Society
Evangelical Churches Warn Government Against Sexual Orientation Regulations

An alliance of around 1300 evangelical congregations has issued a declaration warning the Government not to bring into force the impending Sexual Orientation Regulations.

by Maria Mackay
Posted: Wednesday, February 28, 2007, 6:52 (GMT)
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Christian organisations which provide services on behalf of the state will be penalised for refusing to endorse homosexual practice. Christian businesses will likewise suffer. Churches which provide facilities to the community may also encounter threats of litigation. In a country which has an established Christian church, and which professes to respect religious freedom and liberty of conscience as core values, Bible-believing Christians will be outlawed by these regulations should they seek to exercise these freedoms.
The 1,300 churches linked with Affinity, and the members of those churches, therefore declare:
[1] The Bible strongly and unequivocally asserts that the practice of homosexuality is sinful, displeasing to God and damaging to society.
[2] The view which Bible-believing Christians have of homosexual practice is not personal, vindictive or based on homophobic prejudice. It arises solely from the teachings of the Bible, which identify a wide range of sinful practices in all areas of life, about which such Christians would hold similar convictions.
[3] This same Bible has for hundreds of years been the greatest single influence upon British national culture – providing the foundations for its educational and legal institutions, as well as the major impetus for social compassion and welfare reform. By bringing in this legislation, the Government has turned its back on the enlightened wisdom which has inspired and shaped a system of justice held in high esteem throughout the world.
[4] A wise and far-sighted government should not only permit liberty of conscience, but should do everything within its power to protect, support and encourage it as a non-negotiable principle. These responsibilities are not reflected in the Sexual Orientation Regulations.
[5] Bible-believing Christians strongly support the rule of law and the right of government to establish and maintain order in society. However, this support is being severely and wilfully tested by the Government's failure in this legislation to take account of the nature and strength of the commitment to biblical authority by which many Christians plan and order their lives.
[6] For Bible-believing Christians, obedience to God must supersede obedience to the civil law whenever these demands conflict. While seeking constantly to minimise the extent to which their decisions and actions depart from the wishes of the state, they cannot compromise with God's Word, and will not hesitate to act at all times in accordance with their consciences.
[7] As a consequence of the unwarranted attack upon the legitimacy and acceptability of their faith, the churches, agencies and individuals comprising Affinity’s partners, associates and supporters will stand by one another prayerfully, financially, and in every possible expression of fellowship, as and when they are pursued and penalised under this legislation.
[8] Affinity's partners, associates and supporters will continue to pray for the Government, and to address it on the issues of principle and practice bound up in this legislation, in the confidence that God is in control, and with the hope that better times may emerge, for the greater happiness and spiritual prosperity of our society.

Right or wrong, this will get the politicians' attention and send them scrambling.

[6] For Bible-believing Christians, obedience to God must supersede obedience to the civil law whenever these demands conflict. While seeking constantly to minimise the extent to which their decisions and actions depart from the wishes of the state, they cannot compromise with God's Word, and will not hesitate to act at all times in accordance with their consciences.



I think this is where people just dont get it. Its not like there is a choice.

of course there is

just, as all the examples on another thread here, there are myriad examples of "Christians" throwing away condemnations and rules of "abominations" whenever it pleases them.

does this mean that these 1300 congregations believe that there should be laws against those of different religions (those who have "other Gods before" Him) - or do only rules about homosexuality remain constant?



edited to add: these 1300 do not speak for all Christians. They're just louder and uglier and get noticed more.

like born again gays.

Not a "choice", huh?

Do Christians still declare that people who eat pork are unclean?
People who wear eye-glasses? Are they allowed to approach the altar?
Divorce and re-marriage? The bible is against divorce except in case of infidelity. Re-marriage is NEVER an option as long as the ex-spouse is alive. All this is written in the bible.
Do Christians follow it religiously? Or do Christians in fact have a HIGHER divorce rate than atheists?

Christians pick and choose what commandment they want to follow all the time. They ignore some, and choose to cling avidly to others.

In fact, there IS A CHOICE to decide things the bible never even said. The bible never said gays shouldn't adopt. The bible is a guide-book of rules for CHRISTIANS to follow. I never says anything about how non-Christians are supposed to follow the rules if they don't believe.

The real question is WHY do some Christians make the CHOICE to fixate on gays so much? It's a MULTI-MILLION dollar industry for them to try and insure that gays have fewer rights than they do. The only thing that is in the ball-park is abortion.
Do you see Christians fighting to ensure that kids respect their parents? Nope. They know it's none of their business.
Do you see Christians fighting to ensure that people don't take the Lord's name in vain? Nope. They know it's none of their business.

Claiming it's not a choice is b.s.
Christians HAVE CHOSEN to make gays their focus in the first place.

The vast majority of attempts for people to "stop" being gay are unsuccessful.
A gay person can't just "choose" to stop being gay.

On the flip side, you CAN choose a religion.

Hardly a comparison.

That depends, of course, on what source you choose to believe.

YOU choose to believe that it can't happen.

... I also "choose" to believe that unicorns and dragons are fiction

Which source?
The ONLY source that says it happens with any dependability or in mass quantities is the side of the people TRYING TO SELL YOU SOMETHING.

EVERY independent research resource on the issue says that it's a massive failure.
EVERY SINGLE ONE.

Now the question comes down to why anybody would "choose" to believe the sellers, when they are the ONLY ones who are saying their product is good?

Can you answer that one?