Posted on 09/12/2014 10:15:40 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Reaction to the launch earlier this week of a group calling itself "Evangelicals for Marriage Equality" heralded by an op-ed in TIME by its spokesman, was met with harsh criticism from some Christians, including the assertion that no "real arguments" were made to support same-sex marriages.
"I eagerly await the young evangelical that finally convinces me that the Bible and human history are wrong on marriage and that justice requires that both Christianity and society bestow marriage on same-sex relationships," wrote Andrew T. Walker, director of Policy Studies for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Walker responded to EME spokesman Brandan Robertson's piece in which he explains why the initiative for evangelicals to support "civil marriage equality" was launched, with his own op-ed the next day in TIME, "An Evangelical Defense of Traditional Marriage."
"I saw a lot of emotion. I saw appeals to injustice and craven caricatures of Christianity, but I didn't see any real arguments," writes Walker. "In 800 words, there's not a coherent argument about the nature of marriage. And that's what this debate Americans are having is about, isn't it?
"It's about one question: What is marriage? This isn't just about Christianity's teaching on marriage. It's about the definition of marriage for society. It's about whether marriage is malleable, or whether marriage has a fixed social purpose that's been recognized throughout all of human history as something distinct from other relationships."
Walker argues that believing that the union of a man and woman is different from any other relationships is not grounded in bigotry or discrimination. "It's grounded in the powers of observation that draw rightful distinctions between different sets of relationships," he said.
EME officials point out that there currently is a generational divide on same-sex marriage among evangelicals. The association, launched by Liberty Education Forum, a non-profit organization "devoted to reaching out to people of faith on LGBT issues" argues that older generations of evangelicals remain largely opposed to same-sex marriage, whereas Millennial evangelicals are becoming more supportive of what they call "civil marriage equality."
"Polling from the Public Religion Research Institute shows that just 27 percent of all white evangelical Protestants support marriage equality," EME states. "This number is much higher among the younger generation: the same report found that 43 percent of 18- to 33-year-old white evangelical Protestants identified as supporters of marriage equality."
However, Walker who is a Millennial as is Robertson, said the church's theology on marriage, while certainly pivotal to the church, isn't sectarian.
"Marriage leads one outside the walls of the church and into the public square because marriage, by design, reveals a purpose about our being made male and female," Walker wrote. "Marriage has an innately public purpose by bringing together the two halves of humanity. If you embrace man as man and woman as woman, you might be on the losing end of a culture war over marriage, but you'll be on the side of truth when the dust settles about human nature."
Robertson wrote that EME is the first organization of its kind that is "specifically focused on creating conversations within evangelical churches, colleges, and institutions to help dispel myths about marriage equality and stake out a middle ground for young evangelicals in this contentious debate." According to Robertson, the organization was founded by two young, straight evangelicals, Josh Dickson and Michael Saltsman, "who grew up in the church and have an appreciation for both its strengths and its weaknesses."
"As spokesperson for the organization, I represent a growing number of millennial evangelicals that believes it's possible to be a faithful Christian with a high regard for the authority of the Bible and a faithful supporter of civil marriage equality," he stated.
In an EME board member's guest post on the group's website, Richard Cizik, founder of New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good, writes:
"While I haven't come to a conclusion on gay marriage within the Church, believing sincere people will reach different answers on that question, I am convinced that we cannot deny basic societal and constitutional rights — equal protection and due process under the law — to people based on their sexual orientation or practice. Thus, we can support marriage equality even if the behavior associated with that marriage is contrary to what we believe the Bible or other sacred books to teach. To put it bluntly, we can do this as born-again Evangelicals because we live in a country founded on Constitutional protections for equality under the law. Moreover, there is no sin in giving respect and honor to that principle."
EME also made the claim this week that "three prominent Christian publications" refused to run an ad by the organization that included the text: It's time for a new evangelical conversation about civil marriage equality. The ad can be seen below.
A representative of EME did not reply to questions asked by CP via email prior to publication of this article.
Notice they talk about “civil” marriage.
Sorry idiots, it won’t be enough for the gay mafia.
I can find plenty of versus showing the homosexuality is an abomination. So what does that mean? Ignore what I don’t want to hear?
"If you love me, keep my commandments." - John 14:15
“I saw a lot of emotion. I saw appeals to injustice and craven caricatures of Christianity, but I didn’t see any real arguments,” writes Walker. “In 800 words, there’s not a coherent argument about the nature of marriage. And that’s what this debate Americans are having is about, isn’t it?
“It’s about one question: What is marriage? This isn’t just about Christianity’s teaching on marriage. It’s about the definition of marriage for society. It’s about whether marriage is malleable, or whether marriage has a fixed social purpose that’s been recognized throughout all of human history as something distinct from other relationships.”
What he said! There’s some good, concise language in there. Save for future use.
The Evangelical Whore Church of America.
Matthew 19:3-9 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”
They may call it ‘civil’ but in no wise is it ‘marriage’. Christ was exceptionally clear about what marriage was, is, and ever shall be. The concept of marriage between a man and woman is to reflect the relationship between man and God. Hence Christ’s reference to an adulterous generation. He was not speaking of being unfaithful to a spouse, He spoke of being unfaithful to God.
The wholesale accpetance of these alleged 'rights' are ultimately damaging to society.
The Lord has been very harsh in history to such heretical scum
Should call themselves, “Christians For Satan”.
“While I haven’t come to a conclusion on gay marriage within the Church, believing sincere people will reach different answers on that question...”
Right there he admits he isn’t really a Christian, since he doesn’t believe in God or God’s Word. So, since he is not a Christian, he really is in no position to lecture to Christians as to what we should support.
This, to me, is unfortunately a trademark of our culture these days. Very little emphasis on thought, reason, and facts. Lots of emotion and the tossing around of terms like justice, equality, and compassion.
And it's crept into the church. We have people who want to ignore the mountain of scriptural evidence showing God's opinion about human sexuality and make up their own rules. All the while completely ignoring the ramifications of making up their own rules.
“launch of a group”
30 leftists usually run about 40 groups and orgs between themselves. I am sure Soros money is involved.
Who is this “group”?
And how has it "crept into the church"??--by CREEPS.
The people who want to ignore the mountain of scriptural evidence showing God's opinion about human sexuality and make up their own rules are not Catholics or Christians.
Do you remember the FIRST of the seven deadly sins?
It's PRIDE, arrogance. THAT is what "people who want to ignore the mountain of scriptural evidence showing God's opinion about human sexuality and make up their own rules" are guilty of.
That was Lucifer's sin. He was the "light bearer." Such a shame as Lucifer/Satan was the "dawning of EVIL."
From Google: Satan mean "adversary" in Hebrew.
Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity (a.k.a. the devil) who possesses demonic qualities.
==============================
Traits of Demons
http://hubpages.com/hub/Characteristics-of-Demons
1. Composed of a spirit-like structure similar to air, fire or a reflection of matter
2. Incorporeal spirits with no physical body or form
3. Shape-shifters
4. Ability to take on a visual appearance
5. Capable of eating
6. Mortal, but not like flesh
7. Can reproduce with the aid of humans
8. Dwell on/in the earth and in the air
9. Communicate via telepathy or by impressing thoughts
10. Rational and intelligent beings
11. Have freewill and can choose to do good or evil
12. They are fallible entities with limited knowledge
13. Require certain offerings and sacrifices for survival (incense and liquid offerings such as blood and wine)
14. Direct enemies of God and Christians
15. They are imitators and impersonators (especially of God, prophecy, and Christians)
Other Characteristics
16. There is a large number of demons found in all areas on the Earth
17..Demons have given names, and they also assume aliases
18. Prone to lying and story-telling
19. Also known as "familiar spirits"
20. Have a deceptive nature
21. Have a wicked and disrespectful nature
22. Demons have unnatural passions
23. Known to cause confusion
24. Prone to accusations
25. They created the doctrine of fate (Astrology)
26. Make false prophecies by making educated guesses
27. They taught humans magical arts and aid them in magical operations
28. Prone to defile, corrupt, and terrorize
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