I love World Vision.
In fact, I’ve worked alongside World Vision in some capacity—first as a supporter, then as a speaker and today as a social media consultant—since 2005. I’ve seen their work firsthand in five different countries. And I’ve gotten to know many of the dear souls who work for World Vision, some here in U.S. as well as those who live abroad. World Vision is a good Christian organization. They aren’t perfect. But they are good. Which is why I’m passionate about what they do, and why Jessica and I sponsor 5 kids through World Vision.
Over the last nine years, I’ve witnessed one thing over and over again at World Vision: Its people are driven by a sincere dedication to being the hands and feet of Jesus to children in need. Which is why they will go to just about any corner of the world, hope in hand, and do whatever they can to bring life, sustainability, and relief to children and families existing in desperate situations.
I love World Vision. I love its mission. I love its people. I love its passion for loving God by loving people.
Which is why yesterday was so hard to watch/experience. When Christianity Today released its “breaking news” and I read the headline—WORLD VISION: Why We Are Hiring Gay Christians in Same-Sex Marriages—I knew it was going to get ugly. I knew it. Still, once again I was surprised by just how downright hateful Christians can be, especially when it comes to anything involving our gay brothers and sisters. It’s just so sad. And yet stereotypical.
Watching the online conversation yesterday, which was mostly negative and vile in the beginning, was like watching Christian America beat up on my friend, a friend I value and know to be good.
Okay, so World Vision changed their hiring policy (read their statement here). Though the change is a bold and controversial move among evangelicals, the truth is, their “change” was really just a small step forward. And yes, I personally believe it was a step forward—a good and needed one! And I applaud World Vision for their decision. But it was just a step. I mean, the hate being spewed by Christians is being directed at World Vision, a very conservative organization, a conservative organization that requires its employees to be Christian and to sign not only the Apostle’s Creed but also a lifestyle contract. Here’s what the official statement said.
World Vision is a multi-denominational organization that welcomes employees from more than 50 denominations, and since a number of these denominations in recent years have sanctioned same-sex marriage for Christians, the board—in keeping with our practice of deferring to church authority in the lives of our staff, and desiring to treat all of our employees equally—chose to adjust our policy. Thus, the board has modified our Employee Standards of Conduct to allow a Christian in a legal same-sex marriage to be employed at World Vision.
And while this is very good news, it hardly means that World Vision is having a pride parade at its headquarters today. Nobody’s blaring Lady Gaga and donning rainbows today. In the grand scheme of things, though it’s a good move, it really is, in the end, just a minor change that does not warrant the hate storm by the likes of some of evangelicalism’s most elite names.
And guess what, friends? Gay people already work at World Vision. I mean, out of the 1100 people who work at the U.S. office, chances are pretty good, that a bunch of them are gay. Some of them might not be out. But they are there, doing the good work of Christ. Because they love Jesus. And because they love helping kids get sponsored. And they are, despite what some evangelicals might proclaim, good Christian people.
But as we know, a good many Christians really hate homosexuality. They HATE IT. And THEY MUST REMIND US OF HOW MUCH THEY HATE IT over and over again. And because they HATE HOMOSEXUALITY AND ANYTHING GAY-RELATED, when events like what happened yesterday occur, they feel obligated to issue official statements about why THEY HATE HOMOSEXUALITY. And so, a plethora of big names, from Franklin Graham to John Piper to David Platt all made their opinions about World Vision’s handbook change known.
Of course, some of the meanest faith-based culprits are the reformed bloggers at The Gospel Coalition. I really try to never subject myself to their messages, but yesterday, I did. And once again, I read one TGC blogger after another issue their thoughts as if God himself was speaking through their fingers as they typed. But as you likely know, these men are some of the Internet’s most trusted “Christian” voices. And yet I don’t get it. I mean, none of us are perfect and we all get angry once in a while. But is anybody ever happy at TGC? Do they ever get excited about something that isn’t at the expense of another? Anytime I read their posts–yesterday included!–I only see a coalition. I see no gospel. Oh, they quote scripture verses like Pharisees and seem to know what’s right about everything, but yet they seem devoid of love, at least, love that extends beyond their kind. For their sake, I do hope that, upon entering heaven, God says, “How much did you hate homosexuality?” And I hope that they are absolutely certain of the answer that God is expecting to hear. Because I suspect they might be surprised.
TGC’s rage against World Vision helped to fill up Twitter with tweets from Christians declaring their disgust for World Vision’s decision and announcing their plans to stop sponsoring their World Vision child. I hope that makes them happy. I don’t think it does. Not really. But they indeed inspired many to drop their support. Because I know for a fact that a good many people stopped sponsoring needy kids yesterday because World Vision changed a policy in their handbook. Do these people shop at Target? Do these people use Facebook? Do they donate to Goodwill? Have they ever bought Girl Scout Cookies? Do they watch The Walking Dead on AMC? Because all of those places and businesses allow gay married folk to work there too. So I hope that, before they make the decision to stop sponsoring, they will consider the child, consider that people come before doctrine, dogma, and religion. That’s my prayer.
The good news for World Vision is this: Jesus is bigger than the hate storm they are experiencing right now. Jesus is bigger than the mighty chorus of big names who are chiding them with tweets, press releases, and blog posts. Jesus is bigger than the mean-spirited comments that people are leaving them on Facebook and Twitter. Jesus is bigger than the disappointment and utter disgust they are seeing and reading all over the Internet.
But as we know, sometimes standing up for people, regardless of who they are and why they need standing up for, comes at a cost.
But we stand up anyway.
We brave the religious backlash.
And we keep following Jesus.
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Amen. So, so angry about this. And hurt. Crushed that Jesus followers could be so heartless. I will not defend TGC on this one. Not a chance.
It should be so simple. Regardless of where one stands theologically, why can’t we still love? Why oh why do people not understand that love is tantamount to being a Christian???!!! Why is love perceived as weak? I am so grieved as I ponder what the world would be like if love was the go to response.
As a very secular and liberal Christian, I may once again consider donating to World Vision now that they have made this change.
However, until they agree to distribute condoms rather than refer those they help to other sources of condoms I cannot bring myself to donate again. Abstinence programs are laudable for their intent, but they do not work.
Also, in this article, while I know you meant it in jest, the reference to Lady Gaga and rainbows is not funny or appreciated. It kind of diminishes the effectiveness of your whole point to praise World Vision for its progress and then make such a poor joke related to homosexuals.
Dogbert0228 As far as I know, they do distribute condoms in many countries. They did in 2011. I saw them.
MatthewPaulTurner Dogbert0228 Great, thank you.
I looked it up before posting and could not find confirmation.
I know many private organizations do so as well, but do not publicize it for fear of backlash.
I can do donations straight through my employer’s payroll office. Now that I know this I’ll send in the paperwork.
Keep up the good work.
Jesus does indeed need new PR.
I’d love to get some general percentage breakdown on how much of the “hate” was merely “disagrees with World Vision’s stance” or “may move their sponsorship monies to other similar organizations instead.”
No one disputes that gay people already work there. That’s a red herring. The question is whether an organization like World Vision will affirm biblical teaching on sexuality. It appears they will do so selectively. No sleeping with your girlfriend (which is clearly a sin in Scripture) but go ahead and sleep with your same sex spouse (which is also clearly sin in scripture.
We all have temptations, desires, feelings and such that if we were to pursue and act in them would be sinful. All of us sometimes screw up and fail in these areas too. But there is a difference in affirming Scriptural teaching on something while sometimes failing to live up to that standard and just redefining the standard.
Holy Shitballs – what a great post.
*slow clap*
God also hates homosexuality. Jesus himself condemned sexual immorality to Jewish audiences, who would surely have understood that term to include homosexuality, and he made no effort to dissuade them.
myfullemptynest We do – but love is not just a feeling. Any parent or good friend knows that real love sometimes makes people unhappy or angry. Real love is wanting what is best for someone – and homosexuality is not what is best for anyone. Scripture makes this absolutely clear, sexual sin is continually treated very seriously, and liberal Christians who want to act like it’s no big deal aren’t loving anyone, no matter how many warm fuzzies it gives them.
autigers1970 Well said.
phys_prof myfullemptynest Love is so much more than ‘a feeling.’ It has the full power of God behind it because God IS love. Love does not cause unhappiness or anger. It is so easy for us who do not have to deal with homosexuality in our own lives to sit in judgement on others. We are all sinners. We all have things in our lives that we are working out between ourselves and God. I’m not a liberal or a conservative Christian. I’m just someone who loves God with all my heart and am seeking to have the heart of God. All sin is serious, whether it’s gluttony, idolizing our our own sure theology, divorce, etc. God loves us while in our sin and we are commanded to love others the same way. We can keep making excuses or we can act by loving. It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge and our job to love. Any other action says we know better than God and that’s idolatry.
phys_prof, I have not read in any Bible translation that God hates homosexuality. The only thing I have read God hates is Divorce, and yet many Christians will happily applaud divorcing and willingly hiring divorcees… I think we miss the point when we claim what God hates, and fail to see what He loves… He loved the WORLD (all of humanity & creation) so much, that He sent His ONLY Son to die for it, so that all could be united to Him in love. Jesus did not die only for the righteous, He makes that very clear. He died for those sexually immoral and yes those homosexuals that you seem to loathe… until we can see all humanity as God’s children, we fail miserable.
myfullemptynest I agree. People are repeatedly told how “wrong” and “sinful” their behavior is from people who disagree. They keep talking like a change in rhetoric will make a difference. The more hateful and angry an approach to salvation, the more people are inclined to turn the other way. I agree with you 100%. Love is abused in its misuse and misrepresentation. Its become so warped, that when it’s real, we question its authenticity and
I’m trying to understand where you think that people come before doctrine, where does that line of thinking come from? I fail to see that represented in the scriptures and I would disagree with you on your comments on the TGC. I benefit much from their posting. Your criticism of them is equally negative, you’re comments are hypocritical imo. There are many other good ministries out there doing just as good work as World Vision, and I’m sure the support will shift to those. An organization that was trying to prevent division because of a very controversial subject matter in the Christian community did not think this through in a wise way, it was a foolish move on their part to publicize this policy, let alone make it. Scripture is pretty clear on us judging other Christians especially when they are in violation of biblical principles, I don’t see it as hate, I see it as tough love.
I find it interesting that the #1 tactic of virtually all people who disagree with Bible believing Christians is to simply demonize and talk badly about them instead of addressing the topic in a straightforward manner. The attempt by so many to separate “doctrine” from people is simply an illusion. It can’t be done. You have a doctrine, and you have a dogma. It says that Christians do not have to take sin seriously because sin isn’t serious at all. This is your doctrine of sin, and it is destructive.
Christians are not upset at Target or other businesses because those businesses aren’t claiming to be representing Jesus in their endeavors. World Vision is making that claim. Most of us don’t even have a problem if World Vision wants to hire gay people. It isn’t about that at all. It is about the fact that they are openly saying that one can be a Christian and live in sexual sin and that it is OK. It is a real shame that you have to misrepresent Christians who follow the Bible whole-heartedly. Jesus said that there were teachings which He hated. It’s explicit. It’s in red ink. As humbly as I can admonish you, I can only say, “Follow Jesus.” Don’t follow 21st century pluralism.
Thank Matthew! I am attempting to follow Jesus’ teachings. Maybe everyone could take a breath and stoping trying to prove they are right. Let’s stop proving to those that don’t know Jesus yet, that we don’t either…
I like kids.
I like puppies.
I like gay people.
I like the gospel.
I like grace.
I disagree completely with World Vision, with you, and with others who are so fundamentalist about being progressive (yeah, I said it) that you would accuse the hearts of all who wrestle at all with how to reconcile their belief in the Bible and their stewardship on earth.
I support a sweet, precious little girl through World Vision. Now I’m trying to figure out how to reconcile my beliefs about truth and my choice of which organization handles my gift to kids. And for grappling with that, for having the conversation at all, I’m unloving? I hate people? I don’t care about kids?
I’ve tried to keep my sense of balance between conservative and progressive streams of Christianity. But I hear just as much anger, just as much hate, and just as much unfair assessment of the hearts of conservatives by progressive believers as the reverse. You’re so angry. And you’ll claim it’s a righteous indignation just as the guys at TGC will do. I’m starting to be really glad I don’t really belong in either camp.
This is a disheartening day for people who love both truth AND grace, an authoritative Bible AND the people we love who believe and behave differently.
I love World Vision too. I have run for Team World Vision for years, including over 400 miles of races last year to raise money for the cause. I ran the Comrades ultra marathon last year and visited the water projects in Batabwa, Kenya, where I was tearfully and humbly brought to my knees by the joy and trust in Christ of the people there even amidst their impoverished circumstances. I was the first person to get a Team World Vision tattoo. I sponsor children through WV out of my own pocket.
And I am heartbroken over this news and could not more wholeheartedly disagree with your entire post. If WV had wiped out their entire hiring policy and simply said “we’re all sinners, we take all comers” okay, fine, because we are all, in fact, sinners. But to leave part of the hiring policy in place (the prohibition against premarital sex and infidelity) and then remove the prohibition against homosexuality, you are in fact condoning that behavior, no matter how smoothly you wordsmith a response claiming that’s not what you’re doing. Scripture commands us to be hot, not lukewarm, lest God spits us out of His mouth. True, God is a God of love. But He is also a God of righteousness. You don’t get to pick the fun parts of Jesus (think “Buddy Christ”) and ignore those that you don’t like.
Clearly it’s wrong to be hateful to the homosexual community. But it is every bit as wrong to condone sin for the sake of popular culture. If you do not lovingly correct your brother who is sinning, what good are you to him? The devil asked Eve “Hath God truly said that you will die?” And now some churches are asking “Did God REALLY say that homosexuality is wrong?” It stinks to be told that you’re full of hate, that you’re a bigot, that it will be good when your beliefs die out from the earth. But we are warned that we will be ridiculed, despised, condemned for adhering to the Gospel. What stinks even more is to ignore God’s word for the sake of the tides of culture.
I have not made my final conclusions yet, can’t answer the question as to whether to support WV now would be to ignore the commands of my creator and redeemer. For me it comes down to a simple two part question:
“If I continue to run with and support World Vision, am I being complicit in condoning an immoral behavior as World Vision USA has done? Or, if I stop running, am I cutting off my nose to spite my face?”
That really is the question? Can an organization still call itself a Christian Organization while condoning sin because that’s the “in” thing to do? And does the amazing work being done by the ministry make up for the blatant disregard of scripture? I’ll be praying for WV’s leadership and I’ll be praying for myself, but once I know the answer to those questions, I’ll know whether or not I can keep running and supporting this ministry.
WV also requires their single employees to stay celibate, but I’m pretty sure more of their single employees are having sex than there are legally same sex married.
StephenRexroth Man I feel you! This is pretty much exactly what’s going through my mind right now too. And yes, WV did make a statement and can’t deny that they made a statement. I always assumed that some gay people probably worked for them. But when they make a public statement claiming that they are no longer bound by what the Bible provides as a theological framework for mission, there’s a problem.
Stephen, I don’t think you hate kids. Or gay people. Or kittens.
radford5000 Maybe he read the Bible?
Matthew 12:1-8 “Your disciples are doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath”
Matthew 12:9-14 “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath?”
Matthew 15:1-9 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?”
Matthew 15:21-28 “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”
Acts 8:26-40 “Do you understand what you are reading?”
Acts 10:1-16 “Get up, Peter, kill and eat”
Acts 11:1-18 “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?”
And you’re right, Jesus was pretty clear about judging others. Matthew 7:1-5. As was Paul in Romans 2:1.
brandonacox What about World Vision’s decision do you disagree with? Do you support or engage any idea or group that supports or acknowledges gay marriage? And who are these hate progressives you’re talking about? Cuz I haven’t seen but a couple tweets that even border on hateful…
radford5000 I’d love to know how you reconcile putting doctrine before people…
autigers1970 Visit The Gospel Coalition, then read the comments on the Christianity Today post, then do a search on Twitter, then check out Al Mohler’s site, and that’s just the beginning… Google it!
Dogbert0228 Actually, World Vision already distributes condoms all over the world as a preventive way to protect people who already are affected by AIDS. The way is taught about protection about AIDS is A for Abstinence as the best way of not getting AIDS or any other STD or getting pregnant. B as “be faithful.” And C as “condoms.”
WV made an official policy change that condones gay marriage. But the bigger issue for me is that it should be okay for me to decide to spinsor kids through what I believe is a gospel-honoring organization. Rachel Held Evans, Kristen Howerton, Nish, and others have spent the day shaming anyone who even considers moving their support to a different organization.
It isn’t about having gay employees, but that’s the straw man progressives keep erecting. For me, it’s about a “Christian” organization applying my gifts on a mission field for me while rejecting any accountability to a biblical theological framework.
I believe in the mission as much as you or anyone else, but I have a right to carry out that mission with the guiding theological parameters I believe God has given without being accused of abandoning kids to make a political statement.
If one discontinues sponsoring a child because they now disagree with a statement WV has made then they are abandoning a child and it is shameful. They are children, not statistics. Whenever that cup of cold water is given, regardless the circumstances it is the same as giving it to our Lord Jesus Christ. To think that God cannot use it now really minimizes who God is and idolizes self.
In my mind there is a big difference in my patronage/support of World Vision and Target etc… I am aware that many including the company I work for allow for these unions and my spending helps them grow their business and enables their policies to continue. I am getting something out of all of these relationships and in most cases their are not viable alternatives that have different values. For the past 6+ years our family has supported 2 children (Armenian boy Vahan and Indian girls (Tena) that Titus and Lorien pray for every night. We have given approx 6K to their education, religious instruction, food, clothing, etc… We write them letters and I know that our kids would one day love to visit them. However, we can’t be there and are trusting others to be our hands and feet in caring for them and be our voices in telling them about Jesus and His call on their lives. Part of this is helping them understand at a young age what the Bible says about right and wrong, about attitudes and activities that draw you closer to God and those that draw you away from being in right standing with Him. This decision by World Vision makes me question if they are the right voice to speak to kids like Vahan and Tena and if my $ should help proclaim a message that when heard by their young ears will cause a distorted worldview and understanding of the truth God wants them to know. I know that I would want something better for Titus and Lorien if they became orphans and in need of support. I am not asking WV employees to be perfect as I am a Christ follower that still falls short every day. But statement changes the standard of Biblical Authority and gives into current trends. There are many other organizations that are helping kids in this way that haven’t compromised at least on the policy level. It is going to be really hard to tell my kids if that is the move we decide to make though.
brandonacox A serious question: If you (or anyone) decide to withdraw your sponsorship over this issue, aren’t you effectively abandoning your sponsor child anyway?
Could you or would you write your sponsor child a letter explaining why you’ll no longer sponsor them?
MatthewPaulTurner radford5000 I never said to put doctrine before people, I don’t think one should be pitted against the other, they are equally important. Thanks for evading my inquiry though.
EmmyKay radford5000 I think you also need to read 1 Corinthians 5 & 6. We are to judge other Christians when it comes to moral issues. And Matthew 7 isn’t implying that we never judge, it is implying that we be careful in our judgment of others.
I would bet that for every self-righteous withdrawal of support, that there will be THREE more who take their place. In fact, I am now going to look into sponsoring through World Vision, income permitting.
A genetically inherited condition is not something you have in order to be trendy. Nor is it forbidden.
What is forbidden? Divorce is forbidden… braided hair is forbidden….working on Sabbath is forbidden… But I don’t see anyone having a problem finding a way to tell their children why we do it anyway. Guess it’s a matter of convenience.
Or trends?
Wouldn’t they have a nutty if they found out their own sponsored child was gay.
radford5000 MatthewPaulTurner Actually that’s how I read it too.
World Vision might have taken a step but it was not in the right direction. We as followers of Christ are not being like Jesus when we show hatred toward the gay community. God created everyone and loves them, in fact he sent his son to die for them just as he did me. So for so-called Christians to show hate is wrong, and I agree there are a lot of people out there who call themselves Christians who do. However, there are also so called Christians out there who spew hate at a lot of various groups of people. That doesn’t mean they are following Jesus. However, for World Vision to take a step toward agreeing with the gay lifestyle is not a step in the direction of God. In fact, it is a step just as bad as the one of hatred. Why can’t we learn to follow the example of Jesus. He didn’t show hatred and he did agree with sexual behavior, but in today’s world that is all we see. No middle ground like the one that Jesus walked which showed love and repentance as the way to the Father.
I wrote a blog yesterday stating my thoughts on why World Vision made this announcement, and today after reading the responses to your blog, I feel even more like what I stated is now the case. Because they will get more support and more money, which means it isn’t about the ministry but the all mighty dollar.
If you would like to read by reasoning, click here … http://saladbarchristianity.com/2014/03/25/world-vision-what-is-up/
This is not Gospel. Jesus is also bigger than the folks at TGC that you readily disagree with. He is also bigger than you & I. He is also bigger than Piper, Platt, & the whole world.
About 3.8 percent of the population in all cultures around the whole planet are gay. Same sex attraction is genetic people. It’s not depravity. That’s the problem here. Too many people are unwilling to let go of outdated, ancient behavioral laws. God does not care that much about orgasms. Jesus primarily focused his frustration on the Pharisees and Scribes; the legalistic and the self-righteous. He accepted the Samaritan woman and defended the prostitute, healed the leper and ate with tax collectors. These people were all vilified by the fundamentalists. They were the gays and atheist liberals of their day. Jesus was interested in the heart and not so much following the rules. 60% or so of Christian men look at porn regularly. Jesus would support a committed gay couple before he would support a man who condemned them, but looked at porn. If you are divorced or are in a sexual relationship outside of marriage or have had an affair or look at porn or lust in your heart you are committing a greater affront to God’s Kingdom than a same-sex couple that loves each other has been in a committed relationship for 25 years.
bobenko First, every psychological study done has proven that while there may be a genetic component to homosexuality, the “nurture” component of the “nature vs nurture” debate actually has a stronger correlation to homosexuality than genetics (for example, fraternal twins (different genes) raised in the same home have a higher correlation of both being gay than do identical twins (same genes) that are raised separately – results that should not occur if homosexuality was simply genetic, but I digress).
That being said, the real issue here is not what you think of homosexuality but rather what a Christian organization’s response to it should be. The problem isn’t sin. It’s the institutionalized condoning of sin. I would object every bit as strongly if World Vision had come out and said that willfully and continually being in a sexual relationship outside of marriage was okay but kept the prohibition against homosexuality. By maintaining any kind of hiring policy but removing a single prohibition, you are essentially saying “these are the things that are bad and can get you fired / not hired” and “the rest is okay”. To use your example, if you and I were friends and I knew you were regularly looking at porn, I would sit down with you and have a word with you about why porn is destructive to you, the world and to God’s design. If you continued to look at porn, I would rebuke you more strongly. We are called to love each other, but we are also called to lovingly support each other on the path of righteousness. If you choose a particular sin and decide “it’s okay, we don’t really need to rebuke brothers and sisters engaged in that particular sin”, you are substituting your judgment for God’s. For an organization that identifies itself as a Christian organization, that is something that should never be an option. The fact that some choose to willfully do so simply because they know someone who is gay and feel uncomfortable with it does not change the nature of God. We’re instructed to conform to his righteousness, not attempt to conform Him to our standard of righteousness.
And notice that you use the example of the Samaritan woman and the prostitute, but when He forgave the prostitute of her sins, He said “Go and sin no more”. World Vision’s recent policy change essentially says “Go and keep right on sinning”. That’s the discrepancy in your example. Jesus loved and forgave everyone, but He also commanded them to rectify their sinful behavior. People struggle with addictions all the time (drugs, porn, etc) but the struggle is important to God – even if you fail, as we all do since we are all sinners, the acknowledgment of your sin and the attempt to avoid it DO matter. Being in a “gay marriage” would be as if someone stopped struggling with porn and gave up trying to avoid it and simply decided “eh, whatever, I’m just gonna watch porn and not worry about it”.
That right there is the distinction. We should not shun or hate anyone because of their particular sin. But we should not condone ANY sin either, simply because it’s become politically correct to do so
LynnKalinosky radford5000 MatthewPaulTurner well it was a question about how he came to the conclusion of putting people before doctrine, not sure how you get the opposite of that through that! Unless you twist my question.
Well. World Vision reversed their decision, under fire from people who bravely put politics before children. Money seems to really be in control here, though they could have waited until new support started coming in. I still applaud how they put their necks on the line to do the right thing. I’m sure it set a wheel in motion; look for more organizations to do this soon.
WarWraith brandonacox
I know the decision was reversed, but yes, I had already planned to write to both World Vision and a farewell letter to my child…..only to find out that the money I had been sending in *did not go directly to my child anyways*
thapack45 WarWraith brandonacox No that’s never how these sponsor charities distribute donations…
I work in Africa as a university lecturer. Every year, I meet Compassion “kids” who are poised to become next generation servant leaders. They are bright, love the church and want to make a difference in their world. I have yet to meet a World Vision “kid”. Not sure why?
StephenRexroth bobenko Your explanation only works if you consider same sex attraction to be sinful. It would make sense if we were talking about gay prostitution. Same sex attraction is really no different than left handedness. The only differentiation is that Christianity is based on a set of beliefs that held that carnality and sensuality was, by it’s very nature, ungodly and not to be trusted.
The Jews considered women to be ritually unclean because of menstruation. Women were considered to be cursed by god (small g because the true God is not that absurd). Of course now we know that menstruation is simply a natural, biological process that does not need to demonized by ancient superstitions.
Homosexuality can be sinful the same way that heterosexuality can be sinful. But it is not by it’s very nature a sin. You see, the difference between Progressive and Conservative Christians is that Progressives realize that our understanding of the universe and mankind and God is not the same as it was 3000 years ago. Every culture and every age will interpret the scriptures differently. What matters is to love God and love others. That will usher in His Kingdom not a single religious rule or law or doctrine.
It is not our job to defend God, it is our job to love and further his kingdom. We love Jesus, and accept him as Savior just as much as Fundamentalists do. The Bible teaches we, as a chosen people, should be unified in Jesus and that if we are not we are lost.