What is your opinion on this young man being banned from church (because of his sexuality)?

You probably know my opinion on such issues! The church body and its members should be hung in public or burned at the stake for their Dark Ages approach!

I’m not surprised because it’s in Arkansas, which is about as backwards as a place can get.

What are churches afraid of?

@elbanditoroso churches are, for the most part, run by a select few who enjoy their positions of power and like to show it off whenever possible; they are the ones who interpret what the particular beliefs of the church are, or at least which ones they are going to give the most importance to. In addition, each of them are trying to prove they are holier that all the others. Combine that with a fear of appearing to condone certain lifestyles they consider sinful. There is no allowance for those who may be neutral; an extension of the “If’n you ain’t with us, yer agin’ us!” pattern of thought.

@ZEPHYRA Kind of a Dark Age response to a Dark Age response?

He is not removed from the church, he is not able to be a member of the church. He is welcome to attend all services. That’s a big difference. The same would apply to a member who would be living with someone out of wedlock. This would be considered living openly in sin and against the churches covenant. Any one that asks to be a member of a church should read the covenant and understand it before becoming a member.

I didn’t get a letter. What a rip off.

I was disfellowshipped for calling the cops on my mother. That’s also, apparently, sinful.

My opinion is that he got what he deserved. It’s the obverse of biting the hand that feeds you. If you’re going to subscribe to a doctrine notorious for openly persecuting you and your ilk, what should you expect? There are such absurdities everywhere. Take the the log cabin Republicans for example. It’s tough finding sympathy for folks being mauled after feeding the mouth that bites them.

Well, my mom got excommunicated because she married my dad. The church sent her a letter about 10 years after they got married. As far as I know, she hadn’t been to a Catholic service in years and years, probably since she left home in Washington State as a young woman.

What I want to know is, who in the hell went to all the trouble to tell the church in the first place, and even provide them with her address which was now 2000 miles from Washington?

They spelled “roll” wrong.

Dylan should find a more liberal congregation.

Religious hypocrisy to the max and so much for Mark 12:31.

@Pachy Perhaps, and this is an even sadder thought, they are actually following it.

I hope he makes the best of the situation and never returns to that church.

And they wonder why so many are turning away from “Christianity.” They’ll say “It’s the devil!” But it’s themselves.

^^The Pope really keeps this in mind with his actions. He’s managed to give so many people a brighter view of Catholicism without changing a word of the doctrine. Props to him—a wonderful businessman.

Horrible. It’s a pity so-called Christians get to run churches. He should look up a good friend of mine and her ministry. Joan Wakeford Ministries.Then pray for their souls.

That he needs to grow smarter. To come to realization that religion is nothing but trouble.

He also needs to thank the church for doing him a favor. That they don’t drag him along to waste his valuable hours for deitification and nonsense.

If they ever come knocking at my door with their leaflets I’ll know how to get rid of them.

@flutherother Telling door to door converters you are gay works like a charm.

Clearly he needs to find a better church; one that practices what they preach. Or more accurately, practices what Jesus taught.

Even in Arkansas, there are churches with compassion and love for all. Now that the judgemental hypocrites have kicked him out of theirs, he has been freed to go and find a group of true believers in the way of Christ.

Yep. The Methodists would welcome him with open arms, and so would the Episcopalians, who are really just Catholics with a flair!
(I feel like it’s a lot of Baptists and Pentecostals that are the most rigid and unforgiving. And there are LOTS of different Baptists. When I was stationed in Gulfport, MS I remember a friend telling me about a questionnaire for something, I forget what, that asked not what church she went to but what Baptist church she want to.)

Several of my friends are gay and open about it. A few are Christian, are members of a church and are welcomed there. This is in southern US. @Buttonstc is right; he needs to find another congregation that fulfills his needs and welcomes him.

A year or so ago, I asked a Lutheran minister friend if he would conduct a wedding between a same sex couple if it was legal in his (southern) state, he said “Yes, if they were Christian and/or were interested in becoming one.”

The point is, the southern US isn’t as backwards as the stereotype. It’s just taking longer to move the needle in the right direction.

Fortunately, more US Christian denominations have or are re-evaluating their stance on homosexuality. As more misinterpretations of scripture come to light and are accepted by Christians, there is hope that their acceptance of LBGTQ members will be embraced as something natural and not as a choice or a sin.

@Pied_Pfeffer While I’m clearly not a religious person myself, I have a lot of respect for churches that try to move with the times. I don’t share their faith, but at least they are trying to be welcoming to all members of their community. Good for them.