Will gays EVER be accepted by mainstream Christianity?

[KCKID]

The Mainstream Christian Church (i.e. the 'Christian Church' in general) appears to have an unshakable belief that gay people cannot possibly be Christians. Therefore gay people will always be regarded as 'lepers' because the mainstream Church believes that homosexuality is against the will of God and the actual practicing of such is a 'grave sin'. This is in spite of the fact that nowhere in the Bible is homosexuality referred to as a grave sin. This more comes from the minds of people who have received a life time of brainwashing into believing this. Where homosexual activity IS mentioned in scripture it almost always - in fact, PROBABLY always - refers to the practice of idolatry and not as WE today refer to homosexuality. There are those Christians who are so appalled at the notion that gay people might desire to integrate with 'actual Christians' within their Church community that they suggest gays start their own denomination ...minus the 'Christian' prefix, of course, which would be sacrilege. Such folks want nothing to do with homosexual people and their minds appear to be set on this.

Below is a recent item from The Guardian that tells of the plight of gay Christians in Uganda. In our particular neck of the woods (probably the majority of those of us who participate on the forum) gays have no fear of state imposed death or life imprisonment as do those in places such as Uganda. Gays do, however, have a stigma placed on them by most Christians that results in rejection by the mainstream Church and, indeed, by God himself. And, of course, the rejection of God is tantamount to death or, worse still, eternal torment. The latter makes the penalty imposed on gays in Uganda pale by comparison.

Will mainstream Christianity ever be accepting of people whose only 'sin' is that they happen to be gay ...i.e. an involuntary sexual attraction between two people of the same gender? If not, why not? Please, give your HONEST reasons.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/f ... ry-kampala

Sunday is a special day in Uganda, the conservative east African country that is threatening to put gay people behind bars for life. On Sunday you can see families flocking to churches all over the country for prayer, wearing their best clothes.

The sermons are predictable. Church leaders will pray for divine intervention against the corrupt leaders, poverty and the potholed roads, and then finally call doom upon the country's homosexuals who are sinning against the Christian God and ruining African culture.

But not at a tiny church tucked away in one of Kampala's suburbs. Here, gay people meet in devoted challenge to mainstream denominations that have declared them outcasts. With dread-locked hair and in jeans and bathroom slippers, members of this congregation would stand out in the prim and proper evangelical church I sometimes go to. I feel overdressed in my white dress.

"Here we are all about freedom," Pepe Onziema, a gay rights activist tells me. "It is a universal church. We welcome people whether gay or straight."

The gates may be open but the road to the church that calls itself a friendship and reconciliation centre is not paved with sleek cars or thronged with believers. The worshippers trickle in. They take their seats, but not before surveying the crowd furtively, trying to identify everyone. Their life depends on this vigilance.

In Uganda, police raid homes and arrest those they suspect to be gay. Homosexuality is an offence under the penal code. The president, Yoweri Museveni, refuses to pass a bill that seeks to strengthen the punishments for homosexuality to include life imprisonment, but isn’t under pressure to do so. Conservative Christian churches, under the auspices of the Uganda Joint Christian Council, refuse to accept homosexuals in spite of more gay-friendly approaches from parent churches abroad. The anti-gay furnace is fanned by American evangelical churches that have made it their mission to free Africa of homosexuality, saying it is alien to African culture.

The gay Ugandan church seeks to spread an alternative gospel of love and acceptance for all. On this particular Sunday, it is the memorial of David Kato, a gay rights activist who was murdered in 2011. So the numbers are bigger than usual. When the church was started by Bishop Christopher Senyonjo (who has since been thrown out of the Anglican Church for ministering to gay people), the gay community in Uganda attended devotedly. But with arrests and growing anti-gay sentiments, threats to their lives and arrests, fewer and fewer people come to the church.

"Our numbers have reduced ever since we started in 2008," Denis, the chaplain and a primary school teacher, tells me. "It is worse now that the bill has been passed." If Denis's employees knew of his orientation or his calling, he would certainly lose his job. "This is the only place we can feel at home. Here we can worship God without feeling guilty or fearing persecution."

Joining a gay congregation in Uganda is risky but Onziema says it is necessary in a society that greatly values community. For on Sundays, when many Ugandans spend time with their families, most gay people have nowhere to go. "Coming here lets us know that we are not alone and gives us the strength to continue the struggle," Onziema says.

You can see both hope and fear in the eyes of the congregation as they read Bible verses proclaiming God's protection over them and sing "What a friend we have in Jesus".

Here, there are no thunderous shouts of praise, speaking in tongues or Bible-thumping that is characteristic of the evangelism that is so trendy in the country. In the quiet worship of Uganda's gay community, there is a still hope and the kind of courage you can only muster after you have seen it all and there is nothing left to fear. Sunday is also the day gay people in Uganda cast off their masks to chat about the latest fashion, cars and celebrities.

"You thought we were going to pray that God stops the anti-homosexuality bill," Mugisha, the head of Sexual Minorities Uganda, asks me with laughter and mischief in his voice. "It will not pass. We do not need to pray for that."

Mugisha is for a moment free from his job, his life, fighting for the basic human rights of gay people. "I come here for the community. It is better than staying home alone," he says. As the service ends, members of the congregation are asked to say something in memory of David Kato, whose spirit of resilience they will need as they walk out of the church into their daily routine.

"We know he did not die in vain," Mugisha says. "One day we shall be accepted."

[Deidre32]

DanieltheDragon to the rescue!

It's funny that many people think life revolves around the Bible. That the world ceased to have any moral rules, codes of conduct, or rituals prior to the Bible coming about.

[Wordleymaster1]

The Mainstream Christian Church (i.e. the 'Christian Church' in general) appears to have an unshakable belief that gay people cannot possibly be Christians. Therefore gay people will always be regarded as 'lepers' because the mainstream Church believes that homosexuality is against the will of God and the actual practicing of such is a 'grave sin'. This is in spite of the fact that nowhere in the Bible is homosexuality referred to as a grave sin. This more comes from the minds of people who have received a life time of brainwashing into believing this. Where homosexual activity IS mentioned in scripture it almost always - in fact, PROBABLY always - refers to the practice of idolatry and not as WE today refer to homosexuality. There are those Christians who are so appalled at the notion that gay people might desire to integrate with 'actual Christians' within their Church community that they suggest gays start their own denomination ...minus the 'Christian' prefix, of course, which would be sacrilege. Such folks want nothing to do with homosexual people and their minds appear to be set on this.

Below is a recent item from The Guardian that tells of the plight of gay Christians in Uganda. In our particular neck of the woods (probably the majority of those of us who participate on the forum) gays have no fear of state imposed death or life imprisonment as do those in places such as Uganda. Gays do, however, have a stigma placed on them by most Christians that results in rejection by the mainstream Church and, indeed, by God himself. And, of course, the rejection of God is tantamount to death or, worse still, eternal torment. The latter makes the penalty imposed on gays in Uganda pale by comparison.

Will mainstream Christianity ever be accepting of people whose only 'sin' is that they happen to be gay ...i.e. an involuntary sexual attraction between two people of the same gender? If not, why not? Please, give your HONEST reasons.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/f ... ry-kampala

Sunday is a special day in Uganda, the conservative east African country that is threatening to put gay people behind bars for life. On Sunday you can see families flocking to churches all over the country for prayer, wearing their best clothes.

The sermons are predictable. Church leaders will pray for divine intervention against the corrupt leaders, poverty and the potholed roads, and then finally call doom upon the country's homosexuals who are sinning against the Christian God and ruining African culture.

But not at a tiny church tucked away in one of Kampala's suburbs. Here, gay people meet in devoted challenge to mainstream denominations that have declared them outcasts. With dread-locked hair and in jeans and bathroom slippers, members of this congregation would stand out in the prim and proper evangelical church I sometimes go to. I feel overdressed in my white dress.

"Here we are all about freedom," Pepe Onziema, a gay rights activist tells me. "It is a universal church. We welcome people whether gay or straight."

The gates may be open but the road to the church that calls itself a friendship and reconciliation centre is not paved with sleek cars or thronged with believers. The worshippers trickle in. They take their seats, but not before surveying the crowd furtively, trying to identify everyone. Their life depends on this vigilance.

In Uganda, police raid homes and arrest those they suspect to be gay. Homosexuality is an offence under the penal code. The president, Yoweri Museveni, refuses to pass a bill that seeks to strengthen the punishments for homosexuality to include life imprisonment, but isn’t under pressure to do so. Conservative Christian churches, under the auspices of the Uganda Joint Christian Council, refuse to accept homosexuals in spite of more gay-friendly approaches from parent churches abroad. The anti-gay furnace is fanned by American evangelical churches that have made it their mission to free Africa of homosexuality, saying it is alien to African culture.

The gay Ugandan church seeks to spread an alternative gospel of love and acceptance for all. On this particular Sunday, it is the memorial of David Kato, a gay rights activist who was murdered in 2011. So the numbers are bigger than usual. When the church was started by Bishop Christopher Senyonjo (who has since been thrown out of the Anglican Church for ministering to gay people), the gay community in Uganda attended devotedly. But with arrests and growing anti-gay sentiments, threats to their lives and arrests, fewer and fewer people come to the church.

"Our numbers have reduced ever since we started in 2008," Denis, the chaplain and a primary school teacher, tells me. "It is worse now that the bill has been passed." If Denis's employees knew of his orientation or his calling, he would certainly lose his job. "This is the only place we can feel at home. Here we can worship God without feeling guilty or fearing persecution."

Joining a gay congregation in Uganda is risky but Onziema says it is necessary in a society that greatly values community. For on Sundays, when many Ugandans spend time with their families, most gay people have nowhere to go. "Coming here lets us know that we are not alone and gives us the strength to continue the struggle," Onziema says.

You can see both hope and fear in the eyes of the congregation as they read Bible verses proclaiming God's protection over them and sing "What a friend we have in Jesus".

Here, there are no thunderous shouts of praise, speaking in tongues or Bible-thumping that is characteristic of the evangelism that is so trendy in the country. In the quiet worship of Uganda's gay community, there is a still hope and the kind of courage you can only muster after you have seen it all and there is nothing left to fear. Sunday is also the day gay people in Uganda cast off their masks to chat about the latest fashion, cars and celebrities.

"You thought we were going to pray that God stops the anti-homosexuality bill," Mugisha, the head of Sexual Minorities Uganda, asks me with laughter and mischief in his voice. "It will not pass. We do not need to pray for that."

Mugisha is for a moment free from his job, his life, fighting for the basic human rights of gay people. "I come here for the community. It is better than staying home alone," he says. As the service ends, members of the congregation are asked to say something in memory of David Kato, whose spirit of resilience they will need as they walk out of the church into their daily routine.

"We know he did not die in vain," Mugisha says. "One day we shall be accepted."

They sure will, given enough time. I just don't know how much time mankind has and if it's enough!
Though there will always exist fanatics on the edge of the Christian culture that will refuse to accept reality. That's probably true for a lot of religions too.
Personally, if Christians stay out of my life, I don't care if they like me or not. Probably the very same way they feel about me!

What "reality" is that?

Keeping to the OP, let's just take the wife and husband definition shall we? In reality. Which even in a common sense manner, instantly forms the the image of a man and a woman.

But oops . . .

A "wife" is the opposite gender person to a man in a "marriage." And a "husband" is the opposite gender person to a woman in a marriage.

Reality.

Or, is it?

Now, who are the intolerant ones?

In reality?

The reality we're in right now. Some live in it - some don't. Some will believe what they want no matter what. Seems those people are living in their own reality.
A woman can have a wife like a man can have a husband. It happens all the time in this reality. Not accepting that means that person isn't living in this reality.
Who are the intolerant ones? The one that demand "my way only". And yes, there are intolerant people in all groups - yours included

[99percentatheism]

[Replying to post 435 by 99percentatheism]
So is "christian reality" a delusion of sorts because I am pretty confident that there were marriages before the 4th century. The Romans and Greeks even had gay marriage! Oh that's right when Christianity took over as the official religion of the empire they even had to make a law specifically banning gay marriage.

Lets get our timelines straight.


Roman Kingdom begins 753 BC

Archaic period of Greece 800BC

Jesus~0-16CE

Christianity official state religion Feb. 380 CE


yeah gay marriage has about a 1000 years on Christianity in the west?

Also was marriage only invented in Europe? Did the Chinese, Japanese, Mongols, Russians, Mayans, Aztecs, Native Americans, and Africans not have marriage before Christianity?

In fact shocking I know even polygynous marriage existed!! especially in areas where the male infant mortality rate was high. In other words in some portions of our history there were a lot more females than males and this became a common practice.


Monogomous Christian marriage only exists in western countries and in recent history. Yeah sorry bud but history disagrees with you. Really you kinda have to be blind to the world around you because all sorts of marriages are happening all over the world.

"Christianity" is NOT a western worldview. It was literally developed in what we call now the Middle East. It came from Judea-Palestine under Roman rule. If, you enjoy history as a guide that is.

Thank you for providing the proof that "Christian marriage" is man and woman/husband and wife. No matter what happened in the world before the creation of "mainstream Christianity."

I couldn't care less what pagans and non and anti Christians do or believe. This is not a thread about those people being forced to accept homosexuality.

But I appreciate your validation of Christian truth. Thank you.

[DanieltheDragon]

[Replying to post 439 by 99percentatheism]

So you are pope of Christianity?

The Episcopal church performs gay marriage are they not Christian?


In fact there is a whole sleu of Christian churches that perform LGBT marriage, are they not Christian?

I did not include the middle east because most middle eastern countries do and did practice polygamy not monogamy. I was specific to a western Christian worldview perfectly being aware of others.

[Deidre32]

Why did this morph into a debate about Christian marriage? The topic title of the thread has to do with if gay people will ever be accepted by mainstream Christianity. And the truth is, yes.

Christianity is made up of various denominations and different people. People make up the Christian church, and they can choose who they accept and who they don't. If you choose to not accept gay people as part of your Christian community, then that is up to you. The Bible states a whole host of contradictory messages within it, and it's no wonder it's interpreted a variety of ways by religious people.

[DanieltheDragon]

[Replying to Deidre32]

That was a much more succinct answer than I could have given. I don't know why this turned into a marriage debate, but I suppose it is somewhat related.

Given the 30,000+ denominations I suppose anything goes in Christianity.

[99percentatheism]

[Replying to post 441 by Deidre32]

Why did this morph into a debate about Christian marriage? The topic title of the thread has to do with if gay people will ever be accepted by mainstream Christianity. And the truth is, yes.

Christianity is made up of various denominations and different people. People make up the Christian church, and they can choose who they accept and who they don't. If you choose to not accept gay people as part of your Christian community, then that is up to you. The Bible states a whole host of contradictory messages within it, and it's no wonder it's interpreted a variety of ways by religious people.

On this website anyone can say they are a Christian and have utter support to claim that.

And that contradictory message in the Bible? Please show one contradiction about same gender marriage or the encouraging of gay sex acts? And of course the contradiction would be a supportive statement. Which of course does not exist anywhere in any part of the Bible.

The OP itself indicates that this support for homosexuality has not happened. That some liberal and universalist religious organizations or groups have embraced the celebration of homosexuality and homosexuals, well, it's nothing new to Christianity's history, that there are movements and groups that embrace what isn't supported in the New Testament. Mormon's are quick to realize that.

"Accepting gay people" is not the same thing as accepting homosexuality and gay marriage. And gay marriage celebrates and legitimizes homosexual acts. It is unbelievable that anyone would deny that. This is why the term "gay agenda" is so valid to use for the gay pride and gay liberation movement. From one increment of getting the masses conditioned one step at a time. That "marriage equality" an utterly secular political movement has activists in some liberal religious enclaves is proof of that.

And there are always going to be people and groups within the Church that do embrace "the world and its ways." As Jesus, Peter, Jude and Paul point out. And their voices portray the hope, prayers and actions is for repentance of ever embracing sin and sinning as if it were a pop culture fad.

It is hardly a Christian endeavor to become like and parrot an anti-Christ and be an adversary of "mainstream Christianity" and claim one is still working for and with The Church. But history is replete with these kinds of people and movements being commonplace within The Church.

A revival of and in "The Church" can hardly be seen in embracing the support and condoning of lesbianism (Sapphoism, feminist movement), male gay behavior and bi-sexuals (going back and forth from gender to gender for sexual pleasure). And the transgendered, transvestite and gender identity movements? Some ultra liberal will have to come along and prove how they can be encouraged in "The Church." Where is the "mainstream Christian" voice for the encouragement to embrace being a Drag Queen and gender reassignment.

So, the answer to the OP is a resounding NO from the voices in the New Testament that developed and show what is and what isn't "mainstream Christianity"

Otherwise there would be clear and unambiguous points and positions for liberal theologians and gay theology to solidly prove their case from out of scripture instead of the political ploy of "moving on" to something new and foreign being able to be substantiated as replacing the "faith delivered only once to the saints."

And as Jesus proclaims, that can never happen anyway. The "gates of hell will not prevail" against it. That "it" being The Church. Or, as the OP portrays, is "mainstream Christianity."

So, since the gay pride and homosexuality promoting activists have already shown, there are already religious places where they can ply their gay pride trade. No need then to approach "mainstream Christianity" to embrace the gay agenda. But one fascinating aspect to that needs to be highlighted. "The world and its ways" that is to say the modern secular movement will embrace those kinds of places as one of their own (Just listen to State of Belief radio). "Mainstream Christianity" will still be as rejected by "the world" as it was when Jesus and the Apostles formed it. One could portray the modern progressive movement as neo-Roman in identity.

The OP should be understood as asking" Will gays (homosexuals) ever accept "mainstream Christianity?" And if political correctness and the gay pride movement (encouraging and supporting homosexuality) is any proof of what the answer is, that answer is also a resounding NO. And that NO is encouraged by a large amount of liberal, universalist and non and anti Christian theological positions.

Now, it is far past time for Bible-affirming Christians to let go of the gay issue and just live with it and stop trying to interact with homosexuals in the evangelistic venue. That is what "The Gay Denomination" thread was all about. It's not like the underground gay world wasn't always there. History is very accurate about homosexuals and their proclivities and desires. It's just now not underground but is a thriving political agenda of determined homosexual activists. "Mainstream Christianity," since its founding has always had to deal with insidious secular power wanting Church influence and social power. The gay agenda and gay pride movement is nothing new there.

Again, as history is not silent on this issue: NO, is the answer to the OP.

As Jesus preached:

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

- Gospel of John 15

[Wordleymaster1]

[Replying to post 443 by 99percentatheism]

gay marriage celebrates and legitimizes homosexual acts.

Only if you allow it to.
Gay marriage is simply the legal union of two people in a way that culture identifies. It doesn't involve you, your soul or your eternity and as such, isn't any of your business (assuming you aren't the one getting married that is).
If a person thinks that 'sexual acts' hetero- or homo- is all marriage is about has no understanding of what a marriage actually is. Which is sad really.
I don't like to hunt. So guess what: I DON'T HUNT. If you don't like gay marraige, then don't get married to someone of your own gender.
You don't have to accept it in order for you to live your life. You don't have to accept if in order for gay people to live their lives.
You are free not to like it, claim it's not God's will or that frogs and turtles are the same thing - it doesn't matter.
No one has been able to show that gay marriage is so bad it should not be made legal. It's all about personal choice, freedom and conviction. None of those things affect others. Thus, the whole 'gaymarriage is bad and shouldn't be made legal' is non-sense of nothing more than personal feelings. Which as pointed out, should have no bearing on others.

[DanieltheDragon]

[Replying to post 443 by 99percentatheism]

On this website anyone can say they are a Christian and have utter support to claim that.

Its not just one person that has accepted gays. It is whole denominations. Its not just one person. And since we are talking about the OP it simply states will mainstream Christianity accept gay marriage, not conservative literal christianity. I agree though a literal interpretation of the bible is not conducive to acceptance of homosexuality. However, people are not beholden to a literal interpretation nor have they ever. In fact I dare say you disagree with the bible on some issues. Do you think its ok to beat a slave to death so long as he doesn't die the first day? If you answer no then you don't agree with a strictly literal interpretation. Yes mainstream Christians already accept LGBT individuals it is only the extremists that don't.


Here is a short list for you to go through of denominations and churches that accept LGBT individuals and gay marriage.
North America[edit]

MCCNY, a church in New York City.

Grace Gospel Chapel, in Seattle.
Affirming Pentecostal Church International
Anointed Affirming Independent Ministries
Anthem Phoenix & Family of Churches
Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Community of Christ
Ecclesia Gnostica
Ecumenical Catholic Church
Ecumenical Catholic Communion
Episcopal Church (United States)
Evangelical Anglican Church In America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
The Evangelical Network
Friends General Conference
Friends of Jesus Fellowship
Global Alliance of Affirming Apostolic Pentecostals
Inclusive Orthodox Church
Metropolitan Community Church
Old Catholic Church
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Progressive Christian Alliance
Reformed Anglican Catholic Church
Restoration Church of Jesus Christ (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA) — a Latter Day Saint denomination
St. Priapus Church
United Church of Christ
United Church of Canada
Unity Church
Europe[edit]
German Lutheran, reformed and united churches in Evangelical Church in Germany
German, Swiss, Austrian and Dutch Old Catholic Church
Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Ecumenical Catholic Communion
Swiss reformed churches in Swiss Reformed Church
Protestant Church in the Netherlands
Church of Denmark
Church of Norway
Church of Sweden
Church of Iceland
United Protestant Church in Belgium
Portugal - Affirming Pentecostal Church International
British Quakers
Wales - Affirming Pentecostal Church International
Albania - Affirming Pentecostal Church International
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy (CELI)[4]
Poland - Christian United Church in Poland
United Kingdom - United Ecumenical Catholic Church
Central and South America[edit]
Brazil - Affirming Pentecostal Church International
Brazil - Catholic Diversity
Colombia - Affirming Pentecostal Church International
AChurch4Me (Chicago,IL)
Anthem Phoenix (Phoenix, Arizona)
New Day Worship Center (Toccoa, Georgia)
Bethlehem Community, Faithful Companions of St. Francis – religious community within Ecumenical Catholic Church (Liverpool, England)
Broadway United Methodist Church (Indianapolis, IN)
Cathedral of Hope (Dallas, Texas, USA)
Christ Chapel of the Valley (North Hollywood (Los Angeles), CA) - a member of the evangelical Christ Chapel Association of Churches
Church of St. Luke and The Epiphany, Episcopal (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA)
Church of the Valley (Van Nuys, CA) - Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Community Parish of St Bernadette Liverpool – congregation of Ecumenical Catholic Church (Liverpool, England)
Glendale City Seventh-day Adventist Church (Glendale, California, USA)
Glide Memorial Church (San Francisco, California, USA)
Lakeside Church (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA)
Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church (San Francisco, California, USA)
New Covenant Church Sydney - A Pentecostal affirming church (Sydney, Australia)
Grace Gospel Chapel (Seattle, Washington, USA)
Seattle First Baptist Church (Seattle, Washington, USA)
Hagia Sophia Gnostic Church - Ecclesia Gnostica (Seattle, Washington, USA)
Light of Love Fellowship (St. Louis, Missouri, USA)
Pullen Memorial Baptist Church (Raleigh, North Carolina, USA)
Spirit of Joy Christian Church (Lakeville, Minnesota, USA) - Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
St. Mark's Anglican Church - a bilingual congregation (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico)
Tong-Kwang Light House Presbyterian Church (Taipei, Taiwan)
University Baptist Church (Austin, Texas, USA)
St. Paul's Anglican Church (Vancouver, BC)
Wake Forest Baptist Church (Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA)
Walnut Creek United Methodist Church (Walnut Creek, California, USA)
Living Spirit United Methodist Church (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA)
Greenland Hills United Methodist Church (Dallas, TX, USA)
Ekklesia Tou Theou (Church of God), (Cavite, Philippines)
[1] Olivet-Schwenkfelder United Church of Christ, (East Norriton, Pennsylvania, USA)
Remain Ministries Southwest Florida - Non-Denominational/Pentecostal Church (Cape Coral/Fort Myers, Florida, USA)
Open Doors Community Church, (Seoul, South Korea)
Trinity Episcopal Church (St. Louis, Missouri, USA)

[Wordleymaster1]

[Replying to post 443 by 99percentatheism]

On this website anyone can say they are a Christian

Not just on this website, but anywhere in the world.
But why would that not be enough anyway? Better yet, why do you care what another person claims if it doesn't have anything to do with you? If I want to claim to be French, does that make any French person 'bad' or detract from their lives in any way? Nope. So why does this matter here, unless you are looking for reasons to be jaded
Seems like you're arguing just to argue which doesn't get you anywhere.
And yes, the questions asked are legitimate questions.