Let me explain this "Baptist" thing from a Southern Baptist's point of view. Even in Southern Baptist churches the church is autonomous and does not take orders from any central group. For example "The Southern Baptist Convention". This is Biblical, but it can also be a problem when a church varies from the Word of God. We have "problematic" baptist churches or at least they claim to be "baptist" and they vote in the Convention. The real issue is why don't they form their own denomination? Two reasons that I see: First, Satan is going to infiltrate any good church it can in an attempt to destroy their testimony of Christ. (This problem resulted in the conservative resurgence in the SBC because several good ministers found out that our universities were teaching non-biblical doctrine such as evolution--these colleges ARE run by the convention.) The second reason, it is much easier to take a group of people that already exist, as Rev. Joshua has and turn them into his incorrect doctrine.
Paul had this problem with the church at Corinth and understood that they were "babes in Christ" because they were allowing the old habits of their lifestyles to enter the church. He corrected them sharply and even accused many of not being Christian.
A lot of these doctrinally unsound pastors will take a group and start bringing in new Christians with their liberal ways (You can live whatever lifestyle you want and go to our church--we'll even serve you cokes and donuts while you sit in our big comfortable auditorium watching the Sunday morning "SHOW" -- I'm not saying these things are wrong, but many of these liberal churches put on a show for the people to get their members rather than preach the Word. Soon, they have enough of these young-misguided people to out-vote and run off any
doctrinally sound Christians. It is happening all the time.
Now, let me quickly hit his other subject. ...being born a homosexual. This is true, but only to the extent that ALL men are born "sinners" and therefore before we become Christians we are "capable" of any sin. But, as far as saying a person is born "physiologically" a homosexual, then are "pedaphiles" born that way, if so then a consenting relationship between a man and a fourteen year old boy is okay, in Rev. Joshua's angle of looking at things--as long as both parties are in agreement. This issue is now being tested in some places. Homosexuality, just happens to be one of the "big" sin issues that was used in the bible to point out when an abomination is occuring in a group of people.
Rev. Joshua never seems to answer my questions on specific verses, but I bet he would just throw out the Old Testament entirely if he could. The entire problem here is NOT necessarily the sin itself, but a Baptist leader denying the accuracy and literalness of God's Holy Word, the Bible. Let Rev. Joshua answer that one...does he believe in the accuracy and literalness of the Bible without exception? Including Genesis 1 through 11?
[ September 25, 2002, 12:41 PM: Message edited by: Phillip ]