Would Jesus Discriminate?

The Associated Press

Indianapolis, Indiana—Billboards have begun appearing throughout Indianapolis challenging Christians to re-examine their assumptions about what The Bible says about homosexuality.

The campaign is being coordinated by the Jesus Metropolitan Community Church of Indianapolis, with support from Faith In America and the Metropolitan Community Churches worldwide.

The 22 billboards will be spread across [Indiana] and will feature five different designs. All the ads feature the website URL, a short message and a biblical citation. The church will also be selling t-shirts and bumper stickers.

One billboard proclaims "David loved Jonathan More than women. II Samuel 1:26" another says "Jesus affirmed a gay couple. Matthew 8:5-13." Yet another says "Ruth loved Naomi as Adam loved Eve. Genesis 2:24; Ruth 1:14."

"I can already hear tires screeching across Indianapolis as folks see the billboards. Most people have no idea that The Bible contains passages that powerfully affirm gay people," said Rev. Jeff Miner, Senior Pastor of Jesus Metropolitan Community Church.

The billboard campaign will be for 30 days.

Last summer the Jesus Metropolitan Community Church, Faith In America, and the Metropolitan Community Church conducted a pilot project in Indianapolis, using billboards and yard signs to ask a simple question, “Would Jesus Discriminate?”

Organizers say this year’s project will be bigger and bolder, moving beyond a gentle question to propose a bold answer that some may find unsettling.

"In the past, many Christians misused The Bible to support slavery, oppose equal rights for women, and oppose interracial marriage,” said Rev. Jimmy Creech, Executive Director of Faith In America.

"They went so far as to accuse people on the other side of being un-biblical. The same thing is happening again with respect to same-gender relationships. It has to stop."

Earlier this month a proposed amendment banning same-sex marriage and likely barring any benefits for unmarried same or opposite-sex couples died in a committee at the legislature.

Conservative groups opposed to gay marriage have vowed they will continue fighting to get the issue on the ballot.

"Right now," said Miner, "most people think this is a debate between people who love The Bible—conservative Christians—and people who want to throw out The Bible—godless homosexuals. Nothing could be further from the truth."

Would Jesus Discriminate?

Jesus would if he held the 1st Century CE Jewish world view.

*Yawns.*

More of this? It's kind of...stale at this point.

Also, I'd like to point out that people who are against gay marriage aren't twisting Scripture and ignoring parts of it like those who were pro-slavery, against interracial marriages, etc.

This is truly an eye opener

Originally posted by FeceMan
Also, I'd like to point out that people who are against gay marriage aren't twisting Scripture and ignoring parts of it like those who were pro-slavery, against interracial marriages, etc.

Agreed

however, I'd like to say that you can probably justify ANYTHING with selective quotes from scripture

Originally posted by FeceMan
Also, I'd like to point out that people who are against gay marriage aren't twisting Scripture and ignoring parts of it like those who were pro-slavery, against interracial marriages, etc.

Thats what your kind will say about homosexuality 100 years from now.

Originally posted by Alliance
Thats what your kind will say about homosexuality 100 years from now.

That makes me say "DIAF."

A simple history lesson shows you how those types of things work.

Please. I already know how it's going to be.

The entire point is...

a) it shouldn't be like that, and
b) I'm neutral on the issue of same-sex marriage.

I know (b) alreadym but issues like interracial marriage and slavery are jsut as Biblically justified as anti-homosexual views.

Perceptions change with time and interpretations change with time. Some people think that the Bible is more explicit about homosexuality than other past social issues, which simply, it is not.

Originally posted by Alliance
I know (b) alreadym but issues like interracial marriage and slavery are jsut as Biblically justified as anti-homosexual views.

Perceptions change with time and interpretations change with time. Some people think that the Bible is more explicit about homosexuality than other past social issues, which simply, it is not.

Why?

Originally posted by Adam_PoE
Would Jesus Discriminate?

YES. He was a Jewish bigot.

Because they just aren't. I guarantee that 95% of the support comes from stuff in Leviticus and Deuteronomy that has to deal with ritual cleanliness. As for slavery, slavery is neither condoned nor condemned in the Bible. All the Bible says is, "If you own slaves, treat them like this." ("This" would be not how slaveowners treated blacks.)

Yea, and slavery exists/ed elsewhere too. It doesn't say slavery is wrong...it says slaves should be foriegn and treated "humanely," so to speak.

Thats a long way form condemning slavery.

Yes, it is. I, however, don't believe slavery is intrinsically wrong.

Originally posted by FeceMan
Yes, it is. I, however, don't believe slavery is intrinsically wrong.

Second, I have yet to see what they used to justify being against interracial marriage and I haven't seen anything that can be pulled out of context to support it either...

Originally posted by FeceMan
Yes, it is. I, however, don't believe slavery is intrinsically wrong.

😱 You don't believe that slavery is wrong? To take away a person's right to freedom, even if they are treated good, is wrong.

That would be misconceptions about traditional and lawful Jewish slavery where they are much more like a serf than the traditional view of a slave. Also, the right of freedom argument can easily be brushed aside if one does not believe in human rights.