NC: No Longer a Southern State?

[krazeeboi]

I'm confused. There is only 1 Black senator in the US. He is decidedly pro-gay rights and vocal about it. He is also (generally speaking) the darling of the black american public.

[nowensone]

NC Baptists approve Gay ban (here's another link).

"It's the only sin that we're trying to publish in our school books and teach our children, that this is just a lifestyle," said Bill Sanderson of Wendell, who is the pastor behind the proposal. "Why don't we do that for murders, thieves? Why don't we do that for other groups?"

"It's not something we chose," said Sanderson, speaking at a press conference following the vote. "It's something that's been thrust on us."

NC is still very much a southern state.

[Pillsbury]

Well, I hardly expect the Southern Baptists (of which the NC Baptist are affiliated with) to be accepting of gay marriage, et al. I'm with Nowensone, that would have happened anywhere with the Southern Baptists.

But there are other Christian churches out there that do condone it. The Episcopal Church for one, although it is literally ripping the church apart, is home to many dioceses that bless civil unions. The Diocese of Atlanta as well as the Diocese of North Carolina, I believe, are both welcoming to gays---they also voted for Bishop Gene Robinson.

The issue is very important to the Presbyterians, Methodists, and Lutherans. I can think of a few United Methodist (and a few Episcopal) churches here that welcome gays.

[nowensone]

^ Yeah, I threw in "major" a little too flippantly, I know there are churches that do condone it, but was thinking in terms of percentages - what % of all Episcopals, etc. The NE and pockets of the Midwest are predominantly Catholic, the excommunicated sects a drop in the bucket of Catholics supporting gay marriage. Lutherans - I'm not sure if they aren't more strict than Baptists regarding this (my in-laws are the moderate Lutherans, I think Missouri Syn., I forget the terms, but if they are moderate I hate to see the strict ones), I am not aware of an Islamic sect that condones it, etc. Picking on Southern Baptists is just a little ridiculous..

[DCMetroRaleigh]

I am not certain if the correct word is "condone" since you don't "condone" a person's sexual orientation, you merely accept it is a normal part of human diversity. It's like saying that churches "condone" left-handedness or red hair. In that regard, a growing number of Christian and Jewish churches bless same-sex unions and accept gay relationships. Many Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Disciples of Christ, and United Church of Canada churches are pro-gay today, particularly in cities and in the North and Pacific regions. The United Church of Canada and United Church of Christ are explicitly pro-gay marriage. The largest Jewish denomination in the nation, Reform Judaism, also supports and blesses gay unions. In most major cities, there are many, many pro-gay churches that bless gay marriages/unions and participate in gay parades and events.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

According to exit polling, blacks supported Virginia's anti-gay marriage referendum less than Whites:

VOTE BY RACE TOTAL Yes No

White (78%) 58% 42%

African-American (16%) 56% 44%

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/res...1/epolls.0.html

[Pillsbury]

^ Yeah, I threw in "major" a little too flippantly, I know there are churches that do condone it, but was thinking in terms of percentages - what % of all Episcopals, etc. The NE and pockets of the Midwest are predominantly Catholic, the excommunicated sects a drop in the bucket of Catholics supporting gay marriage. Lutherans - I'm not sure if they aren't more strict than Baptists regarding this (my in-laws are the moderate Lutherans, I think Missouri Syn., I forget the terms, but if they are moderate I hate to see the strict ones), I am not aware of an Islamic sect that condones it, etc. Picking on Southern Baptists is just a little ridiculous..

[DCMetroRaleigh]

In November 2004, several states with large numbers of black people voted to amend their constitutions to ban either gay marriage, civil unions, or any kind of domestic partnerships. They were:

Arkansas: White voters approved it with 77%, black voters with 66%.

Georgia: White voters approved it with 76%, black voters with 80%.

Kentucky: White voters approved it with 76%, black voters with 70%.

Michigan: White voters approved it with 60%, black voters with 59%. (Note: Latino voters barely approved it with 51%.)

Mississippi: White voters approved it with 89%, black voters with 77%.

Ohio: White voters approved it with 63%, black voters with 61%. (Note: Only 44% of Latinos voted for it).

Oklahoma: White voters approved it with 76%, black voters with 74%.

In only one state did a higher percentage of black people vote for these referendums than white people. In three states a significantly lower percentage of black people voted for the referendums than did white people. And in the two states with sizable Latino populations, even lower percentages of them voted for the referendums (thus refuting the "Latinos are too Catholic and anti-gay" talking point as well).

The source is CNN's exit polling.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/res...allot.measures/

[nowensone]

I am not certain if the correct word is "condone" since you don't "condone" a person's sexual orientation, you merely accept it is a normal part of human diversity. It's like saying that churches "condone" left-handedness or red hair. In that regard, a growing number of Christian and Jewish churches bless same-sex unions and accept gay relationships. Many Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Disciples of Christ, and United Church of Canada churches are pro-gay today, particularly in cities and in the North and Pacific regions. The United Church of Canada and United Church of Christ are explicitly pro-gay marriage. The largest Jewish denomination in the nation, Reform Judaism, also supports and blesses gay unions. In most major cities, there are many, many pro-gay churches that bless gay marriages/unions and participate in gay parades and events.

[Pillsbury]

I am not certain if the correct word is "condone" since you don't "condone" a person's sexual orientation, you merely accept it is a normal part of human diversity. It's like saying that churches "condone" left-handedness or red hair. In that regard, a growing number of Christian and Jewish churches bless same-sex unions and accept gay relationships. Many Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Disciples of Christ, and United Church of Canada churches are pro-gay today, particularly in cities and in the North and Pacific regions. The United Church of Canada and United Church of Christ are explicitly pro-gay marriage. The largest Jewish denomination in the nation, Reform Judaism, also supports and blesses gay unions. In most major cities, there are many, many pro-gay churches that bless gay marriages/unions and participate in gay parades and events.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

PARTIAL list of Pro-gay or Gay-Friendly Churches in North Carolina:

New Creation ICCC Arden ICCC

Cathedral of All Souls Asheville Episcopal

Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church Asheville Presbyterian

Kenilworth Presbyterian Asheville Presbyterian

Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church and College Chapel Asheville Presbyterian

Westminster Presbyterian Asheville Presbyterian

First Congregational Church, UCC Asheville UCC

Fletcher Presbyterian Church Banner Elk Presbyterian

Christ's Church United Boone Christ's Church United

Boone Friends Meeting Boone Quaker

High Country United Church of Christ Boone UCC

Olin T. Binkley Memorial Baptist Church Chapel Hill Baptist

Unity Center of Peace Church Chapel Hill Non denominational

Church of Reconciliation Chapel Hill Presbyterian

United Church of Chapel Hill Chapel Hill UCC

Myers Park Baptist Church Charlotte Baptist

Wedgewood Baptist Church Charlotte Baptist

St. Ann

[DCMetroRaleigh]

Welcoming and Accepting (gay-friendly) Baptist Churches in North Carolina:

CHAPEL HILL

Olin T Binkley Memorial Church (ABC/Alliance/BPFNA)

1712 Willow Dr. 27514

(919) 942-4964

[email protected]

James Pike, Senior Pastor

CHARLOTTE

Wedgewood Baptist Church (ABC/Alliance/BPFNA)

4800 Wedgewood Dr. 28210

(704) 523-6108

[email protected]

Chris Ayers, Pastor

RALEIGH

Pullen Memorial Baptist Church (ABC/Alliance/BPFNA)

1801 Hillsborough St. 27605

(919) 828-0897

[email protected]

Jack McKinney, Nancy Petty, Pastors

WINSTON-SALEM

Wake Forest Baptist Church (Alliance/CBF)

PO Box 7326 Reynolda Stn. 28210

(336) 758-5297

[email protected]

Richard Groves, Pastor; Susan Parker, Associate

http://www.rainbowbaptists.org/wachurches.htm

North Carolina has more gay-friendly churches than any other state in the nation, except New York and Massachusetts.

[nowensone]

^ & ^^ That was QUICK, already laid out in an online source? Anyway, glad to see some of the big ones on it, like Wake Forest. I am wondering if they are in the "condone" category as opposed to the "natural" category (see my earlier post, this thread moves way too fast to get a word in edge-wise)...

[Pillsbury]

^ & ^^ That was QUICK, already laid out in an online source? Anyway, glad to see some of the big ones on it, like Wake Forest. I am wondering if they are in the "condone" category as opposed to the "natural" category (see my earlier post, this thread moves way too fast to get a word in edge-wise)...

[DCMetroRaleigh]

Uh, since the beginning of Christianity and Judaism, there has been a debate about the inspiration of each book and passage of the Bible, and what books should be in the canon. So to argue that belief in the inerrancy of the Bible is the only definition of Christianity to overlook the historic disagreement within Christianity. Only religious fundamentalists and conservative religionists believe in literal inerrancy. Liberal Christians believe they are at least just as Christians as rightwing Christians. Gay-friendly Christians and churches don't believe the passages condemning homosexuality are from God, just as they don't think passages regarding killing disobedient children or condoning slavery are from God. We can go more into biblical scholarship that supports this conclusion, but that would draw this conversation even further out from the title of this thread than it already is.

[nowensone]

You're "preaching to the choir", DCMetro, it was tongue-in-cheek. You could argue the entirety of the bible is a giant crock of sh!t by that rationale, but then why have a church at all for gays to worship at/get married? Before you answer, I know.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

sorry, i am so bad at reading sarcasm online.

[nowensone]

No, not your fault, and not being sarcastic so much as ironic, I find it just a little bit of a mystery that something so divine as the bible can be so fluid, and yet that fact doesn't seem to distract it's supporters. I consider myself to be a spiritual person, and I beleive in a soul, but I would not bind myself to anything that was so polluted, so I do not quite understand how one can accept that part of it is crap but another is perfectly holy. If you are picking and choosing pieces of it, wouldn't you then become suspicious about all of it? I promise to end discussion of my personal views with this post as it may be offensive to some.

[lupitachica]

I'm not so sure what you're confused about. I mentioned leaders in general, not politicians (or senators specifically). I'm not saying that Obama isn't vocal about his pro-gay stance, but I've not read or heard such from the things I've recently heard coming from him. I just think he needs time to establish himself on a national level

[DCMetroRaleigh]

As an African-American, I can attest that not only are younger Blacks much more socially liberal than our forefathers, but that we as a community often claim to believe in one thing, yet do another. How conservative can a community that has a 70% out of wedlock birth rate and attendant high level of out of wedlock sex be? How conservative can a community with the divorce rate we have be?

As for homosexuality, trust me when I say that same-sex activity is not scarce amongst Blacks. In fact, several studies have shown that Black men are much more likely to have engaged in same-sex sex than other males, by some estimates twice to thrice as likely. Yet, Black men are much less likely to identify as gay. The stigma against same-sex activity remains amongst many Blacks, but secret actions are another. Of course, I am speaking generally here.

[triadcat]

PARTIAL list of Pro-gay or Gay-Friendly Churches in North Carolina:

The Church of the Holy Spirit Greensboro Alliance of Christian Churches

College Park Baptist Church Greensboro American Baptist

Wesley Luther Campus Ministry Greensboro Lutheran

St. Mary

[triadcat]

As an African-American, I can attest that not only are younger Blacks much more socially liberal than our forefathers, but that we as a community often claim to believe in one thing, yet do another. How conservative can a community that has a 70% out of wedlock birth rate and attendant high level of out of wedlock sex be? How conservative can a community with the divorce rate we have be?

As for homosexuality, trust me when I say that same-sex activity is not scarce amongst Blacks. In fact, several studies have shown that Black men are much more likely to have engaged in same-sex sex than other males, by some estimates twice to thrice as likely. Yet, Black men are much less likely to identify as gay. The stigma against same-sex activity remains amongst many Blacks, but secret actions are another. Of course, I am speaking generally here.

[monsoon]

.... Relations btwn the black gay community & its leadership and white one and their leadership is often strained in many areas (for example see the July 11th Advocate article). Many black gays (men & women) are tired of being marginalized and discriminated against by the larger white gay community.

[krazeeboi]

Black american thoughts on gays rights is far more nuanced than is given credit for imo. This is backed up by the way we vote (for example). An Oxford University study (for example) talks about how while many the black community are more disapproving of homosexuality in general, they (at the same time) are more likely than their white counterparts to support gay civil liberties and markedly more opposed to antigay employment discrimination, etc.

[cityboi]

I think of Maryland and Virginia as mid-atlantic states but North Carolina is still the south. Its just not considered "The Deep South"