THE GOSPEL OF INCLUSION By Carlton Pearson

[snuka12000]

I'm currently reading, THE GOSPEL OF INCLUSION by Bishop Carlton Pearson. It's deep!

I encourage everyone to read this book. Encourage your friends to read it too.

[sauu4equality]

:D

Thanks for posting this. I needed to smile. Nice to see interest in a famous UU on here. Especially a UU Christian which can be hard to find. Had a co-worker justify the Tennessee UU church shooting yesterday because they welcomed "gays" and that was "not ok." He's beginning to be a problem. His comment angered me so much I told him I was a UU...and then he lectured me all day about how I "chose my religion to match my values" rather than listening to "God's word." He supposedly doesn't know that I'm gay and he's quite possibly oblivious, but I'm out to most of my co-workers. I'm not ready to hear this garbage on a regular basis. And I'm alittle afraid of the guy because he doesn't give any responsibility to the shooter for his murderous actions. It was just "God's will" that those people were terrorized. How do you talk to someone like that?

[antiochian]

:D

Thanks for posting this. I needed to smile. Nice to see interest in a famous UU on here. Especially a UU Christian which can be hard to find. Had a co-worker justify the Tennessee UU church shooting yesterday because they welcomed "gays" and that was "not ok." He's beginning to be a problem. His comment angered me so much I told him I was a UU...and then he lectured me all day about how I "chose my religion to match my values" rather than listening to "God's word." He supposedly doesn't know that I'm gay and he's quite possibly oblivious, but I'm out to most of my co-workers. I'm not ready to hear this garbage on a regular basis. And I'm alittle afraid of the guy because he doesn't give any responsibility to the shooter for his murderous actions. It was just "God's will" that those people were terrorized. How do you talk to someone like that?


Apparently he has chosen his religion to match his values, which are hatefulness and intolerance! This guy sounds like a creep and a fanatic. Anyone who would defend a shooting is someone I'd definitely steer clear of!

[snuka12000]

First of all, what is "UU?"

Regarding that guy who said, "It was just 'God's will' that those people were terrorized." That man is mentally ill. The cause of his mental illness is religion. That man is not a true disciple, believer and follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus never did and never would condone terrorism in His name. That man needs to be educated about Jesus! "Christian" terrorists are no different from "Muslim" terrorists.

[HELENz]

I second Antiochian. I'd avoid dealing with this person as much as possible on this subject. Fanatics are rather dangerous.

I still have trouble with how to respond to people who believe being GLBT is wrong. I'm almost to the point of not responding. It's not worth the trouble arguing. I usually try to just state my point and be done with it; IF they want to consider what I have to say, and not just blindly spout out "No"s, then I'll talk, but some people don't want to hear that they're wrong and will NEVER see that they are. Nothing you say can convince them. No matter how much you tell them what they're doing is hurting people, they won't change. They won't change their long-held "homosexuality is wrong" beliefs, no matter what you tell them. It's almost fruitless to try.

That said, I do support what Equality Ride is doing. It's creating dialogue - at least. Even if there are many that will not change their opinion no matter the evidence, there are one or two out there who will listen and CONSIDER it. And that is worth the dialogue.

[Rick336]

First of all, what is "UU?"

That's my question too. What is UU?

Rick

[bnmoore]

In this context I think it's Unitarian Universalist but it may have evolved into something a little different now.

[sauu4equality]

Sorry to hijack the thread...UU does mean unitarian universalist. The relevance is that the bishop mentioned had been a minister at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Tulsa. He turned his formerly Evangelical church into a UU after he had a revelation that all people are worthy of heaven. I don't have a link to the story now, but you should all check out the story. It's pretty amazing.

[BrianB]

My family used to love Carlton Pearson before he started saying that you could be gay and christian. Now they pretty much consider him a traitor. BTW, for those of you that don't know Bishop Pearson graduated from Oral Roberts University. He was often featured on their weekly television program. I've read what he said on his web site about the gospel being inclusive of EVERYONE.http://www.newdimensions.us/index.cfm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlton_Pearson
I haven't yet read his book. I'm still reading Mel's book.

[HELENz]

*shock* He graduated from Oral Roberts University? Isn't that an uber-conservative school?

Cool. Change does happen, just at a snails pace.

[BrianB]

I heard that he lost most of his congregation that still believe being gay is a sin and a choice. Some of Bishop Pearson's people stayed with him. I'm guessing that they form the core of the new church.

[HELENz]

Well, I'm not surprised he lost most of his congregation. Kind of a one-eighty. People aren't fond of those.

[snuka12000]

Bishop Carlton Pearson Discusses THE GOSPEL OF INCLUSION!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2a27VGrmzg

[bnmoore]

There was an article about "The Gospel of Inclusion" titled "Fall into Grace" by Donna Mosher in the March 2009 issue of 'science of mind' magazine . It's Volume 82 Number 3. I'm not sure that back issues are available.

One of my favorite quotes is "Stop building the church and be it."

[Gennee]

I met Rev. Pearson a number of years ago. A very spiritual and enlightend man. One of my professors in college stated that when a church stops growing or keeps others out, then it time to move in another direction. The birth of the Metropolitan Community Churches is one example.

Gennee

[snuka12000]

“Religion is the ‘plantation’ on which many people live as slaves or indentured servants. They assume they are better off in the care of the manipulators of their faith than in the freedom and grace God has provided for them. Many religious leaders and denominations act like the old Southern plantation owners, keeping their slaves ignorant, convincing them that they are better off on the plantation. They have created doctrines that persuade them that they are better off living in bondage to an angry God rather than living in spiritual peace with their Emancipator. The emancipator of the American slaves was Abraham Lincoln. The ‘spiritual emancipator’ of slaves to sin, death, and human error is Christ – not Christianity.” - Excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF INCLUSION by Bishop Carlton Pearson (Page 7)

[snuka12000]

"...man's role should not be as a spiritual guide, but only as a facilitator. The authoritarian dynamics of today's religious sects are an obscene parody of Jesus speaking to leading his disciples." - Bishop Carlton Pearson, THE GOSPEL OF INCLUSION (Page 17)

"Today we have scores of gifted, charismatic individuals, self-anointed and human appointed, as sources of wisdom and perceived truth, begging for money and handing down their narrow interpretation of the Word of God on subjects ranging from stem cell research to how to vote - not to mention how the entire world will end - to individuals who are often trained to be ignorant and fearful." - Bishop Carlton Pearson, THE GOSPEL OF INCLUSION (Page 17)