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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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Will people that are sexually attracted to members of the same se be allowed in heaven?
Yes, if they, like the rest of us sinners, accept the atoning work of Jesus Christ.
Note: it is impossible for a sinner to comfortably remain in their sinful life if they are regenerated Christians. All of us sinners go through the wringer of conviction for our sinfulness. God doesnt want us to stay in our current state.
Smoke a lot of kush
What (rap.....did God personally tell you that.? Gimme a break you should not even try to preach such garbage...Who's God is right...God, Allah, Zeus, Poseidon, etc. there is no God, heaven or hell...try living your life instead of worrying what will happen when you die, cause maybe a switch just goes off...the end...
The reason you spend your time railing against Christians, is because the God of Abraham IS real.
More logic fail from the dishonest Chad.
Perhaps you'll be so good then as to explain why atheists spend all their time railing against the Judeo/Christian God, and NOT the other "gods"..
An astonishing lack of atheistic presence out there in the Muslim blog-o-sphere...
why?
http://www.muslimblog.net/
http://www.muslimyouthmusings.com/
http://creativemuslims.com/
and on, and on..
why?
@Chad!
To all you said, I say, Amen, Brother!
Heaven is one of the biggest myths ever perpetrated to keep people asleep and waste away their Lives in toil for some future reward. The reality is that heaven was here in this Life all along but we were distracted from accessing it...
RIGHT FU(KING ON !!!
One would think that fat people (not all) would have less of a chance to go to Heaven than gays if they are gluttonous. One can choose to be gluttonous, one cannot choose to be gay.
It's not as black and white as that. Eating excessively could have some major psychological reasons behind it, and blaming someone can only make it worse.
Not all who eat too much or exercise too little are necessarily gluttonous or slothful.
Is a restaraunt owner gulty of enticing people into gluttony for making portions too large for normal sustenance, to justify the price he wants to charge?
I eat a lot and I'm skinny
well thats ok with me about the other books but I only posted the scripture qoute because the the story starts with a scripture qoute from corinthians1 but isn't complete without the rest which is why i posted 1corinthians 6:9-11 to complete what the author started. Its not proper to use scripture in that matter, which is what religion does, I don't believe in religion. I'm just a man who reads the bible. I believe it to be the living word of god when used to find peace, whereas religion uses it as dead word of profits. I also don't believe it to be the final word for everyone! God manifests himself in other cultures with different methods. I don't consider myself christian either if you read the bible you would find that the church age ended when it was supposed to. in other words these days you're on your own. I respect your belief as I feel you respect mine thank you have a good night
@John,
was that meant as a reply to some other post? The context is very unclear.
A good night to you too.
Sad people always has to have some one or thing to look down upon/! Look up and live!
I honestly love people that think this way (am I am not kidding).
Funny thing about religion... everyone's god is the best! I simply like my beer.
I too have reached a state of beervana.
I like kush
These so called "pastors" are so F'ing stoopid.
A priest behind bars changes things.
I just spit my beer over the screen! Well played! (:
Very funny
Prayer changes things .
Obviously it makes people repeat themselves over and over ad nauseum. Is this the point where we say "nothing fails like prayer?"
Prayer successful communication with God since the dawn of time. God bless
Sad
Two wonderful Truths, first atheism is completely useless and second God has been made available to talk to. God bless ... third Truth added, no extra charge.
@just sayin
Once again you show your complete lack of intelligent discourse. Keep making your random assertions, all it does is show how little you actually have to say.
Pray tell, how "other " living things, hmmm, pray?
Truths that cannot be refuted ! God bless
@just sayin
Yup just keeping making asinine assertions. At the very least it gives me a valid reason to laugh at your stupidity. Continue to show how stupid you are just sayin.
Other living things are harmed by atheism, Try actually reading the statement with a measure of comprehension hmmmmm job. Other living things keep their first estate. God bless
And yet you do not offer any argument to the Truths posted. God bless
Oh yea preach it just sayin. Make as little sense as possible, it makes you sound more convincing. Oh the humor is endless with you just sayin.
@just sayin, When was the "dawn of time" again?
Pray tell, how "other " living things, hmmm, pray?
They surrender and follow the Sun/Light as we should be too..
Wispering in to a hair brush changes stuff.
Oh really ??? He helped my neighbor find her cell phone and ignored my dying son...
@just saying....How does Atheism hurt ANYTHING..I'm Atheist and I help the homeless, rescue abused animals and belong to the Arbor foundation. Name ONE incident where an Atheist committed a crime or killed because someone would not stop believing....You Jack Rabbit....EDUCATE YOURSELF..
just sayin is a liar. just lyin all the time.
WifeSwap on ABC is Casting families with Strong Beliefs on gays
patrice.starnes@zodiakusa.com or 4242144641
@Patrice,
so you want to do an episode where a lesbian couple does a wife swap with a holy roller couple?
Have fun with that.
No one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.
just sayin lies about other people on a thread about belief. just sayin accused me of stealing a name and then proceeded to lie about the first lie, claiming that it happened in another thread.
If you will lie about others, just sayin, you will lie about God. Why should anyone believe a word you say when you do nothing but lie?
I doubt your God will look kindly on your bearing false witness against someone else.
You're a liar.
Got caught being yourself Tom Tom a sniveling thief and coward. AWwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Hit too close to home, did I, troll?
Nope ... got caught being the person you really are. No amount of your sniveling will hide the fact you outed yourself ... twice. Laughing at you not with you. Great entertainment watching you cuss yourself blue.
Tom, Tom
Your not a thief, just a fuc*ktard
Right back at ya, dumbfvck. Except you're too stupid to understand how to use apostrophes.
@mary mary ....
quite contrary!
How does your trolling go?
Tom Tom got itself busted twice in the same evening stealing others names. Shame on you Tom Tom
And you're unable to come up with your own funny, honey? What's the matter? Did I hit a nerve?
I'm not the one making a fuss, that distinction falls to the guilty ...YOU ...Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww
No, the distinction falls to the one who claims to tell the truth, who claims it's saved by the holy spirit, but lies about others. just sayin is a liar. Why should anyone believe what it says is God's truth?
Boo hoo, oh no wait........
It was the pig THIEF who went crying the whole way home.
Trolling is so must fun.
We've all known about Tom Toms thievery for some time now. The ass hole is so obvious. You got busted get over it.
Hey!The schoolyard's thatta way>>>
Didn't the discovery of the Higgs boson just render this whole conversation meaningless. We need to move on past religion and simply enjoy life while we can with the people we love. Every other conversation is pointless.
@Speak the Truth,
I can't say I understand what the Higgs Boson particle has to do with this, but I would agree that enjoying life with your loved ones is a good thing.
The cut for what? what are you taking about? this is news? a place on the sky where you live forever?
How moronic can people be to really even bother reading trash like this. Shame CNN
You do realize that CNN has this filed under their BELIEF BLOG tab, right PROFESSOR? The fact that there is such a BELIEF BLOG is pretty curious to begin with, but if you're going to have one, it's stuff like this that belongs there.
I'm OK with gay people going to heaven because they can't help their gayness. But fat people should go to heII because they are in total control of their fatness and they smell and are all-around nuisances.
Wow, judgemental much?
Another christian with an opinion.Stay classy pal !
My friend has been HUGE for several months because of her cancer treatments, shall we judge her repulsive? You have the morals and intelligent of a Christian....good luck with that.
Make NO mistake folks – I'm not a christian and I resent you putting such slanderous slurs out there about such things.
This topic seems to have pulled in a lot more holy rollers than usual.
Anything about gays gets all their knickers in a twist.
@Tom,
has "Unknown" figured out the difference between belief and non-belief yet?
Oh, he has yet to figure out how to use scissors.
Considering that h*ll will be populated by people like the Dalai Lama, Gandhi, George Carlin and the billion+ people who have lived and died without ever even hearing the NAME Jesus Christ, and Heaven will be populated by people like Jerry Falwell, George W. Bush, and the throngs of cretins who claim moral superiority based on a contradictory and, quite frankly, fascist faith, I would say that God’s plan stinks. Given the option, I will take my chances in h*ll, thank you.
That was a good comment. Liked it 🙂
You forgot to mention the fact that heaven sounds like a place where you can't get a moment's peace. With all of the worshiping and old friends and family members, it's going to be like a non-stop 3d Facebook. (which incidentally, I ended my account for the quiet hell of google+)
ROCK ON BABY. PUT THE METAL TO THE METAL. FLOOR IT AND ALL THE MENTALLY CHALLENGED WILL BE THRUST TO THE BACK SEAT , WHERE THEY BELONG....
“Tell people there’s an invisible man in the sky who created the universe, and the vast majority believe you. Tell them the paint is wet, and they have to touch it to be sure.” –George Carlin
Give me one good argument against gay incest with two biological brothers. What's the problem? No procreation and no hurt to anyone. I know several "couples" that fit this criteria.
As I said last time, this is a red herring. It is irrelevant. Will you continue to post this even though it is irrelevant? What is your reason?
So? Why do you care? What answer are you looking for?
@Mark,
you're talking about consenting adults here?
I have to wonder why this is so important to you. I can't imagine any person, gay or straight who was comfortable with his/her orientation even thinking about this particular example.
Morality would dictate that it is wrong.
Why do you obsess so?
All they need is to be consenting adults...besides who's business is it anyway?
FYI: If you use the word hom-ose-xual or any form of it in your post without the dashes, your comment will be censored by CNN. DIdn't realize this word was politically incorrect.
Yes, we get it. And lots of other words too, like ti.t and cu.m and va.g that occur inside all manner of words.
It's frustrating, but now that you undersand how the AUTOMATIC word filter works, deal with it.
It's unbelievabley presumptuous of anyone to be determining who will or won't "go to heaven". That's God's business...and it's not for us to be resentful if he chooses to be merciful to those of whom "the righteous" disapprove.
but what does GOD say?
what are His instructions to us on the subject?
He made it crystal clear in the Old Testament
and had PAUL REPEAT IT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
for Him to repeat it, i'd say God's wishes are clear.
you may choose to twist it to make yourself comfortable
but in the end GOD DID TELLYA!
u wanna take risks with death or a chance at an everlasting life?
YES, He gave you free will to do just that but please do not pretend you are clueless.
Leviticus 20:13... and Romans 1:26-32
but what does GOD say?
what are His instructions to us on the subject?
He made it crystal clear in the Old Testament
and had PAUL REPEAT IT IN THE. .. NEW TESTAMENT.
for Him to repeat it, i'd say God's wishes are clear.
you may choose to twist it to make yourself comfortable
but in the end GOD DID TELLYA!
u wanna take risks with death or a chance at an everlasting life?
YES, He gave you free will to do just that but please do not pretend you are clueless.
Leviticus 20:13... and Romans 1:26-32
So you're alright with rapists, kidnappers, and murderers going to heaven as long as they repent?
Have you really gotten this far without ever facing such a question?
@earthly improved,
sooo.... fat people go to hell then?
@earthly improved,
what if one of the 'elect' is gay?
... or fat?
Do they still go to heaven?