This is pretty sad!!!!!!!!!!?

Question

A church in Arlington, Texas cancels a memorial service for a gay Vet 24 hours before.
I am very disturbed by this because churches are suppose to represent God! Not place judgement on people! As much as the this isn't my choice of a way to live.... I still am very sickened by this. The man is dead, he deserves to be honored. This is a megachurch, a nondenominational. All I can say is I am very disappointed!
What do your thoughts? Please, as usual, be respectful!!!! Thank you very much in advance!
http://news.aol.com/story/ar/_a/church-cancels-memorial-for-gay-vet/20070811110009990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

I need to add more details, the man that died was gay, he was alive, and he will be judged by God! We are to love our neighbors as our selves! This also is in the bible! Our job is not to judge anyone! And the person that said they would show a slide show of him kissing...The church doesn't have to allow that part! But honor him at least as a person! He deserves that much! And 24 hours later? This church knew they were counting on them for this service. I am not placing judgement on anyone but, it floors me to know that any church that truly knows God and claims to love and do what God says, this is an out right pathetic situation! What no one understands is that this wasn't a Christian church. Nondemitational church..totally different than anything a Catholic or Christian church would do!All I can and will say to finish my thoughts is no true Catholic or Christian would deny God's creation because of what they were, did or are. I know I wouldn't, and trully can't! Not my job to do so.

http://www.catholicchurchnh.org/index.cfm?content_id=473

http://www.catholicchurchnh.org/index.cfm?content_id=500

Point of these links is Catholics wouldn't do this to people! Not all religions feel the same as this church does!

http://www.catholicchurchnh.org/index.cfm?content_id=500

Point of these links is Catholics wouldn't do this to people! Not all religions feel the same as this church does!

Answer 1

SDC: I am a Christian and should all the facts be known and this is the case, as you mention, I think that this illustrates whats wrong with modern religion. Church is for the spiritually sick and that includes both, Christians and non-believers alike. Don't place all your stock in one church's bad decision to bury this gay vet. If you really knew God, you would realize, that misjudgement does occur at times in churches, simply because humans forget that they too are sinners. God loves ALL people and Jesus died for gays too !!!

Answer 2

Thank you for your comments. I have two points to make. First, this is a horrible thing to do to this man and family on any level. When someone is dead, it's not time to demonstrate our personal opinions of the person or his/her life. Honor him as a vet who served his country and as a human being who was loved by family, friends and others. The Bible tells us there is a time and place for everything. This is not the time nor place for this church to granstand about its views on homosexuality.

My second point is that this is precisely the reason so many gay people are completely turned off by religion. They see this and just view it as example No. 1,999,999 of Christians and/or religion showing intolerance toward gays. This kind of stunt makes many gay people think all Christians are like this. This is the equivalent of putting a stumbling block in front of gay people. It prevents them from even thinking they can, much less trying, to know Christ. People who snatch faith from others will be judged by God.

And the saddest thing about this is that this church will not accept one ounce of responsibility for doing this. When criticized, they will give the typical response: Oh, it's not us who think homosexuality is a sin, it's God. If you have issues with this teaching, you need to take it up with God, not us. We did not stop the memorial, this man did by his gay "lifestyle" which was contrary to God. The total denial of any personal responsibility is what is most infuriating to me.

Here is the link to the church, by the way, in case anyone wants to contact them: http://www.churchunusual.com

Answer 3

Yes, that is terrible that a church claiming to represent God would turn anyone away. Shall churches examine the past sins of everyone they are doing a funeral or memorial service for and exclude them because they were sinners? Who would that leave? Why do you praise the Catholic church and say, "The catholic church would never have done this." They are much worse with condoning their gay pedophile priests.

Answer 4

Like it or not a Church is a group of people who have every right to decide what they want to do with their things.

The idea that churches should be forced to provide services for people regardless would be the creation of Laws concerning religion which are forbidden by the first amendment.

Like it or not people have a right to worship as they choose.

Every Veteran knows this because we served to protect the rights of those we disagree with just as much as we served to protect the rights of those we agree with.

I know of an even worse story. A woman had planned her wedding and reception at a church. Less than a month before the service, after invitations had gone out and RSVPs had been received the church canceled on her because of set-up for vacation Bible school.

Of course that did not make the news because she wasn't gay.

Answer 5

I wish to honour Mr. Cecil Howard Sinclair for his service to
the nation. I pray for his sister and family, that the Lord will
comfort them.
But anyone who knows anything about Lakewood Church in
Houston(formerly the Compact Center)
would know emphatically that the Pastor Joel Osteen, the
previous pastor John Osteen are fundamentalist Bible believing Christians and would lose all credibility among
most Christians, such as myself,
if they were to support the homosexual life style. I'm sure if
the family had not made an issue of the sexual proclivities of
Mr Sinclair and took a traditional Christian approach there would not have been a problem. Perhaps they did, but some
one decided to make it an issue so that now the church has no choice but to take the stance that it has.
There is legislation in Washington right now that if it became
law, it would become a criminal offense to preach the first
chapter of Romans. Well, not on my watch. I have a number
of gay and lesbian friends in my immediate social circle
and I value their love and friendship very much. Some of them are family. They have been extremely good friends and I thank God Almighty for them. But my
commitment to the Lord will never, ever allow me to approve
of or even condone sexual deviancy.
The issue here, it seems to me, is one of a memorial service
for Mr. Sinclair. I'm sure that most any Funeral Home in that area will be happy to make arrangements that will be both
honouring to Mr Sinclair and comforting to his family and friends.
I have a strong feeling that even a fundamentalist pastor
or minister such as Pastor Osteen would be happy to perform the service as long as sexual deviancy was in no way condoned.
People don't seem to understand, or maybe they don't want
to understand. We fundamentalists do not hate anyone. Jesus
died on the cross for ALL people. We are commanded to
love ALL people. Be we are also commanded to refrain
from sin, of any type.
We simply refuse to approve of sexual deviancy of any type.
I hope this helps.
Once again, I wish to honour Mr Sinclair for his service to
our nation. May he rest in peace and may we worship the
Lord together when we stand before the Throne of God
Almighty. I will then take the opportunity to thank him in
person for his service.

I served 10 years in the military and no question in my
military mind that Mr Sinclair would agree with me that
we served to support the Constitution of the United States
of America, which in the First Amendment declares
freedom of religion. We Christians have the right thank God
and thanks to veterans and the military to exercise that
right. I support the Church's right to act according to
its conscience.
I Cr 13;8a

EDIT: It is not Pastor Osteen's church but Pastor Simmons
Church in Arlington near Dallas which refused to hold the memorial service. I STAND CORRECTED. But High Point
church did offer to pay for the entire memorial service at a
local funeral home and provide food for all 100 family and friends of Mr. Sinclair. Sounds like Christian love to me!
The reason they didn't want to hold the service at High Point is because they would have had to show pics of Mr Sinclair
huugging and or kissing his partner, which would have been
inappropriate. I agree whole heartedly with the pastor's
decision.

Answer 6

I truly believe its only a matter of time before the churches of this world abandon this idea. We need a new enlightenment. You know just a few decades ago this same sort of stuff was happening to blacks and women and justified by the "holy text" its wrong and I do hope they see the light very soon. I hope that everyone starts to relized that the bible is full of slavery, rape, bigorty, child genital mutilation, human sacrafice, hatered and gay bashing and throws the hole damn thing out. Thats my dream!!! It would be a much better world without this evil text.

Answer 7

I will tell you same as the other question


I am a Christian Pastor and I feel a Christian service should be only for Christians (followers of Christ).

Why would a non-Christian want a Wedding, funeral or any other Christian service?

If the Family is Christian and they want to have a gathering where a Christian Pastor comes and talks to them about their faith and responsibility and continued walk with Christ, that's fine.

I am also a veteran of the U.S. Navy and serving my country has nothing to do with being a Christian.

Why would a Muslim, Jewish or any other type of church (that I am not a member of) hold a service for me as a Christian?

Christian Service for Christian People, period.

THE DEAD ARE DEAD! EVEN WHEN ONE OF JESUS' OWN APOSTLES WANTED TO GO BACK AND BURY HIS OWN FATHER, JESUS SAID "LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR DEAD" IN OTHER WORDS (ONCE YOUR DEAD, YOUR DEAD, A CHRISTIAN HAS NO PART IN RITUALS LIKE FUNERALS FOR WE ARE ALIVE THROUGH CHRIST)

Answer 8

Unfortunately this is typical of the hypocritical churches today. Many don't understand that we are to separate the sin from the sinner. In my opinion they missed a great opportunity to show love to someone who was lost and teach others what Christianity is truly about. None the less I don't envy their position on having to deal with a situation such as this.

Answer 9

Should'nt make a difference,what that man sexual's orientation was.That church had no right to refuse the memorial and the man should be buried with all honors that are his.He fought for his country and should be recognised as
such.
Shame on that church.

Answer 10

From what I understand they were going to show a slide show of men kiss and such. I personally don't think the church should go against their beliefs. Would you expect a church to hold a funeral in their building if they were performing pagan rituals? Also the church offered to pay for another venue for the funeral and also paid for the catering for the reception. Doesn't seem too hateful to me!