4 thoughts on “Tony and the red-letter Christianity”

1. Kyle Minckler June 6, 2007 at 12:11 pm

   FanTASTic! Thanks for directing me to this video! really.
2. Rich Post authorJune 6, 2007 at 12:22 pm

   You’re quite welcome!

   Rich
   BlogRodent
3. Common Swift June 7, 2007 at 3:15 pm

   Not to be a one note poster here on the topic, but I love this from Tony:

   “There are certain things that we have to say and that is this. First of all, as a sociologist, which is what I am by trade – I got into this analysis of homosexuality back when I was a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania from ’65 to ’75, as I talked to my colleagues and I listened and I interviewed over 300 people who were homosexuals, I found that there were certain universal truths. I only interviewed male homosexuals so I can only say I studied that one group. Out of the 300 male homosexuals that I interviewed, I never met a homosexual who chose to be one. That, I have to say right up front. Okay? You can argue over the causes of homosexuality. Let me also add, nobody knows what causes homosexuality. I mean I know that you get these religious publications that talk about this cause and that cause and the other cause. Every social scientist that I know who has analyzed this problem say, we don’t know what the causes are. There are those who talk about genetics. There are those who talk about biophysical. There are those that talk about sociological, psychological factors. Nobody knows. And those who are experts say, for the most part, there are a variety of factors that interact with each other to create homosexuality and it may even be that no two people are homosexuals for the same reason. We don’t know what causes it. We know this – that at least for the males who I can attest to that I interviewed, the imprintation of the consciousness, the establishment of the orientation occurred so early in the psychosocial development of the individual that the individual never remembers having made a choice. That’s important because I often hear rhetoric that says if you just pray and repent and turn away from this that God will honor you and all will be well.”

   …and from his wife Peggy on the Church’s anti-gay stance:

   “They say it is arrogant to declare that 19 hundred years of church history and tradition are in error. I would remind these people that all those years of church tradition supported an interpretation of Timothy 2:11 and 12 that disallowed women from church leadership.”

   “Tony and I agree…that a homosexual orientation is not chosen and we believe that homosexual people should not have to be in the closet to be part of the body of Christ. We are greatly saddened that the church has not done a better job of reaching out to include homosexual people and we’re angry about the lies being said about gay men and lesbian women by some church leaders. The result of this is often cruel mistreatment and great injustice and both Tony and I pray for the church to repent of this sin. Tony and I agree that the term homosexual lifestyle without an S on the end is a misnomer and should never be used because there are many homosexual lifestyles just as there are many heterosexual lifestyles.”

   ---

   Note from Rich: This quote is taken from, “Is The Homosexual My Neighbour?” There is a transcript of the entire talk by Peggy and Tony Campolog at the John Mark Ministries website. To put a little better context on this, Tony opens his talk with a brief statement of his and his wife’s position:

   “First of all, I have to announce that we are two people who do not agree. We have very, very divergent views on this issue. I for instance believe that the Bible does not allow for same gender sexual marriage. I do not believe that same gender sexual intercourse is permissible if you read the Bible as I do.

   “Peggy believes in monogamous relationships. In short, she would hold to a belief that within the framework of evangelical Christianity, gay marriages are permissible and she will try to make her point. — Rich
4. Common Swift June 7, 2007 at 11:47 pm

   Rich,

   Also mention this from Wikipedia:

   “Tony Campolo contends that homosexuality is a sin in practice, though not in orientation — though he also argues that gay people living together in a committed, sexually active relationship, is morally preferable to less than monogamous relationships.”