Cumberland County Community Church

[Daniel]

http://www.nbc10.com/news/13994630/d...s=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.

[pnggrad79]

It seems like Roggio is denying his true self and for that I feel sorry for him having to live a life that he is uncomfortable in trying to please the establishment. Oh well, it is his life, he can ruin it if he wants. I feel sorry for people who just can't be authentic for whatever reason. Pretty soon, the longer you live in the damn closet, the harder it gets for you to fit in anywhere. You're not straight, even though you act like it, and you're not gay, because even though you have those thoughts, acting them out is just not even an option. It is truly a miserable life. I feel for Roggio and people like him. Hey it was once me...

[keltic63]

was there any fallout from this event? were there any news reports to follow up?

[sailaway58]

As I am on the early stages of activism what bothers me is the number of people that will read the sign and assume the church is right and never feel the need to investigate anything about the subject at all. I am sure most anti Gay Christians will just point and say, "see, there is proof".

[Daniel]

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/09/090307video.htm

School District Bans Diversity Video Because It Includes Gay Couple

At a stormy school district meeting earlier this year one parent suggested the Golden Rule - treat others as you would treat yourself - had nothing to do with homosexual.

You'd think that close proximity to 'liberal' Manhattan would indicate the same for NJ. Ain't so. At least not in the southern part.

The water down there is very hard.

[antiochian]

Somebody could dip me in a big tub of purple paint, and I'd be purple... until the paint wore off...

[RedneckDyke]

Ugh. i went to protst "love won out" once. a guy had this cute dog there. the dog had a t shirt that said"ex-cat"

[iowan woman]

When people are treated with cruelty they sometimes take on the characteristics of their abusers. It is too bad that Quinlin is giving anyone the excuse they are looking for to hurt other people.

The woman with the arbitrary rules for applying the Golden Rule is dehumanizing a whole population, which is frightening; I have heard her sentiments echoed from other Xians. I have seen her children lashing out cruelly to their classmates without fear, as if the names they were calling were acceptable.

What is the cure for cruelty?


iowanwoman