How Sad, How Very Sad One of Faith's young girls recently told me of a conversation at her school. A young boy told her that all "gay people are going to hell." She explained that at her church she is taught that God loves everybody. That seemed to merely increase the volume of his argument. I understand the young boy, because I was a young boy once. In our sexually-confused culture where sex is a commodity, used to sell everything from automobiles to new home-loans, it is very hard for any teenager to develop a healthy sexuality. I confess that as a young teenager I was homophobic - fearful of "the other". Given my own history I can understand, not condone, this young boy, unclear of his own sexuality, lashing out against gays. What I cannot understand is the ignorance and hate of clergy who say similar things. This morning I read online that a South Carolina pastor urged "parents to punch their gay-acting children." That's right - if children do not conform to appropriate gender norms the pastor urged his congregation to "attack their children." And this is the church of Jesus Christ? So much hate and violence in the world - and now it comes from pulpits as well? In the year of our Lord 2012, do we still believe that young boys and girls choose to be gay? We can't change the world, but we can make sure that in own homes and in our church, we demonstrate the love of Jesus! In faith,
Pastor Tim
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