School Board member in hot water over anti-gay status

I'm not sure how I feel about this....

On one hand, I think that freedom of speech entitles him to post whatever he wants on his personal Facebook page. On the other hand, despite my opposition to the gay lifestyle, I don't think I'd want anyone so filled with rage towards other humans anywhere near my children.

http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=346566

 

He *is* entitled to say what he wants.

But I wouldn't want him in ANY position of responsibility in my community. Not only is he hate filled, but he has incredibly bad judgment. Facebook - no matter who you ban/de-friend/don't confirm/ignore is still a PUBLIC forum.

My personal feeling is that if I wouldn't want it in the newspaper, I don't say it...or post it anywhere online. You would think that someone on the schoolboard would realize his comments would eventually go beyond his FB page. Perhaps he did, and thought it wouldn't matter.

 

I'm in agreement. He's over the line.

 

Recently, a university student jumped off the George Washington Bridge because fellow students secretly video-taped him engaged in gay sex. The shame of having his secret broadcast to the world pushed him to suicide. For others, it may be public criticism or ridicule or ostracism or harassment that does it. Are people really entitled to say what they want if it ends someone's life?

I have a hard time with Christian culture's harshness on this topic. We are to demonstrate the love of Christ to everyone. We are to welcome everyone to hear the gospel message. We should not be discriminating against gay couples. In the context of the church, however, new believers are convicted and will change: Church discipline is very different from hateful public haranguing of all gays.

So, while I respect free speech, I also believe in personal responsibility and accountability for the words we speak. It's all too easy to sully the name of Christ. Plus, I have a healthy distrust of today's Christian culture because, in many respects, it's unChrist-like.

 

That's why so many non-Christians hate Christianity. While I am not soft on my stance about homosexuality being an abomination to God, I do understand that He is not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

Now, as for this guy on the school board....he is elected into that office. The next time he is up for re-election, don't vote for him. We need to be careful about venturing down the road that leads to "hate speech" equally committing a crime. There are those who would not allow a loving Christian into office if that were the case.

 

As an elected public official I think it was wrong for him to post that on his facebook. He is entitled to his opinion of course, but I don't think that kind of post is acceptable for a public 'servant', I certainly wouldn't want him anwhere near my children.

I teach my children the bible, and because of that they will know that homosexuality is wrong BUT they will also know that we are commanded to HATE the sin, but to LOVE the sinner. No I will not wear a purple shirt or purple ribbon or anything else to support their cause, but I will not treat the homosexual person any differently than any other sinner I know (which is everyone), I will not support their 'cause', and I will not say I agree with their 'cause', but I will sit next to them at a football game, I will pray for them, I will invite them to church, I will be a shoulder to cry on. I will not be a part of their lifestyle, I will not tell them their lifestyle is ok, I will not march in protest for them.

I would NEVER post a status like that on my FB, for one because it's un Christ-like, and for two I'd be devastated if my post caused another person grief or worse to harm themselves. I won't defend their cause, and I won't help them with 'gay rights', but I will not march to take away their human rights either!

 

I'm proud to live in a country where I'm allowed to read my Bible in a public place. I'm allowed to own one. I'm not searched at random and put in jail if my Bible hiding place is found. I'm able to worship anytime, anywhere, and with anyone without fear of the government putting me in jail, taking away my kids, or giving me the death penalty.

Because of those rights, I agree that people should be allowed to live their lives any way they see fit as long as it doesn't harm another person. If someone asks me what I think about homosexuality, I'll be happy to plop my Bible down on the table and show them exactly what I think about it. Do I hate homosexual people? Of course not. I don't hate any person. I hate sin. If someone is living in a way that I believe is sinful, I'll do my best to avoid them and keep my children from them, because the Bible clearly tells me to do so. (I Cor. 15:33) If a sinful person wants to talk to me about what they believe is not sinful, I'm willing to set aside our differences for the duration of the Bible study so I can show them in love why I believe they're wrong.

I absolutely would NOT wear purple in this case. I would step down from my job before supporting a lifestyle I believe is sinful. However, I WOULD be respectful by attending a funeral or something like that. You can show Christian character in many ways, but to be a Christian, you can't support something you believe to be sinful ...

... and ...

... you also can't talk the way he did on that FB post. He was using hateful language, swear words, and not being Christ-like at all. What he stood for was fine, but the way he chose to do it was not.

I also find it interesting that he couldn't spell worth a flip. :lol:

 

I think all the voters in his district should be thankful he posted that to his facebook page. How else were they to figure out what kind of a person he really is? I'd just be glad to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you didn't want him to be elected again. Of course they can ask him to step down, but he has every right to have the same opinions he carried when he was elected to the position.

 

I agree with ALL of you. (Can you believe it?)

 

:lol: Insanely hateful is insanely hateful the world over, huh?

 

are there no hate speech laws in the states?

hate speech laws in canada

it's quite possible that he'd have been charged with a crime here, based on his comments...

canada:

Section 319 prescribes penalties from a fine to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years for anyone who incites hatred against any identifiable group.

"The Code defines an "identifiable group" as "any section of the public distinguished by colour, race, religion, ethnic origin or sexual orientation."

 

As far as I know, I'm still at liberty to say that homosexuality is a sin without being punished as a criminal. I suppose I may be writing from prison in a short while.

 

They'll have to put me in jail someday, because I have no problem saying it's a sin.

 

My best friend is a lesbian and I love her to death but I'm not going to her gay pride parade (which I have been invited to before) and I'm not going to post my support on facebook and I'm not going to wear purple to support them. I believe it is wrong but I don't hate them for being gay. So I repsect this man's right to say whatever he wants but if that is the way he feels then he shouldn't be on the school board.

The other day dd14's friend was taken out of class and told by her teacher that she needs to find a father. Needless to say her mother was at the school in a matter of minutes dealing with that one. The teacher may have felt that way but she should never have said it. No person in charge of our children education directly or indirectly should make their hateful feelings public in this way against homosexual or straight people.

 

While I agree that this man is over the edge, "hate speech" is a very objective term. Just saying "I don't like you!" can be construed as "hate speech". I am thankful we still live in a country where there is STILL freedom of speech, and people aren't being charged with just hurting others' feelings.

 

ummm guys? you do realize that this man said more than just "according to my faith, homosexuality is a sin"... right?

our laws allow for the expression of religious faith/etc - so no, you wouldn't be arrested in canada for stating that you believe it to be so.

however - if you were advocating for the suicides of GLBT individuals...you may very well be.

 

canada is a VERY free country ~ and we don't arrest people for "hurting others' feelings"

we do arrest for inciting hatred against an identifiable group, however.

i don't know if this man's comments would have been considered as such - as i'm not a lawyer or well versed in the application of the laws - but i do think that they might have been.

 

Hate speech laws are a horrible, dangerous, slippery slope. I am SO thankful we don't have the laws to the extent that other countries do.

FYI, he resigned....
http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=347536

 

IMO, any country that restricts what its citizens can or can not say is not "VERY free."

But that's the Libertarian in me coming out.

 

What a shame! This guy is doing great harm, and the press is having a party showing how hateful Christians can be.