What could move avowed atheist Bonnie Erbe to say something positive about religious enthusiasm? Here's a hint, the colors of the rainbow:
I walked into a huge church auditorium and there were thousands of gays and lesbians singing hymns and crying as they watched a gay pastor deliver a sermon, many of them for the first time. It was an extremely emotional experience.
Erbe, a contributing editor at U.S. News & World Report, shared this anecdote in a July 2 blog post entitled "Gays Aren't Necessarily Atheists," in which the journalist shared two experiences that blew apart her stereotype of openly gay people being atheists.
Spurred on by an article by colleague Dan Gilgoff entitled, "Gays Step Up Efforts to Reverse Gay-as-Godless Stereotype," the PBS "To the Contrary" host confesses:
I guess growing up in "godless" New York City, I, too, labored under the delusion that most gays and lesbians did not believe in god or go to church, as neither did anyone else I grew up with. I had two experiences, however, within the last 10 years ago or so, that made me realize some gays are extremely religious.
She's only now realizing this? Was she living under a rock during the whole controversy over the Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson?
Eighteen days after Easter this year, Erbe confessed in her Thomas Jefferson Street blog that the atheism she grew up on was sorely lacking a sense of community that houses of worship foster among congregants:
The fact is, '60s and '70s atheism was a bit too uninformed about the psychological and social benefits of churchgoing. Religion answers the unanswerable. It creates powerful and important social networks among churchgoers. Unless and until atheists, agnostics, and other nonbelievers can somehow replace those benefits, or form their own version of same, religion will continue to be a powerful cultural force.
Unless and until then, Erbe might well find herself at home in the decidedly liberal, gay-oriented Metropolitan Community Churches across the country.
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
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Comments Policy
"stereotype of openly gay
July 6, 2009 - 17:27 ET by nolotrippen"stereotype of openly gay people being atheists"
Where do they come up with these strawmen? Is there a computer program somewhere? Gay people are in need of God as much as the drunk, the cheater, the congressman. They are in need of repentance as much as any one else. They are in need of Jesus and His forgiveness of sins as much as anyone else.
What they're not in need of is saying, "That's OK, you go ahead and sin. Your sin is different. Your sin is now not a sin at all and you do not have to struggle with any more than the abortion doctor."
Bonnie Erbe
July 6, 2009 - 17:03 ET by TexndocI'm sure she loves that pic of her you use and will share with anybody looking at it "People mistake my daughter and me for sisters."
"What could move avowed
July 6, 2009 - 17:25 ET by Mazzi"What could move avowed atheist Bonnie Erbe to say something positive about religious enthusiasm?"
Typical liberal hypocrisy?
"I would rather be historically accurate than politically correct" ~ My husband's T-Shirt
I was Raised a Humanist Atheist
July 6, 2009 - 17:36 ET by Retired GeekI was taught that life was to be enjoyed and NOT ruined by addictions to chemicals or sexual perversions e.g. Homosexuality.
I was raised in a belief that the choices of a child and that of a thinking adult are different, primarily because children make choices based on fantasy and emotion, whereas adults should make choices based in reality, facts, logic and reason.
When I became a believer in God as Creator at age 32, what I already believed about sexual perversion and Homosexuality, did not change by any Religious Dogma.
When one chooses to engage in such dangerous behavior as Homosexuality, there will be consequences to those who choose such behavior and society will be impacted by the associated disease and illogical thinking.
actions and consequences
July 8, 2009 - 13:41 ET by mbuel"When one chooses to engage in such dangerous behavior as Homosexuality,
there will be consequences to those who choose such behavior and
society will be impacted by the associated disease and illogical
thinking."
ABSOLUTELY.
Liberalism tries to remove the consequences of bad choices from those who commit them.
Who are we to judge them?
IMO, the biggest mistake made in the 20th century was the APA removing Homosexuality from their DSM. Homosexuality is very clearly a fetish behavior and the individuals also usually have personality disorders.
But for me to say that after this "hate crime" bill passes I'll probably face charges. So get it off your chest now while it's still legal!
The free market works, Government controls always fail.
Some help for you, Bonnie.
July 6, 2009 - 17:49 ET by Mike Bratton"I, too, labored under the delusion that most gays and lesbians did not believe in god or go to church, as neither did anyone else I grew up with."
First off, let's get the obligatory "Unfortunately, that explains a lot" out of the way. (And I know you think you're taking God down a peg or two with the little-g reference to Him, but all it does is reinforce the notion that you're petty.) There is a principle of Christianity that, since you've not been exposed to it, you should become familiar with. It's the principle that when any human being values a behavior, be it a sexual deviancy, a violent predilection, a penchant for gossip, or any other activity more than a relationship with God, the individual is not a Christian.
"[S]ome gays are extremely religious."
A lot of people, Bonnie, are "religious" to one degree or another. Being religious, to whatever degree, does precisely nothing to move an individual closer to a right relationship with God. Often, it actually interferes with establishing one.
"Unless and until atheists, agnostics, and other nonbelievers can somehow replace those benefits, or form their own version of same, religion will continue to be a powerful cultural force."
I know it must pain you, but it's all right to replace the word "religion" in that sentence with "Christianity," as you knew you should. "Religion" doesn't have what you referenced, not in depth. It cannot answer what you suggest is "unanswerable," because religion in and of itself offers no answers. Religious "networks" are built on a unstable, fallable foundation, while the Christian church in all its permutations is built upon the Rock of Ages.
Oh, and before I forget, there's no such thing as this: "a gay pastor". Not legitimately, not in a Christian denomination, not supported by the authorty of the Bible.
Bonnie, you had an "extremely emotional experience" watching an imitation of real Christian fellowship; imagine what might happen were you to expose yourself to the real thing.
--Mike
www.thebrattonreport...
Maybe Erbe will find her
July 6, 2009 - 18:24 ET by bigtimerMaybe Erbe will find her way to peace within someday.
In the meantime, I could care less about her...or her thoughts.
She is a nobody, always has been, always will be...the problem I have with her and her ilk is they are PBS...tax-payer funded.
Looks to never end either.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Holiness.
July 6, 2009 - 19:23 ET by sevenThe bible says without holiness, no one will see God. Perverts like Michael Jackson, al Franken, erbe's group, all want a religion on their own terms.
Atheism is a religion. She can name a specific God she doesn't believe in.
atheism
July 8, 2009 - 13:43 ET by mbuelAtheism today is no different than Atheism in the old testament.
The atheists of the old testament danced around in depraved states worshipping the penis, sexuality and the earth, etc. They were also called pagans.
There is nothing new under the sun. Those who deny God are replacing the worship of God with the worship of something else.
The free market works, Government controls always fail.
jessieH I
July 6, 2009 - 19:25 ET by jessieHjessieH I can't talk for Erbe (i'm not a liberal), but GOD is what you think he is, in your own mind. If you are an atheist from the 60s & 70s, I'm sorry you couldn't evolve when everyone else did. Unfortunately, MY god isn't gay. If you had a god, then you could comment on the subject. Untill you do, HAVE A NICE DAY!, BY_BY!!!!!!!!!
Wresting the scriptures....
July 6, 2009 - 21:59 ET by SlyrrNice how they skirt over all the verses in the scriptures that decry sodomy and homosexuality as an 'abomination' in the eyes of God, and how fornication of any kind is a sin...
These "churches" do not
July 7, 2009 - 01:54 ET by MrSnugglesThese "churches" do not celebrate God, they celebrate homosexuality. There probably isn't a Bible within 100 yards of these places.
Gay bibles
July 7, 2009 - 11:04 ET by sevenThe New Queen James version.