He did not think cultural changes affected his congregation... but it did.
Well a pastor generally is an employee of the the flock.
So I guess they told him to Flock Off.
Homosexuality was always one of the big problems that I had with Christianity. I have a lot of gay friends, and I just never could imagine that they were going to go to hell because they like to kiss a man. Just one of the many things wrong with Christianity and religion in general. Why would a god create people only to condemn them to hell?
My "christian" upbringing must not have been very good because I never knew, until the last 10-20 years or so that it was a sin to be gay. By then I was already an atheist so it was another nail in the coffin.
@snytiger6 In the UK homosexualty was only illegal between males. Allegedly when the ACT forbidding it was placed for Queen Victoria's signature she said no, women do not do this sort of thing.
The fact that everyone is making a fuss about this shows we still have a long way to go. Young people are still suffering due to straight mainstream culture, it’s getting better, l hated it when my friends were beaten up due to their sexuality in the ‘90s anything that stops bigots being violent to others works for me.
I guess his congregation is mad at the pastor for reminding them just how absurd their religion is. They should be glad he didn’t include a note about how parents should stone their kids to death for being disobedient or about the proper way to conduct slave ownership.
Yeah,no cherry-picking allowed!
I used to buy into homosexuality is a sin cause the Bible said so. I was Christian and believed what pastor said.
One day I woke up and said to myself wtf do I care what other people are doing if it doesn’t affect me. I have too much I need to work on myself without worrying about what other people are doing.
They all need to be tossed out on their asses for their posting of hate and electioneering.
The culture may change, but the bible is STILL fiction.
I'm glad that piece of shit lost his job.
I really don't care what this pastor preaches or what the bible says. If the congregation takes exception to his methods they can fire him, that's their prerogative.
What I do object to is vandalism. anyone can express disagreement with the message displayed if it is done peacefully. Destruction of property that is not your own is a crime and should be condemned as such. An uncivil society is one that is destroying itself.
Hate is hate!
Reading this heartwarming story, and seeing how a zealous died-in-the-wool pastor could lose his job over his public exhibition of faith, even in a tiny town in northern California, brings to mind the final lines of the iconic Inspector Harry Callahan, in Magnum Force: "A man's got to know his limitations."
Well goes to show that we are on the right side of history.
Religionists always quote that wrong, it should say: "Homosexuality Is Still a GOOD Sin."
The reason religion calls anything "sin" is because it places a "spiritual" connotation on an act or concept that religion doesn't like - giving them the trumped up authority or control to absolve the "sin" or to condemn the "sin."
If I say religion can absolve sin, many would accept that idea. If I say religion can absolve crime, many would reject that idea.
Religion is a dangerous fairytale.
Pretty much the entirety of the Catholic church and its congregants believe, or at minimum, behave, as if religion can absolve crime. The Church "punishes" their own rapist priests instead of turning them over to the authorities. Sorry, but to me, being relocated to another area where there are fresh children to molest doesn't seem like a punishment for them. The fact that the global congregation still shows up every Sunday and still tithes makes them all complicit.
I think, as a way of pooling their concern and support for each other, they should start having bi-weekly gatherings, prayer sessions, where they really huddle together . . . close. Give each other comfort! Singing songs together, holding hands, shouting and hugging! Glory!
If he is openly homophobic, lesbophobic, paedophobic, fat person phobic or whatever.
I would say he has a right to his belief and a right to write it .... and others have a right to disagree and write their own comments. It is how civilised society conducts itself - the problems start when someone decides violence is a better way of promulgating their view than text or speech.
It is quite probable that almost everything anyone writes on the internet, says on a phone, or in certain cases speaks directly to another person can be analysed by a government agency
But no-one, whether it be an individual, social group, or government, has a right to prevent people holding a viewpoint and expressing that view through text or speech.
Yes, he has a right to his beliefs. He also must face the consequences of his words and beliefs when the society he lives in does not want to be associated with him and his beliefs.
@Redheadedgammy It is the individuals who stand out from the crowd, develop a viewpoint others disagree with, who begin to change the world - see Galileo.....or are ostracised and often killed ... see bin Laden ...This Pastor has no new idea to develop, just an old view he adheres to - but he has that right ...society should keep his view and the argument against it in the open for all to judge...and the 'right' side will get the majority verdict. Trying to bury someones right to freedom of thought and expression is what leads to feelings of exclusion, desperation and violence
Except Pastors are supposed to be held to a higher standard,and hatespeech is actually a crime for anyone.
@AnneWimsey You are now pushing into the ethical argument of freedom of speech vs social barriers and constraints placed upon it ...... I always stand by free speech, no matter what is said.
In The Friends of Voltaire, Hall wrote the phrase: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" as an illustration of Voltaire's beliefs. This quotation – which is sometimes misattributed to Voltaire himself – is often cited to describe the principle of freedom of speech.
@ShadowAmicus I understand & support the entire "free speech" thing, in including donating to the ACLU (which does not always argue "popular" issues), but there is enough nastiness awaiting everyone in this life, those who gratuitously add to it deserve censure.
@AnneWimsey and the use of reasoned argument to refute the ideas put forward is the most effective method .... jail creates a martyr and prolongs the argument
@ShadowAmicus who mentioned jail?!!? Fines, ostracizing, shaming.....
@AnneWimsey amounts to the same martyr making system
@ShadowAmicus Bah Humbug! Most of us enjoy passing out deserved scorn!
As to expressing a view through speech, the US Supreme Court long ago ruled that expression may be limited by “time, place and manner” regulations.
For instance, don’t block rush hour foot traffic, or shout in quiet zones, etc.
Yeah, but posting a sign isnt really discourse. Free speech should have a higher level of responsibility for those with larger platforms
@ShadowAmicus so, you yell "Fire" in theaters, do ya?
@AnneWimsey no - why would I? but am happy to be involved in argument based on intelligent logical thought
@ShadowAmicus could you possibly answer my Very relevant question? And why one doesn't do crap like that? Because we both know there are laws against destructive speech and that yelling "Fire" is the primo example of why!
@ShadowAmicus ooooooh, bin laden...excellent example!
@AnneWimsey Bin Laden was, at one point, a golden boy of the US administration ...helping the mujahideen fight against the russians in afghanistan. He formed Alqaeda in 1988 and about 10 years later was organising bombings and attacks against the us, culminating in the 9 11 2001 attack and his eventual death in 2011 ...
Even Bin Laden had a right to stand in times square and preach whatever he wanted ... and anyone else had the equal right to stand and give an opposing argument .... that is the foundation of democracy.
@ShadowAmicus there have been lots & lots of "golden boys", the Shah of Iran springs to mind.......proving...? Still waiting for you to yell "fire" in a crowded theater, because it's a "right"........
@ShadowAmicus, @yvilletom Thank You for your very, sadly Uncommon Common Sense!
@AnneWimsey Shouting fire is not postulating a theory or argument.
A pastor, standing up and expounding his personal opinion that homosexuality is still a sin, is his basic right - to have an opinion and to openly state that opinion. He does not have a right to use violence or incite violence to support that opinion..... the converse is true for anyone who has an opposing opinion.
@ShadowAmicus except, (YUGE "except" ) his babble teaches to put them to death!
@AnneWimsey words ... no problem .... and once his words become offensive action - then we have a problem
@ShadowAmicus using a billboard no doubt paid for by his congregation (or, paid for by My tax dollars) is BS!
Grow up and buy a journal.
Considering that this is from CBN, it is a remarkably evenhanded, objective report.
Did you read some of the comments? They are believers I tell ya....LOL
Although I'm not a Christian I have no problems with what the pastor did. Bruce Jenner is indeed a man and per the bible homosexuality is wrong. I'm not understanding why anyone would lose any sleep over this.
Bible = bull shit
@Duchess_Nyx to be fair, there are 17 comments on this thread and this comment is the 15th.. so only two people saw it
Per the Bible? Do you live your life according to the Bible? Do you decide what's right or wrong based on a story?
@mrveggieman187 your points raised are irelevent. The pastor was dismissed for inciting and provoking hatred against innocent people based on the self appointed authority of a bronze age book of filth.
Surely you do not agree with that Ben?
duchess, nyx, is there something you do not understand about being a total shit to other human beings?
You are spouting garbage! Wake up you are in the 21st century!
"Bruce" no longer exists,and who appointed you to tell people who/what they are? Mind your own business!