Lake Country Church: Not gay accepting?

[youjustcomplain]

https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/3 ... ies#351541

I don't really understand. A gay woman wants to join a Christian church then feels that they didn't really accept her because she was gay? (that is a big paraphrasing of what was said). But Christianity is littered with homophobia and non acceptance around homosexuality.

He goes on to say they are a compassionate and caring church. "We recognize that none of us is perfect and that all of us have fallen short of God’s standards. Rather than a safe haven for those who may feel put together, our church is a good place of healing for the broken and needy."

The statement has no value. In order to understand what he's said here, we need to know what "perfect" means and what "God's standards" actually are. That seems to be very personal to people and not objective.
If Gods standards are objective, we'd have to look to the new testament at the single source of truth. But even that book wasn't written by any god(s). It was written by people, and since people aren't perfect, as the writer wrote, how can any of this be trusted as being Gods standard? Besides, That book is clear in its unacceptance of homosexuality.

I can't square how any homosexual person would want to join a Christian church. I understand that they may believe in a god, but you're going to find many like minded people in churches as they all are appealing to authority there. Often homophobic or at least non supporting of that lifestyle, and sometimes child molesters.

[spooker]

At the beginning of the article was this paragraph:

The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Castanet she started looking for an inclusive church more than a year ago and saw a social media post from a pastor. She asked if the church was LGBTQ+ affirming and she says he told her "you will be loved here."

She knows that Christianity has a slant towards being intolerant (though the new testament always seemed to be taking a more inclusive line in the bible, but I blame religions more than the original source material) ... and she tried to do some due diligence ... but overall it sounds like she was more hornswaggled by the misappropriation of the English language to serve the church's purposes ...

[mexi cali]

What does Bible say about accepting everyone?
But God says throughout the Bible that he welcomes everyone who comes to Him. Jesus extends acceptance and kindness first. He never says, “First clean up your act, then come to me.” Rather he first says, “Come.”

Case closed.

[gman313]

All religion is non accepting. Conform or be ostracized. They all need to go

[AtlantisKelowna]

All religion is non accepting. Conform or be ostracized. They all need to go

The only thing that truly needs to go is the attitudes of people who are overly concerned with someone's religious choice. It's none of your business. If you do not believe that's fine if you do that's fine as well. Who are you to dictate people's religious choices or beliefs?

I could make a similar argument in regard to the LGBTQ community demanding you conform to their belief or be ostracized as there are many instances of this happening. Just because you choose to live a certain way does not mean others need to agree with you. Focus on your own life, worry about your own problems and use what time you have to enjoy life. Simple

[gman313]

The only thing that truly needs to go is the attitudes of people who are overly concerned with someone's religious choice. It's none of your business. If you do not believe that's fine if you do that's fine as well. Who are you to dictate people's religious choices or beliefs?

I could make a similar argument in regard to the LGBTQ community demanding you conform to their belief or be ostracized as there are many instances of this happening. Just because you choose to live a certain way does not mean others need to agree with you. Focus on your own life, worry about your own problems and use what time you have to enjoy life. Simple

I would agreed with you if they didn't get tax breaks. Since they do, it is 100% important for the public to be aware of.

[Sparki55]

All religion is non accepting. Conform or be ostracized. They all need to go

Not everything needs to be fully inclusive.

One doesn't join a conservative political party and then cry foul when they won't adopt a liberal-leaning policy. Just as someone shouldn't expect a church group that follows a belief to bend their beliefs for others. It's completely fine to not agree with the LGBTQ+. It's also completely fine to belong to a group that doesn't recognize LGBTQ+ as a lifestyle they agree with. It's an ignorant stance and not something I would align myself with however nothing there is inherently wrong. When it becomes wrong is if the group goes around harassing people, trying to change laws the restrict individual freedoms, and/or inciting hate.

[AtlantisKelowna]

The only thing that truly needs to go is the attitudes of people who are overly concerned with someone's religious choice. It's none of your business. If you do not believe that's fine if you do that's fine as well. Who are you to dictate people's religious choices or beliefs?

I could make a similar argument in regard to the LGBTQ community demanding you conform to their belief or be ostracized as there are many instances of this happening. Just because you choose to live a certain way does not mean others need to agree with you. Focus on your own life, worry about your own problems and use what time you have to enjoy life. Simple

I would agreed with you if they didn't get tax breaks. Since they do, it is 100% important for the public to be aware of.

Many charities and non-profit organizations benefit much the same and they only help who they choose. Why isn't the Heart and Stroke foundation forced to fund cancer research or drug addiction services?

What exactly does the public need to be aware of exactly? A religion that doesn't believe in same-sex relations not changing its beliefs to make someone feel welcome?

[gman313]

Not everything needs to be fully inclusive.

It does if it gets a tax break

[Sparki55]

It does if it gets a tax break

Because something is offered a tax break it must change it's beliefs to accommodate everything, even if goes against the religions beliefs? Yeah, not buying it. How about don't join a church that doesn't accept your own beliefs.

Maybe you should try joining a mosque and reading the bible there and then whine when they send you literature on the Quran.

[Sparki55]

But whatever. Churches should be allowed to psychologically damage Asians, blacks, Natives, gays - or whatever else. It’s perfectly fine because “belief system.”

If the church was seeking out these people and sending them phycological damaging harassment sure, I agree.

If someone reaches out to join a church that has a history of not agreeing with a certain beliefs, why is it the churches fault that you try and force your beliefs on them?

Again, the church doesn't have a list if all gay people in the area and sending people to their front doors to try and get them to take conversion therapy.

[JLives]

It does if it gets a tax break

Because something is offered a tax break it must change it's beliefs to accommodate everything, even if goes against the religions beliefs? Yeah, not buying it. How about don't join a church that doesn't accept your own beliefs.

Maybe you should try joining a mosque and reading the bible there and then whine when they send you literature on the Quran.

If an organization does not want to follow human rights codes and discriminate against LBGTQ individuals they can damn well fund it themselves. ALL of these churches, mosques, temples, synagogues etc. should be paying taxes.

[Sparki55]

The churches ARE seeking out these people. That's a prominent point of the article - the churches say they're accepting of homosexuality to draw in these alleged sinners, then comes the conversion-therapy promotion.

And being gay isn't a "belief." I don't know where you're getting this from.

The church believes being gay isn't following the word of god, that's a belief. I'm not saying gay people choose to be gay.

Yes, they promote they are accepting. Did they knock on her door and feed conversion therapy pamphlets to her or did she seek out a church, join them and then was disappointed they would go against their teachings? Huge difference.

[Sparki55]

If an organization does not want to follow human rights codes and discriminate against LBGTQ individuals they can damn well fund it themselves. ALL of these churches, mosques, temples, synagogues etc. should be paying taxes.

Can't argue that they should pay taxes, no issues there.

[Sparki55]

You really don't see a problem with deception? You yourself accept that they marketed themselves as accepting. Why are you absolving them from lying and then promoting dangerous therapies?

They promoted that they accept members who are gay, they didn't promise not to preach what their book says.

Conversion therapy is banned, no? So if they are using it then charge them.