Weekend Diversion: Night Of The Ponies
Pedway, First Store Open At Block 37
Around Town
Around Town
Red-Light Cameras Not So Special?
Yesterday, Billy Ocasio officially relinquished his seat as alderman of the city's 26th ward; taking his place temporarily is his former chief of staff, Hector Villagrana. But Mayor Daley has up to 60 days to name a replacement and the one Ocasio has suggested - Rev. Wilfredo De Jesús of the New Life Covenant Church - has the gay community worried. WBEZ dug a bit deeper into some of their concerns.
De Jesús says his church welcomes everyone.DE JESUS: We have over 103 ministries in our church. Many of our ministries reach out to the 26th Ward -- hurting single moms, gang bangers, homeless. I have people who come to my church who are gay. I hug them, embrace them.
But that acceptance has limits. New Life Covenant is part of the Assemblies of God, a Pentecostal fellowship that considers homosexuality a sin. Rev. De Jesús says his beliefs about sexuality stem from the bible.
DE JESUS: I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman.
De Jesús was also part of a group of prominent religious leaders who opposed the opening of Pride Campus of Social Justice High School, claiming it was wrong to isolate just gay students. Julio Rodríguez, president of the Association of Latino Men for Action, told WBEZ, "We shouldn’t be afraid to say who we are."
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
Wait, you mean the guy who believes in magic zombies might not have a rational opinion of gay rights?
God save us from religion in government.
The "gay community" really worried, or only a few radical gay activists?
Look, I don't agree with the guy, but opposition to gay marriage is not always motivated by hate or intolerance. Also, are Rev. DeJesus' views on gay marriage any different that President Obama's? (Last year, Obama stated that he believed marriage was between a man and a woman, and that he was not in favor of it.)
Well I'm not a member of the 'gay community' or a 'radical gay activist' or *gasp* 'gay' and I don't want this fool as my alderman. His views are different from Obama's, for one thing Obama has not made 'marriage' his most important issue unlike this guy who's quoted as saying that opposing abortion and gay marriage were the most important things in the world to him. How about helping out the poor in your ward or some of the other things Jesus actually spoke about jerk? But I agree, Obama's views on gay marriage are one of *many* reasons I didn't vote for him.
but opposition to gay marriage is not always motivated by hate or intolerance.
As long as goverment involvement remains the same then yes I'm afraid it is. Make all the excuses for bigotry that you like.
Agree 100%
"but opposition to gay marriage is not always motivated by hate or intolerance"
I agree that outright hate is not always the motivation, but, at the least, intolerance is. What else could it be?
I don't even care so much if people hate gays. What I care about is government restricting civil rights simply because two consenting, non-related adults of the same sex like to sleep with each other. If you don't like gays, don't live in Boystown or associate with them. It's not that hard. But don't tell gays they are second-class citizens in the eyes of the government (churches can do whatever they want in most instances). What on earth is so difficult about that?
I'm of the opinion that if you run for or enter into public office, you must drop whatever religious title and position you hold. I'm looking your way Meeks.