Is the black church guilty of spiritual hypocrisy in same-sex marriage debate?

[Shadow]

Remember back when the gay activists first started trying to ride the coat tails of the civil rights movement...and many black people came out against that and were offended. Well...Looks like the gay activists are not above trying to "shame" the black community to get what they want either. I found this article rather interesting...



(CNN) - Some people wonder if the black church will punish President Barack Obama (http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/11/complexity-in-black-church-reactions-to-obamas-gay-marriage-announcement-reveal/) for announcing support for same-sex marriage.
Here’s another question:

Why would the black church cite scripture to exclude gays when a similar approach to the Bible was used to enslave their ancestors?
“It’s so unfortunate,” says James Cone, one the nation’s most influential black theologians (http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/21/americas-angriest-theologian-faces-lynching-tree/) and author of “The Cross and the Lynching Tree.”
“The literal approach to scripture was used to enslave black people,” he says. “I’ve said many times in black churches that the black church is on the wrong side of history on this. It’s so sad because they were on the right side of history in their own struggle.”

Call it historical irony: Black church leaders arguing against same-sex marriage are making some of the same arguments that supporters of slavery made in the 18th and 19th centuries, some historians say. Both groups adopted a literal reading of the Bible to justify withholding basic rights from a particular group.
Opposition to gay rights is not the standard position of all black churches. Still, while several predominately white mainline denominations have officially accepted gays and lesbians in various forms, the vast majority of black churches still consider homosexuality a sin.

Black church leaders recently helped lead a successful drive to amend North Carolina’s constitution to ban same-sex marriage. The Rev. Fred Robinson, a black pastor in Charlotte, says most black churchgoers aren’t hypocrites. They take scripture, and sin, seriously.

“Black people are not confused,” Robinson says. “If you look at the scriptures that oppose homosexuality, Old and New Testament, they are clearer cut than the ones people used to justify slavery.”

Yet there are other factors beyond the Bible that shape the black church’s resistance to same-sex marriage.
“It’s more than scripture – it’s history, culture, how we were raised,” says the Rev. Tim McDonald, founder of the African American Ministers Leadership Council.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/12/is-the-black-church-guilty-of-spiritual-hypocrisy-in-same-sex-marriage-debate/?hpt=hp_c1

[jimnyc]

Kind of off topic - but is there any such thing as a "white church"?

[Abbey Marie]

And the divisiveness just continues to grow. Black against white, gay against Christian, rich against poor, and on and on. What a pathetic state of affairs we are in today.

[Thunderknuckles]

Some people wonder if the black church will punish President Barack Obama (http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/11/complexity-in-black-church-reactions-to-obamas-gay-marriage-announcement-reveal/) for announcing support for same-sex marriage.
No they will not.

Short of committing suicide, there isn't a thing Obama could do wrong that would turn the black vote against him. Even if he did commit suicide, blacks would still write him in as "Zombie Obama" and he'd still get 95% of the black vote. Blacks are racist voters and won't turn on their own now matter how bad, just like whites back in the day.

[Thunderknuckles]

Kind of off topic - but is there any such thing as a "white church"?
Yes, the Church of Jesus Christ-Christian.

[logroller]

Yes, the Church of Jesus Christ-Christian.

LDS is pretty close to all white.

[jimnyc]

Yes, the Church of Jesus Christ-Christian.


LDS is pretty close to all white.

I'll rephrase - are there churches who refer to themselves as "white churches", inferring inclusion of solely white members? Hearing "black church" (and seeing it) reminds me of the naacp, and I'm also waiting for the naawp!

[Shadow]

Two interesting insights into the reasoning for the black communities feelings of religion and same sex marriage (at least I thought so).

From the article...


Black churches also embrace a literal reading of the scripture because of its unique history, says Blum, author of “W.E.B. DuBois, American Prophet (http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/14316.html).”
During slavery and segregation, many blacks saw the Bible as the one document they could trust. The Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, state and local laws – all found some way to ignore their humanity, Blum says.
The Bible, though, was one book that told them that they weren’t slaves or three-fifths of a person, Blum says.
It said they were children of God.
“Throughout the 18th and 19th century, what document could they trust?” Blum says. “When the Bible says it’s so, it’s something that black people believed they could trust.”





Some black church leaders are still fighting hard just to persuade straight black couples to marry. Accepting same-sex marriage when so many black households lack a husband and wife makes McDonald uneasy.

[Thunderknuckles]

I'll rephrase - are there churches who refer to themselves as "white churches", inferring inclusion of solely white members? Hearing "black church" (and seeing it) reminds me of the naacp, and I'm also waiting for the naawp!
I believe I already answered that question.
I know what you're trying to get at. I'm just making you work for it :p

[Thunderknuckles]

Two interesting insights into the reasoning for the black communities feelings of religion and same sex marriage (at least I thought so).

From the article...
There is truth in those insights but the reasoning is flawed. Blum boils blacks down to dumb Bible believers incapable of independent thought.
Could it be that blacks are just as flawed as others with their own bias and prejudice?

[Shadow]

There is truth in those insights but the reasoning is flawed. Blum boils blacks down to dumb Bible believers incapable of independent thought.
Could it be that blacks are just as flawed as others with their own bias and prejudice?

Could be. But they come about it through a different path than most white christians. Reading up a little bit about this via the black perspective... it seems they tie in a large part of their civil rights battle to their faith in God, and the body of Christ. Which I believe is why they also get pretty offended when the gay activists try to piggy back on their accomplishments, their long struggle and then try to demonize christianity and Christ.

Plus...I also agree that this battle does undermine the black religious leaders efforts to encourage/instill the values of marriage and family to the men and women in the black community. They are trying to strengthen the marriage vows as something sacred and Godly to encourage the folks to marry (end fatherless homes)...and the gay community is trying to tear that down and tout the down fall of traditional marriage as a reason they should have equal rights in that respect.

[avatar4321]

LDS is pretty close to all white.

Not true at all.

[logroller]

Not true at all.
86% white. http://www.pewforum.org/Christian/Mormon/A-Portrait-of-Mormons-in-the-US.aspx

Admittedly, Jews are the most white. Shoulda said Jewish instead.

[avatar4321]

86% white. http://www.pewforum.org/Christian/Mormon/A-Portrait-of-Mormons-in-the-US.aspx

Admittedly, Jews are the most white. Shoulda said Jewish instead.

Except most Mormons don't live in the United States and that poll is based solely in the US.

The Church actually has quite a number of Asian, hispanic, and African members here and elsewhere. The ward I grew up in was never solely "white". In fact, I dont think I've ever been in a ward that was.

[logroller]

Except most Mormons don't live in the United States and that poll is based solely in the US.

The Church actually has quite a number of Asian, hispanic, and African members here and elsewhere. The ward I grew up in was never solely "white". In fact, I dont think I've ever been in a ward that was.
Ok. I'll take your word on that.

[revelarts]

Is the black church guilty of spiritual hypocrisy in same-sex marriage debate? (http://www.debatepolicy.com/showthread.php?35104-Is-the-black-church-guilty-of-spiritual-hypocrisy-in-same-sex-marriage-debate)

No.
the believers in the black church are not guilty of spiritual hypocrisy.

the Bible which they read was written by the Holy Spirit. and is clear.

The question should be, "are the "mainline' churches guilty of spiritual hypocrisy for NOT obeying the clear teachings of the the apostles and prophets they claim are there spiritual teachers?"

And Yes the Bible was used against Blacks during slavery and civil rights days but it was better used FOR Blacks to prove "spiritually" scripturally" that all men are made from One flesh, and are brothers and that each man should be free. Men were Compelled by God to end slavery and inequality, see William Wilberforce, the Quakers, John Brown,the abolitionist movement, pastor Martin Luther King.

There are No scriptures that promote or condone homosexuality. It is clearly called sin and something not to be done, every. bestiality, necrophilia, incest, adultery, homosexuality all are Sins.

the black, white, yellow, red & green churches have to IGNORE or DENY their own foundational documents to allow ANY of those activities. Much least make Incest legal, or marrying your dog legal.


As far as blindly voting for Obama, I doubt it, I think a percentage of christian black people will stay home based on being faithful to their beliefs this issue.