World Vision, the para-church organization dedicated to fighting world hunger through child sponsorships, has been embroiled in the “gay rights” controversy quite a bit of late.
On March 24, World Vision decided to change its hiring policies to allow married homosexuals to work for them. The new rule still required celibacy outside of marriage, but, in keeping with the doctrinal stands of a few denominations affiliated with the international charity, World Vision decided to consider “married” homosexuals eligible for employment.
This was an “ecumenical” decision apparently. Though World Vision requires potential employees to profess Christianity, its leadership didn’t want to draw a line in the sand that some major denominations in its circle of support had already undrawn. ((Though, it is curious that they maintained a rule of celibacy outside of marriage, since many denominations have since loosened that requirement.))
But then, just two days later on March 26, World Vision reversed its decision because of a huge outpouring of public disapproval. According to an opinion piece on CNN by “former” evangelical Rachel Held Evans:
Within a day of the initial announcement, more than 2,000 children sponsored by World Vision lost their financial support. And with more and more individuals, churches and organizations threatening to do the same, the charity stood to lose millions of dollars in aid that would otherwise reach the poor, sick, hungry and displaced people World Vision serves.
In other words, though the initial decision was “ecumenical,” its reversal was clearly “economical.” World Vision saw that its mission would be jeopardized if it stood firm on its revised hiring policies.
Many voices in the liberal community have decried World Vision for its reversal even more vehemently than they supported World Vision for its initial revision. Again, according to Evans,
Christians can disagree about what the Bible says (or doesn’t say) about same-sex marriage. This is not an issue of orthodoxy. But when we begin using child sponsorships as bargaining tools in our debates, we’ve lost the way of Jesus.
So my question for those evangelicals is this: Is it worth it?
Is a “victory” against gay marriage really worth leaving thousands of needy children without financial support?
. . .
I, for one, am tired of arguing. I’m tired of trying to defend evangelicalism when its leaders behave indefensibly.
I’m going AWOL on evangelicalism’s culture wars so I can get back to following Jesus among its many refugees: LGBT people, women called to ministry, artists, science-lovers, misfits, sinners, doubters, thinkers and “the least of these.”
I actually do understand where Mrs. Evans (Or does she prefer “Ms.”?) is coming from, but I don’t agree with her. She says same-sex marriage is “not an issue of orthodoxy.” But then what is? Why are Mrs. Evans and other liberal Christians the final arbiter of orthodoxy? What would World Vision have to do in order for them to drop support? Evans might still be telling people to support World Vision for the sake of needy children, but many liberals have dropped their support over World Vision’s reversal. In fact, a board member resigned:
Jacquelline Fuller, director of corporate giving for Google Inc., said in an email Wednesday to The Associated Press that she remains a “huge fan” of the group’s work on behalf of the poor, but she resigned Friday “as I disagreed with the decision to exclude gay employees who marry.”
Why is this dropped support less reprehensible in Evans’ eyes? That is a double standard and hypocrisy.
In reality, if feeding the poor is the most important thing, why would Evans let an issue that is “not a matter of orthodoxy” get in the way of World Vision’s mission? You see, this argument cuts both ways. Obviously, the majority of people who claim to be Christians do not support same-sex marriage. Therefore, it would make sense, if World Vision is trying to be ecumenical, for them to side with the majority of churchgoers on this. But that isn’t good enough for Evans. She’s talking out of both sides of her mouth.
When World Vision revised its policy and purportedly saw thousands of sponsors drop their support, Evans should have been the first to tell them they had made the wrong decision. But, instead, she castigated the “close-mindedness” of other Christians and cast herself as a more Christ-like Christian than those who would use children as a bargaining chip. Hmmm. Well, what are those children to you, Mrs. Evans? If they are the most important factor in this debate, why would you allow your own personal views to get in the way of their support?
I don’t think World Vision made the right decision either way. Because they are basing their views on the ever-changing majority opinion. In an attempt to be “more inclusive,” they became divisive. Just like Mrs. Evans actually. In the end, everyone in this debate needs to recognize that we’re all close-minded on this issue. It’s impossible to be otherwise.
Some things NEVER change!!! The church will ALWAYS change it’s position for CASH!!!!
You wish it LA Bob-Bee. Only your homosexual prostitutes change their position for cash – get it? Ha, ha, ha – that’s funny, LA Bob-Bee.
They say the Christian church is the whore of Babylon so that makes perfect sense.
You have demons in your head LA Bob-Bee. Maybe you should get it amputated.
On the subject of religious belief, we relax standards of
reasonableness and evidence that we rely on in every other area of our lives. We relax so totally that people believe the most ludicrous propositions, and arewilling to organize their lives around them. Do you actually believe that there are “demons” flying around that get into people’s bodies??
The devil’s greatest accomplishment was convincing people, like you LA Bob-bee, that demons do not exist. And you are in serious need of an exorcism.
Again…NOT true.
Christianity is quite clear on its position on homosexuality, so Minkoff, don’t give the impression there is wiggle room, because there ain’t. Christianity and Christ himself were, and to this day, are opposed to gays. See: http://biblehub.com/leviticus/20-13.htm
Christianity is quite clear on it’s position on divorce, adultery, fornication, masturbation & a host of other “sins” yet few (if any) Christians feel so strongly about those “sins”
NOT true.
Liar and fool!!!!
That’s because those sins do not attain the level of abomination that homosexuality does. And those sins do not make, as part of their offensive behavior, the indoctrination and purposeful corruption of innocent children. And besides, LA Bob-Bee, how would you know anything about Christian feelings on anything.
For once, I have to agree with Bob. I doubt you can make a Biblical case that divorce, adultery and fornication are any less abominable in God’s eyes than homosexuality. These sins don’t get condemned as roundly by most Christians, as does homosexuality, because a lot of Christians are committing these sins themselves. Being a Christian does not make one less susceptible to the sin of hypocrisy, in fact it increases the possibility for engaging in hypocrisy.
I agree with you too!
There are Venial Sins and there are Mortal Sins. Reconciliation, admitting your sins and atoning reconciles you with God. God knows your heart and hears your pleadings before you ever utter a sound. Venial sins are the things we do that we know we should not do. Mortal sins are not forgiven until Gods Judgment is passed.
Venial and Mortal sins are an invention of the Catholic Church. Those terms are nowhere to be found in the Scriptures. But, please educate me. Just what is on the list of mortal sins. I have never been exposed to Catholic theology, but I always assumed that murder, fornication and adultery are on the list.
Here’s all you need to know…The difference between being “devout” and being “nuts”
1. “I am Napoleon.” Nobody else agrees. You’re nuts.
2. “This wafer is transubstantiated into the body of Christ.” Millions agree. You’re devout.
3. This piece if otherwise worthless paper is now anointed as money.
Christians focus on condemning and fighting homosexuality because of what fags do to children. There is no hypocrisy – only the fight to save and protect innocent children. If you’re a Christian, you should know that.
It must be nice to know what god thinks. I know about things Christians because unlike nearly all Christians I have actually read the bible & just for your information god does not consider any sins worst then others (except for Blasphemy of the holy ghost)
You are once again proving how truly ignorant you are BobEeeeeeeeee. Your father is the father of lies and you follow his lead.
RevG, The clergy know that I know that they know they do not know!!! Theology is a parasite eating at a table set by others
Wrong again LA Bob-bee; capitalism is the parasite eating at the table set by others.
An educated Christian knows that the bible is an apocryphal work cobbled together from various ancient tomes, and writings by monks during the middle ages, and the bible does contain contradictory stories and advice. The purpose of the bible is to help one find the truth, but that truth itself is not in the bible. And the bible can be used by a person like you to advocate for homosexuals, or it can be used by a person like me to condemn fags. But as to homosexuality, based on the bible and exogenous sources, you have to conclude Christianity does frown on homosexuality. I just cannot envision Jesus approving of butt reaming.
If you believe all that garbage about the Bible, then you have obviously been “educated” from the wrong books, by the wrong people. The doctrinal statements of nearly every major denomination of Christianity includes language that states their belief that every word of the Bible is the divinely inspired word of God, without error or contradiction. To say that the Bible is meant to help us find the truth, but doesn’t contain truth is a nonsensical statement. In fact it is a statement that comes very near to blasphemy. If the Bible is not God’s word of truth to be applied as an instruction manual for the Christian life, then Christianity is pointless and we are all wasting our time. Intellectual relativism is not compatible with the Christian Faith.
you dont know any christians do you?
As if World Vision holds a monopoly on sponsoring Poor children for food, medicine, and education. Many Christians simply pulled the support from World Vision and moved it to an organization that matched their views more closely.
Catholic Charities and St. Vincent De Paul do a great job. I avoid the United Way and the others.
To expose ANY child to the catholic church amounts to reckless endangerment at the VERY least!
To expose ANY child to the evil and disgusting political and social agenda of the extreme left wing fascist democrat party of death and their fellow travelers in America amounts to reckless endangerment at the VERY least! But actually, child abuse is a better term for what you of the extreme radical fascist left do to young children’s minds. You are a bunch of filthy, disgusting and evil creatures who could care less about children, using children only for gaining more political power for your filthy and deviant leaders, the slime you consider your lords and masters such as 0bama.
exposing children to ideas is one thing sodomizing them is another.
I do not answer imbecilic and vapid questions from moronic extreme radical fascist irrational and incoherent left-wing democrat party death members, and their fellow travelers! You of the extreme radical fascist left have no interest in facts, logic or reasoned thought, as you and your fellow travelers operate solely on emotions and feelings. Perhaps someday you will grow up and understand that big government is not the salvation of your pathetic whining little self, and that you need to use your brain for something other than knot to keep your spinal cord in place! For you of the extreme radical fascist left to mention anything about child abuse is so ironic as you and your kind love to abuse children, mentally, spiritually and physically, every day in every way. You have no room to talk about children as the party of death you support engages in the most extreme form of child abuse, which is called murder of the most innocent of human life, the life of unborn children. Then you of the extreme radical fascist left turn around and try to save the lives of the most insane, vile and evil criminals who have committed the most atrocious of crimes – those criminals are the ones you are in love with. So you’re willing to forgive murderers, rapists and other nasty criminals just so long as they are not a Catholic priest, which makes you a big fat extreme radical fascist hypocrite, nothing unusual for you creatures who are members of the party of death! As I commented above, you and your party are a bunch of filthy, disgusting and evil creatures who could care less about children, using children only for gaining more political power for your filthy and deviant leaders, the slime you consider your lords and masters such as 0bama …
There you are again LA bob-bee, spewing your filth. Priests don’t hold chicken parties – you fags do. I went to a Catholic school – never assaulted by a priest. But, between the age of 10-15, I was assaulted by perverts 5 times, and glad to say, boy, did they regret picking on me – sore scrotums and gouged eyes -ha, ha, ha – it was so good to fick these fags over, and get away with it.
Thank you Tom! I was right about to blast him for this specious straw man argument. Unless we support perversion, an “abomination” in the eyes of the Lord we will allow hungry children to die? How utterly ridiculous. Let’s see, this sounds kinda like those commercials in the last election about throwing grandma off the cliff if we don’t support obamacare. How big a leap is it to straight people starve babies to death? This is typical of the idiotic homonazi campaigns. Minkoff lost any credibility here. btw this ‘grandma’ was thrown off the cliff by obama- he decided I didn’t need my health insurance. I was insured, I am not now.
I did not withdraw from my sponsorship for the sake of the child. As of now I will not accept another from this organization when this one “ages out”. That is my “compromise”.
Glorifying the irrational, meaningless, vile behavior of homosexuals is evil. Trying to normalize that “lifestyle” which is learned from child abuse, is evil; it is glorifying and promoting child abuse and warping children’s perception of Truth and Science and Reason. Truly evil of these vile pushers of evil dehumanizing behaviors.
Supporting someone else doing the same work as World Vision but being faithful to the word of God is my answer to you my silly man . You would have us think World Vision is the only player on the field.
This is the typical liberal argument- narrow the choice down to agree with them or you are evil.
leftists always infiltrate to take over and control or to destroy from the inside. anything that will help them gain power and control is in their sights.
World Vision did what many churches have done – bent to popular thinking by supporting abortion, homosexuality and calling it “acceptance”. Jesus did not accept it. His words are clear. You can not have it both ways if you have the heart of God.
You never “Tolerate” evil (as Pastor Bonhoeffer stated). Tolerating the unnatural, vile behavior of sodomy is EVIL. Promoting that dysfunction is EVIL. Promoting that evil, vile use of the human body, learned because of child-abuse, is pure EVIL. Promoting that vile behavior to children (Putin is correct), to normalize that warped perception of the human body in children, and destroying innocence in Latency, is PURE EVIL.
World Vision needs to study Theology again, and quit trying to promote the sodomite pagan worldview to children, so they grow up “thinking” like the little harem boys of Afghanistan. Warping little children and their understanding of Truth and Science is SICK and irrational Marxism.
The church IS evil & has shielded priests that have been sodomizing little boys & girls for 2,000 years!!!
No—People are evil (Original Sin). Institutions can not be “evil” when they are based on Natural Law which is the most Reasoned and Just ideology in all existence. The Catholic Canon is perfect–based on Natural Law exactly like the US Constitution.
That homosexual “priests” see human beings as objects for lust—yes—they are incredibly evil and warped to get aroused by anal cavities and same sex where only friendship is “Natural” and if you read “Good Bye, Good Men” it talks about the homosexuals who were Bishops or Cardinals that were in homosexual relationships and protected the offenders because they thought sodomy/pederasty (like NAMBLA) is “Good” and “Normal”.
Susan, when the institutions shield these monsters & allow them to continue their crimes then the institutions ARE EVIL!!! If ANY institution in the world committed a tiny fraction of the crimes against humanity the church has it would have been burned to the ground & banned from the planet but because the church is a church it gets a free pass to commit ANY crimes it wants!
Such Baloney…..for one who thinks “Up is Down” and sodomizing others is a Virtue, and you “think” the Catholic Church is the most “evil” institution when it created the University, the orphanage, the hospital, and Science and the Age of Reason? The Catholic School system also did a much better job at educating children. Ha….Christianity which is the result of Catholicism is responsible for the end of Slavery, Abortion, Pederasty, Homosexuality, and Child Sacrifice as a “Good” and “Normal”.
Like I said—people are evil….not “institutions” which advocate Reason and Faith and Natural Laws, like the Catholic Church Canon…….Homosexuals who infiltrated the Catholic Church need to be expelled from the Church….all institutions become corrupt, it is the nature of power, and purging needs to result (I agree)—until then, the slime and vileness of the homosexual actions will continue…..they need (as Fr. Oko’s Report stated) to be purged. Warped people are evil.
WHY do you think The scumbag liberal homo TROLL, BLOBbie so defensive of homosexuality and has 50% of the post on this subject here with such vitriol? Because he is a MILITANT homo!! this is BLOBee on one of his mastabatory escapades between postings on Last Resistance… http://www.chilloutpoint.com/images/2009/april/fat/funny-fat-gigantic17.jpg
LA Bob-bee, you have no idea what is going on. There is a war raging between good and evil, and the role of the institutions changes as seen fit by the forces of good making strategic decisions.