First Baptist Church of Crystal Springs Mississippi has refused to marry a black couple
But, its their prerogative.
Hoping to shed more light than heat..
Thankfully, in America we all have the right to be wrong in religious matters. (Freedom of Religion, First Amendment) However, when Christians take a position contrary to the Bible, it hurts the cause of Christ and wounds the Body of Christ. Christians suffer, and our nation suffers.
I think part of the homosexual wave in America can be laid at the doors the church doing exactly what this church has done. It goes something like this.
1) Christians told us the Bible teaches segregation.
2) They were wrong about that. They misused the Bible to contend for a prejudiced social position.
3) Christians tell us the Bible condemns homosexual behavior.
4) Why should we believe them? Once again, they are misusing the Bible to contend for a prejudiced social position.
The right to be wrong is a political freedom. The necessity to handle the Bible correctly is a Christian imperative. Servants of the Lord Jesus Christ have no right to mishandle God’s Word.
G. N. Barkman
The Jackson, MS Clarion-Ledger tells the fuller story a little differently. Evidently a small group of church members pressured the pastor and he evidently tried to avoid conflict and married the couple at another church building. It doesn’t look like the church body ever had the chance to decide to make this stupid mistake and it looks like they (the church body) may try to make it right locally. The small group of members probably wish now that they lived on another planet — unless they are really dumber than a whole boat load of hammers. You can’t do dumb things in the digital age without exposing your stupid mistakes all over cyberspace.
Gerry Carlson
Discussion