Rumors have been floating around the Internet since last year that UCG was having a a "hidden" feast site in Montana. COGWA and die-hard conservatives in UCG have made all kinds of claims about this site including one that it was for gay UCG members. The conservatives and COGWAites have a bitter attitude towards UCG because it tends to be "slightly" gay friendly. Melvin Rhodes and Dennis Luker have long worked with gays and lesbians in UCG by advocating that they are just as loved by God as everyone else - though in UCG's eyes it be a sin to "act" gay, but not a sin to be gay.
This reminds me of a meeting in Las Vegas several years ago called Fall Autumn Gathering. It was a meeting place for gays and lesbians traveling to various COG sites. It was only a three day affair, but allowed people to meet others. Of course this sent various individuals into catatonic fits of rage. It was fun watching them make complete asses of themselves while they pretended to be the most perfect Christians that ever had graced Armstrongism.
The Montana site though was for those UCG members who lived in the state who were "...under-employed, unemployed, and individuals on fixed incomes to be able to attend the feast . . . whereas otherwise they would not be able to attend due to distance, finances, and health." UCG Feast, Bigfork Montana
It still fascinated me on how anti-gay so many in Armstrongism are. If many of them had their way, they would be the first to start stoning them according to "old testament" laws. The ironic thing in this is that many of those ready to cast stones are alcoholics, adulterers, thieves, porn addicts, liars and partakers in other salacious activities.
Gay tends to scare minister guys. We all know some who protest too much.
ReplyDeleteBob Jones University has a large gay community of students and even faculty for a school that could never it admit it had any.
The area I live in is extreme in it's fundamentalism and has the largest gay population I have ever seen in all the places I have lived. It also has the most drug abusers, alcoholics and crime I have ever been around in my career. Crazy paradoxes.
Denny Luker was a personal friend and I always found him very sincere and inclusive even when it was not fashionable. He suffered quietly as I did thru the years over such issues with members and reality. We seemed to see eye to eye on many such issues when we were able to be in touch in the past. I can't imagine he like the position he has been put in and has found out that he really wasn't going to change much with the church and all it's many and varied personalities found in the ministers he had to work with.
Tonight I was searching on Google for "homosexuality and ucg" and found this post on your site.
ReplyDeleteI am a member of UCG and had a laugh when I read about the rumor of UCG's "Hidden Gay Feast Site." It is disheartening to me that some COG folks would be bitter about UCG's efforts to show compassion toward homosexuals. Showing kindness and respect for people doesn't mean "justifying" sin, as some of these people seem to think.
The UCG upholds the traditional biblical teachings about sexual relationships: Sex in heterosexual marriage is good; all other sexual relationships is sin.
I've survived the harsh COG for 40 years. I remember the terrible attacks and contempt shown for gays during the WCG years from the 70s forward.
I'm so glad that men like Dennis Luker and Melvin Rhodes have been willing to listen and learn about the subject of homosexuality; and have shown compassion and respect to me and others who have struggled with homosexuality for most of our lives.
I live as a celibate Christian man, as a member of the UCG. My survival in the Church is due in part to Dennis Luker being willing to step out and learn about this issue - and also treat me with respect.
I have a story posted on the Internet, if anyone cares to read it. It is at: www.michael9776.com
Sincerely,
"Michael" (not my real name)
We all sin and we all seek forgiveness.
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