Pastor Faces Federal Suit for Sharing Views on Homosexuality

A Massachusetts pastor has landed in federal court to defend himself for sharing his opinion on homosexuality and pornography.
A foreign group called Sexual Minorities of Uganda (SMUG) filed suit against Scott Lively based on the Alien Tort Statute (ATS). The ATS provides a cause of action for violations of international laws that are “specific, universal and obligatory.”

Courts have found torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity; summary execution, prolonged arbitrary detention and forced disappearance to be actionable under the ATS.
The lawsuit claims that beginning in 2002, Lively preached in Ugandan churches and shared his opinion on homosexuality and pornography. It further claims that as a result, some members of the so-called LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) community faced discrimination—and one in ...

read more: http://www.charismanews.com/us/33054-pastor-faces-federal-suit-for-sharing-views-on-homosexuality

This is what happens when a “little” knowledge gets in the head of the religious. The religious think that something they are doing is 'good' compared to what another is doing. The reality is that this pastor’s indwelling sin nature makes him as guilty of sodomy as those who commit it. These things are indeed evil, and do not make one acceptable before God, but who among us will claim that what they do is fully acceptable before God??

The pastor causes people to look at the evil in others when the same evil is resident in both themselves and himself, so he did not do his job and should come under fire.

Turn from sin, turn from sin, and turn from sin some more, and when you think you have done enough turning you have only just begun… Good thing we are justified by faith rather than sanctification!!

OJ

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

James 2:10   For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Since none are sinless, ALL are guilty of ALL.

Romanism focuses on the sin in another....

OJ

We're judged according to the deeds done in our body and by our works. That would mean that you are taking just one verse and also using it out of context of that letter by James and even just that one chpt.

Someone that is not practicing adultery, will not be judged for adultery. Those that are, will. Romans 1 lists a whole host of seperate sins toward the end - and each will be judged only by the one or ones that they have actually commited.

We don't stop preaching The Word of GOD in it's entirety on the grounds that we haven't attained to the full Image of Christ.

GOD is only concerned with those that are preaching against a certain sin and are commiting that particular sin themselves. Rom 2.

Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We're commanded to preach the Gospel - the Full Counsel of His Word, to save the lost, to save lives and also to restore the backslidden.

1Ti 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

The way you use that one verse would silence the entire Church from doing what His Word commands we do and preach.
Only those that are practicing a certain sin and preaching to others against that particular sin is called a hypocrit by GOD and should repent of doing both.

Phil 3:12-19

According to His Word, this sin is listed with all the others - as seen in Romans 1, Gal, Corth - so I don't see that anyone is singling out this as anything worse than drug addicts, child molestation, murder, adulterers and so forth and I certainly do believe that they can and are being delivered daily - but as far as the Church ever being 'silenced' on any of these sins - I surely hope not - for the sake of the preachers of righteousness that are saving lives and souls at the same time.
Jesus said, that these sins will only increase before He returns [as it was in the days of Noah & Lot] and because of these sins, the 'love' of most will wax cold.

The way you use that one verse would silence the entire Church from doing what His Word commands we do and preach.
Only those that are practicing a certain sin and preaching to others against that particular sin is called a hypocrit by GOD and should repent of doing both.

That ONE verse drives a nail through yours and everyone’s professed righteousness. And there are others in Romans 3 as well, that is what they are meant to do.

Now regarding your LISTS, being FEARFUL to tell us your full name, the verse below drives a nail through your profession just as much as you want to drive a nail through another's.

Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

It is just as damnable as anything else on the list.

OJ

pretty important is the difference between willful sins and secret faults. The word of God is 100% clear that their are professing Christians who call Jesus Lord and will be damned to hell and there are also professing Christians who call Jesus Lord that will inherit the kingdom.

The grace of God that saves teaches us to deny ungodliness. We are saved by grace but that same grace works practical rightousness in the life of a true believer. It may not look exactly the same, follow the same timeline, it may involve more or less chastisment, etc but it will be taking place in the life of a true believer according to the word of God.

1John 3:7-10 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

old joe you do not know the ""whole counsel of God." It is obvious by what you are saying that you have your own little doctrine that is different from Gods.

Did you read the article, Joe or Diane? This is WAY bigger than I think you realize. This man is only alive by GOD's grace and if you'd do a Search on this " Alien Tort Statute " you may see that it's not far from being used as something as close to the World Court as it can get.

THAT MEANS, that if this man loses this case - it sets a PRECEDENT in the FEDERAL COURT deeming what this man has said against homosexuality AND pornography as a crime against "International Law".

THAT MEANS that, anyone who quotes the Bible where these sins are listed are ............... you fill in the blank.

Freedom of speech will be deemed gone because some Ugandans have gone totally RADICAL and are KILLING HOMOSEXUALS and trying to blame this man for these actions of the Ugandan Government.

This man is and has been a target by more groups than one would imagine, right here in the U.S..

And Joe, do you still want to talk about who is being a "coward" by not putting their last name on the internet - as you've condemn to hell the vast majority of Christians that post on this forum and thousands of other forums world-wide?

The "cowards" will be those that will be afraid to say that they are a Christian that believes that the Whole of The Bible is The Innerant WORD of GOD.

And Joe, the Government knows my full name and IP#, etc. and in my 10 yrs on and offline - I've never feared them, as I've posted on many forums during those years and things that I'm sure will have me beheaded eventually - unless He takes me Home another way.

Who will be tomorrow's cowards?

Ron

John Newton was fully acceptable before God as well, even while he continued the slave trade. What he did was not acceptable, and neither is what you do, nor what I do, nor what the sodomite does. On that ground we are all equal.

I agree with rebuking sin and I am here rebuking the sin of the religious, the same way it has been done before.

“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone”

If the pastor wants to rebuke sin, let him start at the sins of his best people starting with himself, and deal with what Jim calls secret 'faults' (meaning secret ‘sins’ really but for some the word is too hard to say). Sure sodomy and fornication are sins, but what do you expect openly lost people to do? They know nothing other than sin!!! They are in more need of a Saviour than a rebuke. Now the openly religious on the other hand, THEY are in need of rebukes, because they claim to know better.

OJ

I'm sure will have me beheaded eventually

You are actually no threat to the Antichrist religious system, rather than losing your head, you might even be promoted!

OJ

Wow... and people call me judgemental? Seriously?

Look folks, we are to proclaim the gospel. Part of that is shining the light on sin. If we do not, how does a man come to the realization that he has offended a thrice holy God?

Part of that is naming sin. Calling it out.

I do believe there are varying degrees of sin, although any sin condemns our soul. One thing everyone needs to understand is that according to Romans chapter 1 homosexuality is listed and described in detail as what takes place often times when God gives one over to their own sin and lust.

Romans 1:24-27 "Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. FOR THIS REASON God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error."

Homosexuality is actually described here as a PUNISHMENT handed down from God... not just a sin.

The verses immediately following list other sins as well, but if you look at that list those sins are sins that every unbeliever is filled with. They were increased by God as a result of their rebellion. Why would He do this? To increase their guilt. God says "OK, if thats what you want, you can have it ten-fold". We see God doing this with the nation of Israel in the OT at times.

But homosexuality was singled out and described in detail.

I know some of you may disagree and want to debate me about that... I dont care. One thing I am not going to participate in any more is debates with people when scripture is abundantly clear about what it is saying.

Anyway, to say that a preacher, missionary, evangelist, or even an everyday believe should not call out sin by name when presenting the gospel is FOOLISHNESS. You will not find one single verse in scripture to support that. You will not even find a principle or a precedence for that in scripture. In fact, you find just the opposite.

Krispy

Old joe said:
"I agree with rebuking sin and I am here rebuking the sin of the religious, the same way it has been done before."

Jim:
Amen - we are never to judge the outsider but the professing christian (1 Cor 5). If this is your position here you could have made it a little clearer. I think most assumed you were talking about a church member that continues in willful sin all the days of their life.

Old joe said:
"If the pastor wants to rebuke sin, let him start at the sins of his best people starting with himself"

Jim:
What if he is walking in humility and in a state of no known sin?

Old joe said:
, and deal with what Jim calls secret 'faults' (meaning secret ‘sins’ really but for some the word is too hard to say).

Jim:
I am not afraid to say sin brother - hope you didnt take it that way - I was actually quoting the title of a carter conlon message here at SI.

Old joe said:
Sure sodomy and fornication are sins, but what do you expect openly lost people to do?

Jim:
To walk in sin... but the lines in this thread seem to be blurred to where that is what born again believers are expected to do is to walk in sin too?

Good post Robert.

How many places are we warned in the NT - Do Not Be Deceived ... such professing Christians are headed for hell.

1 Corinthians 6
1 john 3
Galatains 5

Obviously people are prone to be deceived in this area.

In Christ -Jim