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False Prophet Fred Phelps and The First Amendment

August 17, 2010 By Randy Thomas View Comments
Funeral Protests

It's just amazing that the ACLU joined forces with the Phelps gang on this one: Judge: Mo. funeral protest ban unconstitutional By CHRIS BLANK - Associated Press Writer JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A federal judge Monday ruled that Missouri laws restricting protests near funerals are unconstitutional. Missouri legislators passed two laws in 2006 in response to protests at servicemembers' funerals by members of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan. The church contends the deaths are God's punishment for the U.S. tolerating homosexuality. U.S. District Judge Fernando Gaitan ruled the laws … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Culture, Educate, Gay, Identity, Religious Liberty, Sexuality Tagged With: ACLU, Church, Family, Fred Phelps, Freedom, Gay, Homosexuality, Protest, Sexuality, United States

CNN Belief Blog Interviews Alan Chambers About Prop 8 and Gay Rights

August 10, 2010 By Randy Thomas View Comments
Photo Credit CNN

From ‘Ex-gay’ ministry on gay marriage's chances after Prop 8 ruling ... “It’s disappointing that a judge would rule against the will of the people,” says Chambers, author of Leaving Homosexuality. “That’s the greatest tragedy.” For 34 years, Exodus has told gay and lesbians that they can be “delivered” from homosexuality through faith in Christ, professional counseling and support groups. But how will groups like Exodus fare if fewer Americans believe that homosexuality is a sin, and if gay marriage becomes an option? Chambers acknowledged that “our culture is changing” … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogs, Church, Culture, Equip, Gay, Identity, Lesbian, Marriage, Media Mentions, Post-gay, Religious Liberty, Sexuality Tagged With: Alan Chambers, Christianity, Christianity Today, CNN, Compassion, Culture, Ex-gay, Exodus, Gay Rights, Gospel, Homosexuality, Leaving Homosexuality, Lesbian, Life, Love, Marriage, Men, Ministry, Popular Culture, Professional Counseling, Public Policy, Sexuality, Support, Support Group, The Gospel

What Is The Gospel Response to Prop. 8? – Christianity Today Quotes Alan Chambers

August 10, 2010 By Randy Thomas View Comments
prop-8

From What Is The Gospel Response to Prop. 8? : Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International: I believe that God is calling his church to a place far above the arguments surrounding what is sin and what isn't. We cannot avoid the glaring scriptural truth that there is, and will always be, a right way and a wrong way concerning just about everything we can imagine. And, yet, I believe that our attitudes towards people (internal and external) are just as important as our positions on the issues at hand. So, when I first saw the news that Prop. 8 had been overturned, my very first thought was, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogs, Church, Culture, Encourage, God, Identity, Marriage, Print, Religious Liberty, Sexuality, Websites Tagged With: Alan Chambers, Christianity, Christianity Today, Christians, Exodus, Exodus International, Gay, Gay Rights, Gospel, Grace, Heart, Judgment, Life, Marriage, Relationship, The Gospel, Truth

Happy 1st Blog/Facebook Birthday Exodus!

August 6, 2010 By Randy Thomas View Comments
firstbirthday

It's hard to believe we have had this blog, and complementary Facebook page, for a full year as of today! I am very glad to see this blog succeed. We had one serious attempt to have a ministry blog in the past that just didn't quite work.  So with lessons learned and the advent of social networking ... this blog took off right out of the gate! While I don't know that our blog will *ever* be a top dog blog like Instapundit (who knows really? :) ) we don't do this for "the numbers."  Regardless, I am a stats-a-holic so here are some statistical tidbits that those who do read this blog might find … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Equip, Gay, God, Identity, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Parents, Pop Culture, Post-gay, Puerto Rico, Purpose, Religious Liberty, Sexuality, Uganda, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: Alan Chambers, Alan Medinger, Blogging, Change, Coming Out, Community, Encourage, Exodus International, Facebook, Gayle Haggard, God, Grace, Homosexuality, Jennifer Knapp, Joy, Liberty Counsel, Media, Men, Ministry, Movie, Myths, Nessie, OneByOne, Online, Rachel Maddow, Renee Dallas, Richard Cohen, Sexuality, Social Networking, Support, Testimonies, Top Ten, Twitter, Uganda

Prop 8 Decision Imminent – Life Goes On Regardless of “Winner”

August 4, 2010 By Randy Thomas View Comments
prop 8

UPDATE 4:49 PM EDT: Judge rules Prop 8 unconstitutional. When Alan decided a couple of years ago to pull Exodus out of public policy I was in total agreement.  That whole realm fascinates me and has since I was in High School (Youth in Government Club.)  We, Alan and I, gave it our best effort for about 4 years and learned plenty of lessons. The point of today's post isn't to pile on and throw another round into the echo-chamber of talking points you will hear again and again and again and again ... and again and again ... and again ... Of course I am aware of the importance of today's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Culture, Educate, Gay, God, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Marriage, Post-gay, Religious Liberty, Sexuality, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: Battles, Change, Court, Culture, Culture War, Exodus, Faith, Gay, God, Government, Homosexuality, Jesus, Life, Love, Marriage, Media, Men, news, Prayer, Public Policy, Salvation, Sexuality, Sin, Youth

New Tactics to Disenfranchise Counselors and Clients with a Biblical Worldview

August 2, 2010 By Randy Thomas View Comments
man-in-chair

Back in May we posted about how California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) was trying to make the practice of "Reparative Therapy" or any sexually oriented change counseling unethical.  Thank goodness that effort, while not completely gone, failed. ... Clearly, the current CAMFT board is not at all ready to pass judgment on the ethical standards of ANY therapeutic orientation. I believe the board began to recognize the danger of putting CAMFT in the position of going way beyond what even the APA (American Psychological Association) has stated concerning SOCE. The APA has … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Culture, Equip, Gay, Identity, Lesbian, Post-gay, Religious Liberty, Sexuality Tagged With: Addiction, ADF, American Psychological Association, APA, Change, Counsel, Counseling, Court, Debate, Encourage, Exodus, Faith, Family, Freedom, Gay, Homosexuality, Hope, Identity, ideology, Journey, Judgment, Lesbian, Life, Marriage, Men, NARTH, Post-gay, Professional Counseling, Relationship, Reparative Therapy, Research, School, Sexual Orientation, Sexuality, Sin, Support

Anne Rice Rejects Christianity

July 30, 2010 By Randy Thomas View Comments
Click Image to Visit Anne Rice's FB Page

Anne Rice is the author of many books on Vampires (now Angels) and whatnot starting with Interview With The Vampire.  Her son, Christopher, has also become an author and has embraced a gay identity/worldview.  Recently Anne posted on her facebook page: As I said below, I quit being a Christian. I'm out. In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Educate, Gay, Identity, Jesus Christ, Parents, Post-gay, Religious Liberty, Scriptures, Sexuality Tagged With: Books, Christianity, Christians, Facebook, Gay, Grace, Identity, Jesus, Judgment

Some Thoughts On Church/Denominational Conflict

July 28, 2010 By Randy Thomas View Comments
pastorhands

This post was inspired by Matt Kaufman over at the Boundless Line.  He wrote, in response to the ELCA decision, a good question (emphasis mine): ... When should you leave a church on principle -- not for personal reasons (which we've talked about elsewhere on this blog), but for reasons of its doctrines or practices? And a follow-up question: Have you ever had to wrestle with this decision? That is definitely a tough question with plenty of potential variables.  In the 18 years I have been a Christian I haven't ever left a church on "principle" (when I have it has been for personal reasons … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Equip, Exodus Church Association, Gay, Holy Spirit, Identity, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Lutherans, Post-gay, Religious Liberty, Sexuality, The Father Tagged With: Battles, Bible, Books, Boundless, Christianity, Christians, Church, Clergy, Counseling, Culture, ECA, ELCA, Encourage, Evolution, Exodus, Exodus Church Association, Forgiveness, Friends, Gay, God, Gospel, Grace, Guide, Heart, Homosexuality, Hope, Jesus, Lent, Life, Love, Lutheran, Ministry, Needs, Old Testament, Pastors, Pornography, Post-modernism, Public Policy, Relationship, Resurrection, Sacrifice, Scripture, Sexuality, Sin, Study, Support, Testimony, The Gospel, Truth, Victory, Worldview, Worship

“Non-Celibate Gay Ministers” Welcomed In Lutheran Church

July 26, 2010 By Randy Thomas View Comments
gay clergy

From the New York Times NYT (emphasis mine because I find it an interesting description): With a laying on of hands, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on Sunday welcomed into its fold seven openly gay pastors who had until recently been barred from the church’s ministry. The ceremony at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in San Francisco was the first of several planned since the denomination took a watershed vote at its convention last year to allow noncelibate gay ministers in committed relationships to serve the church. “Today the church is speaking with a clear voice,” the Rev. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Educate, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Identity, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Lutherans, Post-gay, Religious Liberty, Sexuality, The Father Tagged With: Church, Clergy, Conference, ECA, ELCA, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Freedom, Gay, God, Grace, Heart, Holy Spirit, Homosexuality, Judgment, Life, Love, Lutheran, Men, Ministry, New York Times, news, Parent, Pastors, Prayer, Presbyterian, Protest, Relationships, Respect, Sexuality, Sin, Speaking, Truth, Unconditional Love

First Hand Report From The NEA Ex-gay Educator’s Caucus

July 14, 2010 By Randy Thomas View Comments
Click Image to Visit Melinda's Facebook Profile

Melinda has become one of my favorite facebook friends.  She's always got an encouraging word.  She recently went to the NEA Convention and she had a remarkable experience.  I asked if she would like to write a guest blog post about her experience and she graciously agreed.  Here's Melinda in her own words (emphasis mine): My experience manning the NEA Ex-gay Educator’s Caucus booth at the National Education Association (NEA) convention in New Orleans recently could be compared to being in a dunking booth or being fed to the lions. The Caucus was raising awareness that “ex-gays” do, … [Read more...]

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