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 Indianapolis Church Erects Pro-Gay Religious
Billboards
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: April 16, 2007 - 3:00 pm ET
(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 Jesus
Metropolitan Community Church of Indianapolis, with support from Faith In
America and Metropolitan Community Churches worldwide. Faith In America is
a national organization devoted to ending the injustice of religion-based
bigotry against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.
Jesus MCC bills itself as “a church that is
passionate about Jesus and the Bible, but not afraid of diversity or independent
thought.” It is part of a denomination – Metropolitan Community
Churches – with a long history of outreach to the gay and transgender
community. Jesus MCC is the largest church of its type anywhere in the
Midwest.
The twenty two billboards will be spread
across Indy 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 MCC.
The billboard campaign will be for 30 days.
Last summer Jesus MCC, Faith In America, and MCC
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 unbiblical. 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 couples - same,
or opposite-sex - 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."
©365Gay.com 2007
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