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May 31st, 2013
04:19 PM ET
Baptists plan exodus from Boy ScoutsBy Daniel Burke, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor (CNN) - For Southern Baptist pastor Tim Reed, it was Scripture versus the Scouts. “God’s word explicitly says homosexuality is a choice, a sin,” said Reed, pastor of First Baptist Church of Gravel Ridge in Jacksonville, Arkansas. So when the Boy Scouts of America voted to lift its ban on openly gay youths on May 24, Reed said the church had no choice but to cut its charter with Troop 542. “It’s not a hate thing here,” Reed told CNN affiliate Fox 16. “It’s a moral stance we must take as a Southern Baptist church.” Southern Baptist leaders say Reed is not alone. Baptist churches sponsor nearly 4,000 Scout units representing more than 100,000 youths, according to the Boy Scouts of America. That number could drop precipitously. The Southern Baptist Convention, the country’s largest Protestant denomination, will soon urge its 45,000 congregations and 16 million members to cut ties with the Scouts, according to church leaders. The denomination will vote on nonbinding but influential resolutions during a convention June 11-12 in Houston. “There’s a 100% chance that there will be a resolution about disaffiliation at the convention,” said Richard Land, the outgoing head of the Southern Baptists’ Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, “and a 100% chance that 99% of people will vote for it.” “Southern Baptists are going to be leaving the Boy Scouts en masse,” Land continued. Roger “Sing” Oldham, a spokesman for the Southern Baptist Convention, emphasized that local congregations make their own decision on the Scouts. But he, too, said he expects Baptist delegates, which the church calls “messengers,” to voice their disagreement with the BSA's decision to allow gay youths. “With this policy change, the Boy Scouts’ values are contradictory to the basic values of our local churches,” Oldham said. Several religious groups with strong Scouting ties support the new policy. “We have heard from both those who support the amended policy and those who would have preferred it would not have changed,” said BSA spokesman Deron Smith. Faith-based organizations charter more than 70% of Scout chapters, providing meeting space and leadership, according to the BSA. “There have been some organizations that have decided not to renew their charters with Scouting," said Smith, "but we can’t quantify the impact of the amended policy." The National Jewish Committee on Scouting, the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church, the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which sponsors more Scout units than any other faith, all endorsed the change. The National Catholic Committee on Scouting, which is run with oversight from a bishop, said Thursday that allowing gay youths in the Scouts does not conflict with church teaching. Each bishop will decide whether or not to allow churches in his diocese to charter Scout units, the committee added. “We ask that Catholic Scouters and chartered organization heads not rush to judgment,” said Edward Martin, chairman of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting. But the Rev. Derek Lappe, pastor of the Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Bremerton, Washington, has already made up his mind. “I do not feel that it is possible for us to live out, and to teach, the authentic truth about human sexuality within the confines of the Boy Scout’s new policy,” said Lappe. The priest told CNN affiliate FOX16 that his parish will part ways with the Scouts and develop its own programs. There may soon be an alternative to the Scouts for social conservatives like Lappe. John Stemberger, founder of On My Honor, a group that opposed the Scouts’ change in policy, plans to convene conservatives in Louisville, Kentucky, in June to consider forming a new Scout-like group, which could be up and running by the end of 2013. “Churches and Scoutmasters are looking for leadership and direction,” said Stemberg, an attorney in Orlando, Florida. A number of conservative religious denominations already sponsor their own groups. For instance, the Southern Baptists have the Royal Ambassadors, an explicitly Christian program founded in 1908 for boys in first through sixth grade. (A similar group called Challengers equips older boys in “mission education.”) The name comes from the New Testament, in which the Apostle Paul tells Christians to be “ambassadors for Christ.” The estimated 31,000 Royal Ambassadors pledge “ to become a well-informed, responsible follower of Christ; to have a Christlike concern for all people; to learn how to carry the message of Christ around the world; to work with others in sharing Christ; and to keep myself clean and healthy in mind and body." While not as outdoorsy as the Boy Scouts, Ambassadors do camp and play sports, said Land, who was a member of the group during the 1950s. But instead of merit badges for archery and bird study, young Ambassadors earn patches for memorizing Bible verses and mission work. Southern Baptists said they are preparing for a surge of interest in the Royal Ambassadors at their upcoming convention in Houston. “We really have an opportunity here to strengthen our RA programs,” the Rev. Ernest Easley, chairman of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee, said in a sermon last Sunday, “and to get the boys in a program where they’re going to be protected, where there’s a high moral standard and where they will have an opportunity to learn about camping, missions, evangelism in the local church.” soundoff (10,821 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 Next » |
  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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Everyone who says that being gay is a choice is declaring their own bis3xuality. How else could they possibly know?
Whether it's a choice or not, is irrelevant to me. This is supposed to be a free country. Free to choose whom we love (within reason – of course children, inanimate objects, animals, etc. is excluded)). It doesn't matter WHO we love, it matters THAT we love. Haters like to throw unreasonable "is it ok if I marry my blah blah blah... they can't be reasoned with.
Actually, it is the other way around! How would you know it's not a choice?!
I know it's not a choice because I'm gay.
There you are!
I am straight/hetero, and I could never see how h o m o s e x u a l i t y it is not a choice! No offense intended!
Um, if I were attracted to women I would say it's a choice, but it's never once happened in my entire life. Not even a little bit. I can't make it happen. I'm only attracted to my own gender. I can't just choose to be straight. It doesn't work like that.
I have been always naturally attracted to women. I was never in my life attracted to other than women; that's why I find it hard to believe there is another nature!
Believe it.
No loss. Baptists are a**holes.
They're assholes, too.
like the ones you guys like to dive into?
Yep, that's some southern Baptising that I just can't support. Forget the fact that religion isn't real and kinda silly when you think about it compared to biology and chemistry and astrophysics and evolution. The evidence is there and it is mounting that religion is simply not real, but anyway. These guys need to stay in the south. Way down south. They don't contribute anything to the greater U.S. and it will be much better for all of us if they keep their Southern Baptist bigotry and prejudice in the South. Please, for the love of whatever you do or don't believe in, please keep the crazies confined. Looks like they are doing a good job of keeping themselves closed off. Hopefully, their ridiculous message will be isolated as well.
Religion is completely real, there is evidence of it everywhere...now whether or not those religions are right in their beliefs is another matter altogether. If you want to make yourself look smarter than those you disagree with, start with a correct argument.
Sounds like we found the true closed minded person the forum. What you have said is absolutely terrible and wrong. It goes to show who the real haters are. Gays and gay supporters like you.
Just really glad I'm not a baptist….hate mongers.
It's not hate, it's about being consistent with what you believe in. Good job on your reading comprehension. Go back to school.
its Not Hate...you are just feeling better Justifying your Nasty lifestyle.
Whether you are a Baptist or not will not get you to heaven. You might better know that the birth, death and ressurection of Christ and the fact that he is the Son of God will have to be realized by you before you can confess, repent of your sins (turn away from) and ask Christ into your heart. God gave you His Word and this being Jesus in the express image of Him. That Word is Holy and it is the only roadmap to heaven. There is no other name to call upon but Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Know it. I have told you, so you should know.
@BlackyB – You've told us your version of the mythology you believe but offer nothing of substance. You do what all Bible-thumpers do – you cite the very reference that's in question. Your god is nothing but a collection of words written by men. He hasn't shown his face in 2000 years and no prayers have ever been answered – except in the minds of the fearful. Ask the folks in Oklahoma about the effectiveness of their prayers. It's all a myth – just like the many hundreds of other religious myths around the world. Religion causes grief, hatred and misery wherever it infects fearful and gullible people. They become judgemental, self-righteous, and bigoted – like the Southern Baptists.
RC – It's hate. Hitler was consistent in his beliefs. Bin laden was consistent in his beliefs. Being consistently hateful is not a virtue.
@Biblestumper
Its not mythology. It's truth. God is the great I am. Whether you accept him or not into your life is your choice. But just remember, the science you believe in, is just a tool of man that is slowly discovering more of God's fingerprint in this world.
Let's see what we can do – let's open it up and take a look...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YIj4rLYo0c
Deal with my mind all you want, it's the heart that's important. But, unless you've ever been Saved, you truly don't know what that means.
I say good for them getting out of involvement with the scouts.
Jason B...Well said.
@jason, "saved" from what ???
JasonB; I support the SBC decision here as well the BSA policy change. Two groups just deciding to go their separate ways. I really don't know why either side is so upset about that. Both groups will also survive.
Hey chadie time to come in old of the cold..............or stay stuck in the green slime that created US
NASA: Mars could have supported life
Water-Rock Reaction May Provide Enough Hydrogen 'Food' to Sustain Life in Ocean's Crust or On Mars
May 30, 2013 — A chemical reaction between iron-containing minerals and water may produce enough hydrogen "food" to sustain microbial communities living in pores and cracks within the enormous volume of rock below the ocean floor and parts of the continents, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130530132541.htm
Star Dust we are
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWdU_px9ApE
Pebbly Rocks Testify to Old Streambed On Mars
May 30, 2013 — Detailed analysis and review have borne out researchers' initial interpretation of pebble-containing slabs that NASA's Mars rover Curiosity investigated last year: They are part of an ancient streambed.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130530150547.htm
Peace
He's been "saved" from his freedom of mind.
How do you post YouTube videos here ?
Anti-gay is being Anti-Christ, (no wife, no girlfriend, no children) very happy with 12 guys he picked out to have dinner(his flesh) and drink wine(his blood). A very happy cannibal that drinks blood. It is in the bible.
You;re twisting to make a point, but the only point you made is that you are intolerantly ignorant.
How was it twisted?
Athy....Reread it s-l-o-w-l-y.
Doesn't sound too twisted to me. I was told in my Roman Catholic education when I was young that we're actually and literally consuming the body and blood of Jesus H. Christ, which coincidentally was the moment I went, "Wait...what?" Convenient that we don't get to use the Bible as ammo to interpret literally, but that's OK for bigots and hypocrites to do.
y-r pa-th vw;, I-t is i–n t-he b-i-b-l-e. A-ll 7 old and new ver-sions I have read s-ay the s-a-m-e thing.
You need to study orthodox Biblical Christianity a little more. Jesus is the same God of the Old Testament who came to earth in human form. He came to fulfill the laws and prophecies of the Old Testament, and replace the blood sacrifices of animals with Himself - the last bloody sacrifice.
The Lord's Supper is not consuming real blood and flesh, however, the fruit of the cup and the broken bread have several strong and important metaphors and symbolisms for the practicing Christian.
Preobama; But those are some very odd metaphors and practices, regardless.
Oh, and are post Obama vets not true vets?
preovet: Yes, Mid-dle east-ern religious mythol-ogy is inter-esting for Americans(vernacular) but not needed.
Randy...I grew up catholic too, but thankfully got out. Don't let that experience jade you towards God.
From the same book the SBC quotes.
People who have flat noses, or is blind or lame, cannot go to an altar of God (Leviticus 21:17-18)
Don't let cattle graze with other kinds of Cattle (Leviticus 19:19)
Don't have a variety of crops on the same field. (Leviticus 19:19)
Don't wear clothes made of more than one fabric (Leviticus 19:19)
Don't cut your hair nor shave. (Leviticus 19:27)
Do you really expect me to take Leviticus 20:13 seriously?
Do you expect me to take most of the bible seriously?
I don't expect you, or anyone, to take any of it seriously. That was the point of my post.
Scott, I can see that your wise, but how can you stand living in Texas? I hope you're at least in Austin.
What God says is the Law me must abide by. What everyone else waters down means nothing. What God says, He means. He has his reasons and His reasoning is much higher than ours. Our duty is to serve God and not the whims of men.
What God says is Law WE must abide by...
Agreed no more shellfish
God says nothing. They are only the words of men.
Only if you are a follower of the bible...by the way how is that no work on the 7th day working out for you? Pork? Shellfish? Not touching a woman on her monthly? etc etc etc
Hey Blackyb – do you wear poly blend clothes?
People who have flat noses, or is blind or lame, cannot go to an altar of God (Leviticus 21:17-18)
Don't let cattle graze with other kinds of Cattle (Leviticus 19:19)
Don't have a variety of crops on the same field. (Leviticus 19:19)
Don't wear clothes made of more than one fabric (Leviticus 19:19)
Don't cut your hair nor shave. (Leviticus 19:27)
Do you really expect me to take Leviticus 20:13 seriously?
@blackyb
You said, "Our duty is to serve God"
I've been looking for a good recipe for a while, but can't find anything that looks appetizing. Do you have any? And what do you serve with it? Potatoes? Collard greens?
Actually, blacky, you had it right the first time.
You're ent¡tled to speak for "me" but not for "we".
"No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means."
George Bernard Shaw
@LinCA – "I've been looking for a good recipe..."
If we're talking an Old Testament recipe, I'm sure foreskins are a required ingredient.
...sorry
You are in need of some serious therapy.
@Really-O?
LOL.
That's right blackyb, YOU must obey... leave the rest of us out of it
@Gary
You said, "You are in need of some serious therapy."
I agree. Religious indoctrination is not likely to clear up if left untreated. Some radical deprogramming may be in order. I propose we start with the Southern Baptists.
So what is the big deal? What do you expect from the denomination that defended slavery and only apologized for that less than 20 years ago? Not all Baptist are hate mongers but llike the muslims, only the ones who shout the loudest. Hate carries well and it fills the pews like Glenn Beck sells books
Today, we are warned about consuming too much shellfish. We are warned about being much more cautious in the handling and cooking of pork than other meats. The proscription aganist mixing different things was a symbolic warning of not mixing the worship of the one true God of the Hebrews with idols. The Bible is filled with metaphors and symbolism, but you cannot interpret the Bible without a discerning Spirit from God.
We need to know about a subject before we can accurately tell others about it.
@preobamaveteran
You said, "Today, we are warned about consuming too much shellfish. We are warned about being much more cautious in the handling and cooking of pork than other meats."
Had everyone stuck to the OT laws, these warnings wouldn't have been necessary. Someone, at some time before safe handling guidelines were available, decided these laws were bullshit. And therefor so is your argument.
You said, "The Bible is filled with metaphors and symbolism"
Don't forget the bullshit.
You said, "but you cannot interpret the Bible without a discerning Spirit from God."
Nonsense. A little history of your god will show you that it is no more likely than the Easter Bunny. The bible is no more than a collection of folk lore. Interpreting becomes rather easy once you realize there is no supernatural source for it.
Maybe it's time for the Southern Baptists to secede ... I won't be sad to see them go.
So you want to see the Southern Baptists go? Would that be because they are standing up for God and hindering pervs from having them a ready-made smorgasboard of youth? If so, you are in trouble no only in this life, but in the life to come.
They already seceded. Slavery is why they left the Baptist Church. the SBC didn't want to give that up and formed their own sect.
blackyb, they are a cult of brainwashing, profit seeking people... please leave the country
The Southern Baptist don't stand up for God, they have been falling like a rock ever since they left their foundation.
Check out the teachings of the first Dean of Southern Baptist Seminary, James Petigru Boyce, and compare it with todays doctrines. Not talking about the gay issue, just beliefs.
Once they turned from their foundation they have been gaining more and more momentum downhill.
How ironic – the Southern Baptist Convention was FILLED with gay's and lesbians – at verious times their organization has had huge purges. They've fired scads of people – because they were LGBT and then had to re-hire and it starts all over again. Their duplicitous stance is as hypocritical as it is reactionary.
Me neither and I AM a Southern Baptist.
To me the most interesting part of this story are the religious groups that supported the BSA change, especially the Mormon church. In was that long ago that I was working to help defeat prop 8 (bill to ban SSM), here in CA. The Mormon church was a big supporter of that bill. In this short time the church has soften their stance. That is very quick progress.
Even the RCC isn't going to bail on the BSA over this. Yea, each local group can decide but I suspect that only in the most conservative areas will they decide to pull out.
I see no need to try to shame the SBC. Let them move on. The BSA will be stronger for it and they will get support from many other sources.
No, the SBC deserves to be shamed over their intolerance, as it flies in the very face of the teachings of Christ. Call them out for the hypocrites that they are. The facts are this: the SBC has abandoned the teachings of Christ in order to leverage peoples' irrational fears and prejudices for political and monetary gain.
Sorry, but I feel it is complete folly for anyone to claim to know what some guy named christ really believed based on a book that was written decades after his death. The SBC interpetation of this book is as solid or flawed as anyone elses. i.e. you're all fooling yourself.
This might be just kicking the can down the road! Even if the SBC establishes its own scout program(s), it might end up having to be inclusive as well! Just like the BSA, in which the recent vote very well could be that was inevitable due to the fact that the BSA is already infiltrated with g a y scouts! In other words, making things official instead of keeping them under the radar!
Just like the military did. So according to the logic, SBC shut cut all ties with the military. No more military members in the church, no more military funerals, in fact dig up the bones of those buried under the SBC ministry and cast them out.
Southern Baptists have the Royal Ambassadors and the Challengers......the "New Hitler Youth"....
By the way faith evolution gave you the brain............OK and se-x was needed back then .
Hey all creationists ...........chadie too....the truth below !
The fairy in the sky DID NOT create US !
Ancient life...............3.5 billion years ago.............NO god(s) or horn-y red devil (666 the beast) never has been
Disappearance of Stromatolites, Earliest Visible Manifestation of Life: Ancient Enigma Solved?
May 28, 2013 — The widespread disappearance of stromatolites, the earliest visible manifestation of life on Earth, may have been driven by single-celled organisms called foraminifera.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130528143756.htm
+
The University of Sydney.........................geology..............the dirt guys.
Precious opal veinlets in a sandstone from central Australia.
News
Answer to opal mystery shows Red Centre's links to Red Planet
31 May 2013
The dramatic geological events that created opal, Australia's national gemstone, have been described for the first time by a University of Sydney researcher.
http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=11678
+ the damn fossils ..............works better than the BIBLE !
Scientists Recover Wooly Mammoth Blood ..................cloning could happen maybe
Posted by Soulskill on Wednesday May 29, 2013 @01:52PM
from the wooly-mammoth-vampires-very-excited dept.
http://science.slashdot.org/story/13/05/29/1712242/scientists-recover-wooly-mammoth-blood
New study restores famed fossil to "bird" branch
Wednesday May 29, 2013 | Alicia Chang for The Associated Press
http://www.newsdaily.com/article/04243837283ffd8f533a0cf41d35cd27/new-study-restores-famed-fossil-to-bird-branch
AND chadie has a link on Bing
Quarterback's next play: Going long with the Bible – CNN Belief ...
religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/02/01/quarterbacks-next-play-going...
Feb 01, 2013 · Since we've got Chad buybull ... Jurassic Park came out. Now that it has been found, ... You have nothing but a 2000 year old stone age book written ...
AND
All creationists...............a turtle.............but is it to old to have come from the ark ?
Or chad crawled into his shell on the ark and finally found his way out .............you know chad ?
The mystery of how the turtle got its shell has finally been solved by scientists studying a 260-million-year-old fossil.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-have-figured-out-how-the-turtle-got-its-unique-hard-shell-2013-5#ixzz2UspYoTOm
Prehistoric Park : T-Rex Returns – Episode 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFcoGAMsQfE
Remember chad........... the talking donkey you like so much might of chewed on that BONE.............that created eve.
Stony Irons
Ancient Egyptians Accessorized With Meteorites
May 30, 2013 — Researchers at The Open University (OU) and The University of Manchester have found conclusive proof that Ancient Egyptians used meteorites to make symbolic accessories for their dead.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130530094635.htm
Chomp Chomp.............make sure to look up creationists for the next big chondrite ..........a compass does not work around
them either does GPS for mobile devices/phones.
Crickets at the swamp............. are gone this time of year ............but the ticks are out.
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/paying-for-college/compare-financial-aid-and-college-cost/?utm_source=turner&utm_medium=adcouncil_banner&utm_campaign=pfc_graphs
OK Chadie where are you 114 pages and counting ?
Are you tired of going SPLAT ?
And it is a sin to single out gay people and not pay attention to other "sins" in the Bible. Divorce, eating shellfish, spousal obedience, and hundreds of others "sins" are so easily ignored by these "so called" Christians, that it becomes very clear their only agenda is bigotry and hatred using the Bible as their excuse. God hates no one. God created all of us to live in peace, harmony and unity. How pathetic they are.
God said it is an abomination this sodomy. He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for this. You want to put this on the same basis of eathing shell fish or something? Semantics and twisting seems to be a favorite thing of the left. If you had the Spirit of God in your heart you could discern sin. If you do not you are hell-bound. You know better, you just want to justify this filth.
D Anderson; The type of reply you got from the bible thumper is what you deserve when you claim to speak for some so called god just like the thumper. You both need to accept that each of you have no clue what some so called god thinks about this topic or any topic. But once someone goes down that path, they should expect others 'in the know' to push back.
blackyb, didn't you say it is God's word and you must obey? So you would want to follow ALL of God's rules, not just the things you pick and chose? You are a hypocrite. Please delete your account and stop posting. Laughing at you is making my side hurt. You are just pathetic.
I see Satan's message that God hates you is alive and well. I am very embarrassed that the message is being presented by the very church I was first baptized in forty years ago. I am challenging the Baptist church to live up to all the Levitical laws. Fact is, eating pork and shrimp are choices too.
Since Christ died for our sins, we are under Grace. There is still these sins that are abomination to God. If you want out from under them you must repent (turn away from) confess you are a sinner and ask Christ into your heart. If you are sincere you will have enough desire and motive given to you to stay away from that filth.
blackyb, isn't it time for you to head on into church for you evening service? Please stay there where your words will be appreciated, you are just a POS here
This is so sad. A very few created a coordinated effort to force their beliefs on others – in the name of tolerance...yet they are intolerant of others beliefs.
Yep, that happened in 1978 when the scouts chose to submit to the pressure of Christian Extremists and ban Gays.
They went from being focused on bringing kids into scouting to keeping kids out of scouting.
I was a Scout in the 60's I remember the difference and the change.
Exactly! They don't see it. The blind leading the blind.
Beliefs can certainly be tolerated. Until we obtain knowledge that eclipses them. This was the case with Galileo. Now again is such a case. Christian "moral truths" about hom-ose-xuality are anything but objective anymore, both because of scientific knowledge and because Christianity itself is already conflicted on the matter. You have a choice of staying in the cave or moving forward with the rest of the world. Simple as that.
There is a special circle in Hell reserved for those who force their way of life onto others while shouting "Tolerance! Show tolerance because this is our choice!"
No one forced their beliefes on others here. The BSA leadership took a lot of time to make this decision. If the BSA leaders made a choice that they didn't wish to make, than that is a reflection on them.
What your post tells me is that you're unwilling to accept that many NON liberals support gay rights now. Polling data clearly shows this. Even Rove, O'Reily, Hanity and even Rush have said that the battle has been lost.
You're just unwilling to accept that your POV is now the minority opinion. But go aheard and blame someone other than your fellow moderates , conservaties and Christians.
Actually Jesus was the hardest on the religious hypocrites and the SBC fits the bill.
They bless and celebrate adultery by performing 2nd, 3rd, etc marriages in their chapel then condemn some poor Virgin just because he is Gay.
Mark 10:11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
Mark 10:12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
Take it up with God. He is the one who said not to do it and that is an abomination. The preachers are just doing their duty and giving you the message. If you do not like the message, as I said. Take it up with God.
Eating shellfish is an abomination.
The BSA has NEVER been a Christian organization.
I say: "I disagree with you."
you hear: "I hate you."
you say: "bigot!"
but a bigot is someone who clings to an uninformed prejudice against another group.
at what point does your criticism become a self-projection?
remember: a bigot has a vested interest in oversimplifications & caricatures that enable him to vilify & dehumanize those with whom he disagrees, so he can dismiss everyone in the other group without genuine dialogue...
A Ho*mose*xual 17 year old Virgin is told he has chosen a wicked lifestyle and is going to burn, because the bible talks about certain ACTS (which he has never done) pretty much fits your definition doesn't it?
"uninformed prejudice against another group."
Speaking of that:
=================================================
Psychology
The American Psychological Association states "there are probably many reasons for a person's sexual orientation and the reasons may be different for different people", and says most people's sexual orientation is determined at an early age. Research into how sexual orientation in males may be determined by genetic or other prenatal factors plays a role in political and social debates about homosexuality, and also raises concerns about genetic profiling and prenatal testing."
Professor Michael King states: "The conclusion reached by scientists who have investigated the origins and stability of sexual orientation is that it is a human characteristic that is formed early in life, and is resistant to change. Scientific evidence on the origins of homosexuality is considered relevant to theological and social debate because it undermines suggestions that sexual orientation is a choice."
The Royal College of Psychiatrists stated in 2007:
"Despite almost a century of psychoanalytic and psychological 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 heterosexual or homosexual orientation. It would appear that sexual orientation is biological in nature, determined by a complex interplay of genetic factors and the early uterine environment. Sexual orientation is therefore not a choice."
Biology
The following is from the article:
Homosexuality ultimately a result of gene regulation, researchers find (12/11/2012 – LiveScience)
[ The search for a "gay gene" may be off-target, new research finds. Another process called epigenetics that switches genes on and off may explain why homosexuality runs in families.
Epigenetics are heritable changes caused by factors other than DNA. Instead of traits getting passed down through the genes, epigenetic change happens because of the way genes are regulated, or turned on and off.
These genetic regulators may be the reason homosexuality persists in nature despite the fact that gay people are less likely to reproduce, suggests the new study published in the journal The Quarterly Review of Biology.
"These things have evolved because they're good for the parents, but they sometimes, not [with] high frequency, but sometimes carry over" into offspring, study researcher William Rice, an evolutionary geneticist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, told LiveScience. In a male fetus, Rice and his colleagues write, an epigenetic change that benefited the mother may lead to "feminization" of sexual preference — homo- or bisexuality. The same may be true for epigenetic changes passed down by dad to a female fetus. (The terms feminization and masculinization of sexual preference refer to sexual orientation only — not to physical or personality traits of the offspring.)
The findings add to past research suggesting gay men haven't died out, because female relatives of gay men tend to have more children on average than other females. The study researchers specifically found that two genes passed on through the maternal line could produce this effect.
Hormones, epigenetics and orientation
Rice and his colleagues focused on epi-marks, which are molecular changes that act like temporary "switches" to turn genes on and off. If a gene is a blueprint, the epi-mark is the construction foreman who makes sure the product gets built. An epi-mark also determines when, where and how much a gene is expressed, according to the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis.
These molecular switches are usually erased very early in the developmental process, but they can be passed down from generation to generation, too, Rice said.
Some epi-marks are particularly important during fetal development, when they promote normal physical development in the sexes despite natural variations in testosterone during pregnancy. Researchers know that fetal exposure to too much testosterone can masculinize the genitals, brain or behavior of a genetically female fetus. Likewise, too little testosterone can make a genetically male fetus more feminized.
But here's the catch: There's lots of overlap between the levels of testosterone male and female fetuses get exposed to. That means there must be another side to the story, Rice and his colleagues wrote.
That side appears to be epigenetics, Rice said.
"Early in development, we think these epi-marks are laid down so that girl fetuses will be relatively insensitive to testosterone and male fetuses will be relatively sensitive to testosterone," Rice said.
Biological behavior
Thus, if an epi-mark that kept a mother from getting exposed to high testosterone in development gets passed on to her son — the opposite sex — it could desensitize him to testosterone, contributing to his sexual preference for men. Similarly, if a male-specific epi-mark from dad gets passed to a daughter, it could "masculinize" her sexual preference, making her more interested in women.
These findings could explain why twin studies show that homosexuality runs in families, but no "gay gene" can be found, Rice said. In identical twins, there's about a 20 percent chance that if one twin is gay, the other will be too. If genetic change were responsible for homosexuality, you'd expect a much higher match, Rice said. Epigenetics, however, can explain the heritability without the need for a specific genetic change.
The hypothesis could be tested by examining epigenetic marks in parents of kids with gay versus straight offspring, Rice said. There are, of course, concerns that this knowledge could be used by parents who want to avoid gay offspring, Rice said, but that concern already exists around certain hormonal conditions in utero, which are known to contribute to an increased chance of offspring being lesbians.
"That cat's already out of the bag," Rice said. He added that an understanding of the biological underpinnings of homosexuality could help emphasize that same-sex behavior is not "unnatural."
"In fact, it's a major part of the natural world," Rice said. Fourteen percent of Western gulls raise chicks in female-female pairs, he pointed out. And 8 percent of male sheep show zero interest in fertile ewes, but get sexually excited by other rams. ]
Now that the scientific research shows that homosexuality is not a choice, but formed very early via epigenetic factors (resistant to change), religions that abhor homosexuality look sillier than ever on the issue. For Christians in particular, I would also say their wildly conflicting Biblical interpretations regarding a wide array of topics including this one is just another indicator that their objective truths are anything but objective.
For issues such as this, with the knowledge we have today, Christians need to come to the table without "scripture", and be ready to discuss such issues rationally. Otherwise they will continue to face an ever increasing tide of distrust and an ultimate indictment of irrelevancy.
An elder commercial once said, "Where's the beef" which nowadays is lent to "What's in the beef" as a communally based interrogative status of halfwit enunciations brandishing vowel go-getters.
LionlyLamb continues its quest thru the thesaurus, in search of the meaning of "incoherent".
@ mama k: is it your contention that science dictates morality?
on what basis does ANY scientific study determine what is good or evil?
relevant article on that point from the New Republic (note well his concluding sentence):
http://www.newrepublic.com/blog/damon-linker/another-kind-atheism
Southern baptists voted for Obama
Those who voted for Obama were and are under the effects of the kool-aid, no matter what "religion" one claims.
Some did, some voted for Romney, some didn't vote at all.
Did you have some kind of point, or were your typing fingers just operating on their own?
All Southern Baptists are not going to Heaven and all Southern Baptists are not as bright as they should be. When you are on your death bead, I am betting they will not be calling for Obama to save their rotten souls, now will they?
I think it is wrong to exclude, or in this case, persecute, any group or organization.
Even though the SBC is a sideways, private spin-off of the BC in general, they have decided to punish the majority for fear of the few.
However, the BSA will be much better off in the long run.
it would seem gays will sacrifice the scouts for their cause also, children as political tools for their agenda
Good, the organization will be better off without them.
If I didn't have to give 2 cents to all the stupid democrats, I would be 3 times as rich as you.
Wonder what the new uniforms will look like? Wonder what the colors of these uniforms will be?
So the military allows gays. Will the Southern Baptist Church not allow military members into there church.
Their
Jason –
Good point. I wonder if they will also forbid their members from joining the military.
Not only joining but those you have already joined should be kicked out of the church. According to their line of thinking.
On top of that they should vote to keep military funerals out too.
The way I see it they are contributing to child abuse. These are children and should not be encouraged in that type behavior.