Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
In recent years, it seems like there is a growing movement in some evangelical/fundamentalist churches that is much more virulently homophobic than anything that was mainstream before. Most evangelicals believe homosexuality is a sin but that a homosexual can be saved if they renounce their sexuality and either live celibate and in the closet for life or attempt to convert to heterosexual. "New homophobia" however rejects these ideas and instead teaches that homosexuals are beyond redemption and cannot be saved. This doctrine is spreading and the pastors at the center of it are Independent Fundamental Baptist pastors such as Steven Anderson of Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, AZ, Roger Jimenez of Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento, CA, and Manly Perry of Old Paths Baptist Church in San Antonio, TX. It definitely goes beyond these churches as more and more churches in this network are popping up all the time.
The distinctiveness of this movement are the following beliefs.
-LGBT people are reprobates and have been rejected by God and therefore their sin cannot be forgiven
-The government should make homosexuality a capital crime
-Current or "former" homosexuals are not allowed to attend church services
-All homosexuals are pedophiles and rape children and there are no exceptions
-Since homosexuals have committed the unpardonable sin, Christians are to not show any kindness or empathy towards them. They are free and encouraged to be as nasty to them as possible and encouraged to use anti-gay slurs.
-Crisis situations facing the LGBT community like AIDS and the Orlando shooting are something to be celebrated. Steven Anderson, after the Orlando shooting, posted a video referring to it as "good news".
-These preachers will go on angry, hate-filled rants during their sermons about killing gays or burning them alive.
I really think this movement makes the Westboro Baptist Church not seem so bad. The reason is that Westboro made enemies of religious conservatives and liberals by their tactics of using soldiers' funerals as a platform to preach their message. This "new homophobia" within the IFB however is much more palatable to religious conservatives and seems to be spreading like wildfire.
What are your thoughts on this movement and do you think it's as big of a deal as it is starting to seem? One thing that stands out about this movement is most of the pastors that are promoting it are young guys in their 30s and 40s as opposed to older people like Fred Phelps.
My thoughts? I think it's typical of people to assign motive and assume that if we disagree with a lifestyle that we hate people that practice that lifestyle. That's a cop-out.
No--most of us don't rejoice in violence toward gay people. I have never met a Christian that does. Sure..you may lift up heretics like the Westboro inbreeds, and proclaim we are all like that, but most Christians condemn the things they do, and we condemn the theology they preach.
You want us to take you seriously? Just stop lumping us all together in a group based off of a few nut jobs. And stop assuming that we are motivated by hate.
My thoughts? I think it's typical of people to assign motive and assume that if we disagree with a lifestyle that we hate people that practice that lifestyle. That's a cop-out.
No--most of us don't rejoice in violence toward gay people. I have never met a Christian that does. Sure..you may lift up heretics like the Westboro inbreeds, and proclaim we are all like that, but most Christians condemn the things they do, and we condemn the theology they preach.
You want us to take you seriously? Just stop lumping us all together in a group based off of a few nut jobs. And stop assuming that we are motivated by hate.
What about Steven Anderson of Faithful Word Baptist Church? If you are unsure who that is, check out the below video.
He is much worse than Westboro ever thought of being because he is part of a network of churches that is actually successfully proselytizing. His views on gay people are more extreme than Westboro, but his tactics are a bit more orthodox so his message is more palatable to fundamentalists.
How do you feel about saying you dehumanize homosexual people?
I've watched a few of these sermons, mostly because my family follows these people. It literally sounds like the Nazis in the 1930s when they were dehumanizing Jews. The angry rants are so out there I don't understand why YouTube even allows them to be posted. It's one thing to disagree with somebody's way of life, but it's another to start dehumanizing them. That is a dangerous road to go down that never leads to a happy ending.
Most Christians, even those who believe homosexuality is sin, don't take it that far. This is a growing movement though and one that I don't feel should be ignored. Religious conservatives, liberals, and non-believers allied to oppose Westboro and I believe the same should happen to stop Anderson and his ilk.
My thoughts? I think it's typical of people to assign motive and assume that if we disagree with a lifestyle that we hate people that practice that lifestyle. That's a cop-out.
No--most of us don't rejoice in violence toward gay people. I have never met a Christian that does. Sure..you may lift up heretics like the Westboro inbreeds, and proclaim we are all like that, but most Christians condemn the things they do, and we condemn the theology they preach.
You want us to take you seriously? Just stop lumping us all together in a group based off of a few nut jobs. And stop assuming that we are motivated by hate.
Did you even NOTICE that OP said it was a new movement among a certain description of church types, not that everyone who belongs to that category is that way.
It is strange to listen to someone wearing a cross around their neck, talking smack about LGBTQ, women, blacks, jews.... et-al. I have listened to religious men standing on corners assailing LGBTQ and blame Jews for the death of Jesus in the next breath.
Are they motivated by hate? Yes. They just do not see it. Men who insist LGBTQ is a lifestyle choice are motivated by hate and fear.
He is much worse than Westboro ever thought of being because he is part of a network of churches that is actually successfully proselytizing. His views on gay people are more extreme than Westboro, but his tactics are a bit more orthodox so his message is more palatable to fundamentalists.
He is wrong. I outright condemn him. We're not all like that.
The most militant among the LGBT constituency are every bit as much to blame: when they gang up on small, non-essential businesses in small communities, (often run by and exclusively oriented toward the Fundamentalist communities they demonize and stereotype, it's bound to provoke a reaction.
And please don't waste anyone's time by trotting out the lame excuse that "its your duty to serve under the law". That is the same defense used by many Nazis tried for war crimes. Most of your opposition simply wants to live and let live, but the LGBT militants deliberately picked a fight, in hope of il-gotten gains via a lawsuit.
It's not an issue about which that many of us are aroused, but when you choose to play dirty, you can expect to be repaid in kind.
Last edited by 2nd trick op; 02-21-2017 at 12:47 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
