What is Missouri "REALLY" like? (Joplin, West Plains: transplants, condo)

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

thank God for the Ava/Mansfield churches.

Yes because this:

They say the defendants shot at them, threw rocks, threatened them, and circulated petitions against the campground. Franzke and Thideman also claim the neighbors vandalized the campground and started a hog farm on the property line to "create hazardous runoff."

is totally acceptable if you disagree with the lifestyle and political choices of your neighbor.

I don't believe in God -- does that mean it's OK for me to shoot at your church? I think not.

Missouri gay campground owners allege harassment  | News | Advocate.com

[Silvermouse]

Originally Posted by aragx6

Yes because this:



is totally acceptable if you disagree with the lifestyle and political choices of your neighbor.

I don't believe in God -- does that mean it's OK for me to shoot at your church? I think not.

Missouri gay campground owners allege harassment | News | Advocate.com

The Advocate? Oh yeah, that's a real unbiased source. I'm a live and let live person myself, but I'd like to hear the other side too.

[aragx6]

Of course there's another side, but what the article states is what the lawsuit is in reference to. If even half of it is true there's clearly a problem here and if two people on this forum are applauding such efforts on the part of these churches then that should be a real eye opener for our OP who is considering a move to the region.

[cyrano]

Sounds like the campground believes that the Ava Church of the Nazarene is involved in the harassment.

Tell me again about how tolerant people are down there...? And there are other sources besides The Advocate writing about this, so it's not like the lawsuit isn't real or the harassment hasn't been alleged.

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by aragx6

Of course there's another side, but what the article states is what the lawsuit is in reference to. If even half of it is true there's clearly a problem here and if two people on this forum are applauding such efforts on the part of these churches then that should be a real eye opener for our OP who is considering a move to the region.

Sadly, the actions of a few hateful and intolerant people can taint the image of an entire region. While generally speaking, you average Ozarkian may not be too fond of alternative lifestyles, the actions of a select few should not be taken as representative of the viewpoints of every single person within the region.

The presence of the campground in the first place (I had never heard of it, surprisingly, and I grew up not too far away from where it is) along with other institutions such as the East Wind community, Greenwood Forest near Summersville (another off-the grid, back-to-earth forest community, though not a pseudo-commune like East Wind), and Camp Zoe show that free-spirited and tolerant individuals do reside in the Ozarks, although they are most certainly not a majority. I definitely knew a lot of bigots while growing up, but I can assure you that not everyone in the area is hateful and intolerant. Even if you read the information posted on the Cactus Canyon's website, they stated that many residents of Ava do not believe that harassing the members of the campground is a good or Christian thing to do.

[Hillman]

Well I know several around here say they won't have any Gays or Blacks around here or they will be taken care of.One Gay did move in and they found him dead by his Mailbox.Don't think they ever found who did it.

There was a Guy on another Forum moved down to Gainesville,he was in an Interatial Marraige. He was burned out went back to Florida.I've seen several places burnt just because people didn't like them.Not saying it will happen,just pointing out it does happen very often.

My Ex Wifes Uncle was drug to death because he was Native American.My Daughter was run out of one town couple years ago by the KKK.Our Local School had a Black Chiefs Player come to see if he could Coach a Football Team there,the Kids flat told him they didn't want him around the school.

hillman

[ozarksboy]

Originally Posted by aragx6

I don't believe in God -- does that mean it's OK for me to shoot at your church? I think not.

Are the preachers and the deacons and church members shooting at the homosexuals? I doubt it. Probably the church members are praying, preaching and seeking legal remedies.

I read the story in the link you provided and it looked like the neighbors were throwing rocks at them and running hogs to try to stink the homosexuals out. I suspect the line about shooting at them was made up.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

Are the preachers and the deacons and church members shooting at the homosexuals? I doubt it. Probably the church members are praying, preaching and seeking legal remedies.

I read the story in the link you provided and it looked like the neighbors were throwing rocks at them and running hogs to try to stink the homosexuals out. I suspect the line about shooting at them was made up.

Suddenly you seem to think this is unacceptable -- then why did you say this?

thank God for the Ava/Mansfield churches.

I don't think most mainstream Christians believe God would approve of such measures.

[ozarksboy]

You and I are apparently misunderstanding each other. What do you think I have found unacceptable?

I find it perfectly acceptable for the Ava and Mansfield churches to "attack" the homosexual campground, as the OP said. I presume the churches are engaged in a spiritual attack on the homosexual lifestyle, as they should be. I see nothing wrong with preaching, praying, counseling people to keep their children away from the place, writing letters to the editor and even seeking legal ways to close the place down.

I see nothing wrong with the neighbors putting in a hog farm to stink the homsexuals out.

I don't see shooting and rock-throwing as acceptable, but I never said I did, because that wasn't in the original post. Besides, I doubt the veracity of the homosexuals' statements regarding rocks and firearms. If that were the case, the prosecuting attorney would have gotten involved.

I don't care what modern mainstream churches believe. I read the Bible and it's pretty clear about what God thinks of homosexuality.

[cyrano]

I think the original poster has her answer, in spades, from the last few posts. She'd be insane to move to the Ozarks.