Good Talks News | Gay Marriage and Homosexualy: What Have Joel Osteen, Billy and Frankl Graham, Joyce Meyer, TD Jak and Other Top Pastors Said on the Subjects | BREATHEst

Contents:

• HOW EVANGELILS ARE CHANGG THEIR MDS ON GAY MARRIAGE
• BILLY GRAHAM BACKS NC ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE AMENDMENT
• WIFE OF PASTOR WHO WORKED FOR BILLY GRAHAM RIGNS COUNTY CLERK POSN OVER GAY MARRIAGE: 'I CHOOSE TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MAN'
• WHY MORATE BILLY GRAHAM SUPPORTS NORTH CAROLA GAY MARRIAGE BANGAY MARRIAGEWHY IS THE FAMOLY MORATE EVANGELIL MISTER SUPPORTG NORTH CAROLA’S GAY MARRIAGE BAN? DAVID SSNS EXPLAS.DAVID SSNSUPDATED JUL. 13, 2017 5:26PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAY 04, 2012 5:45AM EDT NELL REDMOND / AP PHOTOBILLY GRAHAM TOOK AN UNUAL STEP TO THE POLIL ARENA THIS WEEK, PLEDGG HIS SUPPORT FOR A BALLOT IATIVE THAT WOULD MAKE NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE NORTH CAROLA, WHERE IS ALREADY LEGALLY BANNED. GRAHAM, WHO IS 93 AND RECENTLY SURVIVED AN EXTEND HOSPAL STAY, RELEASED A STATEMENT THAT WILL BE PUBLISHED 14 NEWSPAPERS AHEAD OF NEXT TUDAY’S VOTE.“WATCHG THE MORAL CLE OF OUR UNTRY ME GREAT NCERN,” GRAHAM SAID. “I BELIEVE THE HOME AND MARRIAGE IS THE FOUNDATN OF OUR SOCIETY AND MT BE PROTECTED.”THE MOVE RAISED EYEBROWS BEE OF GRAHAM’S GENERAL RELUCTANCE TO BRG HOT-BUTTON POLIL ISSU TO HIS MISTRY. WHILE HE ALWAYS AFFIRMED THE STANDARD EVANGELIL VIEW THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS A S, HE RARELY MENTNED EXCEPT TO DOWNPLAY . “THERE ARE OTHER SS. WHY DO WE JUMP ON THAT S AS THOUGH ’S THE GREATT S?” HE ASKED AT A 1997 NFERENCE SAN FRANCIS, ADDG THAT HIS JOB WAS TO MISTER TO PEOPLE REGARDLS OF THEIR ORIENTATN. THE PEAK OF GRAHAM’S FLUENCE AMONG EVANGELILS CID WH THE RISE OF THE RELIG RIGHT, AS HARR-EDGED POLIL FIGUR LIKE JERRY FALWELL AND PAT ROBERTSON REPLACED GRAHAM’S SOFT-SPOKEN ECUMENICISM.GRAHAM IS THE TYPE WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPECTED TO GO SOFT ON SUCH A DIVISIVE ISSUE. THOUGH THEOLOGILLY NSERVATIVE, HE ME UP A DIFFERENT ERA—A TIME WHEN BIPARTISAN NSENS WAS A STILL A FEATURE OF WASHGTON POLICS AND BEFORE THE “NSERVATIVE RURGENCE” DREW RIGID L AROUND EVANGELIL CHRISTIAN DOCTR. AMONG HIS STANC THAT WOULDN’T FLY WH HIS HARR-RE SUCCSORS, GRAHAM EQUENTLY HTED THAT HE BELIEVED FOLLOWERS OF OTHER FAHS ULD GO TO HEAVEN. IN GENERAL, HE TEND TO ERR ON THE SI OF CLN AND PASSN. “AS I GOT OLR, I GUS I BEME MORE MELLOW AND MORE FIVG AND MORE LOVG,” HE TOLD LARRY KG 2005. HE EXPLAED THAT “THE LOVE OF GOD” WAS THE CENTER OF THE CHRISTIAN MSAGE, AND THAT HE FELT CREASGLY NVCED THAT “SI TRENDS” WERE OUTSI HIS MISSN. GRAHAM’S STANCE AGAST GAY MARRIAGE MIGHT ALSO SEEM ODD BEE AT A MOMENT WHEN OTHER EVANGELIL FIGUR ARE GRADUALLY BEGNG TO QUTN THEIR FOC ON PYRRHIC POLIL BATTL. CHARL COLSON, THE LATE FORMER NIXON AI WHO BEME A RELIG-RIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT, EXPRSED REGRET THAT HIS MOVEMENT HAD “POLICIZED THE GOSPEL.” JIM DALY, THE CURRENT PRINT OF FOC ON THE FAY, WHO HAS BEEN WORKG STRENUOLY TO GIVE THE ANIZATN A LS POLIL MAKEOVER, HAS ALL BUT ADMTED THAT THE CSA AGAST GAY MARRIAGE IS A LOST E. THOUGH NSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN ACTUALLY ARE WNG ELECTORALLY—THEIR STATE-LEVEL ROLLBACK OF ABORTN RIGHTS, FOR EXAMPLE—THE SWIFT TURN OF PUBLIC OPN FAVOR OF GAY MARRIAGE AND RULTG UNPOPULARY OF THOSE WHO OPPOSE HAS GRADUALLY MOTIVATED SOME EVANGELIL LEARS TO DOWNPLAY THEIR STANC.BUT WHAT APPEARS TO BE A PARTURE FOR GRAHAM ACTUALLY ILLTRAT AN ONGOG DILEMMA FOR EVANGELIL CHRISTIANS: THE FACT THAT THEY’VE REALIZED THEY NEED TO CHANGE THEIR TONE WHILE REMAG TERMED TO HOLD ON TO THE OLD MSAGE. THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNS OF PROGRS: YOUNG EVANGELILS TEND TO SPISE THE LEGACY OF THE PAST FEW S, AND HAVE BEGUN SPREADG OUT ACROSS THE POLIL SPECTM. PSDOSCIENTIFIC VIEWS ABOUT THE EARTH’S ORIGS, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND HOMOSEXUALY—ALL OF WHICH HAVE PLAYED OUTSIZE ROL EVANGELIL POLIL ACTIVISM—ARE GRADUALLY LOSG THEIR GRIP. BUT ALL OF THE VELOPMENTS WERE DRIVEN LS BY TELLECTUAL GROWTH THAN BY BAD LUCK: THE BH ADMISTRATN EPLY DISCREDED THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN EVANGELILS AND THE GOP, AND THE RAPID MASTREAM ACCEPTANCE OF HOMOSEXUALY MEANT NSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS WERE CREASGLY SEEN AS CEL AND BIGOTED. TO THE EXTENT NSERVATIVE EVANGELIL LEARS HAVE BACKED AWAY OM ISSU LIKE GAY MARRIAGE, ’S HAD MORE TO DO WH SPERATN AT THIS SUATN THAN ENLIGHTENMENT ON THE ISSUE.THAT LEAV THEM THE AWKWARD POSN OF DOWNPLAYG POLIL POSNS THEY STILL TAKE: FOC ON THE FAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IS STILL JT AS OPPOSED TO GAY MARRIAGE AS WAS BEFORE S IMAGE MAKEOVER, THOUGH YOU’LL NEVER SEE ANYTHG ABOUT ON THEIR MA ANIZATN’S WEBSE. THERE HAS BEEN LTLE PRSURE OM WH THE MOVEMENT FOR THOSE BACKG AWAY OM OLD CULTURE-WAR NARRATIV TO SUBSTANTIVELY ADJT URSE. VIRTUALLY NO MAJOR EVANGELIL FIGUR OR STUTNS HAVE SWCHED SIS ON THE ISSUE—CLUDG THE LIBERAL ON, WHO TEND TO KEEP THEIR ACTUAL VIEWS QUIET OR VAGUE. EVANGELIL GAY-MARRIAGE SUPPORTERS’ RELUCTANCE TO TAKE A STAND, HOWEVER WELL-TENTNED MAY BE, ALLOWS NSERVATIVE FIGUR AND GROUPS TO ADOPT NCILIATORY LANGUAGE AND A VENEER OF MORATN WHILE KEEPG THE SAME OLD NTENT.BILLY GRAHAM IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE LACK OF EVANGELIL THEOLOGIL VELOPMENT ON MARRIAGE EVEN AS THE RHETORIC HAS SEEMED TO BEE “MORE MELLOW.” THE STORMY CULTURAL WDS AND THE DISAFFECTN OF A YOUNGER GENERATN FORCED A RENSIRATN OF TONE, BUT DOCTRE LAGS FAR BEHD. WHEN THE CIRCUMSTANC REQUIRE THEM TO SPEAK, ALL THEY N DO IS REPEAT THE SAME CLICHéS, AS GRAHAM DID HIS STATEMENT THIS WEEK: “THE BIBLE IS CLEAR—GOD’S FN OF MARRIAGE IS BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN.” DAVID SSNS
• WELLS FARGO'S GAY UPLE AD SPARKS EVANGELIST PROTT
• BILLY GRAHAM IS NOT AN ANTI-GAY BIGOT
• IN NORTH CAROLA GAY MARRIAGE VOTE, 'S BILL CLTON VERS BILLY GRAHAM
• NORTH CAROLA GAY MARRIAGE BAN: HOW DO AFFECT THE SOCIAL AND POLIL FUTURE OF THE STATE?
• GAY MARRIAGE AND HOMOSEXUALY: WHAT HAVE JOEL OSTEEN, BILLY AND FRANKL GRAHAM, JOYCE MEYER, TD JAK AND OTHER TOP PASTORS SAID ON THE SUBJECTSEVANGELIST, REVEREND FRANKL GRAHAM RECENTLY PARTICIPATED A NEWS PANEL DISCSN WHICH HE ANSWERED QUTNS ON HOMOSEXUALY. SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR EVANGELILS AMERI HAVE SHARED A SIAR BIBLIL POSN AS GRAHAM PAST TERVIEWS.JOEL OSTEEN, JOYCE MEYERS, T.D. JAK AND MORE, LIKE GRAHAM, HAVE OPENLY SHARED THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE DIVISIVE SUBJECT, AND  THEY HAVE ED THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF SCRIPTURE TO SHED A LIGHT ON WHAT GOD THKS AND HOW THE BIBLE GUIS WH REGARDS TO S AND HOMOSEXUALY.DURG THE ABC SEGMENT WH RSELL MOORE, RALPH REED AND COKIE ROBERTS, LAST WEEK, GRAHAM WAS QUTNED ON WHETHER HIS POSN ON HOMOSEXUALY REMAED THE SAME OM PAST TERVIEWS."FRANKL GRAHAM IS A SNER," THE SON OF BILLY GRAHAM SAID, "AND I'M NO BETTER THAN A GAY PERSON. I'M A SNER. BUT I'VE BEEN FIVEN, AND I'VE TURNED OM MY SS. FOR ANY PERSON THAT'S WILLG TO REPENT TURN, GOD WILL FIVE."POPULAR PASTOR JOEL OSTEEN, WHO LEADS THE LARGT CHURCH AMERI, IS KNOWN FOR HIS MOTIVATNAL MSAG THAT ARE WELL LOVED THE LGBT MUNY. THE PASTOR HAS BEEN KNOWN TO TREAD LIGHTLY ON THE SUBJECT FORMER TERVIEWS, BUT ULTIMATELY WHEN PHED ON THE TOPIC HE AGRE WH GRAHAM."I BELIEVE THAT SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT 'S A S BUT I ALWAYS FOLLOW THAT UP BY SAYG YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE NOT AGAST ANYBODY," OSTEEN SAID TO LARRY KG. "THERE'S A LOT OF THGS LARRY THAT I DON'T UNRSTAND - SO I JT DON'T WANT TO PREACH ON , PREACH ABOUT ."IN ANOTHER TERVIEW HE TOLD PIERS MAN, "I'M NOT AGAST ANYTHG." IN THAT SAME SEGMENT HE AND HIS WIFE VICTORIA SAID THAT THEY WOULD ATTEND A HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE.IN ANOTHER STANCE, OPRAH QUTNED MEGACHURCH PASTOR T.D. JAK ON THE MATTER AND HE SAID, "I'M NOT LLED TO GIVE MY OPN. I'M LLED AS A PASTOR TO GIVE THE SCRIPTURAL POSN ON ."THE PASTOR ADD, "DON'T MEAN THAT I HAVE TO AGREE WH YOU TO LOVE YOU. I DON'T DISLIKE ANYBODY. I LOVE EVERYBODY."WHEN ASKED IF BEG GAY IS A S HE REPLIED, "I THK THAT SEX BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE OF THE SAME SEX IS NMNED THE SCRIPTUR, AND AS LONG AS IS NMNED THE SCRIPTUR, I DON'T GET TO SAY WHAT I THK. I GET TO SAY WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS," JAK SAID. "I'M NOT ANTI-GAY, I'M NOT ANTI-ANYTHG. I DON'T WANT TO EVEN BE KNOWN BY WHAT I'M AGAST."YOU N HEAR JAK' RPONSE 24 MUT TO THE VIO BELOW:IN 2005 BELOVED CHARISMATIC THOR AND SPEAKER JOYCE MEYER TOLD LARRY KG ON HIS PROGRAM THAT SHE THKS 'S "A CHOICE.""OBVLY, LARRY, IF I BELIEVE THE BIBLE, THEN I DON'T BELIEVE THAT A GAY LIFTYLE OR A HOMOSEXUAL LIFTYLE IS THE RIGHT WAY TO CHOOSE TO LIVE. I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S SOMETHG SO MUCH BETTER," SHE SAID. "I BELIEVE 'S FELY A CHOICE. WELL, I THK THAT THAT'S THE NATURAL WAY THAT GOD TEND TO BE. I JT FOLLOWED THE NATURAL WAY THAT I WAS. I DIDN'T HAVE TO NSCLY THK, DO I WANT TO DO THIS OR DON'T I?"SCREEN-GRAB (PHOTO : SCREEN-GRAB )BT-SELLG THOR AND PASTOR RICK WARREN EXPLAED ON PIERS MAN, WHILE HE MAY DISAGREE WH PEOPLE ON THEIR VIEWS ON SEXUALY, HE DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO MEAN, TO MORALIZE, OR FAME ANYONE AND TURN THEM TO A MON.WARREN THOUGH, DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE FN OF MARRIAGE AS BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN SHOULD BE CHANGED. HE ADD, "I DON'T THK OTHER GROUPS GET THE OPPORTUNY TO REFE A TERM. I FEAR THE DISAPPROVAL OF GOD MORE THAN I FEAR YOUR DISAPPROVAL OR THE DISAPPROVAL OF SOCIETY."COLORADO EVANGELIL PASTOR TED HAGGARD, WAS VOLVED A SAME-SEX AND DG SNDAL SIX YEARS AGO. DURG AN ONLE BATE 2012 THE NTROVERSIAL PASTOR SAID, "IF SOMEONE IS ALG WH SAME-SEX ATTRACTN OR HOMOSEXUALY, AND THEY WANT SOMEONE TO BE THEIR LIFE PARTNER OF THE SAME GENR, THOUGH WE WOULD OPPOSE THAT OUR CHURCH, SHOULD BE ALLOWED BY THE STATE."DPE ALL HE'D BEEN THROUGH AND EXPERIENCED HIMSELF, HAGGARD MATAED THAT GOD TEND MARRIAGE TO BE BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN, BUT HE BELIEV THE ROL OF THE STATE AND RELIG MUNI ARE DIFFERENT.RPECTED AND WORLD-RENOWNED EVANGELIST, PASTOR BILLY GRAHAM, FATHER OF FRANKL GRAHAM, PREVLY ISSUED A STATEMENT REGARDG THE MARRIAGE PROTECTN AMENDMENT MNOTA AFFIRMG THAT HE IS FOR THE ORIGAL FN OF MARRIAGE. "I PRAY THAT THE GOOD PEOPLE OF MNOTA WILL SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR GOD'S FN OF MARRIAGE, BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY ENDORSE THE MARRIAGE PROTECTN AMENDMENT," THE STATEMENT READ. "WATCHG THE MORAL CLE OF OUR UNTRY ME GREAT NCERN, I BELIEVE THE HOME AND MARRIAGE IS THE FOUNDATN OF OUR SOCIETY AND MT BE PROTECTED."THIS IS WHAT THE PASTORS HAD TO SAY ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE AND SCRIPTURE, NOW WHAT DO YOU THK ABOUT ACRDANCE WH WHAT THE BIBLE TEACH?LATEST NEWS

HOW EVANGELILS ARE CHANGG THEIR MDS ON GAY MARRIAGE

For many lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer people, however, Graham was a csar agast them, one whose efforts shaped the relig right to an anti-LGBTQ polil 1950, Graham began the weekly "Hour of Decisn" rad program broadst on more than 700 statns around the world.

"Graham himself had few specific words on LGBTQ people, at least when pared to the rt of his expansive non, but his disapproval of homosexualy was unequivol. “We traffic homosexualy at the peril of our spirual welfare. ” This was after Graham had claimed homosexualy to be a “sister form of perversn” that was ntributg to the y of civilizatn, acrdg to the book “Mart Luther Kg Jr., Homosexualy, and the Early Gay Rights Movement” by Michael G.

BILLY GRAHAM BACKS NC ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE AMENDMENT

Now spearhead by his son Frankl Graham, has provid a platform for vilent homophobia and support for anti-LGBTQ the anizatn's webse, Frankl Graham has claimed Satan is behd LGBTQ rights and activism, has said there is “no place for promise” on same-sex marriage and has praised Rsian lears who he said have "stood steadfastly agast the risg homosexual agenda their untry. "Garrard Conley, the thor of “Boy Erased, ” a memoir which he reunts his experienc nversn therapy Arkansas, said Graham’s rhetoric was equently employed the lurgy he enuntered and the mp where he was told he uld be “cured” of homosexualy.

“Graham lled homosexualy 'a sister form of perversn, ' and never appears to have changed his thoughts on the matter. The Pew Rearch Center shared last year that the majory of people who approved of homosexual liftyl didn’t nsir relign important their daily liv.

WIFE OF PASTOR WHO WORKED FOR BILLY GRAHAM RIGNS COUNTY CLERK POSN OVER GAY MARRIAGE: 'I CHOOSE TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MAN'

And holdg to God’s revealed tth His Word ncerng homosexualy is even more dangero, ” Becket Cook wrote his book, A Change of Affectn: A Gay Man’s Incredible Story of Remptn.

“If you believe that homosexualy is a s, you are immediately labeled a bigot or homophobic. Homosexualy is plited, but ’s not a gray area. Cook remds his rears, there are gay pri paras but not gossip pri paras.

“Homosexual orientatn affects the whole person: the md, will, emotn and body, ” he wr. “The nscienc of today’s Christians are beg rpted by the opprsive cultural i and the extreme social prsure surroundg the issue of homosexualy, but we know that the law of the Lord is wrten on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-33) and though we may succeed mutg our nscience, the Word of God is eternal, ” Cook said.

WHY MORATE BILLY GRAHAM SUPPORTS NORTH CAROLA GAY MARRIAGE BANGAY MARRIAGEWHY IS THE FAMOLY MORATE EVANGELIL MISTER SUPPORTG NORTH CAROLA’S GAY MARRIAGE BAN? DAVID SSNS EXPLAS.DAVID SSNSUPDATED JUL. 13, 2017 5:26PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAY 04, 2012 5:45AM EDT NELL REDMOND / AP PHOTOBILLY GRAHAM TOOK AN UNUAL STEP TO THE POLIL ARENA THIS WEEK, PLEDGG HIS SUPPORT FOR A BALLOT IATIVE THAT WOULD MAKE NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE NORTH CAROLA, WHERE IS ALREADY LEGALLY BANNED. GRAHAM, WHO IS 93 AND RECENTLY SURVIVED AN EXTEND HOSPAL STAY, RELEASED A STATEMENT THAT WILL BE PUBLISHED 14 NEWSPAPERS AHEAD OF NEXT TUDAY’S VOTE.“WATCHG THE MORAL CLE OF OUR UNTRY ME GREAT NCERN,” GRAHAM SAID. “I BELIEVE THE HOME AND MARRIAGE IS THE FOUNDATN OF OUR SOCIETY AND MT BE PROTECTED.”THE MOVE RAISED EYEBROWS BEE OF GRAHAM’S GENERAL RELUCTANCE TO BRG HOT-BUTTON POLIL ISSU TO HIS MISTRY. WHILE HE ALWAYS AFFIRMED THE STANDARD EVANGELIL VIEW THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS A S, HE RARELY MENTNED EXCEPT TO DOWNPLAY . “THERE ARE OTHER SS. WHY DO WE JUMP ON THAT S AS THOUGH ’S THE GREATT S?” HE ASKED AT A 1997 NFERENCE SAN FRANCIS, ADDG THAT HIS JOB WAS TO MISTER TO PEOPLE REGARDLS OF THEIR ORIENTATN. THE PEAK OF GRAHAM’S FLUENCE AMONG EVANGELILS CID WH THE RISE OF THE RELIG RIGHT, AS HARR-EDGED POLIL FIGUR LIKE JERRY FALWELL AND PAT ROBERTSON REPLACED GRAHAM’S SOFT-SPOKEN ECUMENICISM.GRAHAM IS THE TYPE WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPECTED TO GO SOFT ON SUCH A DIVISIVE ISSUE. THOUGH THEOLOGILLY NSERVATIVE, HE ME UP A DIFFERENT ERA—A TIME WHEN BIPARTISAN NSENS WAS A STILL A FEATURE OF WASHGTON POLICS AND BEFORE THE “NSERVATIVE RURGENCE” DREW RIGID L AROUND EVANGELIL CHRISTIAN DOCTR. AMONG HIS STANC THAT WOULDN’T FLY WH HIS HARR-RE SUCCSORS, GRAHAM EQUENTLY HTED THAT HE BELIEVED FOLLOWERS OF OTHER FAHS ULD GO TO HEAVEN. IN GENERAL, HE TEND TO ERR ON THE SI OF CLN AND PASSN. “AS I GOT OLR, I GUS I BEME MORE MELLOW AND MORE FIVG AND MORE LOVG,” HE TOLD LARRY KG 2005. HE EXPLAED THAT “THE LOVE OF GOD” WAS THE CENTER OF THE CHRISTIAN MSAGE, AND THAT HE FELT CREASGLY NVCED THAT “SI TRENDS” WERE OUTSI HIS MISSN. GRAHAM’S STANCE AGAST GAY MARRIAGE MIGHT ALSO SEEM ODD BEE AT A MOMENT WHEN OTHER EVANGELIL FIGUR ARE GRADUALLY BEGNG TO QUTN THEIR FOC ON PYRRHIC POLIL BATTL. CHARL COLSON, THE LATE FORMER NIXON AI WHO BEME A RELIG-RIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT, EXPRSED REGRET THAT HIS MOVEMENT HAD “POLICIZED THE GOSPEL.” JIM DALY, THE CURRENT PRINT OF FOC ON THE FAY, WHO HAS BEEN WORKG STRENUOLY TO GIVE THE ANIZATN A LS POLIL MAKEOVER, HAS ALL BUT ADMTED THAT THE CSA AGAST GAY MARRIAGE IS A LOST E. THOUGH NSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN ACTUALLY ARE WNG ELECTORALLY—THEIR STATE-LEVEL ROLLBACK OF ABORTN RIGHTS, FOR EXAMPLE—THE SWIFT TURN OF PUBLIC OPN FAVOR OF GAY MARRIAGE AND RULTG UNPOPULARY OF THOSE WHO OPPOSE HAS GRADUALLY MOTIVATED SOME EVANGELIL LEARS TO DOWNPLAY THEIR STANC.BUT WHAT APPEARS TO BE A PARTURE FOR GRAHAM ACTUALLY ILLTRAT AN ONGOG DILEMMA FOR EVANGELIL CHRISTIANS: THE FACT THAT THEY’VE REALIZED THEY NEED TO CHANGE THEIR TONE WHILE REMAG TERMED TO HOLD ON TO THE OLD MSAGE. THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNS OF PROGRS: YOUNG EVANGELILS TEND TO SPISE THE LEGACY OF THE PAST FEW S, AND HAVE BEGUN SPREADG OUT ACROSS THE POLIL SPECTM. PSDOSCIENTIFIC VIEWS ABOUT THE EARTH’S ORIGS, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND HOMOSEXUALY—ALL OF WHICH HAVE PLAYED OUTSIZE ROL EVANGELIL POLIL ACTIVISM—ARE GRADUALLY LOSG THEIR GRIP. BUT ALL OF THE VELOPMENTS WERE DRIVEN LS BY TELLECTUAL GROWTH THAN BY BAD LUCK: THE BH ADMISTRATN EPLY DISCREDED THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN EVANGELILS AND THE GOP, AND THE RAPID MASTREAM ACCEPTANCE OF HOMOSEXUALY MEANT NSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS WERE CREASGLY SEEN AS CEL AND BIGOTED. TO THE EXTENT NSERVATIVE EVANGELIL LEARS HAVE BACKED AWAY OM ISSU LIKE GAY MARRIAGE, ’S HAD MORE TO DO WH SPERATN AT THIS SUATN THAN ENLIGHTENMENT ON THE ISSUE.THAT LEAV THEM THE AWKWARD POSN OF DOWNPLAYG POLIL POSNS THEY STILL TAKE: FOC ON THE FAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IS STILL JT AS OPPOSED TO GAY MARRIAGE AS WAS BEFORE S IMAGE MAKEOVER, THOUGH YOU’LL NEVER SEE ANYTHG ABOUT ON THEIR MA ANIZATN’S WEBSE. THERE HAS BEEN LTLE PRSURE OM WH THE MOVEMENT FOR THOSE BACKG AWAY OM OLD CULTURE-WAR NARRATIV TO SUBSTANTIVELY ADJT URSE. VIRTUALLY NO MAJOR EVANGELIL FIGUR OR STUTNS HAVE SWCHED SIS ON THE ISSUE—CLUDG THE LIBERAL ON, WHO TEND TO KEEP THEIR ACTUAL VIEWS QUIET OR VAGUE. EVANGELIL GAY-MARRIAGE SUPPORTERS’ RELUCTANCE TO TAKE A STAND, HOWEVER WELL-TENTNED MAY BE, ALLOWS NSERVATIVE FIGUR AND GROUPS TO ADOPT NCILIATORY LANGUAGE AND A VENEER OF MORATN WHILE KEEPG THE SAME OLD NTENT.BILLY GRAHAM IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE LACK OF EVANGELIL THEOLOGIL VELOPMENT ON MARRIAGE EVEN AS THE RHETORIC HAS SEEMED TO BEE “MORE MELLOW.” THE STORMY CULTURAL WDS AND THE DISAFFECTN OF A YOUNGER GENERATN FORCED A RENSIRATN OF TONE, BUT DOCTRE LAGS FAR BEHD. WHEN THE CIRCUMSTANC REQUIRE THEM TO SPEAK, ALL THEY N DO IS REPEAT THE SAME CLICHéS, AS GRAHAM DID HIS STATEMENT THIS WEEK: “THE BIBLE IS CLEAR—GOD’S FN OF MARRIAGE IS BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN.” DAVID SSNS

There are no exceptns suggted, such as homosexual partnerships. From Genis on, the Bible prais the marriage of a man and a woman, but speaks only negatively of homosexual behavr whenever is mentned. The New Ttament agre, listg “homosexual offenrs” among a list of people who “will not her the kgdom of God” unls they are cleansed through Christ (1 Corthians 6:9-11).

However, is important to note that the Bible speaks only of homosexual behavr (which would clu lt—choosg to fantasize about behavr), not unchosen feelgs. Sometim is said that the Bible do not rerd any words of J about homosexualy, and therefore mt be acceptable to God. So, this sense, J did have somethg to say about homosexual partnerships.

WELLS FARGO'S GAY UPLE AD SPARKS EVANGELIST PROTT

If you were ved to a weddg that celebrated homosexualy, would you go?

Homosexualy has bee a drivg force today’s culture. Every day, plac such as ffee shops, grocery stor, and even church promote gay pri.

Homosexualy is a ntroversial issue, one that has bee very personal for believers and church over the past few s. Many believers stay silent bee of how personal this s of homosexualy has bee for them. If evangelil Christiany is famo for anythg ntemporary Amerin polics, is for s plete opposn to gay marriage.

BILLY GRAHAM IS NOT AN ANTI-GAY BIGOT

My magaze story for TIME this week, “A Change of Heart, ” is a ep dive to the changg allegianc and divis evangelil church and muni over homosexualy. Support for gay marriage across all age groups of whe evangelils has creased by double digs over the past , acrdg to the Public Relign Rearch Instute, and the fastt change n be found among younger evangelils—their support for gay marriage jumped om 20% 2003 to 42% 2014.

“I refe to go to a church where my iends who are gay are exclud om Communn or a marriage venant or the bety of Christian muny, ” Meeks tells me. ” Conversatn about gay marriage is no longer seen as an tomatic promise on Biblil thory. At the Southern Baptist Conventn’s three-day, October bootmp to tra more than 1, 300 evangelils to double down agast gay marriage, Stanley met together wh both LGBT evangelil advot and SBC lears for a closed-door nversatn about whether their different views on gay marriage put them outsi the fah.

Brandan Robertson, 22, is the natnal spokperson for Evangelils for Marriage Equaly, an effort started by lennials to help evangelils support civil gay marriag, if not marriag church.

IN NORTH CAROLA GAY MARRIAGE VOTE, 'S BILL CLTON VERS BILLY GRAHAM

Jt Lee, 37, of the Gay Christian Network hosted his 11th annual nference last week Portland, Ore., and 1, 400 people attend, double the number who me last year.

Lee’s iendship wh Alan Chambers, the former head of the ex-gay anizatn Exod Internatnal, was one of the key factors that led Chambers to apologize for the hurt his anizatn ed, and the anizatn shut down.

Billy Graham urged North Carola voters Wednday to support an amendment to the state nstutn banng gay marriage, a move that an observer said was highly unual but another said was keepg wh the mister's moral beliefs. "In the past, I have heard him say wh rpect to homosexualy, there are greater ss. "Billy Graham's dghter, Anne Graham Lotz, also has said she supports the Carola already outlaws gay marriage, but addg that ban to the state nstutn would make much harr to change the future.

NORTH CAROLA GAY MARRIAGE BAN: HOW DO AFFECT THE SOCIAL AND POLIL FUTURE OF THE STATE?

Opponents to the amendment argue the language is vague and uld have wir nsequenc beyond those for gay upl. "He has also disntued dog bs wh pani such as Wells Fargo, which featured a TV ad wh a gay uple, but has said that he believ every bs should be gay-iendly. "By that I mean bs — like dividuals — should be iendly to gay ctomers and cizens.

GAY MARRIAGE AND HOMOSEXUALY: WHAT HAVE JOEL OSTEEN, BILLY AND FRANKL GRAHAM, JOYCE MEYER, TD JAK AND OTHER TOP PASTORS SAID ON THE SUBJECTSEVANGELIST, REVEREND FRANKL GRAHAM RECENTLY PARTICIPATED A NEWS PANEL DISCSN WHICH HE ANSWERED QUTNS ON HOMOSEXUALY. SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR EVANGELILS AMERI HAVE SHARED A SIAR BIBLIL POSN AS GRAHAM PAST TERVIEWS.JOEL OSTEEN, JOYCE MEYERS, T.D. JAK AND MORE, LIKE GRAHAM, HAVE OPENLY SHARED THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE DIVISIVE SUBJECT, AND  THEY HAVE ED THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF SCRIPTURE TO SHED A LIGHT ON WHAT GOD THKS AND HOW THE BIBLE GUIS WH REGARDS TO S AND HOMOSEXUALY.DURG THE ABC SEGMENT WH RSELL MOORE, RALPH REED AND COKIE ROBERTS, LAST WEEK, GRAHAM WAS QUTNED ON WHETHER HIS POSN ON HOMOSEXUALY REMAED THE SAME OM PAST TERVIEWS."FRANKL GRAHAM IS A SNER," THE SON OF BILLY GRAHAM SAID, "AND I'M NO BETTER THAN A GAY PERSON. I'M A SNER. BUT I'VE BEEN FIVEN, AND I'VE TURNED OM MY SS. FOR ANY PERSON THAT'S WILLG TO REPENT TURN, GOD WILL FIVE."POPULAR PASTOR JOEL OSTEEN, WHO LEADS THE LARGT CHURCH AMERI, IS KNOWN FOR HIS MOTIVATNAL MSAG THAT ARE WELL LOVED THE LGBT MUNY. THE PASTOR HAS BEEN KNOWN TO TREAD LIGHTLY ON THE SUBJECT FORMER TERVIEWS, BUT ULTIMATELY WHEN PHED ON THE TOPIC HE AGRE WH GRAHAM."I BELIEVE THAT SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT 'S A S BUT I ALWAYS FOLLOW THAT UP BY SAYG YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE NOT AGAST ANYBODY," OSTEEN SAID TO LARRY KG. "THERE'S A LOT OF THGS LARRY THAT I DON'T UNRSTAND - SO I JT DON'T WANT TO PREACH ON , PREACH ABOUT ."IN ANOTHER TERVIEW HE TOLD PIERS MAN, "I'M NOT AGAST ANYTHG." IN THAT SAME SEGMENT HE AND HIS WIFE VICTORIA SAID THAT THEY WOULD ATTEND A HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE.IN ANOTHER STANCE, OPRAH QUTNED MEGACHURCH PASTOR T.D. JAK ON THE MATTER AND HE SAID, "I'M NOT LLED TO GIVE MY OPN. I'M LLED AS A PASTOR TO GIVE THE SCRIPTURAL POSN ON ."THE PASTOR ADD, "DON'T MEAN THAT I HAVE TO AGREE WH YOU TO LOVE YOU. I DON'T DISLIKE ANYBODY. I LOVE EVERYBODY."WHEN ASKED IF BEG GAY IS A S HE REPLIED, "I THK THAT SEX BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE OF THE SAME SEX IS NMNED THE SCRIPTUR, AND AS LONG AS IS NMNED THE SCRIPTUR, I DON'T GET TO SAY WHAT I THK. I GET TO SAY WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS," JAK SAID. "I'M NOT ANTI-GAY, I'M NOT ANTI-ANYTHG. I DON'T WANT TO EVEN BE KNOWN BY WHAT I'M AGAST."YOU N HEAR JAK' RPONSE 24 MUT TO THE VIO BELOW:IN 2005 BELOVED CHARISMATIC THOR AND SPEAKER JOYCE MEYER TOLD LARRY KG ON HIS PROGRAM THAT SHE THKS 'S "A CHOICE.""OBVLY, LARRY, IF I BELIEVE THE BIBLE, THEN I DON'T BELIEVE THAT A GAY LIFTYLE OR A HOMOSEXUAL LIFTYLE IS THE RIGHT WAY TO CHOOSE TO LIVE. I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S SOMETHG SO MUCH BETTER," SHE SAID. "I BELIEVE 'S FELY A CHOICE. WELL, I THK THAT THAT'S THE NATURAL WAY THAT GOD TEND TO BE. I JT FOLLOWED THE NATURAL WAY THAT I WAS. I DIDN'T HAVE TO NSCLY THK, DO I WANT TO DO THIS OR DON'T I?"SCREEN-GRAB (PHOTO : SCREEN-GRAB )BT-SELLG THOR AND PASTOR RICK WARREN EXPLAED ON PIERS MAN, WHILE HE MAY DISAGREE WH PEOPLE ON THEIR VIEWS ON SEXUALY, HE DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO MEAN, TO MORALIZE, OR FAME ANYONE AND TURN THEM TO A MON.WARREN THOUGH, DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE FN OF MARRIAGE AS BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN SHOULD BE CHANGED. HE ADD, "I DON'T THK OTHER GROUPS GET THE OPPORTUNY TO REFE A TERM. I FEAR THE DISAPPROVAL OF GOD MORE THAN I FEAR YOUR DISAPPROVAL OR THE DISAPPROVAL OF SOCIETY."COLORADO EVANGELIL PASTOR TED HAGGARD, WAS VOLVED A SAME-SEX AND DG SNDAL SIX YEARS AGO. DURG AN ONLE BATE 2012 THE NTROVERSIAL PASTOR SAID, "IF SOMEONE IS ALG WH SAME-SEX ATTRACTN OR HOMOSEXUALY, AND THEY WANT SOMEONE TO BE THEIR LIFE PARTNER OF THE SAME GENR, THOUGH WE WOULD OPPOSE THAT OUR CHURCH, SHOULD BE ALLOWED BY THE STATE."DPE ALL HE'D BEEN THROUGH AND EXPERIENCED HIMSELF, HAGGARD MATAED THAT GOD TEND MARRIAGE TO BE BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN, BUT HE BELIEV THE ROL OF THE STATE AND RELIG MUNI ARE DIFFERENT.RPECTED AND WORLD-RENOWNED EVANGELIST, PASTOR BILLY GRAHAM, FATHER OF FRANKL GRAHAM, PREVLY ISSUED A STATEMENT REGARDG THE MARRIAGE PROTECTN AMENDMENT MNOTA AFFIRMG THAT HE IS FOR THE ORIGAL FN OF MARRIAGE. "I PRAY THAT THE GOOD PEOPLE OF MNOTA WILL SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR GOD'S FN OF MARRIAGE, BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY ENDORSE THE MARRIAGE PROTECTN AMENDMENT," THE STATEMENT READ. "WATCHG THE MORAL CLE OF OUR UNTRY ME GREAT NCERN, I BELIEVE THE HOME AND MARRIAGE IS THE FOUNDATN OF OUR SOCIETY AND MT BE PROTECTED."THIS IS WHAT THE PASTORS HAD TO SAY ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE AND SCRIPTURE, NOW WHAT DO YOU THK ABOUT ACRDANCE WH WHAT THE BIBLE TEACH?LATEST NEWS

We should be iendly to everyone, even if or when we disagree wh them, " he said back also said that for Christians, beg iendly to gay people is "not optnal. Inspired by, BibliFact roundups aim to do jt GRAHAM AND MARRIAGE IN THE BIBLICAL SENSE Wh all due rpect to Reverend Graham, who has tend to avoid engagg polil bat about homosexualy and gay marriage, the Bible do not clearly fe marriage.

Nor is the Bible straightforwardly applible to any of the current policy bat about gay marriage, civil unns, and homosexualy. For an excellent summary and asssment of biblil-polil disurse around gay marriage, read biblil scholar Lee Jefferson's excellent article, "What Do the Bible Actually Say About Gay Marriage?, " wrten last summer the wake of s legalizatn the state of New York.