Gay Pride Activists Attack Christian Preachers

[B-Ball-fan]

^ B-Ball-Fan: that is a pretty reasonable post. I don't take issue with a lot of what you wrote.

 

However, I don't think that what that group was doing there was what you assume when you hear "street preaching." There are some street preachers who are insulting to the crowds around them and I don't think they represent their cause well. There is other street preaching that is what you might hear in church only it is out on the street. The Salvation Army is famous for this. The brass band plays and a crowd gathers. Then a SA officer preaches to the crowd. That sounds more like what this group does on a regular basis. In fact, they had been going there every Friday night and singing, and making themselves available if anyone wanted to talk to them. Sometimes one of their leaders may preach. I don't get the sense that it is the kind of screaming, condemning style that sometimes is done by others.

 

Here is a link to a description reported to be by one who was there that night. Christians Attacked by Gays in Castro District, San Francisco

 

The worst of the account above is disputed in gay news accounts. I wasn't there.

 

It seems the crowd was stirred up by the recent Prop 8 stuff but the street preachers were not there about that at all and have never been there about Prop 8. They go there every week to share the gospel with those who are willing to listen. They sing, they sometimes preach, and they talk to individuals who engage them. Apparently, homosexuality is not the topic they speak about. Rather they are sharing the love of God. But that night was an emotionally charged night and the Christian ministry folks nearly paid a high price.

 

It is interesting to hear what one of the Christian girls later said--I think the one that got hit and kicked. Huff said she believes her group, whose members all live in San Francisco, will return to the Castro at some point.

 

"We understand that not everyone in the LGBT community is violent and angry" like the people they encountered Friday night, said Huff.

 

"We go to the Castro all the time," she said. "We have friends there. We love the people who live in the Castro, and in no way hold what happened Friday night against them."

 

The bottom line for me is that I am opposed to intimidation and bullying. I support the right of free speech on public property. Furthermore, what that group does is seek to engage a people that may often feel alienated from the church and they try to show them the love of God. Perhaps you may disagree with their method, but they appear to be a pretty respectful group trying to reach people they would not have much contact with otherwise.

 

Thank you oldgrappler for your well thought out response and taking the time to express it. Thank you also for directing me to the more detailed information of the said incident so that I could get a better idea of the circumstances. My apologies also for at first getting the impression that these people were the loud obnoxious types begging for a reaction.

 

As it is a public place, the street preachers most certainly have the right to be there. If they are there peacefully all the better, but they should be aware of the possible concequences. I absolutely do not condone any acts of violence or disrespect that they received on said evening, or at any time.

 

I believe that they believe in their hearts that they are there for what they consider to be good reasons.

 

Of all the places that they can set up shop on a Friday night they choose a high density gay area, which screams, although they might not be screaming, that they are there to suggest that within their set of beliefs that the being gay is wrong, and that's why they chose said area, which would raise the question "What is it to them how other people live, especially if it's not effecting them, and how do they see that it's acceptable to even suggest even peacefully that they are judging?". Sometimes even in the most peaceful fashion is can still come off or be viewed as condescending.

 

They can slice it any way they want to about their reasons and say that they are not there to condemn, and that they have love in their hearts, but if that's where they choose to set up, then it still would suggest that they are doing so no matter what words they use to describe their actions.

 

If they're shocked to be met with opposition to their presence and don't understand that no matter how peaceful of an approach, that them being there is likely to be viewed as a judgmental statement, then they've got some serious reality issues with comprehending possible ramifications of what they are involving themselves with.

 

I can guarantee that anyone gay or not is well aware of the Christian religion and if they were so inclined to seek it out that there's no shortage of options available, and they can choose for themselves if it's the direction they want to take, and that they don't need to be made aware by folks setting up shop on the street who obviously have done so in their chosen location to target a specific group of people, which actually is likely to drive people away more than attract them, so ultimately if they are truly trying to share their faith, they're chosen method is likely to have the opposite effect.

 

I would never try to suggest that all gay people are great people. There are idiots from all walks of life.

 

Being gay, I do realize that there are many like myself who have used their life long self-analysis, and analysis of society and religion to see things from perhaps a deeper angle then maybe those who've not been challenged in life from a sexuality standpoint.

 

That's not to suggest that straight people aren't thinkers, and quite possibly they too have had things within they're own lives prompting them to question the accepted norms as well.

 

I've met some gays that I would like to ask "Hasn't your gayness taught you anything?" for it appears to me that they haven't made use of their situation to allow themselves to think a little deeper than they do.

 

In my experience, gay people tend to be passive non violent people, but you're always gonna find an example of a bad apple. For many it seems that it's just within their nature to be passive, and with others it seems that their ability to think has allowed them not to succumb to some basic instincts, for example, of a being a man and having to defend one's manhood in fighting fashion that some straight guys might've been inclined to do in their younger years.

 

In all my years I have never once felt threatened in a gay bar that bad vibes were brewing and that it was time to be on alert. I absolutely cannot say the same thing about straight clubs, and I no doubt have seen some overly testosterone filled situations that made me realize that it was the time to leave, and often seeing blood first before I did. Not pretty.

 

Although I could defend myself if need be, I've never been inclined to think that the night isn't complete until I've proved my dominance over someone by placing physical harm on them. I'm not wired that way and have never been the fighting kind and have found that guys who are to be a bad example with their idea of what it means to be a man.

 

From my perspective, gays most certainly didn't write the book on physical violence, but with that said any gays that resort to violence or any of the despicable ways described that it's completely unacceptable, and they should be held accountable for their actions.

 

They most certainly don't represent me, and though I personally can't be held accountable for their actions, If I had the chance I'd like to tell them that they're doing nothing positive in acting that way to further theirs, or anyone else's cause.

 

I can understand the frustrating feeling of being made to feel that others are judging me, but it needs to be met with in a civil way, if at all. If you get the feeling that someone is poking you to get a response, the best response sometimes is to not give them what they're looking for, and completely ignore them.

 

Some can't wait to get a negative response so that they can run with it and say "See how awful gay people are". It might be a fair assessment is some instances, but an unfair one in the over all picture.

 

Just as much as a broad stroke can't be used to describe all street preachers, neither can it be done to describe all gays.

 

If my response here appears to be more or less splitting hairs my apologies, but I simply just spilled my guts in the way that I can see things, and I'm always open for new data to make me question even my own stances. Everyday is a good day to learn something new, or see things from a different perspective.

[oldgrappler]

I appreciate the reasoned dialogue and your genuine response. Peace to you.

[SportsGuy41017]

I have zero issues with this:

 

[SportsGuy41017]

Or this:

 

[oldgrappler]

I agree it is hard to muster up much sympathy for the Westboro Baptist folk. I do not think they represent God well. In fact, I believe they misspeak for God in a similar way that Job's miserable friends did (Job 42:7-9).

 

However, I do have a problem with the second video (post #19 ). It is one thing to shout them down, it is another to begin to foster a mob mentality and break windows and fulminate such animosity that it could very easily lead to mob violence.