bennet@gymble.UUCP (Tom Bennet) (02/02/85)
In answer to part of the following: >From: brower@fortune.UUCP (Richard Brower) >Newsgroups: net.religion.christian >Subject: Christianiod intolerance ... >They would rather see me starve on >the street because nobody would give me work or rent me a place to live >(as they have shown time and again by working to defeat civil rights >legislation). And of course all the time that they are trying to keep >me from having any rights to jobs or home, they keep giving me this >line that it isn't that they hate gay people... There is no question that the church has often treated gays as anathema rather than extending assistance. Christians properly realize that all human beings are sinners, including themselves, and have no right to feel more holy than anyone else. Inalienable rights are just that, and Christians need to speak out about that. >So, go stand up in your churches and temples and pray, "Thank you Lord, >for not making me a filthy faggot like that Richard Brower character...", >but quit with the lies. You cannot love me and claim that my lifestyle >is evil. You cannot love me and claim that my relationship is invalid. >You cannot love me and refuse me jobs and housing. You cannot love me >by throwing me in jail or having me put to death. You cannot love me >and throw my brothers out of your churches (I left by myself, but I >know when I'm not wanted). If a man is going jump from a building, you do not love him by leaving him alone. You do not love an alcoholic by telling him it's okay: you must get him to admit he needs help and refuse to accecpt him without change. Churches must do more to help gays to give up their sin (some churches do such work; I can probably dredge out some specifics for anyone who may be interested), but they are not doing anyone any favors when they refuse to call evil evil so that it can be confronted. Tom Bennet (..!ihnp4!seismo!umcp-cs!bennet)