While I recognize there are biblical passages that can be used to induce churches to “battle” against Pride, it is somewhat ironic that the Arlington group of churches “rallied at City Council meetings against the Pride event and drag performers,” calling Pride members sexually deviant and saying their allies were “demonic sinners sexualizing little tiny children” (“Arlington churches waged cover ‘battle’ against Pride event, records show,” The Herald, June 22).
A quick internet search indicates that between 1950 and 2016, over 18,500 children were reportedly abused by 6,721 priests in the Catholic Church.
Reporting in Christianity Today, an investigation into hundreds of cases of sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches finds there are allegations against 380 church leaders in 20 states; men have been accused of abusing a total of 700 victims over the past 20 years. Per NPR, the church kept a secret list of over 700 offenders.
There are many more examples of the same type of deviant behavior perpetuated by religious groups.
I don’t think the threat to children comes from drag shows.
Pastor Chad Blood quotes Leviticus 20:13: “if a man has sexual relations with a man as he does a women, both of them have done what is detestable and they are to be put to death.”
The Old Testament also states, in Deuteronomy 22:22-24, that adultrers should be put to death and stoned.
I’m guessing the latter verse isn’t being used to determine church membership.
One more verse, in regard to hypocrisy: Proverbs 11:9: “With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape.”
I was going to include Matthew 23:27-28 which also relates to hypocrisy, but this letter is already too long.
Cheryl Mercer
Everett
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