Another anti-gay preacher Sunday came out against same-sex marriage in North Carolina, where citizens are currently voting on the anti-gay Amendment One, which would embed a ban on same-sex marriage into the state constitution, remove ordered of protection from domestic abuse victims and deprive children of health insurance. “It’s not love,” Pastor Mark Harris can be heard preaching — loudly — in this audio obtained by Jeremy Hooper from Good As You.
“It’s not love, expressed to anybody, to just ignore their sin. It’s not love, toward anybody, to say, ‘I’m OK, you’re OK, do whatever you feel like doing. It’s not love and it’s certainly not wishing them peace.”
The First Baptist Charlotte website says, “Our services are designed to be worshipful and God-honoring. Praise songs, prayer, hymns, and special music help prepare our hearts for the message from our Pastor, Mark E. Harris. While the entire congregation has a time to greet each other and welcome our guests, at no time will we embarrass you or specifically identify you as a ‘visitor’.”
But what they will do is make homosexuality out to be evil. Can you imagine what children, who may be thinking, or who know they’re gay, are feeling on Sundays when they go to church and hear Pastor Harris speak about how evil they are?
Is there any wonder so many LGBTQ children and teens succumb to, or attempt, suicide? And that is the real sin — creating an environment of hate in the name of love. What could be a greater sin than that?
“If we close our eyes and stop up our ears and take a stand that marriage is as God defined it and God designed it and God declared it, then we are doing nothing but saying to the homosexual community and saying to all of America that we think you are fine and dandy, living in that sin, and I’ll tell you what, we’ll put our blessing on it, and call it marriage.”
No, actually, Pastor Harris, you’re lying. Because same-sex marriage laws in this country are devoid of religion requirements — same-sex marriage laws in this country, for better or for worse, “protect” churches and religious organizations from being forced to marry same-sex couples if they do not want to.
So, you’re not “putting your blessing” on anything, but you are lying to your parishioners, and that is a sin.
Pastor Harris, God does not want you dictating the lives of others. That’s not religion, that’s fascism. It’s communism, and it’s un-American.
http://www.goodasyou.org/player.swf
Our thanks to Jeremy Hooper for posting this audio and for all the good work he does at Good As You.