You didn’t know that, did you? I certainly didn’t know it; well, not until last night, anyway. I’m the co-coordinator for our neighborhood’s Crime Watch, and as such, went to a meeting last night, at the AME Church, about recent gang activity in our area. The fact that the meeting was in a church didn’t worry me; our Crime Watch has meetings in a local church all the time, in the basement. Well, this meeting was a little different. It was in the main part of the church, with the pastor of the church leading the discussion. He (the pastor) felt obliged to open the meeting with something very much like a sermon. In the sermon, he said that gangs are merely our kids, giving in to the baser, more animal sides of their nature. Well, I can agree with that. Then he said this happens because families aren’t paying enough attention; if the kids had solid families at home, they wouldn’t be looking for “families” in the gangs; ok, to some degree I can agree with that (I think it’s a gross over-simplification, but not untrue). Then comes the biggie: what are kids supposed to do, when we see such a break down of society that it’s acceptable for a household to be made of all women or all men??? A household, according to this gentleman (and I use the term loosely) is “ordained by God, to be made of one man, one woman, expressing their love for one another in such a way that it shall bring forth others who will worship and praise Jesus”.
For one thing, it’s my distinct impression that gangs have been around for way longer than homosexuality has been somewhat acceptable; for another thing, if you’re going to have a public meeting in your church, could you dispense with the sermonizing and Bible-thumping for a couple of hours? Please?
If I use all the :rolleyes: that I think this situation deserves, there will be none left for other Dopers to use later.
Suddenly I see West Side Story in a whole new light!Gee, Officer Krupke, we’re very upset;
We never had the love that ev’ry child oughta get.
We ain’t no delinquents,
We’re misunderstood.
Deep down inside us <we’re gay>!
Although this would be satisfying, it may end up fairly ugly. I’dve gone for something like:
“I recognize your beliefs and don’t wish to offend you; however, the purpose of this meeting is not to discuss the root causes of local criminal activity, but instead to discuss how we can aid law enforcement in the immediate vicinity. Tonight, I was hopeing to discuss xyzzy.”
Try and shut him up without picking a fight in a church full of people that may very well not side with you.
Uhm, by the way you phrased what the pastor said, isn’t it possible that he was just referring to one parent broken homes? As in, these kids are being raised by a single mother, but the father should be around, too?
I agree that the praising Jesus part of it is over the top, but I’m not sure that he was necessarily saying that gay marriage leads to gangs, maybe just that broken homes lead to gangs.
To everyone who asked, no, no one confronted him. I was tempted, but thought it would be rude, insofar as, well, he was opening his church to us; also, this is a very conservative/religious area, and my raising the issue would only have served to side-track things further.
Ravenman, I suppose it’s possible I could have misconstrued his statements, but I don’t think so. You see, in the closing prayer, he reiterated the same sentiments, and again, something to the effect that households were not ordained by God to be made of “all women” or “all men”. That just didn’t sound to me like he was talking of homes of divorce. I believe if he were, he’d have made mention of single-parent homes or some such.
No offense to the Sharks and the Jets (insert obiligatory “…not that there’s anything wrong with that” here), but anyone who fights like that… ya gotta wonder.
Of course, it all started in the days of black and white television with the likes of My Three Sons.
I think we can all be comforted with the knowledge that Mr. Douglas, Uncle Charlie, Ernie, Chip, and all the others in that horrible brood are BURNING IN HELL AS WE SPEAK!.
Can I get an A-meyn?
-Joe, reminding everyone that we all need a southern preacher deep down inside - just not that way, if you know what I mean
What, stab twirl punch pihouette? What’s wrong with that?
Of course, you have to expect that from a movie in which a guy runs through a Puerto Rican neighborhood shouting for Maria, and only one woman answers him.
Ah, see, now we come down to it. The true purpose of marriage is to manufacture more worshippers. Marriage as a means to a force of numbers. THAT’S what’s wrong with gay marriage. It doesn’t produce soldiers for the Army of the Lord.
Ah, but not just worshippers. People who worship exactly the way the pastor worships.
I don’t know about The Army of the Lord, but gays certainly can produce soldiers (well, kids, I mean). I have two sisters who are gay; one of them has two kids; the other one has one kid, and a partner of twenty years who also has two kids.
I think a letter would be an excellent idea; especially in light of the fact that they are planning on having these meetings at the same church every month. I believe that I will write the pastor a very civilized letter explaining that, while I’m concerned about the development of gangs in this area, I will not tolerate his association with gangs and homosexuality. Perhaps if he knows that one person feels that way, he might consider toning down his comments at these meetings.