Southern Baptists to Ponder Declining Membership, Homosexuality & ->-bleeped-<-

[Olivia P]

By: Heather Clark, June 5, 2014

NASHVILLE – Southern Baptists will ponder a number of items for discussion at its annual meeting on June 10-11 in Baltimore, including decreasing membership, how to handle congregations that accept homosexuality and the push for transgender accommodation.

More: http://christiannews.net/2014/06/05/southern-baptists-ponder-declining-membership-homosexual-and-transgender-issues/

[Joelene9]

  It will be interesting to find out what my Tea Party, SB brother has to say about this.  I'm asfraid to ask!  More and more demoninations are pondering this question.  My own Methodist Church: http://christiannews.net/2014/05/28/un-united-methodist-church-faces-split-over-embracing-of-homosexuality/

  Joelene

[Eva Marie]

*sigh*...... mainstream churches have so far to go........

I'm so glad that the church I go to does not suffer from this infighting.

[Jessica Merriman]

I just love how we are the "lost". I know exactly where I am!

I was a member of the Southern Baptist Convention and know they will never bend on gender/orientation issue's because there is too much money involved in spreading fear and hate. They prey on older more financially well off people who were raised in the fire and brimstone culture of the early teachings. They make so much spreading fear of eternal damnation that the Pastor of my former church with a membership of 185 cleared $52,000 in salary the last year I saw the printed church budget (2010) with payroll information listed. Unbelievable!

[Allyda]

I don't think for one moment the God I know, have faith in, and love would ever punish me for something that is not my fault. So I just don't believe the lot of nonsense preached by today's "televangelists," as they're sometimes called, and hard core Baptists. Being true to myself and living a clean lifestyle while mantaining that truth isn't wrong. Anyone that says it is doesn't understand the true nature of God, and I feel sorry for them.

Ally

[Vicky]

They make so much spreading fear of eternal damnation that the Pastor of my former church with a membership of 185 cleared $52,000 in salary the last year I saw the printed church budget (2010) with payroll information listed. Unbelievable!

Maybe that is the problem Jessica, you don't pay them enough!! I am on the lay board at my church that sets the salary of our pastor (aka rector) which is over $70K by the time housing and car expenses fit in.  We are very open and accepting with me in a parish leadership position, and gay men involved in our music program.   

[Jess42]

I just love how we are the "lost". I know exactly where I am!

I was a member of the Southern Baptist Convention and know they will never bend on gender/orientation issue's because there is too much money involved in spreading fear and hate. They prey on older more financially well off people who were raised in the fire and brimstone culture of the early teachings. They make so much spreading fear of eternal damnation that the Pastor of my former church with a membership of 185 cleared $52,000 in salary the last year I saw the printed church budget (2010) with payroll information listed. Unbelievable!

I am lost. I admit it and am actually quite proud of it even. But like you, I know exaclty where I am.

52,000 dollars. My God, I should start preaching especially since there are no laws against practicing what you preach. Hell, I could scare way more people with my imagination than that pastor could and maybe could even clear $100,000. It never ceases to amaze me how people of the cloth are supposed to be humble and Christlike but clear tremedous amounts of money. I have never seen a preacher, pastor, reverand or priest ride a jackass into the parking lot but have seen a lot of jackasses drive their Cadillacs there though.

Disclainmer: Not all are like this and God Bless the ones that a true but the ones that are like it, if there is Devine Justice will have to face the music eventually.

[SarahM777]

I just love how we are the "lost". I know exactly where I am!

I was a member of the Southern Baptist Convention and know they will never bend on gender/orientation issue's because there is too much money involved in spreading fear and hate. They prey on older more financially well off people who were raised in the fire and brimstone culture of the early teachings. They make so much spreading fear of eternal damnation that the Pastor of my former church with a membership of 185 cleared $52,000 in salary the last year I saw the printed church budget (2010) with payroll information listed. Unbelievable!

I think you have a good grasp of it but this is just my opinion,I think what gets missed is something deeper. Please correct me on this if I have misstated this. I believe there are three things at work here. (This also seems to go along with most other churches that are more fundamentalist.) The first has to do with a hard and fast literal interpretation of the bible. Two how the passages about Sodom and Gomorrah are read and understood. And how this relates to eschatology (End times stuff et al the left behind series etc) Boiled down to the most basic is that if one can say that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of homosexuals,then one can make the argument that God will destroy the US and the rest of the world also because of it,because then one that it's the final in the coffin so to speak.

See what your church budget is,is just a drop in the bucket compared to guys like Perry Stone,Hal Lindsey,Tim Lahay,et al. The amount of money in eschatology is huge.

Taken further it can be used as JUSTIFICATION for turning a blind eye and not speaking against the preachers that speak about beating the gay out,or the churches that when a gay couple walks into church ends up being beaten in the parking lot,or the Westboro baptist type churches,or denying basic human needs because one is really at heart in agreement with them.

[Sydney_NYC]

I just love how we are the "lost". I know exactly where I am!

I was a member of the Southern Baptist Convention and know they will never bend on gender/orientation issue's because there is too much money involved in spreading fear and hate. They prey on older more financially well off people who were raised in the fire and brimstone culture of the early teachings. They make so much spreading fear of eternal damnation that the Pastor of my former church with a membership of 185 cleared $52,000 in salary the last year I saw the printed church budget (2010) with payroll information listed. Unbelievable!

I bet the pastor was also provided with housing and a vehicle.

[Clarity]

I read through the resolution the SBC is proposing at this year's convention. Needless to say, it is not good. Seemed kind of like a we love you but we don't type of response. I don't know what it is about these types, but hate based in religious seems to upset me the most. I can avoid a crazy who's on the street corner shouting about God hating "dem gays" but when it is someone who trys to start a seemingly innocent conversation just so they can try to convince us that we're wrong, I tend to leave the conversation in tears. I don't ever expect much from the SBC given the church's history of supporting slavery and racism, but I do keep praying for them that they will have a change of heart some day.

I have heard that open and accepting Baptists do exist. In my experiences of being a transgender woman in my church, I have started to learn about various organizations for different denominations which are trying to lead to more open and accepting churches. In my church (United Methodist) we have Reconciling Ministries. I have also heard of More Light (Presbytarian) and the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptist (AWAB). I wonder if they are associated with Southern Baptist churches or if there are more baptist denominations which are less conservative than the SBC.

[Allyda]

I have one church around here where I live that I sometimes go to called St. Margarets. It's an Episcopal church that is very open. While I'd have to ask to be sure, but I don't think they're affiliated with the SBC. But, there's no shortage of Southern Baptist Churches around here. I know of two just in Floral City and 10 in Inverness (I live in rural Florida).

I think Sarah got pretty close with her assessment of the situation:

I think you have a good grasp of it but this is just my opinion,I think what gets missed is something deeper. Please correct me on this if I have misstated this. I believe there are three things at work here. (This also seems to go along with most other churches that are more fundamentalist.) The first has to do with a hard and fast literal interpretation of the bible. Two how the passages about Sodom and Gomorrah are read and understood. And how this relates to eschatology (End times stuff et al the left behind series etc) Boiled down to the most basic is that if one can say that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of homosexuals,then one can make the argument that God will destroy the US and the rest of the world also because of it,because then one that it's the final in the coffin so to speak.

See what your church budget is,is just a drop in the bucket compared to guys like Perry Stone,Hal Lindsey,Tim Lahay,et al. The amount of money in eschatology is huge.

Taken further it can be used as JUSTIFICATION for turning a blind eye and not speaking against the preachers that speak about beating the gay out,or the churches that when a gay couple walks into church ends up being beaten in the parking lot,or the Westboro baptist type churches,or denying basic human needs because one is really at heart in agreement with them.

Ally

[HoneyStrums]

SBC seem to have a lot in common with the false churches that digressed from the way of god, Too lifted in pride and to fond of their currency, its sad to admit but for these types it would a take a profit to convince. the trouble is they will also have the rejecting and stoning and banishing and beating and accusing said profit of lying, just like those biblically mentioned digressed churches.

[Vicky]

Ally, si

I have one church around here where I live that I sometimes go to called St. Margarets. It's an Episcopal church that is very open. While I'd have to ask to be sure, but I don't think they're affiliated with the SBC.:
Ally

An Episcopal Church will NOT be affiliated with the SBC folks, canon (church) law of the Episcopal Church says that Trans* folk, as well as Gay and Straight folks are completely accepted, and may hold any clergy or lay office in the entire church, local or national.  A Trans*man Episcopalian Priest will be preaching at the National Cathedral in Washington DC later this month.  Back to the original topic.

[Allyda]

Sorry if I went off topic. There are a lot of Southern Baptist Churches around where I live, and a lot of fire and brimstone attitudes to go a long with them. I make it a point to steer very clear. And I was pretty sure the Church I sometimes go to wasn't affiliated. I wasn't suggesting it was. I was merley stating I didn't know. I should have worded my reply better. Again, I'm sorry about that.

Ally