Now there is no doubt about what the bible says about homosexuality, it is wrong, it is a sin and a sin that goes unforgiven will damm you to hell. But I think there is a critical error in judgement on the part of Mr Phelps. I believe we have to separate the sin from the sinner. I read this article in one of my books that I think serves as a good counterpoint and also serves to make my point. It is titled "No Right To Scorn
I happened to be in Washington, D.C., on a day when 300,000 gay rights activists gathered there to march. The October day was chilly, and gray clouds spit raindrops on the column of marchers snaking through the capital. As I stood on the sidelines directly in front of the White House, I watched a rather remarkable confrontation. About forty policemen, many of them mounted on horses, had formed a protective circle around a small group of Christian protesters. Thanks to their huge orange posters featuring vivid renditions of hellfire, the tiny knot of true believers had managed to attract most of the press photographers. Despite being outnumbered by the gays 15,000 to 1, the protesters were yelling inflammatory slogans at the marchers.
Faggots go home!" their leader screamed into a microphone, and the others took up the chant: "Faggots go home, faggots go home. ..." When that got tiresome, they switched to "Shame-on-you-for-what-you-do." Between chants the leader delivered brimstone sermonettes about false priests, wolves in sheep's clothing, and the hottest fires in hell (which, he said, were reserved for sodomites and other perverts).
"AIDS, AIDS, it's comin' your way" was the last taunt in the protesters' repertoire, and the one shouted with the most enthusiasm. I, along with the protesters, had just seen a sad procession of several hundred persons with AIDS — some in wheelchairs, some with the gaunt and sunken faces of concentration-camp survivors, some covered with purplish sores. Listening to the chant, I could not fathom how anyone could wish that fate on another human being.
The gay marchers themselves had a mixed response to the Christians. The rowdy ones blew kisses or retorted, "Bigots! Bigots! Shame on you!" One group of lesbians got a few laughs from the press by yelling in unison to the protesters, "We want your wives!"
Among the marchers were at least 3000 who identified themselves with various religious groups: the Catholic "Dignity" movement, the Episcopalian group "Integrity," and even a sprinkling of Mormons and Seventh Day Adventists. Over 1000 marched under the banner of the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), a denomination that professes a mostly orthodox theology except for its stance on homosexuality.
This last group had a poignant reply to the beleaguered Christian protesters: they drew even, turned to face them, and sang, "Jesus loves you, this we know, for the Bible tells us so."
The abrupt ironies in that scene of confrontation stayed with me long after I left Washington. On the one side were "righteous" Christians defending pure doctrine. On the other were "sinners," many of whom openly admit to homosexual practice. Yet one side spewed out hate and the other sang of Jesus' love.
I think its time for us Christians to wake up. The very same gospel we use to preach the love and peace of Christ is being used to preach hate and scorn. Although I pray that the gays will one day see the light and turn from their homosexual ways, I also pray that the Westboro Baptist Church and others like it will also see the light, separate the sin from the sinner and once again preach the gospel the way it is meant to be preach. They are the ones doing the real damage, not the gays
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