Over the Rainbow: - Wrestling With Angels
Over the Rainbow: - Wrestling With Angels
Over the Rainbow: - Wrestling With Angels
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California.”… “Here’s what Dr. James Dobson of Focus on <strong>the</strong> Family said about <strong>the</strong> urgency of<br />
<strong>the</strong> issue, after personally donating $25,000 to <strong>the</strong> National Organization for Marriage: “It’s not<br />
just marriage that is at stake; it’s absolutely everything”(Santorum, 2009).<br />
In February of 2010 <strong>the</strong> Coral Ridge Ministries, founded by <strong>the</strong> late Dr. D. James Kennedy,<br />
appealed to <strong>the</strong>ir supporters to write Edmund G. Brown Jr. and Arnold Schwarzeneggar, <strong>the</strong><br />
Attorney General and Governor respectively, of California, urging <strong>the</strong>m to reverse course and<br />
throw <strong>the</strong>ir support behind <strong>the</strong> legitimate vote of Proposition 8. The Ministry reports that “A<br />
clear majority of California voters stood by <strong>the</strong> traditional definition of marriage as <strong>the</strong> union of<br />
one man and one woman…The trial is taking place in San Francisco, where a huge majority<br />
voted against traditional marriage… The judge in <strong>the</strong> case has made a number of rulings<br />
which…have <strong>the</strong> effect of putting <strong>the</strong> people who voted for traditional marriage ‘on trial’. For<br />
example he ruled that <strong>the</strong> trial will inspect <strong>the</strong> personal beliefs of those who sponsored <strong>the</strong> bill<br />
in question!” (Cassidy, 2010)<br />
CHALLENGE TO THE CHURCHES<br />
Although prostitution and homosexuality were sometimes included in practices of early<br />
religions, <strong>the</strong> moral commandments of <strong>the</strong> Hebrew people protected sexual relationships in<br />
support of family values. The formation of <strong>the</strong> family unit through <strong>the</strong> love and sexual union of<br />
a man and a woman was seen as <strong>the</strong> way in which <strong>the</strong> love of God was shown to individuals in<br />
<strong>the</strong> present and passed on to <strong>the</strong> future generations. Scriptures from <strong>the</strong> Jewish Bible and <strong>the</strong><br />
New Testament supported husband/wife unions and condemned homosexual<br />
relationships.(Scriptures from <strong>the</strong> Revised Standard Version RSV).<br />
Mat<strong>the</strong>w 19:4-5 “He who made <strong>the</strong>m from <strong>the</strong> beginning made <strong>the</strong>m male and female…For<br />
this reason a man<br />
shall leave his fa<strong>the</strong>r and mo<strong>the</strong>r and be joined to his wife, and <strong>the</strong> two shall become one.”<br />
Leviticus 18:22 “You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination.”<br />
Romans 1:27 “and <strong>the</strong> men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed<br />
with passion for one ano<strong>the</strong>r, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
own persons <strong>the</strong> due penalty for <strong>the</strong>ir error.”<br />
When gay activist groups emerged in <strong>the</strong> 1960’s, churches were challenged to include<br />
homosexuals and allow <strong>the</strong>m to participate without discrimination in church activities and<br />
events. Fundamental groups held firm to scriptural guidance, while mainline churches,<br />
especially within <strong>the</strong> leadership of <strong>the</strong> denominations, moved toward inclusion.<br />
<strong>Over</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Rainbow</strong>: The Gay Battle for Social Reorganization of America. 2010<br />
Dr. M. L. Coppock<br />
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