“As a member of First Baptist Church, I believe that God creates people in his image as either male or female, and that this creation is a fixed matter of human biology, not individual choice. I believe marriage is instituted by God, not government, is between one man and one woman, and is the only context for sexual desire and expression.”
The above is the “extremely controversial” statement on sexuality by the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida. All members are being asked to sign it to remain members of the church.
The pastor, Heath Lambert, has gone on record pointing out that this is a positive statement. It doesn’t go on at length saying what sex and marriage isn’t; it simply says what it is. This has not stopped a great many people from screaming the most salacious libel about the church.
The LGBTQIAP+ members and their allies are screaming that this is oppression, murder, genocide, etc., against them. They aren’t mentioned in it at all; it merely doesn’t include them in the definition of marriage and proper sexuality.
This statement is short, impersonal and what virtually everyone in the world believed until five minutes ago. The statement is considered unloving because it isn’t inclusive, but as Pastor Lambert said, “You can’t be more loving than God.” The church had a special question-and-answer service about the statement. Many of the questions are quite hostile, and the video is available online.
Jerry Stauffer
Continental
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