{"id":160,"date":"2009-01-20T08:11:15","date_gmt":"2009-01-20T08:11:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/tonyjones\/2009\/01\/comment-of-the-day-20.html"},"modified":"2009-01-20T08:11:15","modified_gmt":"2009-01-20T08:11:15","slug":"comment-of-the-day-20","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/tonyjones\/2009\/01\/comment-of-the-day-20.html","title":{"rendered":"Comment of the Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

Preson<\/a> takes issue with my post, Announcing Queermergent<\/a>, as did many others.  What’s interesting is that I merely pointed out this new group, with no editorial comment.  Yet my even publicizing it raises the ire of many. I guess that simply acknowledging the existence of gay Christians is a bridge-too-far for some.  <\/p>\n

\n

Alright, I’m done.
\nMany of us have been involved in this conversation for a very long
\ntime. We defended it with the hope that it would truly become something
\nthat would represent a true organic holistic Christianity.
\nI just can’t walk with you beyond this step. <\/p>\n

The emerging church movement saved my faith, and gave me a reason to
\nbe excited about my faith again. After reading “Generous Orthodoxy”, I
\nrealized how huge the kingdom of God truly is. I gave up my tired way
\nof legalistic Christian faith, and embraced a LIVING faith. And I now
\npastor of an urban church where the gospel is preached in word AND in
\ndeed. A faith that doesn’t strain out gnats while swallowing camels.
\nMany lives are being changed, and people are coming to Jesus and being
\nfreed from addictions and lives destroyed by sin… and I owe (some of)
\nit to the emerging church conversation.<\/p>\n

I understand sensitivity in approaching people, and I understand the
\nfact that people need to come to Jesus and not morality. I believe that
\nJesus can deliver people from anything, and that the spirit will teach
\nto live right. I understand not taking sides on “sin management”, but
\nrather than standing around and naming sin, we should proclaim Christ
\ncrucified out of a love for His people, and wanting them to be forgiven
\nand to connect with Him. I even voted against an amendment to stop gay
\nmarriage because I don’t think that forcing people to live moral lives
\nbrings them closer to Jesus in any way shape or form. <\/p>\n

But now you’ve let the pendelum swing in the completely opposite
\ndirection. Instead of telling people to look to Jesus for their moral
\ncompass, you have taken it from “condemning” to “encouraging” a
\nlifestyle that is clearly not what God has for us regarding holy and
\ngood relationships. You are promoting a lifestyle that will not fulfill
\nthe purpose of a healthy sexual relationship, and it will leave people
\nfeeling empty and unfulfilled.
\nYou are leading people away from living at peace with God.<\/p>\n

I understand that some people are born with certain things that they
\nwill always struggle with… but we are not taught to give in. I
\nunderstand that some people are born with both male and female
\nphysicality’s, and that these things should be approached with prayer
\nand mercy and grace… but this is not that case.<\/p>\n

This is not where most of us are… and you will most definately alienate us.<\/p>\n

(btw…What happened to your “5 year moratorium”?)<\/p>\n

Many of us would like to continue this conversation. Please sir,
\nbring it back to the center, where we can all have a part in it.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Preson takes issue with my post, Announcing Queermergent, as did many others.  What’s interesting is that I merely pointed out this new group, with no editorial comment.  Yet my even publicizing it raises the ire of many. I guess that simply acknowledging the existence of gay Christians is a bridge-too-far for some.  Alright, I’m done.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":134,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-comment-of-the-day","category-glbt"],"yoast_head":"\nComment of the Day - The New Christians<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/tonyjones\/2009\/01\/comment-of-the-day-20.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Comment of the Day - The New Christians\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Preson takes issue with my post, Announcing Queermergent, as did many others.  What’s interesting is that I merely pointed out this new group, with no editorial comment.  Yet my even publicizing it raises the ire of many. 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