Oklahoma Rep. Sally Kern, openly gay church pastor face off on television- Page 2

[roquat]

Posted: 3/26/08 at 10:38pm

St. John's article was the most insidious, as she is attempting to revive the old stereotype linking homosexuality to pedophilia. It's as laughably dated (to us) as the "all gays wear dresses" stereotype, and yet it's so easy to stir up idiots with the idea that all gays are "like that" and that all of us want to get our hands on their children (for "indoctrination", "recruitment", or something more sinister.) What a hateful bitch.

[DBillyP]

Posted: 3/27/08 at 2:04pm

In the interest of full disclosure, Rev. Scott Jones is a friend and former co-worker of mine. His church, the Cathedral of Hope-Oklahoma City was formerly a parish extension of the church of which I am a member and staff member, the Cathedral of Hope in Dallas. CoH-OKC is now independent of us, though we still maintain a relationship.

In his defense, for those who think he did not do well against Rep. Kern, Scott was courageous, albeit perhaps a bit foolhardy, even to accept the invitation to "debate" Kern. Very rarely is anything accomplished in such a setting. Fundamentalists have no interest in hearing, or letting be heard, the other side of the argument. After all, they have the Bible on their side, so what other side is there?!? Sally Kern is a bigoted, fundamentalist politician. Scott is a compassionate, intelligent man, who, as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, approached the conversation from a different perspective, with love and understanding. Scott could have made any number of other Bible references, in addition to the ones he did, had she not talked over him every time he opened his mouth.

One of the first things I learned when I joined the staff of CoH as the media relations representative was that rarely, if ever, will we accept an invitation to "debate" a fundamentalist in an on-air setting. With the opponent's unwillingness to listen, it too easily can turn heated. As Rev. Michael Piazza is fond of saying, "It's like teaching a pig to sing; it frustrates you and annoys the pig." Scott has been at the forefront of the response to Rep. Kern, and should be commended for that.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 3/27/08 at 2:06pm

It's sad how unChristlike many Christians are.

[roquat]

Posted: 3/27/08 at 9:48pm

"Homosexual agenda" is a meaningless term. It's meant to suggest all sorts of sinister possibilities (mostly involving children) without actually spelling them out. We have to stop letting people get away with hiding behind those two words.

[DG]

Posted: 3/27/08 at 9:59pm

DBilly - I figured you knew the man involved. I'm glad you chimed in with what you had to say.

I don't particularly see the reason to address the issue that way (for the reasons I mentioned earlier,) but I don't question at all the sincerity or intent of people like your friend. Unfortunately, it does usually turn out to be a wate of time (for the reasons you mentioned.)