Word Art Created by Kenneth Justice – All Rights Reserved (2013)
Although I haven’t considered myself an Evangelical Christian for many years I can’t help but stay abreast of Evangelical news as it was such a dominant part of my childhood.
This past week best selling quasi-Evangelical writer Rob Bell made headlines when in an interview he spoke positively toward gay marriage. Specifically Bell said, “”I am for marriage. I am for fidelity. I am for love, whether it’s a man and woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man … I think this is the world we are living in and we need to affirm people wherever they are” (Relevant Magazine).
It didn’t take long for the progressive Christian crowd to sound the gong of approval. Tony Jones wrote yesterday, “Surely, Rob knows that affirming marriage equality at Grace Cathedral, would out him as a supporter of gays in the church and in society. We’re still waiting for an unequivocal statement by him, but I think that’s just a matter of time now“.
Jones is representative of the progressive Christian crowd in America which strongly desires (demands) that all Evangelicals begin supporting and endorsing gay marriage.
I’ve written on the topic of gay marriage in the past and have taken the stance that individuals should have the right to live their lives as they choose without the interference of the government. Within reason I believe that tolerance is the best choice for our society.
What bothers me with the voice of men (and women) like Tony Jones who are actively trying to force their ideology on others (specifically on the Evangelicals) is that Jones is practicing the same intolerance that he accuses the Evangelicals of practicing.
Shouldn’t evangelicals have the right to practice their religion as they see fit? Shouldn’t Muslims have the same right?
Jones would say no. Jones’ intolerance would demand that all religions (no matter how ancient) should rewrite their dogmas and fully endorse gay marriage.
I don’t have a problem with Muslims & Evangelicals being against gay marriage.
I do have a problem with Muslims and Evangelicals forcing their ideologies on society.
Thus, in practicing tolerance it is important that we who are tolerant do not become nothing more than intolerant hypocrites.
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Categories: Religion
Culture Monk 
Interesting, in reference to your “Christian” statement, what are you exactly?
Hmmmm….what kind of Christian exactly were James the brother of Jesus (head of the Jerusalem church) and John the beloved?
I’d say they were followers of Christ, and I believe they were evangelical, too.
I suspect you can be a Christian, a follower of Christ, without fitting easily into a label. My experience is that none of the labels like me. I think maybe Paul’s dictum of being “all things to all people” will necessarily makes us offensive to all. I have determined to be a liberal to the conservatives and a conservative to the liberals, a speaker in tongues to the silencers of tongues and the voice for quiet to the charismatics, a Catholic to the Protestants and a Protestant to the Catholics. Actually it is not so much a choice as a state.
As to homosexuality, we need to distinguish two separate issues: morality and legality. The morality of homosexuality needs to be discussed with more light and less heat and it needs to be discussed privately and internally within the Church before we make bigger fools of ourselves than we are already doing. The legality of homosexuality must regard the morality of homosexuality as irrelevant. As long as people are not doing physical, emotional or spiritual damage to each other, they should be left alone. Their consciences, and ours, are the Holy Spirit’s domain. We were not sent into the world as the morality police, and we should get back to the job of presenting Jesus and the grace of God.
Sorry. You can tell I rejoice a bit too much in expressing my own opinions.
I love this way of thinking, and I think we react similarly to people based off of your description. I find myself doing much the same thing. Thanks for your post, it makes a lot of sense.
Love your thinking and believes…with you totally!
WOW…I meant to write “beliefs”……….actually, I am a lesbian, and I agree, we should NOT force our beliefs on anyone…because then we are not being tolerant…Labels are so intriguing…and so demoralizing at the same time. I am a human being who happens to be a lesbian. I do not address myself as this in normal everyday conversation…but I thought it might be okay to do so in this situation. I was actually thinking of beginning a blog on WordPress about lesbianism. But I was not sure IF it would be allowed. I thought it would be interesting to explore what people think about the entire issue and what I, myself, have experienced and live. I do believe there are so many misconceptions out there in the universe. I thought it might help everyone if they actually conversed with an actual lesbian — LOL….sort of like back in the 60’s when it was cool to say you had an African American friend. [ I have 2 in-laws that are of the African-American race and they are my very good friends…I told them I would be safe, “come the Revolution!” I hope you understand my humor in all of this. SO—-yes, let us all be tolerant of each other —and not force anything on anyone!