The Right Scoop
Does it not bother anyone else that the people who caused the problem are still anonymous? I'm sorry, but this does not pass the smell test to me. I have lived in Mississippi all my life & have never witnessed anything like this. The fact that there are black members makes it even stranger. If it did happen the way it is presented, then it's horrible. I just know enough about the media to know that they love a good racially charged story & if they could smear a quiet little town full of southern conservatives in the process, they would like that even better.
I bet liberals will use this as an example of why churches should be forced to perform gay weddings. Liberals will say, "If churches shouldn't discriminate against people based on race, why should they discriminate against people based on sexual orientation?"
Please, don't believe the hype! I am a Mississippian and an AA (used to be called Black, but now it's AA, go figure...). This couple were not members of this church. This couple started to attend this church so that they could use their facilities- I know of other instances of this occuring. Now, I would like to suggest that both parties are wrong here. The small number of church members whose decision prevailed, the pastor for not standing up to these congregants, and the couple themselves are all to blame. My bible says, "love worketh no ill toward a brother..." That couple should have quietly gone about their business after their wedding forgiving those who made that decision, instead they go to the media. As I said before, the small number of congregants that prevailed are also wrong and should have let this couple hold their wedding ceremony at the church, despite the fact that they were not members (they had paid some fee in order to do so).
How did I get this wise? Well, it's not so much that, I just love people because I know how much God loves them. He wants us to demonstrate His love for us toward each other in that we are able to allow someone to do us wrong and not take account of it. Love 'em in spite of it and keep on living. He'll do the rest!
Just remember this is NOT a unique situation. It is just the media loves race issues...boy, do they! The same thing has happened to White couples and you never hear a peep from media on that count, do ya?
I'm thinking "Wag The Dog" but that's just me. Christians bashing Christians, all over the news How? Who? When?, this is gonna win lots of souls for our King to build his army of saints for his glorious second coming!?
Never forget brothers and sisters the untold story seldom spoke of behind the story we hear or see, we fight against an enemy with great power, dark, evil, intrusive, and devilish methods from the very pit's are his tools.
There can alway's be found strong disagreements between us yet none of us are in perfect fellowship with Christ, he bore our sins on that cross, he ascended and will return just as he said. So my brothers and sisters in Christ remember those members in Miss. however wrong they are they are in the arms of our Lord and it's he we serve. Though the world is watching our response to this matter we should not forget they really couldn't care one way or the other about the Church, and we should also remember watching us is our King.
We are not all first or all last, we are Christians, servants of our Lord Jesus who is the
Saviour.
Christ is the bridegroom waiting for his bride....the Church, the church who should be adorn with reverence before, during, and after stormy waves and high tides have come and gone, cause she is his bride.
We do not please the world, unless our salt is lost.
May God Bless America, with robes that shine the light of his Awesome majesty.
Amen
respectfully
If you want to see what is destroying this country look at the pulpits of American churches. This is an act of appeasement and not Christ like in any manner.
There is only one color that matters - the red blood of Jesus Christ.
Um, does this pastor know the current president of the SBC is Black (Frank Luter)?
Winston you probabnly are correct. I know there is a lot of talk about the Republican party being the party of the Southern White Male, but nothing could be further from the truth. I've lived in Tennessee now for 3 years and the majority of the population is Democrat, at least in my humble town.
THIS is REAL RACISM. The SBC should immediately kick this church out of the convention and cut all aid to them, including stopping any funding of this pastor's retirement/pension plan!!! GUTLESS WONDER. I apologize to this couple on behalf of my former church denomination.
Attention liberals, here's a REAL story of REAL RACISM. Do your job for once.
I think there is more to this story that will be released after all of the Christians turn on each other. While this racism is definitely against what the Bible teaches, we should all remember that this ugly, public form of sin is no greater than that which we all have hidden behind our own walls. The church is for the sick and these racist people definitely need to be ministered to. Instead of turning on our brothers and sisters (a.k.a. sinners), we need to pray for this church that they would see people through His eyes, not our own.
People who don't like an integrated church are definitely not going to like heaven...because heaven is going to be integrated as well!
This is more a problem with religion not Christianity. Many a church have split because of what long time members wanted instead of what is biblical. This pastor is suppose to be over this flock and guide them. Never heard of a shepherd allowing a sheep to do what is wishes because it whines. The shepherd should be guiding, and directing the sheep to safety and what is best for them.
This is disgusting. I would bet that the people who objected are prominent members of the congregation and big donors to the church. This reminds me so much of the spineless pastor in "Pollyanna".
As disgusting as this is, I am equally disgusted by the fact that the Wilsons are looking into suing over this.
I'm dumbfounded. I honestly did not believe that racism to this extent still existed. Yeah, I knew we still have racists, but for a church to cave in to them? Unbelievable.
The only point I will give the pastor is that maybe he honestly didn't want to ruin the couple's wedding day. But, in my opinion, he should just kick those few members out of the church and be done with them. I wouldn't want those people in my church to begin with and would make the trade in a flash. "Fine, you don't like them.....get out." It was a bad move to tarnish the reputation of the church over a few jerks.
There is biblical precedent for asking them to leave the church. It is based on them being turned over to Satan, that they might be saved. It is clear that their hearts are hard, and they know not God. The bible says to go to the person sinning and make it known to them. If they repent, then you have won over your brother. If they do not, take two or more with you. If they still do not, tell it to the church. If they will not hear the church, then they are to be removed from the church.
The Southern Baptist Convention might, but most Independent Baptist churches don't support amnesty.
You can't isolate all the various groups with the word "Baptist" in them as one, big group. There are many types of Baptist, and they don't see eye to eye on many things.
You speak the truth. Baptist come in all stripes. Not all of them are affiliated with organizations example Westboro Baptist. Many are independent and go by their own rules. But this story saddens me. For so called Baptists to be this racist is a shame. I pray they will change their minds and apologize to the couple and ask for forgiveness.
I shudder to think about the people in the south, in the old days, who had such hate for people, and attended church every week. I guess that there are still a few out there.
What a shame and what shame is upon the pastor for not standing with God, who is Love. However, I will leave all judging to the Lord and pray for healing in the community. I also pray the couple does not resort to a lawsuit but rather shows forgiveness as Jesus has commanded His disciples.
Forgiveness in never easy but is always worth the effort because unforgiveness is like making poison for someone and drinking it yourself. Not preaching; just one of the many lessons I have learned in my own Christian walk.
RACISM IS ANTI-CHRISTIAN!
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28
For the most part I agree. Although, in Deuteronomy 14:2, the verse states, " For you are a holy people to your God, and God has chosen you to be his treasured people from all the nations that are on the face of the earth," implying the Jewish people are superior in the eyes of God. But, yes, Christians seem to me to be extremely generous and unmatched in the religious tolerance department.
God's plan from the beginning was to bring salvation to man through the Jews. He set them apart to show all of mankind that we are sinners and cannot live up to the law. Old Testament prophesy, about the Messiah, states that He will bring salvation not just to the Jews, but also to the gentiles.
The new testament states that Christians are not to judge the world, but only ourselves. We are to love the sinner and hate the sin. God separates the sin from the soul, and says that all souls are to be loved. "love thy neighbor as thy self". Vengeance, hatred, bigotry, ect. are sins for the Christian. Christians are to judge and correct each other, and this should have happened in this church.
Jews aren't a race.
Of course, the entire concept of race is pure horse sh*t, but that's another topic.
Not "superior"...."separated"...there's a difference.
The Jewish people were called to be "set apart" from every other nation on earth. God used them to fulfill His Divine purpose, but it wasn't their race that made them any better/worse than any other nation, it was God's divine hand on them.
God's purpose was to keep Israel holy, to have a people to worship Him, and Him alone, in Spirit and in Truth.
"When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to do according to the detestable things of those Gentiles. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
"For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God will drive them out before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For those Gentiles which you shall dispossess listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so." (Dt. 18:9-14)
In each book of the Law of Moses, God taught the Israelites to be separate from the Gentiles, and not to live like them. Upon redeeming them out of Egypt, He commanded:
"You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes." (Lev.18:3)
"You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their deeds." (Ex. 23:24)
It was the idea of racial superiority gotten from social darwinism that fueled eugenics, the extermination of the Jews during WWII, infanticide, and Ota Benga, a Belgian Congo pygmy who was put on display as a "missing link" in the Bronx zoo. He was so ostracized by "SUPERIOR WESTERNERS" that he committed suicide.
Racism is evil.
The sad part is you are going by the claims of media
The Bride has been a member of the church for a year. The Groom has been visting the church for a month which he found everyone very nice. The Grooms uncle works for the church There are other black members . It isnt an all white church by any means
It was someone AT the rehearsal that alledgedly complained about the couple.
That tells me it has to be a family member of either the groom or the bride.
The preacher never says it's because they are black
Thanks for that input. But the guy said that the pastor told him that members said no blacks have ever been married there and won't be. That seems pretty racist to me.....assuming he was telling the truth.
It depends on what article you are reading,and youhave to read it very carefully for what the author is saying and what is actually being said by the preacher and others. The author refers to the race of the couple, and the Groom makes a claim. The preacher himself is just saying members had problem with the couple being married in the church, he does not say its because of their race.....the author of the article inserts "black couple' into the sentence
The local news says no black couple has been married in the church in "modern times", not that black couples havent been married there.
From what I took him to be saying, the pastor never said it was because they were black. That could only mean that the groom was either lying or he assumed that was the reason....or the pastor didn't admit it to the media.
So the pastor never said it was because they were black and the guy assumed that was the reason. Between the different descriptions of the various news reports you cited, it seems that the story gets twisted as it goes along.
I think the safest thing to do is not to judge until all the facts come out. We may not hear anything else about the story.
I thought that the video had the groom and bride saying that they would have to tell their kids that they can't get married in the church because they are black. It seemed pretty clear.
Before we just in the racism is ugly band wagon let's make sure this is not yet another obama playing the race card to get votes ploy. Stand back for a bit and let all the facts be revealed.
I agree with not jumping to a fast conclusion, but the old adage that it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, then it must be a duck. This is racism plain and simple. It would be interesting to look through the eyes of the people affected because their skin color was the primary factor in this reaction, nothing more.
From everything I've seen including apologies from congregation members who really hate this, it was pretty much racism.
Scoop, I submitted a comment to this thread this morning, and I got a message saying it was awaiting moderation. There wasn't anything inflammatory in it, but it hasn't been approved yet. Do you know what the problem is? Thanks!
This righteous man said it best and gave his life for it.
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer
This is so sad, there is no excuse for this behavior on the part of the pastor or the church members. This couple should be welcomed and their marriage blessed, I really hope another pastor or congregation comes forward to offer their church for this couple to be married in a church and blessed by God. God bless this couple.
As horrible as it lays out thus far, I still want to hear the truth of what went down. It doesn't sound as if the entire congregation even knew about it, just a few and probably the elders that have the "problem". The congregation has a bad mark on their church and it should be up to them to investigate and rectify the situation.
How could this be happening in this day and age?
Unreal.
If I went to that church, I would be looking for another church.....and pronto.
This story seems incredible. Why in the world would this man bring so much heat on himself?
The media will eat this up and regurgitate this over and over and they'll probably ask Romney over and over about this. Its easy to fall into racism though. I find myself falling prey to this sometimes but then I think of the black man who saved my life when I was twenty five. I wouldn't be hear if not for him. Wouldn't have met my wife and wouldn't have been so happy to meet my unborn child.
Do you really mean "racism?" I'm betting you fall prey to selective association based on observed behavior. In other words, you probably don't go out of your way to avoid a group of black folks coming out of a church, but you would try your best to avoid a bunch of thug-looking, race-taunting young black men or young "latino," gang-looking men. That's my guess.
That would be their fault for displaying a hostile demeanor.
I know I'm totally comfortable around people of any skin color in restaurants, clubs, stores, my house, church, city hall, museums, you name it. It's the obviously bad characters that show up uninvited who propagate racism.
(and Congrats! on your expected child!)
Sometime we are just uncomfortable with a certain cultural. When a certain race flaunts their race, it is anything but appealing.
You described what I meant accurately. I'm not nervous at all around blacks in general that's for sure. Its the thugs. I grew up in a half and half small(white,black)town east of Dallas and it was crazy man. It was reverse racism though. You had to keep your head on a swivel. It gave me a sixth sense when I see thugs around. Its almost like some X-Men stuff. I see them coming but anyway sometimes my anger over some stories you read these days gets a hold of me. My experiences get the best of me. A lot of people I know think its interesting that a thirty nine year old white boy could be best friends with a sixty seven year old black retired army man. He's easy to hang out with cause he lives next door to my house and he is a conservative.
Thanks for the Congrats. I really appreciate that.
Keeping your wife and baby in prayers Ryan! Hope they're both healthy, and doing fine... praying for a safe delivery when the time comes! Did you guys pick names yet?
Thank you ABC for asking! You praying for my wife and child means a lot. You're always classy.
Yes, we have picked a name. Brooklyn. My family is from Holland and that name is actually Dutch. Which I was was really looking for. I do feel sorry for her though. My last name is very hard to spell and it can be very frustrating having to spell your name for people instead of being able to just say it. Its kinda like the Johnny Cash song, A Boy Named Sue. You get tough or die.
Thanks again ABC.
Congratulations toongoon. That's awesome! Hope the world doesn't end before I can have a grandchild.
Sounds like you have a real nice young family. My granddaughter will be here near the end of August. Looking forward to her arrival as well.
Yes, she is due in nine weeks maybe earlier. My wife likes to joke around and call me her baby daddy.
You'll smell cigars from ten miles away!! The blue Texas skies will be cloudy on that day.
LOL- she'll be classy AND tough! Never met a wimp from Brooklyn and I do like that name! :-D Don't forget to hand out virtual cigars around Scoop when the big day is here, OK?! God Bless you guys!!
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