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Pastor Kicked Out by His Congregation Over Transphobic Church Sign

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
"Bruce Jenner is still a man" are "the Bible's words?"


Should his congregation adapt this for the comfort of their minister?

Rom 14:4:

Who are you to pass judgment on another's servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

If you look at the Bible it does not talk about Jenner in it self. But according to what sex a person are born as even they change the outside, does not change the inside or the spirit as they call it in christian faith. Body is only a shell that contain the soul.
It was wrong of the pastor to write it yes, because he judge Jenner.

The congregation should follow the bible not the words of others.

As a priest/pastor he should maybe kept his view within the church and only teach the words written in the bible.
 

Jumi

Well-Known Member
If you look at the Bible it does not talk about Jenner in it self. But according to what sex a person are born as even they change the outside, does not change the inside or the spirit as they call it in christian faith. Body is only a shell that contain the soul.
Stemming from similar tradition, Iran had an interesting take on that, what if the body is only a shell and the soul is in the wrong body? What many Christians seem to be saying is that the body dictates everything about "souls". It is certainly an interesting take also, if not very helpful.
 

PruePhillip

Well-Known Member
View attachment 26525

The above transphobic sign got Pastor Justin Hoke of the Trinity Bible Presbyterian Church in deep trouble with his congregation.

He put the sign up sometime around December 31st. In less than two weeks, he was out of a job. His congregation was disgusted with him and they rebelled almost to a person. Every couple in his church -- except one -- declared they would leave the Church if Hoke stayed on as Pastor.

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/01/14/pastor-fired-caitlyn-jenner-man-sign/

Is the response to Hoke's sign a "sign of the times" (pun shamelessly intended)?

Questions? Comments?

Read my profile tag below. It sums up where we are going - churches included.
 

PruePhillip

Well-Known Member
I guess that would depend on whether you see Christianity as a living, evolving tradition, or as a fossilized relic of an ancient age.

Yes, porn is now pretty well normalized. So too is adultery, sexualizing kids,
sodomizing boys, drugs, gambling, family breakdown.
I am glad we no longer live for any "fossilized relic of an ancient age."
God help us where we go next.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
I am glad we no longer live for any "fossilized relic of an ancient age."
God help us where we go next.

Do you actually think it's core to Christian spirituality that transgendered folks are morally censured and condemned? Is that your notion of what your religion is all about? Or do you think that aspect of your religion might not be quite core to it?

I would suggest that if you think censuring and condemning transgendered folks is a key and inseparable part of Christianity, you have no grounds to stand on when complaining about the decline of Christian "values" and church attendance in America.
 

Earthling

David Henson
View attachment 26525

The above transphobic sign got Pastor Justin Hoke of the Trinity Bible Presbyterian Church in deep trouble with his congregation.

He put the sign up sometime around December 31st. In less than two weeks, he was out of a job. His congregation was disgusted with him and they rebelled almost to a person. Every couple in his church -- except one -- declared they would leave the Church if Hoke stayed on as Pastor.

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/01/14/pastor-fired-caitlyn-jenner-man-sign/

Is the response to Hoke's sign a "sign of the times" (pun shamelessly intended)?

Questions? Comments?

The sign told the truth. They don't want to hear the truth. He's fortunate in that he is removed from that modern day Sodom.
 

SalixIncendium

अहं ब्रह्मास्मि
Staff member
Premium Member
Is no one going to address the "Bs" in "Bible" being upside down?!
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
If you look at the Bible it does not talk about Jenner in it self. But according to what sex a person are born as even they change the outside, does not change the inside or the spirit as they call it in christian faith. Body is only a shell that contain the soul.
I'd love to see where you think the Bible says all that.

In fact, there are passages (e.g. Galatians 3:23) that I've seen Christians use to argue that the soul is genderless.

It was wrong of the pastor to write it yes, because he judge Jenner.
So you agree that the minister was acting contrary to the advice of the Bible.

The congregation should follow the bible not the words of others.
IIRC, the Presbyterian Church is pretty careful about following the Bible's advice on how to resolve internal disputes.

As a priest/pastor he should maybe kept his view within the church and only teach the words written in the bible.
Or maybe he could have concentrated on the issues that Jesus emphasized in the Gospels and followed that example for his ministry. It would be a lot more honest than picking some issue that the minister feels strongly about and playing this pareidolia game to try to pull some imagined position of Jesus out of the Bible.
 

blü 2

Veteran Member
Premium Member
The above transphobic sign got Pastor Justin Hoke of the Trinity Bible Presbyterian Church in deep trouble with his congregation.
He obviously thinks God hasn't changed [his] mind about slavery, talking to menstruating women, cutting your beard and so on. So yes, he's not just a bigot, he's an incompetent bigot.
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
I'd love to see where you think the Bible says all that.

In fact, there are passages (e.g. Galatians 3:23) that I've seen Christians use to argue that the soul is genderless.


So you agree that the minister was acting contrary to the advice of the Bible.


IIRC, the Presbyterian Church is pretty careful about following the Bible's advice on how to resolve internal disputes.


Or maybe he could have concentrated on the issues that Jesus emphasized in the Gospels and followed that example for his ministry. It would be a lot more honest than picking some issue that the minister feels strongly about and playing this pareidolia game to try to pull some imagined position of Jesus out of the Bible.

Since i am a Buddhist i see Christian faith out of what is written in the bible. and as far as i can read, it say Homosexual act is a sin. so the priest does not do wrong when he advocate that his church does not look at homosexuality as a right way. But if the person who is Gay does not live in a sexual relationship with an other of same sex, they can still be good christians. so the part of being gay in it self is not the sin, it is the act.

God made humans, "in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:26), and this was so before the fall. This passage is used to show that human persons are male or female.

  • For similar reasons, gender is eternal. A person who has her breasts cut off, like St. Agatha, does not cease to be a female. Even a person who has his head cut off, like St. John, does not cease to be a male. Adam and Eve will rise still male and female, as they were even before sin.
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
That is true. More and more people see Christianity as old and outdated. But even as a Buddhist i do not disagree with Christianity on many levels. But see the answer to the question in this OP a bit different then Christians do. But since it is about Christianity i chose to answer in that context and not as a buddhist with somewhat different view of the topic

My view is that if people believe in a certain religion, then they might as well follow it. If they don't agree with it or reject certain parts of it, then they might as well reject the whole thing.

On the other hand, sometimes I wonder why some churches seem to focus on relatively innocuous "sins" which harm no one, while all but ignoring many of the larger sins which bring about great harm and misery (such as greed, war, and violence).
 

PruePhillip

Well-Known Member
Do you actually think it's core to Christian spirituality that transgendered folks are morally censured and condemned? Is that your notion of what your religion is all about? Or do you think that aspect of your religion might not be quite core to it?

I would suggest that if you think censuring and condemning transgendered folks is a key and inseparable part of Christianity, you have no grounds to stand on when complaining about the decline of Christian "values" and church attendance in America.

It was gay marriage just a few years ago.
Now it's "transgender" - in Tasmania they tried to pass a law that
with a simple Statutory Declaration, signed by any judge, drug store,
policeman etc you could change your gender.
And the Tasmanian gay lobby took a Catholic priest to court over
"hate speech" by quoting the bible's stand on homosexuality. In
Canada and I think Britain they now have govt regulation over pro-
nouns. So the bible is hate speech, you can go to jail for not calling
someone by their required vis, vers, zis, em, ter and they are going
to go after parents who don't acknowledge their children's desire
for sex/gender changes.
God help us all.
Recall Lot in Sodom in Genesis? The Sodomites said to the effect
they would punish Lot for judging them. It's happening, promoted
by the very people who told us all this wouldn't happen - just a few
years ago.
 

PruePhillip

Well-Known Member
My view is that if people believe in a certain religion, then they might as well follow it. If they don't agree with it or reject certain parts of it, then they might as well reject the whole thing.

On the other hand, sometimes I wonder why some churches seem to focus on relatively innocuous "sins" which harm no one, while all but ignoring many of the larger sins which bring about great harm and misery (such as greed, war, and violence).

You quote, "relatively innocuous "sins" which harm no one"
Read my profile tag below.
All these come from the little "no harms" which should have
been called "no goods."
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
My view is that if people believe in a certain religion, then they might as well follow it. If they don't agree with it or reject certain parts of it, then they might as well reject the whole thing.

On the other hand, sometimes I wonder why some churches seem to focus on relatively innocuous "sins" which harm no one, while all but ignoring many of the larger sins which bring about great harm and misery (such as greed, war, and violence).

I agree with you here.
Many religions do have "sins" but of those who are easy to remove like, greed, anger, jealosy, hate. likes dislikes, and so on are not focused on, specially in western form of religions.
To end the greed, anger and so on one must work with one self and not blame others. a "sin" means more that it is morally incorrect to do the part where it become a sin so one should work on not having the attachments to do the act/deed that is sinfull or morally incorrect
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
You quote, "relatively innocuous "sins" which harm no one"
Read my profile tag below.
All these come from the little "no harms" which should have
been called "no goods."

I turned off that feature, so I can't read anyone's signatures. You'll have to tell me what it says.
 

PruePhillip

Well-Known Member
I turned off that feature, so I can't read anyone's signatures. You'll have to tell me what it says.

2001-2015 Gallop figures on approval rates for moral issues in USA:
Gay lesbian 40 to 63%. Baby outside marriage 45 to 61%. Casual sex 53 to 68%.
Divorce 59 to 71%. Polygamy 7 to 16%. Doctor suicide 49 to 56%.Personal suicide
13 to 19%. Gambling 63 to 67%. Abortion 42 to 45%. Married men having affairs 7 to 8%.
 

Jumi

Well-Known Member
The only real negative I see is married men having affairs, since there's a victim in that. Baby outside marriage kind of thing comes too often if there isn't sexual education in schools. People used to live with it, though in many places you were a ******* all your life. A lesser being judged by others for something that was not your fault... it is probably better this way.
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Recall Lot in Sodom in Genesis? The Sodomites said to the effect
they would punish Lot for judging them. It's happening, promoted
by the very people who told us all this wouldn't happen - just a few
years ago.

I think this was explained in Ezekiel 16:49:

Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door.

That sounds vaguely familiar. It would also indicate that the Bible views some sins as far worse than others.
 
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