gay, do so willingly.
There's no left handed gene either as far as we know, so does that mean that people choose whether they are right or left handed?
Colin
Plus many many choose to breed is at best inaccurate.
Bases on economic factors, we are almost at a point where half of hetro woman never breed.
To me it's strange that supporting individual rights as I do, I do seem to get what I believe is propoganda from people I normally don't see it from.
This is a puzzle, it is NOT as simple as many claim it is
William, again there is no single gene.
And instead of a viral component – there is a maternal immune hypothesis. We know that the odds of a male being born gay go up in relation to the previous number of male live births the mother has. This holds for human animals as well.
"All this was refuted from those that were pressured by the gay activist groups to say there was such a thing as the gay gene. People who call themselves gay, do so willingly."
The experts disagree with you. Heterosexual behavior and homosexual behavior are normal aspects of human sexuality. Despite the persistence of stereotypes that portray lesbian, gay, and bisexual people as disturbed, several decades of research and clinical experience have led all mainstream medical and mental health organizations in this country to conclude that these orientations represent normal forms of human experience. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Counseling Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American School Counselor Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the National Association of SocialWorkers, together representing more than 480,000 mental health professionals, have all taken the position that homosexuality is not a mental disorder and thus is not something that needs to or can be “cured."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHDCAllQgS0
@Colin & others I'm not going to argue your claim that orientation is genetic because I think there is some truth to it, however, I have questions about the evolutionary shift to growing numbers of LGBTs. Evolution is geographical, we understand. Why is it that the geographically overpopulated areas aren't experiencing a growth in LGBTs proportionate to population growth (China, India, Africa) but first world nations are?
There are amphibians that can change gender in order to breed. That change can only be triggered from the environment. So why can't overpopulation cause a person to engage in behavior to attempt to curb reproduction?
@test,
"Evolutionary theory handles hmose[.]xuality nicely. In times of population stressors (lack of food, ecological challenges, etc.) the rate of males in a species born gay increases."
I would be interested to read the evidence for this, if you have it. While I think evolution does account for ho.mose.xuality, I'm not aware of any data supporting strictly population stressors as the cause; a suspect factor perhaps, but not the cause.
@William Demuth,
While I think the current view is that genetics is (are?) a factor, I don't think it is the entire determinant in orientation. I think in utero hormone levels has been proposed as a large factor as well, which might not necessarily require your "forced procreation". In other words, the idea proposed by a preacher in anther Belief Blog article of, 'fence them in and they'll die out' wouldn't really work.
You are looking for genetics to find the answer, but you are not taking into account the epi-genome.
Think of it this way. The genes are the instruction manual, and the epi-genome says what instructions are followed and when. The genes are not effected by environmental factors, but the epi-genome absolutley is.
If for example, you grow up during a famine (the Irish potato famine for instance), your body would grow but be missing certain elements and compounds needed for full development. The epi-genome would keep certain characteristics turned off (not tell the gene it is time to act). This can have an effect on generations after the initial cause. (as studies are proving now.) the genes were unaffected, the epi-genes are greatly affected.
As for the viral theory, prenatal infection has begun to be indicated in the development of behavioral abnormalities and structural differences in the prefrontal cortex. Extrapolating that out to this debate is reasonable.
I can provide links to the research if you have interest.
@William Demuth,
"I can provide links to the research if you have interest."
Yes, please. Thanks.
Collin
Based on a quick estimate of the "generations" of man (10,000 since H-Sapiens) and estimates that one in five are assaulties, it seems likely that your (or my) genetic lineage includes at least several hundred conceptions that occur as a byproduct of assault.
Me
Here is an NIH one
www .ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22238080
I had to include spaces to get it to post, so free type it
@ Jim. I don't think we are experiencing an increase in gay folks in the US or other 1st world countries. I think the proportionis the same as in the past. But what we see is more folks coming out and not hiding their orientation.
A couple thoughts on why you don't see increases in gay populations in 2nd and 3rd world countries – In many of them, if you are gay, they kill you. If they suspect you're gay, they kill you. If they think you efven look like you dress different, they kill you.
Prime
You nailed it.
Thats why I am concerned if a specific link is found that is testable inutero, they will be aborted out of the gene pool
It is impossible to determine if the rate is increasing or decreasing. We do not know how many have been born,there are no tests that can be performed. According to the president of Iran, they don't have the problem in their country. Look even in this country, people are afraid of "coming out" due to the repercussions and stigma attached.
We will never know.
I do have one test though.
I can tell if a woman is gay by looking at her tongue. If I see her tongue in another womans privates, odds are.....
@William Demuth,
Thanks for the link, it seems to be very interesting to the Autism and HDAD folks.
I only read the abstract so far, but it seems to be talking about, as you pointed out, "behavioral abnormalities and structural differences in the prefrontal cortex."
Now associating ho.mose.xuality with "behavioral abnormalities" seems to be a stretch and I would think that any correlation between gay orientation and "maldevelopment of prefrontal cortical and ventral striatal dopamine systems" would be well docu.mented by now. So I would have to disagree that, "Extrapolating that out to this debate is reasonable," as ho.mose.xuality doesn't display either of these conditions.
@Primewonk That explanation has crossed my mind however it still doesnt satisfy the question. Who Invited Me pointed out that it's impossible to determine increases or decreases. However, if the argument is made that alternative orientation is nature's response to overpopulation, then 1) we'd need to see results from that, and 2) those results would point to either an increase or decrease. If there is an increase the results would show a slow or decline in population. If there was a decrease population would grow as a result. At the very least celibacy (by choice or not) would result in less reproduction. I'm curious what an examination of nature's response to overpopulation in history would reveal. Or even in other species.
ME II
I agree. I merely offered it as a link to the concept that viral infections DEEPLY impact fetal growth.
The assumption that oreientation is set at conception seems QUITE limited. If a virus caught by a mother can cause Paranod madness in adults, it is NOT unreasonable to question if other viruses may be at play.
Truth is I suspect within 30 years or so Virus shall explain away cancer, and many other burdens on mankind
Scientist have recently determined that your genetic makeup can't make you bend over and grab your ankles if you don't want to.
How dare you come into the belief blog and actually make sense! I'm outraged!
sarcasm of course; but I'm getting ready to read on and see how many of the god squad goons send you directly to hell – because god loves you.
As I looked back at the footprints in the sand, I saw that there were always two sets.
Jesus turned to me and said "I can't carry your tubby @$$ during your times of trial and suffering unless you lay off the deep fried communion wafers."
or
As I looked back at the footprints in the sand, I saw that there were always two sets behind mine.
Jesus turned to me and said "I will tap your @$$ during your times of trial and suffering. Don't cry, that only makes it hurt more."
Have you heard the good news?
I love you
Could you imagine on of those days when Jesus was walking round healing people. He came across someone pleading to be healed but Jesus turns and says "I can not heal you right now because your HMO has a defined procedure for emergency treatment outside its coverage area."
What this pastor, and most theists fail to understand is that gay folks are born gay. It is no more wrong, or immoral, or a sin, than being born left-handed or black.
This is simply just one more thing (in a long list of things), that the scientifically ignorant nomadic bronze-age shepherds who wrote the bible got completely wrong.
"A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left."
– Ecclesiastes 10:2
"The right hand of the lord doeth valiantly, the right hand of the lord is exalted."
– Psalm 118 vv15,16
I don't think God likes those sinister Lefties. After all, they have a choice not to act on their southpaw instincts.
So wait....according to the mormons it is a sin to be born black...now wait I'm confused....what about a black man who is gay...is that a double-negative and the two cancel out and he's OK?
My brain hurts....
Psalm 118 vv15,16
"The right hand of the lord strokes valiantly back and forth, the right hand is smooth. He who c u mm ith first will be exalted"
Fake HeavenSent
The real one is pathetic enough
@Who invited me?,
As long as they don't 'act' black or gay, apparently, they should be fine? ; )
All those professionals were pressured by the gay activists groups to claim they found a gay gene. No such gene exists. People who engage in h.o.m.o.s.e.x.u.a.l lifestyles do so, willingly.
@Robert
Must be the same cabal that's got all those thousands of scientists from various fields of study falsfiying the results of tens of thousands of experiments that prove the validity of the Theory of Evolution.
It's the Gay Monkeys! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!
"People who engage in h.o.m.o.s.e.x.u.a.l lifestyles do so, willingly."
Being gay is not a choice. Heterosexual behavior and homosexual behavior are normal aspects of human sexuality. Despite the persistence of stereotypes that portray lesbian, gay, and bisexual people as disturbed, several decades of research and clinical experience have led all mainstream medical and mental health organizations in this country to conclude that these orientations represent normal forms of human experience. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Counseling Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American School Counselor Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the National Association of SocialWorkers, together representing more than 480,000 mental health professionals, have all taken the position that homosexuality is not a mental disorder and thus is not something that needs to or can be “cured."
@Doc Vestibule,
... DAMN YOU, YOU DIRTY APE! (C. Heston)
Free will, and the use or misuse thereof, is at the heart of the doctrine on sin. The good nuns tought us that in order for one to sin:
1) the subject must be serious
2) the person must have sufficient time for reflection.
3) the person must give the matter full consent of the will.
I doubt any person chooses his orientation, so condition 3) is not met. I'd expect to see gay people in heaven.
That logic leads to Pedo's in heaven
On the altar is bad enough
@William Demuth,
As you've probably been told before, gay does not equal pedophilia.
Strictly by numbers there are far more straight pedophiles than gay, i.e. if the the population is only ~10% gay, then the proportional number of hetero pedophiles is around 10X the number of gay pedophiles. (very loosely: 10% x 10 ~ 100%)
Wh is claiming I have?
The point is your "drives" are either controlable, or not.
If they are, then your actions determine admission. If they are NOT then everyone deserves a ticket.
Sorry, perhaps I misunderstood your point.
Hello folks. Everyone is invited to visit – thestarofkaduri.com
Got Cult?
!
The whole Anderson is Gay thing is like restating the obvious.
Is there ANYONE who didn't know?
But one AMAZING thing I learned was he is the son of Gloria Vanderbilt
How bizzare is that!
I didn't know. Never cared to know. Still don't care, now that I do know.
I'm almost as schocked as when Rosie came out of the closet.
Maybe he should talk with Ted Haggard about how to cure his gay.
I bet Marcus Bachmann would love to get his hands on Anderson.
Um, er, ah, never mind.
Doc: Or Michelle Bachman's husband.
I applaud the anti-hypocrisy spiel, even understand the weak analogy of fornication to gluttony, but comparing denial of orientation with weight-loss seems demeaning.
wow...how is this even a topic of discussion? the followers of anyone only hear what they want/wish/choose to and from there start to believe on their own terms not on what they were following in the first place...yet they claim to be devote followers!
conclusion:
reading is a skill not inherit to us all!
...nor is spelling...
I dunno if there will be gays or fat people in heaven because my god does not inhabit that particular realm. However, Thor does tell me that no fatties are allowed in Valhalla. No Xtians either. Thor makes sure the wimps stay out.
nah, thor just kills them early in the morning as a work out! the next day when they are back he gets mad and kills them faster – its his super abs of thor work out!
AYE, MIDGARDIAN, THIS IS SO. BIG BONED IS OK THOUGH.
I thought the only requirement to get into Valhalla was to die honorably in battle.
Thor, why don't you tell them where frost giants go when they die, huh?
NO, BROTHER, NOT THIS ARGUMENT AGAIN
Jesus: promised the end of wicked people,
Krishna: promised the end of wicked people,
Thor: promised the end of the ice giants.
I don't see any ice giants around...
now that is a solid point!
i concede that thor is the one true god!
Won't someone think of the children!!!!
What do you mean? Are you claiming that heavy folks can't be effective parents?
Because, if you're talking about gay parents, the research shows that their kids fare just well as the kids of straight folks.
Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember now thy Creator he is behind you, while he c u m m ith not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I take pleasure in you
Amen.
Dearest HeavenSent,
The words of the Lord Thy GOD should not be defiled by inserting a space. Get around the CNN filters by placing the html tags <b=</b= where you have a space. Thus, instead of typing c um, type c<b=</b=um and it will look like cum.
Should have been <b></b> not <b></b>
It should be pretty clear from my previous post that I like it from behind.
With a bag over my head.
So the Higgs boson sits down in church. All the people turn and stare. Finally the priest come down, and says "Higgs, what are you doing here. You must leave". The Higgs replies : "Sorry, without me, you cannot have mass".
Ha!
Awesome. I like the joke. +1
Nice joke!
meh
Did you hear about Heisenberg? His wife left him because whenever he had the time he didn't have the energy and whenever he had the position he didn't have the momentum.
Your jokes bad and you should feel bad! ^
On a serious note, bucky, upon your recomendation I read "A Universe from Nothing". Excellent read. Thanks for the recommendation.
Great post.
Headline from the business news, really...
Shhh...Vatican gets a report card on financial transparency, but it is secret.
you should just help your friends to not be gay when, in all honesty, only Christ can do that
------
Here we go, more being gay is a choice garbage. CNN must enjoy the web traffic statistics generated from these stories. My question: why would Christ "help people not be gay", when it was his father who made them that way to begin with?
I have been hanging around the CNN faith blog all this time hoping to find out Anderson's 6ual orientation. Apparently, he thought we all needed to know. But now that I know, what other meaning is there in life?
Well, Anderson, I'm still not gonna tell you my orientation.
@PrimeNumber
You said, "Well, Anderson, I'm still not gonna tell you my orientation."
No need. We all know. It's been pretty obvious for a while now. But don't worry, unlike some believers I know, we don't think any less of you.
@LinCa " But don't worry, unlike some believers I know, we don't think any less of you." I guess I don't get your meaning. But I'm a white, middle-aged, straight, male, catholic, extreme introvert. It's still okay to hate us. Fashionable even. No problem.
I thought you were going to spare us your orientation.
Hi, Tom. I was talking to Anderson. Were you eavesdropping?
I have been hanging around the CNN faith blog all this time hoping to find out [PrimeNumber's] 6ual orientation. Apparently, he thought we all needed to know. But now that I know, what other meaning is there in life?
It's a party line, not a private chat.
Ha, MEII. Apparently, PrimeNumber is under the delusion that Anderson wanted to know.
Tom, not sure people know what a party line is any more.
Probably not, ME. But I'll wager that PrimeNumber does.
And I should have written "under the illusion" not "delusion".
The only people I know who spend such an inordinate amount of time fixating on someone else's orientation are those who have issues with their own orientation.
THis is very satisfying. To make the simple comment I made and get THIS much mileage out of it.
I was shocked when Anderson Cooper came out. I thought he was already out, and that the fact he's gay was common knowledge.
He must have split with his bf and is trolling for a new one.
With his mother being Gloria Vanderbilt you would think everyone would have known...
But the more pressing question is: will gays get lumps of coal from Santa? Where's the My Take on that mythical, hypothetical question? Also, can someone tell me what Zeus would say about all of this? Such a lack of coverage on these pressing matters, CNN!!
Why bring me into this nonsense?
Because people should care what someone thinks you would think. And people should alter their behavior and thought process accordingly.
I think Zeus would be opposed to lumps of coal, as they tend to ignite when struck by lightening bolts.
Why are you people bugging my dad about this? I am the guy to talk to, after all, I came out as a bi6ual long before this christian heaven thing ever got off of the ground. I must admit though really fat woman are difficult to penetrate and fat guys look replusive (see the various statues of me as a reference as a model of one hell of a good looking guy).
@Dion,
"see the various statues of me as a reference as a model of one hell of a good looking guy"
Meh... probably just SculptorShopped.
to the author, you couldn't bring your lesbian friends to church? find a new church. all sinners are welcome at church or the pews would be empty...
Most church's I've been to only accept sinners who sin in the same way as everyone else – liars, adulterers, etc. But everyone needs someone else to look down upon ... except for the Unitarian Universalists. But they're a bunch of pansies anyway.
This is a very humorous point, since the author is the pastor of the church to which he refers, "Craig Gross is the pastor and founder of XX[.]Xchurch.com "
So, in other words, his gay friends aren't welcome at the church he himself founded and pastors.
The sheer hypocrisy is amazing!
Jesus was gay
A fifth grader's gaydar goes off when hears even half the stories!
So if you don't let Jeebus in, how is that gonna work?>
Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;
5 Also [when] they shall be afraid of [that which is] high, and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all [is] vanity.
9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.
10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and [that which was] written [was] upright, [even] words of truth.
11 The words of the wise [are] as goads, and as nails fastened [by] the masters of assemblies, [which] are given from one shepherd.
12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books [there is] no end; and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.
Amen.
HeavenSent
Matthew 16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to go down on him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: he shall not c u m on thee.
Amen.
Get lost phony heavensent (COUGH)
The "new" HeavenSent is much funnier...
Testing 1...2...3...
Happy Happy Joy Joy, Happy Happy Joy Joy...
Yeah, this second HeavenSent is cmtfu!
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Einstein 16:24 Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
Gould 1:15-16 Human consciousness arose but a minute before midnight on the geological clock. Yet we mayflies try to bend an ancient world to our purposes, ignorant perhaps of the messages buried in its long history. Let us hope that we are still in the early morning of our April day.
Bohr 2:11 Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it.
Szilard 88:16 I'm all in favor of the democratic principle that one idiot is as good as one genius, but I draw the line when someone takes the next step and concludes that two idiots are better than one genius.
Sagan 22:1 For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reàssuring.
Feynman 110:55 …it doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are - if it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong.
Hawking 41:61 A machine that was powerful enough to accelerate particles to the grand unification energy would have to be as big as the Solar System-and would be unlikely to be funded in the present economic climate.
Hippocrates 14:5 Science is the father of knowledge, but opinion breeds ignorance.
Galileo 12:16 It is surely harmful to souls to make it a heresy to believe what is proved
Carlyle 2:2 It is a mathematical fact that the casting of this pebble from my hand alters the centre of gravity of the universe.
Fermi 1:1 The weak nuclear force does not change over time.
Oliver Heaviside 62:3 Shall I refuse my dinner because I do not fully understand the process of digestion?
C. P. Snow 5:3 Innocence about Science is the worst crime today.
Paul Valéry 3:6 One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall.
A.C. Doyle 14:8 It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories instead of theories to suit facts.
Clark 19:17 Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Roddenberry 68:12 We must question the story logic of having an all-knowing all-powerful God, who creates faulty Humans, and then blames them for his own mistakes.
deGràsse Tyson 1:1 God is an ever receeding pocket of scientific ignorance.
"(COUGH)"
Something stuck in your throat?
@Primewonk,
Love the quotes.
Although, wouldn't Hippocrates had to have seen the future in order to use 'science' that way?
I (COUGH) due to the salty flavor in my mouth
Amen.
Primewonk,
Most of those are real good, you must be well read.
“Sagan 22:1 For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reàssuring. “
Maybe one day we will know what the universe really is and we can really grasp it.
“Roddenberry 68:12 We must question the story logic of having an all-knowing all-powerful God, who creates faulty Humans, and then blames them for his own mistakes.”
I am unaware of anything that would obey my every direction and never falter.
“deGràsse Tyson 1:1 God is an ever receeding pocket of scientific ignorance.”
I wonder how many human lifetimes will pass before we know anywhere near everything of his creation.
@ Robert – regarding the Roddenberry quote –
You are not omnipotent or omniscient. Your particular version of a god claims both. As such, he claims he created perfect humans. Yet these humans figured out how to sin. Your god should have seen this coming and not screwed up in creating us. It's his bad. Not ours.
Reblogged this on Ad Astra Per Aspera.
and...