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May 2nd, 2013
12:52 PM ET
Ex-NFL player's support for gay NBA player apparently costs him church appearanceBy Dan Merica, CNN Washington (CNN) – LeRoy Butler, a former safety for the Green Bay Packers, is one of many professional athletes to tweet support for Jason Collins, the NBA player who came out as gay this week. “Congrats to Jason Collins,” Butler tweeted April 29, the day Collins came out in a Sports Illustrated cover story. But Butler says the four-word tweet cost him a speaking appearance at a Wisconsin church. He was scheduled to speak at the church (whose name he has not revealed) about bullying and his new book, "The LeRoy Butler Story: From Wheelchair to the Lambeau Leap." That was until the church, according to Butler, told him he was no longer welcome because of his tweet in support of Collins. "The pastor called me and that's when we got into the old, the whole religion thing about gay people and things of that nature and the conversation just went back and forth for us a couple of minutes," Butler told Anderson Cooper on Thursday. After the exchange with the pastor, Butler took to twitter to express his frustration. Butler later tweeted that “some parents went to the church and complained about my tweet” supporting Collins. The church, according to Butler, said that if the football player apologized, he would be allowed to speak. "They basically said this, if you apologize, ask God for forgiveness and remove the tweet, you'll be able to do this speaking engagement with the kids," he said. "I won't do that. That's taking my dignity and respect away." He continued: "I told the pastor, blame it on my mom because my mom brought me up to love everybody." Butler recently tweeted that the church apologized for the incident and thanked him “for not releasing the church name.” Butler played 11 years, from 1990 to 2001, with the Packers and helped them win a Super Bowl in 1997. He was a four-time All-Pro selection, the highest honor for a year of work in the NFL, and is credited with inventing the Lambeau Leap, the iconic touchdown celebration in which a Packer leaps into the Lambeau Field stands to celebrate with fans. As for Butler's stance on gay athletes in professional sports, he said they have "support from straight guys like me that won't judge them." "If we win a Super Bowl ring, I don't care who you bring to the ring ceremony, I just want to win the ring," Butler said. "That's what it's all about. ... Isn't that what it's all about? Winning the championship? Not who is in my bed when I turn the lights out." Since retiring, Butler has been active in the Green Bay community, and his Facebook page chronicles appearances and speeches he has given to churches in the area. |
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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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If they are not our enemy, they are our friend......
Gay relations that involve active s@x are a sin in the Bible.
What part of that do't you understand?
Splat once again doogie
Free speech helps educate the masses
Einstein's Gravity Theory Passes Toughest Test Yet..........splat goes a fairy in the sky !
Apr. 25, 2013 — A strange stellar pair nearly 7,000 light-years from Earth has provided physicists with a unique cosmic laboratory for studying the nature of gravity. The extremely strong gravity of a massive neutron star in orbit with a companion white dwarf star puts competing theories of gravity to a test more stringent than any available before.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130425142250.htm
Hey James Madison................religion has none it looks like.............with the comments on this blog.
The Big question is ETHICS ! does religion have any ?
The Ethics of Resurrecting Extinct Species
Apr. 8, 2013 — At some point, scientists may be able to bring back extinct animals, and perhaps early humans, raising questions of ethics and environmental disruption.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130408165955.htm
April 30, 2013 at 4:16 pm | Report abuse |
May 1, 2013 at 12:42 pm | Report abuse |
The bible is a fairy tale. What part of that don't you understand?
What part of "throw that evil book in the garbage" do you not understand?
What part of the Bible?
Assuming that like the majority of Christians, you reject the Old Testament laws and abominations (which means ritually unclean – shellfish are an abomination too), the New Testament leaves few passages to twist into ho/mophobia.
The only passage that comes to mind is Romans 1, in which a number of hetero Christians become involved in a gay or/gy. Could it be that God's wrath is not about the ho/mo acts themselves, but rather about these folks' apostacy?
If it had been a straight or/gy, would God have been OK with it?
Some believe that the passage condemns them because they went against their nature - their heterose.xual orientation - and engaged in same-gender se.xual behavior.
If we're talking about 1 Corinthians 6:9, it is important to realize that In the original Greek, the terms used in Corinthian's list of vices that are sometimes translated as "hom-ose.xual" are 'malakoi' and 'ar.senkoitai'.
Until the Reformation in the 16th century and in Roman Catholicism until the 20th century, malakoi was thought to mean "mas.turb.ators." Only in the 20th century has it been understood as a reference to hom.ose.xuality.
'Ar.senokoitai' referred to male prosti.tutes for Paul and Christians until the 4th century.
Doc Vestibule, since you're givin' Bible lessons and teachin' morality, tell the world how creepy crawly Collins treated Moos in a holy and respectful manner. Your gubmint pharisees need to know.
Douglas
Do you avoid everything that the Bible labels as sinful? Wear any mixed fabrics, or eat any shellfish? Have any tats? Enjoy bacon?
There are plenty of things listed in the Bible as sins that are just plain weird. Are you guilty?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/07/13-things-the-bible-forbids_n_1327701.html#slide=655636
What part of "We don't live in a theocracy" do you not understand?
@Douglas
What part of
"You don't get to force your bullshit religion on everyone in the country"
don't YOU understand?
I agree with the Church's decision not to allow Butler to speak.
You agree? Only God sits high enough to judge. How is that so many people who profess to be Christians are so hateful?
test
Lead, follow, or get out of the way.
Christians are no longer leading us into the future, and they refuse to follow, so they should get the fvck out of the way.
More bravery from behind a keyboard. How dare they have an opposing viewpoint?
An opposing view is "Hey, I think we should increase taxes" and "I think we should lower taxes". This is a matter of one group denying owed rights to a minority group based on nothing but religious views which is what our constltution is there for, to protect the rights of the minority from a prejudiced majority in a democracy. This is not giving "new" rights to any group, it's enforcing the rights already given our gay brothers and sisters in the declaration of independence. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." All we are now doing is recognizing our fellow citizens as such, fellow "men" as it were, who have been owed these rights from the start but have been blocked by the bigoted many much like civil rights had been for so long.
As if Butler wouldn't be punished for his free speech if he had a contrary opinion. America the "tolerant" my @$$
Bingo!
Free speech helps educate the masses
Einstein's Gravity Theory Passes Toughest Test Yet..........splat goes a fairy in the sky !
Apr. 25, 2013 — A strange stellar pair nearly 7,000 light-years from Earth has provided physicists with a unique cosmic laboratory for studying the nature of gravity. The extremely strong gravity of a massive neutron star in orbit with a companion white dwarf star puts competing theories of gravity to a test more stringent than any available before.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130425142250.htm
Hey James Madison................religion has none it looks like.............with the comments on this blog.
The Big question is ETHICS ! does religion have any ?
The Ethics of Resurrecting Extinct Species
Apr. 8, 2013 — At some point, scientists may be able to bring back extinct animals, and perhaps early humans, raising questions of ethics and environmental disruption.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130408165955.htm
April 30, 2013 at 4:16 pm | Report abuse |
May 1, 2013 at 12:42 pm | Report abuse |
So, we should be tolerant of bigots, is that what you're saying?
Tolerant of bigots? You mean the gay-police and their goon like tactics? No . They won't ever force me to accept their gross lifestyle.
What about the goon-like tactics during the Crusades? What about the goon-like tactics during the Inquisition? Just ask the Aztecs and Maya. Oh yea, they were wiped out by Christians.
Crusades – Christian response to muslim aggression . Mayas & Aztecs participated in human sacrifice. Inquisition – Hundreds of years aga. Got anything else ace?
" Hundreds of years aga. Got anything else ace?"
Used to be a time when you would pamper me
Used to brag about it all the time
Your friends seem to think that you're so peachy keen
But my friends say neglect is on your mind...
Whos right?
Chorus:
What have we done to you lately
Ooh ooh ooh yeah
What have we done to you lately
Ooh ooh ooh yeah
Good for you Mr. Butler. You will be rewarded with more appearances than you can handle.
Brian said it best:
Believe what I believe and do as I say or I will hurt you. How very Christian.
Very sad... Jesus would be ashamed of this flock.
Exactly ...Do what the GAYSTAPO says and wants or we will picket your workplace. Or have you sent to re-education camp via Tracy Morgan.
Eddie
GAYSTAPO?
Gee, what did you guys call black folks back when they were fighting for their civil rights? Something just as colorful, no doubt.
OMg.. How many centuries were gays slaves? Starved and whipped. You are ignorant or racist or both.
They wouldn't enslave gays, but they would kill them. Killing anyone who was different was the first action of any culture mired in superst.ition. Hitler treated the gays pretty much like he treated the Jews. Frankly, if you can't see any discrimination against gays in history then I suspect you've never studied that subject at all.
Will someone find out the name of this church so that those of us who think that they are evil, closed-minded, bigoted, Godless people can let them know? And why do they want to remain unidentified? If they are really acting in the name of God, wouldn't their God want them to be public rather than sneaky about it?
Yeah that's how and the thugs at the GAYSTASPO get things done isn't it? Phoned in bomb threats and intimidation.
Meanwhile the GAYSTAPO and its media ALLIES oppress Lance Briggs for not having an opinion(See below). As if anyone who had a contrary opinion wouldn't be sent to re-education camp. But go ahead and print your propaganda vs the whole story as always cnn propagandists. Yeah you DAN MERCIA, you are a propagandist hack.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-04-30/sports/chi-lance-briggs-jason-collins-rosenbloom-20130430_1_tweets-jason-collins-lance-briggs
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/peter-roff/2013/04/30/tim-tebow-jason-collins-and-the-medias-gay-christian-double-standard
He should check the morals clause in the contract, because he didn't do anything immoral. He has a pretty good chance of winning a lawsuit. He ought to sue for about 10 times what they were supposed to pay him. Once again a "Christian" church goes against Christ's teaching to "love one another as yourselves" and instead supports ignorance and hatred. Satan is dancing right now inside that church.
In the end...Jesus wins, and CNN haters lose
Been 2000 years already, how many will still be waiting after another 2000? Anyone at all?
IF his orientation is not his choice....why did he fool that woman for 8...count them 8 long years.....then choose to change his mind?
Fear of losing his job, rejection from family, friends, and church are just a few valid reason. The fact that he was with a girl for 8 years doesn’t mean that wasn’t attracted to men the whole time. You can chose who you are with, but you cannot chose who you are attracted to.
The nitty-gritty for the 21st century–
Only for the newbies:
o "Abrahamics" believe that their god created all of us and of course that includes the g-ay members of the human race. Also, those who have studied ho-mo-se-xuality have determined that there is no choice involved therefore ga-ys are ga-y because god made them that way.
To wit:
1. The Royal College of Psy-chiatrists stated in 2007:
“ Despite almost a century of psy-choanalytic and psy-chological speculation, there is no substantive evidence to support the suggestion that the nature of parenting or early childhood experiences play any role in the formation of a person’s fundamental heteros-exual or hom-ose-xual orientation. It would appear that s-exual orientation is biological in nature, determined by a complex interplay of ge-netic factors and the early ut-erine environment. Se-xual orientation is therefore not a choice.[60] "
2. "Garcia-Falgueras and Swaab state in the abstract of their 2010 study, "The fe-tal brain develops during the intraut-erine period in the male direction through a direct action of tes-tosterone on the developing nerve cells, or in the female direction through the absence of this hor-mone surge. In this way, our gender identi-ty (the conviction of belonging to the male or female gender) and s-exual orientation are programmed or organized into our brain structures when we are still in the womb. There is no indication that social environment after birth has an effect on gender ident–ity or s-exual orientation."[8
3. See also the From the Philadelphia Inquirer review “Gay Gene, Deconstructed”, 12/12/2011. Said review addresses the following “How do genes associated with ho-mose-xuality avoid being weeded out by Darwinian evolution?”
"Most scientists who study human se-xuality agree that gay people are born that way. But that consensus raises an evolutionary puzzle: How do genes associated with h-omose-xuality avoid being weeded out by Darwinian evolution?"
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/evolution/Gay-gene-deconstructed.html
Of course, those gays who belong to Abrahamic religions supposedly abide by the rules of no adu-ltery or for-nication allowed.
And because of basic biology differences said monogamous ventures should always be called same-se-x unions not same-se-x marriages.
To wit:
From below, on top, backwards, forwards, from this side of the Moon and from the other side too, ga-y s-exual activity is still mutual mas-turbation caused by one or more complex s-exual differences. Some differences are visually obvious in for example the complex maleness of DeGeneres, Billy Jean King and Rosie O'Donnell.
Yes, heteros-exuals practice many of the same "moves" but there is never a doubt who is the female and who is the male.
As noted, there are basic biological differences in gay unions vs. heterose-xual marriage. Government benefits are the same in both but making the distinction is important for census data and for social responses with respect to potential issues with disease, divorce and family interactions.
The church thanked him fro not revealing its name? If you are Christian and stand for what you claim is God's will, then you take the heat as a Christian. In many ways so non-Christian is this church. Hate, intolerance, hypocrisy and cowardliness. Bible, Torah and Koran can be used to justify just about anything if misused. In this case, hate. Sad.
AMEN!
More proof that religion is the evil and a money making scam.
More proof that your decent family members probably don't accept you for a good reason. Oh yeah and that the so called media is just a propaganda mouthpiece fro the GAYSTAPO.
Seems to me Mr Butler is wearing blinders. The Black Church in America is not willing to put up with this sort of deviate behavior and his support of it. It's that simple. They have their morals, just like the gay community has their.....and never the twain shall meet!
No morals involved when it comes to supporting hatred based on something natural.
Truth...NO hate involved...It is just not an acceptable lifestyle for the majority of the PLANET! How hard is that to understand.....MOST OF THE PLANET DOES NOT AGREE......See ...Simple!
GetReal
Sexual orientation is not a lifestyle anymore than being white is a lifestyle. How hard is that to understand?
Get REAL the truth with facts
For what...................... ? Make sure to read what the pope said !
Where do morals come from?
By Kelly Murray, CNN
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/
Learning is fun with facts.......................... and facts work when teaching children.
Atheist Prof. Peter Higgs: Stop calling Higgs boson the ‘God particle’
Professor Peter Higgs said recently that there is no God and so people should stop referring to the theoretical partial that
bears his name as the “God particle.”
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/08/atheist-prof-peter-higgs-stop-calling-higgs-bosen-the-god-particle/
Pope praises science, but insists God created world updated Thur October 28, 2010
Stephen Hawking is wrong, Pope Benedict XVI said Thursday – God did create the universe. The pope didn't actually mention the world-famous scientist, who argues in a book published last month that the laws of physics show there is no need for a supreme... \
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/28/pope-praises-science-but-insists-god-created-world/
Science
Heaven is 'a fairy story,' scientist Stephen Hawking says updated Tue May 17, 2011
By Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor The concept of heaven or any kind of afterlife is a "fairy story," famed British scientist Stephen Hawking said in a newspaper interview this week. "I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when...
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/17/heaven-is-a-fairy-story-scientist-stephen-hawking-says/
April 7th, 2012
08:32 PM ET
The Jesus debate: Man vs. myth
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/07/the-jesus-debate-man-vs-myth/comment-page-137/#comment-2281915
Make sure to read comments
April 18, 2013 at 3:10 pm | Report abuse |
Breaking News
NASA: Three planets found are some of best candidates so far for habitable worlds outside our solar system.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/18/us/planet-discovery/index.html
@GetReal
Furthermore, if "MOST OF THE PLANET DOES NOT AGREE" is the criteria used to determine what is wright and what is wrong, then that would invalidate all religions, because there isn't a single one that holds a global majority.
*right not wright
GetReal: Being gay is no more a lifestyle than being hetero is. The most of the planet thought is a farce and pathetic excuse for the hatred and bigotry. If it wasn't for the immoral acts of the church, most of the planet wouldn't have reason to be uneducated morons on what Science (not our wonderful friend posting here) says is natural.
Please explain to us exactly what your problem is with someone who is gay...what would you do if one of your children or grandchildren or perhaps a friends child told you they were gay? Would you take another look at your stance on the issue or would you stop loving them and stop treating them with the respect they deserve?
In the end, if they are not causing direct harm to society or you, then it should not be a concern as to who they love. The church does not have the right to dictate how others live because they don't have control on the making of any laws in the secular world...the second they cross that line is the second they need to relinquish their tax exempt status.
Btw: Did you hear about the rapist from christard mingle??? So I guess your imaginary friend prefers criminals over people causing no harm. The hypocrisy and ignorance of the church is immoral to the rational thinking person.
GetReal
The majority of the planet is right-handed as well. If you just take people at their word that being left-handed is natural, why not this?
Seems like a win-win situation.....
Yes, but it is also lose-lose. The church will lose a valuable speaker, and LeRoy Butler will lose about $7000.
This exposure coupled with his progressive outlook, will net him far more than the 8500 he lost for this event.
Yep, except for the GAYSTAPO...Now this church must be destroyed for evidently not agreeing that dude on dude tongue kissing and sodomy is awesome.
The church breached his contract and should be sued for doing so.
@eddie. I think you protest too much. It seems like you might be having a difficult time coming out of the closet yourself.
The LGBT community is not forcing anyone to "convert" to their lifestyle choices, they just want to live their life and be happy. There are too many haters of those not exactly like themself.
Protesting "too hard" . Um hm. Sorry to dissapoint you "honeybear" , the only time I come out of the closet is after I hang my shirts. I mean Because everyone wants to smell like rectum right?
He was supposed to speak on bullying and then the church cancels his engagement for supporting Collins. Isn't that a form of bullying... LOL! More Christian hypocrisy.
No as he was so quickly reminded, he signed a contract with a Morals Clause and the church made him stick to it or walk! Whose Morals.....The one who was paying!
GetReal: The church is so full of hate and bigotry. It is pure hypocrisy. It's a matter of believe as we do or else....not so moral or loving. Their morals are not in line with anything good. I hope he sues them for breach of contract.
Truth.....Be that as it may...They have their morals and they are the one signing the check.......Butler obviously did not read the clause about the content of his morals in relationship to his appearance...The Church DID, and made him honor it or walk.....He chose to walk!
Get REAL the truth with facts.................you might have lost yours ?
For what...................... ? Make sure to read what the pope said !
Where do morals come from?
By Kelly Murray, CNN
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/
Get Real: What is in the Morals Clause I wonder. Did Butler know his tweet would be in violation of that? The story doesn't say. Regardless, it is hypocrisy for a church whose founder is supposed to be the "prince of peace" to turn people away like this. But on second thought, Christianity has a long history of bullying people, so it's not really that surprising.
Think what this church (and many more like it) will do once the Supreme Court hands down its decision in late June. I cannot wait to see their faces!! And, this blog will go absolutely bonkers!!!
By the way Get Real how many times do you need to go SPLAT before you figure it out ?
Free speech helps to educate humans !
Einstein's Gravity Theory Passes Toughest Test Yet..........splat goes a fairy in the sky !
Apr. 25, 2013 — A strange stellar pair nearly 7,000 light-years from Earth has provided physicists with a unique cosmic laboratory for studying the nature of gravity. The extremely strong gravity of a massive neutron star in orbit with a companion white dwarf star puts competing theories of gravity to a test more stringent than any available before.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130425142250.htm
Hey James Madison................religion has none it looks like.............with the comments on this blog.
The Big question is ETHICS ! does religion have any ?
The Ethics of Resurrecting Extinct Species
Apr. 8, 2013 — At some point, scientists may be able to bring back extinct animals, and perhaps early humans, raising questions of ethics and environmental disruption.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130408165955.htm
April 30, 2013 at 4:16 pm | Report abuse |
May 1, 2013 at 12:42 pm | Report abuse |
Exactly right!!! Name the church and let them take the heat for their actions like they expect him to take the heat for his.
GetReal
So, it's immoral to lend support to someone coming out as gay? Whatever happened to not being judgmental?