Daniel
08-29-2007, 07:13 AM
http://www.nbc10.com/news/13994630/detail.html?rss=phi&psp=news
Church Sign Offers To 'Help' Gays
Sermon Promotes Chance To Escape Sin, Sign Says
POSTED: 2:01 pm EDT August 28, 2007
UPDATED: 6:16 pm EDT August 28, 2007
MILLVILLE, N.J. -- A bold, blocked-lettered sign about homosexuality outside a South Jersey church has caused some controversy recently.
The Cumberland County Community Church is offering "Help for the Homosexual" at this weekend's sermon.
The sign is advertising Greg Quinlan's upcoming sermon to offer gays a chance to escape what he calls the life of sin and teach them that sexual orientation is a conscious decision and not predetermined.
The church's pastor Rev. Salvatore Roggio said the weekend speaker was once a gay activist and is now out of the gay lifestyle after he found God.
"I do believe that people are not born gay. I believe they are born with a choice," Roggio said.
Quinlan is a former gay rights activist turned pro-family lobbyist who said through prayer he became straight.
"He has been set free, and because he has been set free in Christ, others can be set free also," Roggio said.
The sign went up on Sunday and Roggio said he hasn’t heard a word about it -- pro or con. But some people in Millville do have differing sentiments about the message.
"It's appalling to say the least," Danielle Finch said.
Finch, 19, is a local gay and lesbian activist, and to her, the words are offensive.
"It definitely hurts to see such blatant ignorance from people who should be more open-minded these days," she said.
"I think they should help gay people so they can stop being gay," Joel Ortiz, of Millville, said.
"I think that's pretty misleading. I guess, because I don't believe that can happen," Saida Sawyer, of Morristown, N.J., said.
The church later added the word "hope" to its bold invitation.
Roggio said he is simply teaching the truth. Others, though, said his ideas of faith are filled with fiction.
Church Sign Offers To 'Help' Gays
Sermon Promotes Chance To Escape Sin, Sign Says
POSTED: 2:01 pm EDT August 28, 2007
UPDATED: 6:16 pm EDT August 28, 2007
MILLVILLE, N.J. -- A bold, blocked-lettered sign about homosexuality outside a South Jersey church has caused some controversy recently.
The Cumberland County Community Church is offering "Help for the Homosexual" at this weekend's sermon.
The sign is advertising Greg Quinlan's upcoming sermon to offer gays a chance to escape what he calls the life of sin and teach them that sexual orientation is a conscious decision and not predetermined.
The church's pastor Rev. Salvatore Roggio said the weekend speaker was once a gay activist and is now out of the gay lifestyle after he found God.
"I do believe that people are not born gay. I believe they are born with a choice," Roggio said.
Quinlan is a former gay rights activist turned pro-family lobbyist who said through prayer he became straight.
"He has been set free, and because he has been set free in Christ, others can be set free also," Roggio said.
The sign went up on Sunday and Roggio said he hasn’t heard a word about it -- pro or con. But some people in Millville do have differing sentiments about the message.
"It's appalling to say the least," Danielle Finch said.
Finch, 19, is a local gay and lesbian activist, and to her, the words are offensive.
"It definitely hurts to see such blatant ignorance from people who should be more open-minded these days," she said.
"I think they should help gay people so they can stop being gay," Joel Ortiz, of Millville, said.
"I think that's pretty misleading. I guess, because I don't believe that can happen," Saida Sawyer, of Morristown, N.J., said.
The church later added the word "hope" to its bold invitation.
Roggio said he is simply teaching the truth. Others, though, said his ideas of faith are filled with fiction.