Worried they could be sued by gay couples, some churches are changing their bylaws to reflect their view that the Bible allows only marriage between one man and one woman.Although there have been lawsuits against wedding industry businesses that refuse to serve gay couples, attorneys promoting the bylaw changes say they don't know of any lawsuits against churches.Critics say the changes are unnecessary, but some churches fear that it's only a matter of time before one of them is sued.read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_REL_CHURCHES_GAY_MARRIAGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-08-24-09-26-01
_________________SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
...instead of leaving the charitable organization, but I guess they didn´t evaluate any long term disadvantages with that one.
_________________Joshua
In the early days of the church, the believers wielding the authority given them in the Spirit, scared the crap out of the powers that set themselves over the affairs of men.Alas, the wimpering and begging that mark the modern church poses no threat to those who will demand a place at the table with their harlot in tow."If you rent out your facilities to the public, you have given up your right to judge the morals of those who wish to use it," they will argue. Equality and fairness, tolerance and inclusiveness, banish the haters. How long can the lukewarm church last against these interlopers who are driven by a spirit whose identity they do not know?The real church is always driven underground, the true message of the gospel cannot live in the same room with the wicked for very long. That church cannot tolerate holding the Savior up to open shame with sinful acts and the haughty mocking that always comes along for the ride.So go ahead, change your by-laws, save your 501-3c's and your magnificent buildings, your reputations at Rotary and Kiwanis, your words of comfort that God just loves everybody equally."The prophets prophesy falsely and the priests rule on their own authority. And My people love it this way. But what will be the end of it?" (Jer 5:30)
_________________Tom Cameron
It would be a radical step for most but this would be a good step actually for many of God's chosen ministers to make the radical step of leaving the non-profit 501-c3 status and just have a meeting of God's people. Also separating an meeting of God's people into smaller groups and training up other Leaders is a step needed also but this seems also to radical for most.
_________________Sreeram
QUOTE:______________________________________________________________"lawsuits against wedding industry businesses that refuse to serve gay couples"______________________________________________________________This is an issue that is going to hit the pockets of those who provide social services for pay to the public. It will not be confined just to churches, clergy. Recently the news reported that a photographer refused to photograph a civil union between homos and how they got into trouble. Ditto to bakeries who make and sell wedding cakes. What if you own rental housing and you refuse to rent to gays? This issue is going to complicate our lives in ways we never dreamed of before. It is going to effect how we do business, who we will serve, who we will sell our services to. Anyone who takes seriously God's Word concerning life and how it is to be lived will be challenged at every turn and I suspect it will in areas unlike anything found in the history of the church. Our USA is fast becoming a communist country. In N. Korea people are not allow to accept food from others because the gov decides how much you can eat - never mind if you are hungry and I see it. The hungry man is not allowed to accept food from another. Have we not heard of political activists who want to regulate what people can or cannot eat - all in the name of fighting obesity? Rabbit trail, I know. But the implications of this issue reaches far into areas of life that we never dreamed possible a few years ago.
_________________Sandra Miller
