Trial for church who beat gay member to 'expel his demons'

[Meh Gerbil]

What does that verse do to help that homosexuals are described in the most unworthy and humiliating words? What does it do to help a Christian homosexual feeling shamefull? Christian societies convinced they cannot allow homosexuals to marry and feel they need to cure them? Churches have come up with many absurdities to try to cure homosexuals which have caused a lot of harm.

It may be I cannot judge them. But I still have to believe the most unworthy stuff about them if I trust the Bible.

In the same passage the following things are equally condemned:
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.

The passage puts gossip, pride, and envy in the exact same category as homosexuality.
I know of several churches where gossip, pride, and envy are quite at home.
Those activities are equated with hating God.

Don't confuse what you've heard some churches emphasis about this passage (OMG, FAAAAAAAGGGGGGSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!) with what the author is emphasizing - and the clear intent of the passage - the conclusion which is arrived at in a few verses: we all are left without excuse. Yes, he points out homosexuality in this passage but he wraps all of humanity up into the same package such that all are equally condemned. To emphasize only one sin in that list is the selective editing that some churches do - maybe their pastors could go work for CNN?

Whatever the case, the N.T. doesn't teach violence towards homosexuals (or anyone).
Furthermore, in the O.P. the people, misguided as they may be, are trying to help the victim which is altogether different than a hate crime.

[Charles]

In the same passage the following things are equally condemned:
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.

The passage puts gossip, pride, and envy in the exact same category as homosexuality.
I know of several churches where gossip, pride, and envy are quite at home.
Those activities are equated with hating God.

Don't confuse what you've heard some churches emphasis about this passage (OMG, FAAAAAAAGGGGGGSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!) with what the author is emphasizing - and the clear intent of the passage - the conclusion which is arrived at in a few verses: we all are left without excuse. Yes, he points out homosexuality in this passage but he wraps all of humanity up into the same package such that all are equally condemned. To emphasize only one sin in that list is the selective editing that some churches do - maybe their pastors could go work for CNN?

Whatever the case, the N.T. doesn't teach violence towards homosexuals (or anyone).
Furthermore, in the O.P. the people, misguided as they may be, are trying to help the victim which is altogether different than a hate crime.

[rogue06]

Plot twist: The violent "congregants", aka cult members, are actually the one's with demons.

That's kinda what I was thinking.

[seer]

That's kinda what I was thinking.

It is funny, over my 27 years as a Christian I have attended seven or eight churches - a few of them very conservative King James only - I have never seen, nor heard, anyone spouting violence against homosexuals. Most Christians realize that we are all sinners in the same boat.

[Meh Gerbil]

Do you find the description fair and if so then why? Do you hold that they are shaming themselves, that they are fools, that they are worthy of dead and so on? That is what the Bible claims. It holds us all accountable for something, I know. But I am asking whether being a homosexual in and of itself is fairly described in those lines even though we as persons cannot judge them. Is it fair to hold that it is a Godly view to think they worthy of dead?

You keep emphasizing homosexuality which isn't the point of the passage.
The point of the passage is that all sin make all men worthy of death.

More to your question: The passage is dead on accurate description of our state.

I know quite many homosexuals who would describe their childhood and youth in Christian societies as psychological violence.

I would absolutely agree.
I had a friend who was a homosexual at a small fundamentalist college in the south.
The way they treated him is a large part of why I no longer go to church.

His defense, oddly enough, is in this passage: Those who condemn these things are guilty of the same.

So no matter your points they still have to live with being described in the most unworthy and disrespectful language and their way of life is not accepted by the church though they may not be judged as individual. I think your approach to this ignores many historical consequences these verses have had.

Homosexuality isn't a way of life.
It is a sexual orientation - let's not make sex the be all and end all of one's identity and being.

The church, like any institution, will emphasize those things that make the most people feel happy while at the same time finding a minority 'other' to condemn. Homosexuality is a minority sin so it is condemned while majority sins (envy, materialism, gluttony, gossip, greed) are almost entirely ignored. You'll note that the materialism, envy, greed are what drives the USA to put more carbon, per capita, into the air than anyone else - global warming, on a path to kill millions - I ask you, how would you describe these sins? Would you use unflattering terminology once you understand they lead to death?

[Bill the Cat]

[Catholicity]

Sadly its not uncommon to find these kinds of hellfire damnation "beat the devil out of you" churches. A friend and I were talking about some pictures I had taken in the Mountains of some tiny churches and I caught one with the pastor (or deacon) loading some aquariams. I could only assume it was the errr kind of church you DON'T want to just walk into on a Sunday morning. unfortunately the majority (Typically UPC, Word of Faith, etc.) That do alot of cult type practices run along the Blue Ridge Mountains

[Meh Gerbil]

Sadly its not uncommon to find these kinds of hellfire damnation "beat the devil out of you" churches. A friend and I were talking about some pictures I had taken in the Mountains of some tiny churches and I caught one with the pastor (or deacon) loading some aquariams. I could only assume it was the errr kind of church you DON'T want to just walk into on a Sunday morning. unfortunately the majority (Typically UPC, Word of Faith, etc.) That do alot of cult type practices run along the Blue Ridge Mountains

People in the south are the most intentionally ignorant people you'll ever encounter.

[Bill the Cat]

People in the south are the most intentionally ignorant people you'll ever encounter.

[rogue06]

People in the south are the most intentionally ignorant people you'll ever encounter.

Countered by the fact that with the exception of Virginia they were smart enough not to vote for Hillary

[Meh Gerbil]

Some of them are so stupid that they sometimes post threatening icons when they meant to award an amen.

[Meh Gerbil]

Countered by the fact that with the exception of Virginia they were smart enough not to vote for Hillary

They meant to vote for Hillary.
They pulled the wrong lever.

[Bill the Cat]

Countered by the fact that with the exception of Virginia they were smart enough not to vote for Hillary

Blame the carpetbaggers around the DC area and around the Norfolk Naval Station

[Jedidiah]

Humans are born innocent but some become contaminated by false religious ideas about sin. You are a prime example of such a fallen person. Do not make the mistake that because you are fallen, that everyone else is too. . . . snip . . .

It is clear that you have never had children, or at least were not around them from infancy.

[Catholicity]

People in the south are the most intentionally ignorant people you'll ever encounter.

I'm sure you've never been employed at Research Triangle Park