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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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JohnDoe and mendacitysux
Again: there are NO "Seven Deadly Sins" that is nonsense made up by the Catholics: ALL SIN IS DEADLY. BUT overeating is not a sin. It may lead to health problems,hence the "put a knife to your throat" but its not a sin. There are enough things that are sins without trying to make non-sins into sins for the purpose of justifying an actual sin.
So to sum up AGAIN: overeating is NOT a sin BUT GREED and SELFISHNESS, which can be a CAUSE of overeating, ARE sins.
The sin is GREED and SELFISHNESS:
Uummm.....gluttony? Parlais vous englais? DOES ANYONE have a unique thought in their dome?
Come ON! We all went to public school. Give yourself the benefit of doubt.
I don't want into your Christian heaven anymore than I want in the Muslim heaven of 72 virgins.None of the truly Holy and spiritual people will be found in either. Christian heaven is a mental construct not a place designed by God, but by men.
Right! How long would 72 virgins last anyway? A week at most? Some eternity.
Craig Gross's myopic thinking reminds me of my Villagers who think that all old people are witches. To say that Fat people are sinners because of overeating is laughable. Our little daughter eats less and is the fattest in our family. Gays and Lesbians must repent and change their 'ODD' behaviours. God created man and woman. Anything besides this is the work of the devil.
Your "God" created gays.
Actually it is your understanding of gluttony that is laughable. According to Thomas Aquinas: "Gluttony denotes, not any desire of eating and drinking, but an inordinate desire... leaving the order of reason, wherein the good of moral virtue consists." And according to Proverbs 23:20-21: “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.”
"odd", ha. In quotes even.
BlendItOn, Jesus is in the backyard right now playing with the unicorns while he takes a break from the poker game he's in with the leprecauns. The Tooth fairy went all in and was wiped out by the Easter Bunny who held three kings. Not a bad hand for Texas Hold 'em. Anyway Jesus told me that he doesn't like you or your ridiculous ideas about who gets into heaven.
Funny, Ende Tion, you are the one pointing fingers and condemning people based on your ignorance. There is more proof that hom.os.exuality is innate than there is proof to support the existence of any god. In fact, there is absolutely no proof whatsoever that any god has ever existed.
Yes, God made man and woman. I'm a man. I'm gay. What's your point. I think your comment is kind of "odd." You are just another bigoted "Christian."
My simple question to these gay lovers. If all men were gay, how would you have come to exist? How?
Fallacious argument.
If all men were gay, how easy would it be to get laid? SUPER!
I want to kick you where your f-king teeth should be.
uzor, you are an idiot. Your post could win an award for irrelevance – which would probably be the only thing you've ever won.
Who said everybody was gay? That's just an ignorant statement. And evidence of your complete and utter lack of understanding of anything of significance on this topic.
I LOVE gays!
What a ludicrous basis for a meaningless discussion. There is no heaven. If there were, it would vary to fit the occupant. If it could not flex enough to allow beautiful and generous souls to be admitted regardless of deeds and desires acted upon in this physical and precious moment, would you want to spend eternity there? I wouldn't. Go back to sleep.
I'm gay and I have been turned off of Church and God because of the way I have been talked to by so-called Christians and by the way I was treated by a Pastor of a Church. I've been told you can't be gay and Christian. I've been told by a Pastor that, while I could come to his Church, I would never be welcomed as a member unless I "renounced" my "gayness." Until you Christians stop being so bigoted and judgemental, you are going to continue to offend gay people and do the exact opposite of what you are called to do, which is show people to Christ. So, if you want to keep focusing on bits and pieces of the Bible and throw it in my face for being gay go ahead and be my guest. I don't need you are a Church to have a relationship with God. I'm gay. I'm not worried about going to Heaven. God made me and I'm happy with who I am.
Well, they use the Bible to justify all that bigotry...
FUDGE POUNDERS NEED NOT APPLY
The production of fudge does not include violence.
You sound like a real intellect....
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 that 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.
Good thing the lower levels are air conditioned, brother.
pssssttt...hell isn't real. The christians made that up to terrify people into following their religion.
I'm not a GOPer, nor do I play one on TV
I have read and read the entire bible so I know gluttony is mentioned in the OT,(that's also where Jesus is referenced FIRST: in Genesis as the prophet to come, in Isaiah as having no comeliness(i.e., not handsome); its also where hell is foretold in Is. 66) but overeating is NOT named as a sin. So though Proverbs mentions overindulging in food, it is NOT listed as a sin because it IS NOT a sin. Unnatural relations IS a sin though.
BTW, though we are not under the Law of Moses, Deuteronomy does STILL tell you what God likes and dislikes as far as certain behaviors are concerned.
Please give a reference explicitly stating that Moses Law no longer applies. And if god changes rules for different people at different times, then he's a moral relativist, and thus his morals cannot be perfect.
Also, please define unnatural. And while you're at it, please point me to a passage whereby your god states that a monogamous homosexual relationship is a sin.
So this is where taking the Bible in context is important. To a Jesus believing Christian, the context is much more important than the law itself.
To better explain it... Overindulging is a sin. Whether that is lust or of food or anything else in life. It's called moderation. Is playing video games a sin? I imagine not so much, but if I'm skipping out on responsibilities in the home and not working because I am addicted to a video game, it is a sin...
This is why in Matthew 22:37-40 (shown below), Jesus talks about how the law hangs on the two main commandments.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 NIV.
Over eating is an excess which is a form of gluttony. Calling it a different name doesn't mean it's no longer a sin. They don't call it one of the seven deadly sins for nothing. Nice try though
Your god also likes the smell of burning animal flesh. And to your god, beating a slave to death is not a sin, so long as that slaves dies a slow death. Very moral, that god of yours.
"Put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. "
– Proverbs 23:2
America is becoming or already a Sodom and Gomorah. This take on the gay issue. I have not seen God destroying a place for their sinful behaviour like what was happened in Sodom and Gomorah. As the saying goes "A small city on a hill well governed is better than stupid nineveh".
So you really think that your god alters the physical world and laws he created in order to punish and torment a wide range of people when a subset of those people act on genetic tendencies that your god gave them.
Dude, your god is EVIL.
A non-existent god can't be evil. That dubious honor falls to those individuals who choose to follow a fantasy, then use that fantasy to destroy others, all because they are too cowardly to face their own mortality.
Jesus is awesome!
Few 100% true Reasons why Atheism is TERRIBLE and unhealthy for our children and living things:
† Atheism is a religion that makes you angry, stupid, brainwashed, ignorant & blind.
† Atheism is a disease that needs to be treated.
† Atheism makes you post stupid things (90% of silly comments here on CNN blogs are posted by closet Atheists)
† Atheist are satanic and have gothic lifestyle.
† Atheists are misguided and causes problem in our religious & public society.
† Atheists are mentally ill, that's why they have no faith.
† Atheism won't take you to kingdom of heaven and paradise.
† Atheism making you agree with Stalin, Hitler (Denied his faith later), Mao, Pol Pot & other terrible mass murder leaders.
† No traditional family lifestyle, no holidays, no culture, boring and feeling 'outsider'
† Atheists are angry, drug additcted and committ the most crime.
† Atheist try to convert people over internet because they feel "safer" behind closet.
† Atheists do not really exist, they just pretend that they don't believe in God and argue with religious people.
† Atheists have had terrible life experience, bad childhood and not being loved.
† Most Atheists are uneducated... No Atheists could run for presidency.
† Atheism brought upon the French Revolution, one of the most evil events of all of history.
† Atheism cannot explain the origins of the universe, therefore God exists.
† All atheists believe in evolution, which means they don't believe in morality and think we should all act like animals.
† The Bible says atheism is wrong, and the Bible is always right (see: Genesis 1:1, Psalms 14:1, Psalms 19:1, Romans 1:19-20)
† Countries where Atheism is prevalent has the highest Suicide rate & Communist countries = Atheism!
**Only 2-3% of the U.S. are Atheists/Agnostics VS. over 90% who believe in God (80% Christians) in the U.S.**
† † Our Prayers goes to Atheists to be mentally healthy and seek their creator † †
PS! the USA is a † nation and will always be. You know it's true and stop being ignorant and arrogant!
(Take a look at our federal/state holidays, 99% of our presidents, blue laws in parts of the nation, the majority of people, some laws, calendar, culture, etc.)
http://rightremedy.org/tracts/7 .
Stupid AMERICANS!
If your god is everything you claim him to be, he knows you are lying. You will burn in hell with the atheists.
tallulah13, fortunately, there is a term called Grace that Christians use. It refers to the love of God that forgives beyond your own imagination. He loves you and me and everyone else in this world enough to die for all of our sins, yesterday, today and tomorrow. However, the decision is for you to decide whether you will accept this love of God.
On another note, this also means showing judgement to non-Christians and atheists is not acceptable. Look at Westboro Baptist Chruch and the poor representation of Christ they make. They judge gays and lesbians rather than understanding them and loving them.
Regardless of the type of sin we commit, we have sinned. This means that the sin we all deserve death. A lie is equivalent to lust, greed, overindulgence, and even murder. God doesn't use a bar graph to measure us. He looks at us from a birds eye view and sees that we have all sinned. This is why he sent Jesus. To send us an example of how to love and to forgive.
If you have been judged by another Christian, I am sorry. If you are offended by the message that you are a sinner and that Jesus died for your sins, that's on you.
johndoe..and you know this because you have been told by others, or you interpreted a book?. You tell us that the so called "westbor church" judges gay folks.. but you are supposed to love them..... why would you single them out with that statement? ... because you think they are lesser human beings ? They are human beings and if your god existed he would have made them to the way they are.. You have most likely no idea why the religious community dislike /hates gay folks.. its just a meme passed along from your parents ..and cultivated by religious superiority and immunity. What happened by the way to the millions of folks who died before god was invented....as they did not know JC are they not in heaven, and if not, how would you know? It could mean that there may be cave men in heaven....
Joe, please provide just one shred of evidence that your god exists? If you can't, all you are doing is structuring your life on an arbitrary set of rules that makes you happy. There is no virtue in trying to convince others to follow your path when you can't even prove that you have a path.
Only someone who is seriously and willfully ignorant would believe all these statements about non-believers. Unfortunately, this includes a significant percentage of the faithful.
You guys obviousy haven't seen that episode of southpark. Only mormons get to go to heaven. Sinced they don't have practicing gays and what not. As the world sees it right now, there is a lot of space available for people to get in.
spelling err – briefly, not breifly.
its simple
god never made gays otherwise there would be only one gender
why dont americans think this is so unnatural and somewhat dangerous
americans want too much of everything
one day i m sure this gay thing will bring negative results and by that time it will be too late
What color is the sky on your planet?
If God didn't "make gays", then who did??
You're basing your argument on the faulty premise that assumes that god made 2 genders in the first place before coming to your conclusion, which can only be flawed. You need to demonstrate that you god is valid first.
So who made the gay people? Santa Claus?
You're right. God never make gay people. Straight people did.
"Someone", I think it's clear that the only simple thing here is you.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured. Here are two books that help in instruction and learning the Bible. LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM and The Faith of Christians by Denis Baly and Royal W. Rhodes. I have studied both of these books and they have many answers to these questions. Also, Catechism of the Catholic Church covers many questions too. I have breifly looked at this book and feel it is worth mentioning. If you choose to edify, this will serve you well.
Spelling error – briefly, not breifly.
Confirmation bias is a tendency of people to favor information that confirms their beliefs or hypotheses. Try reading something that doesn't agree with your already made up mind.
ORGANIZED RELIGION will be the death of this country, not the gays. Bigoted Christians are scared to death as more and more people realize that gays are just people too living their lives and struggling with bills and loved ones like everyone else. As these old religious bigots DIE so will the hate and intolerance.
Sin is sin. Will gays and fat people get into heaven? The purpose of life is to overcome sin and try to be better. If we sin we come to God for forgiveness. People who indulge in sin and persist in it are not going to be forgiven unless they repent and change their ways. However, being judgmental and intolerant of others is wrong. Christians are commanded not to judge others or to condemn them. Christians should lift others and show them a better way.
I don't believe in sin due to the fact that no one has ever demonstrated such a thing to be a existing phenomenon. Human beings are capable or moral and immoral actions, and many or these are relative to the individual, while others are not.
Wonderful comment TownC....So true! Thank you and God bless!
If your wearing poly cotton blends, then you're living in sin. Repent and never wear mixed textiles if you want to get into heaven. I'd recommend burning an animal as a sacrifice. I hear your god loves the smell.
The first thing on the agenda for christians to accomplish is to prove that their god exists. Without that proof, there is no reason at all to believe that there is anything beyond death. Without that proof, the only reason to discriminate against gays and lesbians (and heck, fat people) is because it is your choice.
I have yet to see a christian demonstrate a "better way." I know several christians who are good people, but they are no better people than my atheist, agnostic or jewish friends. They are no better than my gay and lesbian friends. As far as I can tell, the "better way" is not a function of religion, but of empathy and humanity.
TownC.. will fat folks be thin in heaven then ...do you actually eat up there any way.. where does the food come from..if you are naked in heaven i guess being thin has its advantages ? or in fact are we clothed in what we died in? Now if you do not eat in heaven it would be nice of god to allow that down here to help the suffering of the starving children in Africa....
Also another question of heaven.. do you age or stay the same age as when you die? when you meet say a buddy after you are deceased who died as a teenager, is he still a teenager and you are middle aged for eternity...and would he even recognize me? and know where and when to greet me?..
Pride is the most damnable sin to mankind.
Pride says, I am my own, I don't need God.
Who is God that I should acknowledge Him and obey His laws?
An then, Pride will make a deal with you, saying , we will make God in our own image, to suit Us!
Pride paves the way to Hell for those who allow it to rule in their lives!
Proud of yourself, aren't you?
It is of course extremely humble to think that one knows the thoughts of the being who created the cosmos. It's humble to think that the universe's creator loves you, cares about you, talks to you, and satisfies your wishes, even if not in the way you expect.
Riiiiiiight.
Well said, wow. There are few things more arrogant than a christian who thinks that a being with the power to create the universe is actually spying on them constantly to make sure that they are obeying rules gleaned from middle eastern mythology.
I also don't understand why a being with the power to create galaxies and shape the physical properties of the universe is so hyper-obsessed with sex.
Prism 1234.. Christians have a thing about lions.... and they are in prides.. I think that pride is just a reaction to your past...nothing to worry about any more
Pride also blinds people so that they are not able to understand even what should be the obvious to them!
So they end up living their lives like blind men, stumbling in darkness, ever striving to find and to reach, but always amiss !
But that's the story of human kind who declare their independence from their Creator, proclaiming themselves to be wise – they become fools!
Only GOD knows who will go to Heaven and who belongs to Hell. If the people are to decide this, then everyone is going to the hell. Christians thinks Muslims will go to hell and the Muslims vice versa and the same thing with any other religion in the world. Let us do our job in this world to make the earth peaceful and beautiful and let the GOD do his own job (Deciding who will go to Heaven and who in hell).
How do you know these thing? What knowledge is available to you that has been denied me for you to say that you know such things?
@Timmuh Quran
@Shahriarzadeh, it's just a book, just like the bible or the torah are. You cant tell me the quran is true and correct because it says so within its pages. Circular reasoning at it;s best.
The topics in this article reminded me of this little video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z4iaUFSkME