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Post by Rev. Jim Cunningham on Nov 19, 2008 2:13:33 GMT -5
From: Manager Rev. Jim (Original Message) Sent: 11/18/2003 5:22 PM
Hi family,
Well, as you may already know by now, the Massechusetts Supreme Court struck down the ban on same-sex marriage, saying that the ban violates their Constitution by forcing gays and lesbians to become second class citizens. Massechusettes has once again lived up to its name as the birthplace of American Independence. It was the great John Adams, Representative of Massechusettes (and later President), who convinced the Continental Congress to declare independence from England and who fought in that same Congress for the release of black slaves. After Adams declared that blacks should be free and equal, a representative of North Carolina questioned him, "Mr. Adams is now calling our black slaves 'Americans'; are they now?" To which he replied, "Yes they are. They are people and they are here; if there's any other prerequisite, I've never heard of it." Once again Massachusettes has defended its definition of what an American is - people who are here, none of whom are second class.
But as I'm sure you also know, when the voice of Liberty is heard in the land, the voice of Tyranny is ever heard in the shadows. The Right-Wing bigots, those same voices which strove to keep blacks in their shackles and to keep women barefoot and pregnant in their kitchens, have already begun their attack. Like Ku Klux Klansmen with bull dogs at their feet and flaming torches in their hands, they seek to destroy any vestige of justice and liberty that does not apply directly to themselves. The battle to create a US Constitutional amendment that would outlaw same sex marriage in all the coasts of America is raging once more, a civil war unparalleled since the battle against slavery.
Like the supporters of slavery, these enemies of Liberty blasphemously wave their Bibles and call freedom for American homosexuals "immoral, unbiblical and against nature". That is why I have created Gay Christian Survival Group - to show believers and non believers, gays and straights alike, that, like the black-haters of the past, gay-haters are WRONG. May God, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Heaven Who holds all power and authority in His own hand, bring light and justice to America one more time.
In Jesus,
Rev. Jim
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Post by Rev. Jim Cunningham on Nov 19, 2008 2:14:04 GMT -5
From: miljan_publishing_ltd Sent: 11/19/2003 1:03 PM
Rev Jim -- Yes, good & bad news. Good that Massachusetts is trying to pass this legislation but when it does, I hope this does not turn into another 'Reformation' which ends up splitting the church. Sadly, homosexuality is the only prejudice that is based on 6 Biblical scriptures. That's what makes it more difficult to fight. However, I will not give in to such misinterpretation and ignorance. I also will continue to fight (with love) for the Church to stay together and come to know that homosexual love is not a sin and is no more an issue that heterosexual love.
Continuing to pray, Jan
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Post by Rev. Jim Cunningham on Nov 19, 2008 2:14:21 GMT -5
From: Manager Rev. Jim Sent: 11/19/2003 7:11 PM
What amazes me is the pure hatred people feel toward homosexuals and homosexuality. Many people actual believe that homosexual is the worst crime a person can commit - some even believe it is worse than murder. I will never understand what it is about homosexuality that frightens people so.
The courts, being the Judiciary, only has power to interpret existing laws, which is why the courts have suddenly started to defend homosexuality. They see nothing in the US and State Constitutions that would deprive homosexuals from equal rights. However - and unfortunately - the Legislatures do have the right to alter the Constitutions to nullify the rulings of the courts. What is so bizarre about this case is that the Right Wing Conservative community is so absolutely terrified by the idea of homosexuals getting married that they are willing to actually create a Constitutional amendment DENYING a right.
Notice in the case with abortion, the only Constitutional grounds that the Court had in order to legalize it was from one amendment which states that a person becomes a citizen of the US if they are BORN in the US. Therefore the courts concluded that you are not a person unless you have been born; if you have not left the womb then you are not a person (according to their argument), and therefore you are worthless and can be aborted. And, whether we hate to admit it or not, technically the courts are right BECAUSE of the way the Constitution is written. But (and pay attention to this), all Congress had to do was pass an amendment stating exactly WHEN a person becomes a person, and this would instantly destroy the court's ruling on abortion. In other words, if Congress passed an amendment that human life begins at the moment of conception (as the Bible says), then the courts would immediately interpret the law to say that abortion is murder.
Now, the Conservative community, instead of trying to pass such an amendment, keeps trying to fight the court's ruling. And even if they had once attempted to pass such an amendment, that course of action seems pretty dead now adays.
But here comes the homosexuals who simply want to get married, and suddenly all hell has broken loose to the extent that gay-haters want to literally rewrite the Constitution to stop it. There is something very very wrong here. This is more than just a religious issue. These people hold a hatred toward homosexuals unlike anything known in history. Not since the days of the Spanish Inquisition has a Western government tried to pass laws BLOCKING civil rights. This is mind boggling. Not even the slavers tried to make a Constitutional amendment to outlaw rights for blacks.
We continue to fight for many reasons, but the most important reason is this: Rights are not GRANTED by law; rights are given by NATURE and PROTECTED by law. For the Congress to DENY our rights it must therefore presume it has the authority to grant rights in the first place. Congress has no power to grant or deny a right - only protect or ignore them. We must not allow Congress to get away with this. They may not dictate to private citizens what they can and cannot do with their lives regardless of whose moral sensibilities might be insulted.
In Christ,
Rev. Jim
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Post by Rev. Jim Cunningham on Nov 19, 2008 2:14:50 GMT -5
From: Luke Sent: 11/20/2003 8:48 PM
Been thinking about the changes going on in the
country. So much discussion back and forth but
keeping an eternal perspective in mind, what is really
important? Even if our culture changes to one of
acceptance of gays and gays marrying, how will that
affect those who are Christians? Those of us who have
accepted the fact that Jesus Christ is God's Son and
have put our faith in Him as the one who died on the
cross and rose again for our salvation from our sinful
natures, will still be at odds with the world!
We are seeing the name of God being taken out of our
court rooms, out of public speaking and conversation,
and more and more the stigma of being a follower of
Christ is leading to persecution. Just check out the
web page on the persecuted church and you will find
out that the world hates Jesus Christ and his
followers.
So gays may gain the victory to have the freedom to
move about society and marry, but those gays who are
also believers in Christ are not going to find it any
more easier than straights who believe in Christ.
When we accepted Him as our personal Saviour, we
received the Holy Spirit into ourselves, and now we
have become the enemies of Satan. He did not mind us
being gay and doing what we wanted to do when we
wanted to do it, but now as followers of Jesus, he
hates us. He will do what ever he can to lead us
astray and away from faithfulness to Jesus. The
temptations are clearly evident everywhere for gay and
straight Christians alike.
In my thinking, when that day comes that God judges
mankind like it is described in Revelation, it will
not matter to Him at all if one is homosexual or
heterosexual. What will seal out eternal destiny is
what we have done with His Son. All this turmoil over
current issues are important, but I honestly believe
that Satan is using all of this to sidetrack us
Christians from the eternally important issues!
God is calling us to faithfulness to Him, to our
partners, to Jesus Christ, to His word, no matter what
the cost. We have so many hurting people whose
eternal destiny is at stake and we have the answer to
mankind's need. Jesus paid at terrible cost for our
salvation because He loves us more than we can
comprehend and just wants to lavish that godly love on
us. Why would a God create us humans when He was
complete in Himself? He wanted to love and be loved
in return from us.
What is really important when we keep an ETERNITY perspective?
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Post by Rev. Jim Cunningham on Nov 19, 2008 2:14:56 GMT -5
From: Manager Rev. Jim Sent: 11/21/2003 1:10 PM
Luke,
Amen and amen! I totally agree with you.
Yet while we are on this planet we still have lives to live, and it behoves us AS CHRISTIANS to ensure that justice prevails on ANY issue, be it religious or secular. As believers, we live our lives with Christ as the focus, but we do not live in Him to the exclusion of all else; that is, we must still eat, work, play, be a part of Society, etc.
As we move into the darkest of times in world history, with the arrival of Antichrist just on the horizon, drawing closer to Christ and enduring persecution becomes an evident necessity. However, as Christ Himself said, "Occupy till I come."
In Christ,
Rev. Jim
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