Paul warned about judging others

To the editor:

In the process of trying to educate myself about the way other people think about things, I read with interest the letters to the editor leading up to the Ray Boltz concert.

In one letter, Romans 1:24-27 is quoted, and I always like to read those things in context.

Reading on in the chapter, I find that Paul (the writer) addresses a variety of behaviors that are not on God's approval list.

Such things as wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice, envy, murder, strife, deceit, gossip, haughtiness, boastfulness, and so on.

I thought that probably included most of us, being humans and all.

Paul continues in Romans 2. "Therefore you have no excuse, O man, whoever you are, when you judge another; for in passing judgment on him you condemn yourself because you, the judge, are doing the very same things."

Further, Matthew 7 quotes Jesus himself (red letter edition) as saying, "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get." (Revised Standard Version)

Ray Boltz and Peterson Toscano presented an evening of remarkable talent and entertainment.

Their openness and honesty about the struggle to reconcile their being a Christian and being gay was an enriching experience for me.

I applaud their courage to support others, young and old, who are living with an identity or lifestyle that is not accepted by their "Christian" neighbors. Why don't we all just get on with feeding the poor, which is what Jesus challenged us to do?

Nancy Warner

Dunkirk

Tough love

To the editor:

There is an aggressive and dangerous spiritual battle on our doorsteps for the souls of men, women, and youth of our community.

A group called "Gay/Straight Alliance" has become vocally aggressive in the Jay County area and is determined to convince our residents that homosexuality is or should be an accepted lifestyle in every arena of life.

We at New Covenant Fellowship are not a shallow or unloving group of people, but care very much and pray for the salvation of all people.

We are not homophobic, a relatively new word in the English language meaning by definition: Fear or contempt for lesbians and gay men.

We by no means fear those involved in this lifestyle nor is it our aim to show contempt by any meaning of the word.

Our scriptural stand is that this type of lifestyle and any such lifestyle including fornication, adultery, or any sexual relationship outside the covenant marriage between a male and female is a sinful lifestyle declared in the context of scripture and requires repentance. (Repentance, in the Greek language: The cognate noun metanoia is used of true repentance, a change of mind and purpose of life, to which remission of sin is promised.)

We do not in any way advocate hate speech, profiling, fear mongering, or violence toward any group of people but intend to share the truth of scripture in a loving way to all walks of life.

Although anyone seeking truth is welcome at our assembly, we cannot be in "alliance" with or worship God on an equal basis with those willfully practicing what the scriptures condemn and declare to be a sinful condition, while at the same time proclaiming to be Christian.

We hold as our standard the unchanging word of God and care enough to share its truths with all who will listen.

Charles W. Myers

Elder/Teacher

New Covenant Fellowship

Portland

Thanks

To the editor:

Thank you, Bev Priest, for your words of common sense and humanity.

Sharon Smitley

Portland[[In-content Ad]]