Church cancels memorial for gay Navy vet

**Tumbleweed** · Admin Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 4

This is outrageous. They canceled this soldiers memorial because he was gay, and the church considers being gay a sin. If being a sinner keeps them from holding memorials. there isn't a damn member in their church who deserves one. This sounds like "The Church of The Poison Minds"

By ANGELA K. BROWN, Associated Press Writer

Quote:

ARLINGTON, Texas - Relatives of a gay Navy veteran who died say they are upset that a megachurch canceled his memorial service 24 hours before it was to start. Officials at the nondenominational High Point Church knew that Cecil Howard Sinclair was gay when they offered to host his service, said his sister, Kathleen Wright.

But after his obituary listed his life partner as one of his survivors, she said, it was called off.

"It's a slap in the face. It's like, `Oh, we're sorry he died, but he's gay so we can't help you,'" she said Friday.

Wright said High Point offered to hold the service for Sinclair because their brother is a janitor there. Sinclair, who served in Desert Storm, died Monday at age 46 from an infection after surgery to prepare him for a heart transplant.

The church's pastor, the Rev. Gary Simons, said no one knew Sinclair, who was not a church member, was gay until the day before the Thursday service, when staff members putting together his video tribute saw pictures of men "engaging in clear affection, kissing and embracing."

Simons said the church believes homosexuality is a sin, and it would have appeared to endorse that lifestyle if the service had been held there.

Source

**CHUQ** · Agitator Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 3

This is unacceptable. They could not have let the stuff ride and allow a fallen American soldier a fair and unbiased funeral? They are pigs and deserve to burn!

**Coyote** · Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 9:03 am Post subject:

As if we needed further proof that so-called "mega churches" only look out for their own interests. The Pharisees are alive and well in the 21st century.

**Rupchuk** · Moderator Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts votes: 4

If I was the pastor it'd depend on how the ceremony was supposed to be held. If they were going to show a video of people performing gay acts then I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't have a ceremony for a porn star if it included lewd videos. It's up to the church though. They aren't a government entity so they don't have any obligation to offer services to anyone.

**Tumbleweed** · Admin Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 4

Huh? Just because he was gay doesn't mean they would be showing porn at the memorial. 2 people of the same sex shown kissing, hugging, or embracing isn't porn. scratch

**CHUQ** · Agitator Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 3

Personally, it is in bad taste to dis a vet killed in service to his nation. I do not give a sh*t what his sexualk orientation is, I mean he could like chickens, it does not matter. He was killed in service toi the nation and the pigs owe him a decent funeral.

**Rupchuk** · Moderator Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts votes: 4

I'm not saying it is porn but it may be offensive to that particular church, and since it is not a government-run event it is that church's will in the matter. If the family has a problem so be it but there isn't much they can do about it other than go elsewhere. You wouldn't expect a church with predominantly black membership to do a service for a white supremacist would you?

**Tumbleweed** · Admin Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 4

Quote:

Simons said the church believes homosexuality is a sin

Ok.
Gay sexual activity is an abomination in the bible. Other activities are considered abominations also.

Here are a few examples:

Abomination is also used for sin in general (Isaiah 66:3); or an idol (Isaiah 44:19); or adultery (Ezekiel 22:11).
Proverbs 6:16 - 18 lists six things which are also abominations: "haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief."
The word "abomination" is also used in Jewish (and Christian Old Testament) scriptures to refer to homosexual activity (Leviticus 18:22), Leviticus 20:13), idolatry (Deuteronomy 7:25, Deuteronomy 13), cross-dressing (Deuteronomy 22:5), cheating in the market by using rigged weights (Deuteronomy 25:13-19, Proverbs 11:1), and dishonesty (Proverbs 12:22).
It is also used for eating seafood that lacks fins and scales (Levitius 11:11), eating certain birds of prey, including bats (Leviticus 11:12) and all insects (Leviticus 11:23 and 11:41) and other biblically unclean animals (Leviticus 20:25); remarrying the person one previously divorced (Deutoronomy 24:4); telling lies (Proverbs 12:22); being proud in heart (Proverbs 16:5); justifying the wicked (Proverbs 17:15); and cheating in business (Proverbs 20:10 and Proverbs 20:23).

Based on all those examples I'd say there are a hell of a lot of sinners in that church.

I can't find an abomination for men "engaging in clear affection, kissing and embracing."

This is BS. They can't deny this vet a memorial based on the video showing affection between two people of the same sex. Their decicion isn't based on church doctrine. It's based on homophobia.

Jacob kisses his father Isaac (Gen. 27:27). Esau greets his brother Jacob with a kiss (Gen. 33:4). Laban kisses his grandchildren (Gen. 31:55). Naomi kisses her daughters-in-law (Ruth 1:9). The Ephesian believers kiss Paul (Acts 20:37). Four times Paul instructs churches to “greet one another with a holy kiss (Rom. 16:16, 1 Cor. 16:20, 2 Cor. 13:12, 1 Thes. 5:26). Peter instructs believers to “greet one another with a kiss of love” (1 Pet. 5:14).

The pastor is making up his own rules based on discrimination, which is a sin.

**Coyote** · Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 1:39 pm Post subject:

I don't think Rupchuk is necessarily trying to argue the morality of homosexuality here. I think what he is trying to say is that it is ultimately the church's choice, and I have to say I agree with that position.

That said, I still think they're scum-sucking bastards for disrespecting a member of our armed forces who was killed in action. What they have done to this soldier's family is unconscionable, IMO. I do not follow their logic that holding a funeral for a gay soldier is in any way endorsing any kind of lifestyle whatsoever. I think it was purely a political decision made by shortsighted, cowardly autocrats from an institution that is supposed to be above that sort of thing.

**Tumbleweed** · Admin Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 4

There isn't anything sinful about the video because there are scripturs that encourage that kind of behavior. There are no sex acts on the video. What Rupchuk says is beside the point I'm making. Their decision isn't based on scripture.

Officials at the nondenominational High Point Church knew that Cecil Howard Sinclair was gay when they offered to host his service, said his sister, Kathleen Wright. But after his obituary listed his life partner as one of his survivors, she said, it was called off.

They were more worried about their image than the fact he was gay.

Yea, it's their right. I know that.