I've been warned to stay away from my local paper's blog page.

[Critters2]

A parishioner tells me the haters are out in force in response to my pro-marriage equality LTTE. I'll try to stay here, or do sermon work or something to keep me away.

The curiosity is killing me, but I don't want to know how hated I may be.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear critters2...

Ah, good luck with that...

I'd be tempted to peek, but only if I was sure I could stay out of the comments section...:scared:

[Critters2]

3. I looked. It's not so bad. Pretty much what I expected.

Here are the comments, with just editing of my name, etc. :



posted by thegreatone from an undisclosed location at 11:11PM on Tuesday, 2/24/09

Ms. Critters,
You should have named the church you pastor. I'm sure it's booming with attendance. Surely your church has earned God's blessing by showing such outright contempt for His commands.
The false prophets are here, ladies and gentlemen. The false prophets are here.
You're on shaky ground, Ms. Critters. In fact, since you invoke Christianity, a Bible-based religion, in your letter, you're asking for a debate on what God's Word says about homosex.
Nowhere in the Bible is homosex endorsed. Furthermore, Jesus would not say, "Aww, they love each other" and endorse homosex. He would condemn the act of homosex over and over again.
The Good News is Jesus died for those who practice homosex. He died for me. And he died for you. The blood of the Lamb even covers false prophets.



Posted by Jameson at 3:58AM on Wednesday, 2/25/09

THANK YOU Rev. Critters! Your letter just made my day. :)
the(so-called)greatone, if Jesus had such a hissy fit over gay people, then how come the majority of his sermons dealt with poverty and respecting others? Take your own planks out of your eye first before you go pointing fingers, as the saying goes.



Posted by thegreatone from an undisclosed location at 5:58AM on Wednesday, 2/25/09

"Majority?"
What kind of an argument is that?
Jesus is God in the flesh. I assume Ms. Critters agrees on that (although since she has a habit of twisting scripture, I'm not completely sure she does). Either way, God destroyed Soddom and Gammorah over homosex. God is the Alpha and the Omega, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. So there's no argument here.
The Bible is extremely clear that homosex is a sinful, disgusting act. The Bible refers to it as an abomination. If we're going by the Bible — the basis of Christianity — then homosex is immoral. Period.
Nobody is preaching hate here. Jesus' love stretches as far as the east is from the west, which includes those who commit acts of homosex. This is a moral issue, not a love/hate issue.
This letter is so absurd that I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth my time to blog about it.




Posted by thegreatone from an undisclosed location at 6:01AM on Wednesday, 2/25/09

Oh, and don't you love it when people lord their titles over you? Every clergyman I've ever talked to would rather not be referred to as "The Reverend so-and-so." Yet notice how Ms. Critters attempts to boost her credibility with her signature.
False prophets do that kind of stuff.




Posted by Sam at 9:18AM on Wednesday, 2/25/09

Geez - if it isn't one way to the extreme it's the other. Jesus talked about hell more than poverty. I suggest you read the Bible before you quote it.



Posted by SS at 12:32PM on Wednesday, 2/25/09

I am so tired of hearing about this crap I wanna vomit!!!!!



Posted by beyondcitylimits at 3:35PM on Wednesday, 2/25/09

I'm sick of hearing about gay rights,I wish they would go back in their closets and quit craming it down our throats. Being homosexual is not normal. My child will be raised to know this. You can't watch tv with out seeing some homosexual act. No wonder this world is messed up.




Posted by tasha12 at 4:10PM on Wednesday, 2/25/09

Beyond i'm glad i'm not your kid. Don't BLAME gays because the world is messed up. That's a good one. Well if I were you, and i'm glad i'm not you best keep your child inside the house.



Posted by Egbert Souse at 4:16PM on Wednesday, 2/25/09

No wonder the United Church of Christ is crowded with new members.

[flvegan]

6. Who are Soddom and Gammorah?

"craming"? They're worse than Freepers! :rofl:

[Critters2]

9. I never heard of 'em. But I guess they pissed God off by not being

hateful enough.

Yeah, it's a pretty intellectual bunch, huh?

[Chan790]

11. and the consistent use of the bizarre compound-neologism "homosex"

across several of those letters makes me think you really have one solitary respondent replying under several names.

[Lil Missy]

25. I'm obviously going to hell. And they can kiss my queer ass when I get there.

[Gormy Cuss]

2. Give me the paper's web address.

I'll look for you. :pals:

[av8rdave]

4. I can't believe you would write a letter promoting

such non Christian behavior as respecting others and treating them as equals. The nerve of you!

:sarcasm:

[Critters2]

8. I know. I make Baby Jesus cry. nt

[OmahaBlueDog]

5. Don't tell me you're stupid, er I mean brave enough to use your own name?

Seriously, what can/will the haters do?

[Critters2]

7. Actually, I see it as outreach. Letting glbtq folks and allies

know there's a church in town where they're welcome. So, yeah, I used my real name. I don't think the haters will do anything more than bitch on the comments page.






Do you? :scared:

[flvegan]

10. I agree 100%

and commend you on doing so.

[Iggo]

12. Homosex.

I know it's a buzzword for the hateful, but it really cracks me up.

It's interesting how they give it a name so they can hate it more.

Hey, wait a minute...a-ha! Epiphany! (And I do not mean one of those cheap Gibsons, either.)

I've changed my mind. "Bobby" it is.

[NYC_SKP]

13. I, too, am taken with the word, "homosex". "Let's have homosex!"

It sounds like fun!

[Critters2]

14. It is!! That's why it must be snuffed out.

In the good ol' days, homosex was illegal, as God intended. Thanks to the unelected courts, it's EVERYWHERE now!! :sarcasm:

[ismnotwasm]

15. You know

I don't get it. I'm not religious in any way, so reading the bible is well, reading. So I read it on occasion. The whole thing several times. (I'm not in any way educated about it though, other than casual, unprofessional research)

I know the passages in question, but I don't get the emphasis on them. It just seems that those haters are on some sort of narrow band focus there. It doesn't make sense to me. It'll never make sense to me. If I read the bible as something to be literal and inerrant, as many of the haters do, it reads more like a horror novel than a Holy story of redemption and love

I missed your LTTE, but I'm sure it was wonderful.

[Critters2]

16. Here:

To the Editor:

I'm writing in response to the recent letter by David E. Smith of Tinley Park. I'm both a Christian pastor and a supporter of marriage equality. I'd like to take issue with a couple of things, beginning with Mr. Smith's poorly written letter.

Mr. Smith challenges Rep. Greg Harris' right to chair the state Legislature's Youth and Family Committee. He writes, "No one who publicly affirms homosexuality as an immutable, morally defensible identity is qualified to preside over a committee that considers legislation pertaining to children and families."

Mr. Smith seems unaware that gay Americans, like all Americans, are members of families, with parents, siblings, and, yes, children. There's no reason a gay man shouldn't chair a committee dealing with family issues. That Rep. Harris would like to strengthen the ties that bind gay people's families seems reasonable and honorable to me.

Too many times, churches have denounced the "gay lifestyle" as promiscuous and irresponsible, while not offering gay and lesbian persons the opportunity to marry, thereby entering into strong, responsible, monogamous relationships. Gay people want to build healthy families. Those like Mr. Smith would deny them the opportunity.

Next, Mr. Smith writes, "Georgetown University lesbian law professor Chai Feldblum states when same-sex marriage is legalized, conservative people of faith will lose religious rights". He offers no direct quote to support his statement, nor does he give us a context with which to interpret this statement. I have no idea whether Ms. Feldblum actually said this, or whether it was misinterpreted by some third party.

But First Amendment rights will be in place, even when Illinois joins Massachusetts and other states in affirming marriage equality. Clergy are now free to speak out on issues such as this, and there's no reason to think they won't continue to be. Clergy can now pick and choose who they will and will not marry, based on any reason — or no reason at all. This won't change.

Finally, Mr. Smith states that passage of marriage equality legislation will result in a "showdown" between religious freedom and gay rights. I want to be free to gather with my gay and lesbian friends, to stand with them as they commit to lifelong, loving relationships. I want to officiate at these ceremonies.

And after those services, I want to sit down in my study and sign their wedding licenses as I now do with heterosexual couples, acknowledging that their state – where they live, and vote, and pay taxes — also honors their families. I don't want a showdown with anyone. I just want to celebrate loving families. I wish Mr. Smith would join me in working to offer all Illinoisans that freedom.

[ismnotwasm]

17. Wonderful

As I thought. :hug:

[Critters2]

21. Thanks. I feel pretty good about it,

except for the swipe at the "poorly written letter". That wasn't necessary. Other than that, I think I made the points I wanted to pretty well.

Thanks, ismo!

[Robeson]

20. Wow, that was really a hate filled, radical LTTE...

...why, it was almost like you were trying to impose a gay communistic lifestyle on the whole world!

Seriously, anyone who could find something wrong with what you wrote, is - to say kindly - fucked up.

[Critters2]

23. I tried to keep it positive. nt

[hfojvt]

26. a source for Ms. Feldman

http://www.becketfund.org/files/4bce5.pdf

"My argument in this article is that intellectual coherence
and ethical integrity demand that we acknowledge that civil rights
laws can burden an individual’s belief liberty interest when the
conduct demanded by these laws burdens an individual’s core
beliefs, whether these beliefs are religiously based or secularly
based."

[Robeson]

18. In Illinois? Is it in rural Illinois?...

...I didn't realize they'd have a total meltdown in that state.

[Critters2]

19. It's a lot less rural than other places I've lived.

About 90 miles from Chicago. There are fundies everywhere. Remember, Henry Hyde is from suburban Chicago. You don't need to be rural to be intolerant.

[Robeson]

22. Yeah, I know....

...I guess I'm just always amazed at the intolerance of people. After 45 years, you'd think I'd get over it, but it still pisses me off.

[murielm99]

24. I live in a rural Northern Illinois community.

We have our haters here, but we also have a gay community. They are accepted and liked by most people. One gay couple even had their home open for the Christmas Walk two years ago.

For some reason, my church has attracted several lesbian couples. Those who don't like it are free to complain or leave.

Some of the most outspoken homophobes in my community are the transplants from the suburbs.