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Oct 22, 2009 | Posted by: Ziggy on High

Christians shouldn't reject, exclude anyone:

Full story: www.bangordailynews.com

The separation of church and state wisely dictates that civil marriage equality be decided solely on the rule of law, on the full inclusion, civil rights and equal protection for all citizens. Iran is a theocracy. The Taliban is a theocracy. The state of Maine is not a theocracy. But since so much of the opposition to marriage equality is coming from religious conservatives seeking to inflict their particular religious views on the population at large, it is important to understand that there are thousands of people of faith in Maine from all traditions, and hundreds of clergy, who support marriage equality because of, not in spite of, our faith. A fundamentalist reading of scripture has never been any but a minority view in Christendom, and my own Episcopal church in particular has always been based on a firm foundation of scripture, tradition and reason. Our faith is ever evolving and, as with the end of slavery, the full inclusion and eventual ordination of women and the increasing emphasis on the environmental issues of faithful stewardship of the earth, our faith agrees with what Canon Charles Ravens wrote in 1916, “The Holy Spirit of our Lord does not encourage us to believe that nothing should ever be done for the first time.” As a Christian I know that there is nothing in the words or Jesus or in the gospels that leads one to exclusion or rejection of any human being. Jesus was constantly outspoken in the defense of others whom his society had declared to be outcasts. Indeed his closest friends and followers were among them.

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“That's Mama Luigi to you too”

Joined: Jun 11, 2008

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Orange County,CA

ISP: Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA

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#1
Oct 22, 2009
 
True Christian welcome all people regardless of who sins since we all sin.

“Friend of Dorothy”

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Salina, Kansas

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#2
Oct 22, 2009
 

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Thank you Rev Beach for a rational and impassioned approach to this from a truly Christian perspective. But sadly, those Christians who need to hear this message the most have already closed their hearts and minds on this subject and really don't mind engaging in bad science, bad psychology and bad theology in order to defend their choice to be intolerant and bigoted.
TAZ
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#3
Oct 22, 2009
 
So far, I have never seen an argument against marriage equality that does not have conservative religious underpinnings. If we were allowed to simply vote on equal rights for others, slavery would still be in full effect in the south and Jim Crow laws would have remained in place. If the original tradition of marriage had not changed over the years, women would still be considered the property of the man. If we allowed the bible to dictate our laws, adultery would be a capital offense, women could only marry if they were a virgin, and if a husband died, his wife would become the property of his brother. (Let's see the religious right try to pass those into law)

“21 years and almost legal”

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Littleton, NH

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#4
Oct 22, 2009
 
Thank you Reverend Beach for a passionate and reasoned essay. But it you really want to change hearts, here is a line I would give careful reconsideration:

[QUOTE who=Rev. Beach"] I want to say to those who reject homosexuals, what part of “love your neighbor” don’t you understand?[/QUOTE]

I've talked with many opposed to rights for GLBT's, and not one of them thought they were rejecting homosexuals. Indeed, the most virulent among them firmly believed that they were showing God's love by reaching out to lost souls.

Moreover, anyone who has consciously rejected homosexuals is simply not reachable. We are trying to reach those who believe that they ARE being loving and let them know how to show real love toward their neighbors. And we need to remind them that God's instruction was never to love only the neighbors in your own faith, nor to surround yourself only with people of the same faith, but rather to love all regardless of their faith.

I'm very afraid that some who are persuadable may have read that line and decided that the Reverend was not speaking to them and turned off.

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Phoenix AZ

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Oct 22, 2009
 

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Shadow Dragon wrote:
True Christian welcome all people regardless of who sins since we all sin.
Inclusion in the New Testament has nothing to do with sin or absence of sin. It's to be done, period. At least, it seems Jesus taught this, though Paul does not agree.
(No, I will not take the time to dig through the book to find quotes to satisfy doubters.)

Joined: Jan 31, 2007

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Phoenix AZ

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Oct 22, 2009
 

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nhjeff wrote:
Thank you Reverend Beach for a passionate and reasoned essay. But it you really want to change hearts, here is a line I would give careful reconsideration:
<quoted text>
I've talked with many opposed to rights for GLBT's, and not one of them thought they were rejecting homosexuals. Indeed, the most virulent among them firmly believed that they were showing God's love by reaching out to lost souls.
Moreover, anyone who has consciously rejected homosexuals is simply not reachable. We are trying to reach those who believe that they ARE being loving and let them know how to show real love toward their neighbors. And we need to remind them that God's instruction was never to love only the neighbors in your own faith, nor to surround yourself only with people of the same faith, but rather to love all regardless of their faith.
I'm very afraid that some who are persuadable may have read that line and decided that the Reverend was not speaking to them and turned off.
Actually, these people are rejecting Jesus. Read the Gospel of John and start at the last supper. You will find five passages that deal with the "the disciple Jesus loved." Now, Jesus loved all his disciples, but there was one for whom he had a special love. And no, it was not John. The individual is never named.
nina

Ottawa, Canada

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#7
Oct 22, 2009
 
TAZ wrote:
So far, I have never seen an argument against marriage equality that does not have conservative religious underpinnings....
that's because there are no legal reasons against gays being able to marry

the bill of rights in the US guarantees equality there is no astericks that reads except for gays and lesbians
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