Church Cancels Memorial for Gay Vet

RedheadGrrl · 08-11-2007, 04:33 PM

News - Church Cancels Memorial for Gay Vet

ARLINGTON, Texas (Aug. 10) - A megachurch canceled a memorial service for a Navy veteran 24 hours before it was to start because the deceased was gay.

Officials at the nondenominational High Point Church knew that Cecil Howard Sinclair was gay when they offered to host his service, said his sister, Kathleen Wright. But after his obituary listed his life partner as one of his survivors, she said, it was called off.

"It's a slap in the face. It's like, 'Oh, we're sorry he died, but he's gay so we can't help you,"' she said Friday.

Wright said High Point offered to hold the service for Sinclair because their brother is a janitor there. Sinclair, who served in the first Gulf War, died Monday at age 46 from an infection after surgery to prepare him for a heart transplant.

The church's pastor, the Rev. Gary Simons, said no one knew Sinclair, who was not a church member, was gay until the day before the Thursday service, when staff members putting together his video tribute saw pictures of men "engaging in clear affection, kissing and embracing."

Simons said the church believes homosexuality is a sin, and it would have appeared to endorse that lifestyle if the service had been held there.

"We did decline to host the service - not based on hatred, not based on discrimination, but based on principle," Simons told The Associated Press. "Had we known it on the day they first spoke about it - yes, we would have declined then. It's not that we didn't love the family."

Simons said the decision had nothing to do with the obituary. He said the church offered to pay for another site for the service, made the video and provided food for more than 100 relatives and friends.

"Even though we could not condone that lifestyle, we went above and beyond for the family through many acts of love and kindness," Simons said.

Wright called the church's claim about the pictures "a bold-faced lie." She said she provided numerous family pictures of Sinclair, including some with his partner, but said none showed men kissing or hugging.

The 5,000-member High Point Church was founded in 2000 by Simons and his wife, April, whose brother is Joel Osteen, well-known pastor of the 38,000-member Lakewood Church in Houston. Now High Point meets in a 432,000-square-foot facility in Arlington, near Dallas.

Wright said relatives declined the church's offer to hold the service at a community center because they felt it was an inappropriate venue. It ultimately was held at a funeral home, but the cancellation still lingered in some minds, she said.

WhiteWolves64 · 08-11-2007, 04:44 PM

That is really so STUPID and SAD for this church declined the service for this deceased GAY vet... SMH!!!!!!! What happened to "love your neighbors"? I guess this Church is so CLOSED minded!!!! Geez Whiz!!!!!!!!

Calphool · 08-11-2007, 07:49 PM

This seems very wrong to me. Regardless of who this guy was, or how he lived his life, he was a man and he impacted the lives of his friends and family. A funeral is for the living, not the deceased -- it helps people remember their loved one, and to begin healing. This pastor must be utterly clueless, or the leadership within his church must be extremely closed minded (and questionable Christians). There is no point in hurting a family that has just lost their loved one, regardless of how he/she lived his life. Murderers have funerals in churches for crying out loud!

Rolling a body into a church, and saying some kind and calming words to a hurting family has nothing to do with "supporting a gay agenda". Let's say the church went ahead and let the family put photos of this guy and his partner. How exactly does that suggest that the church membership is supporting his lifestyle? Are they trying to suggest that in all their history of all their funerals they NEVER had a photo of someone committing a sin? If they did have any such photo, how could they argue that this one is any different? They weren't supporting those other sins.

These are the kinds of "Christians" that put stumbling blocks in the paths of their bretheren (1 Corinthians 8, Romans 14). These are the kinds of "Christians" who are more concerned with their own piety than reaching out to others in their time of need (Matthew 9:13). Woe to those who chose to do this... they will reap what they sow (Matthew 25:31-46).

Somehow homosexuality has become a new "unforgivable sin", but Jesus said that the only unforgivable sin was blaspheming the holy spirit. Even if that church somehow construed this guy's lifestyle into blaspheming the holy spirit, that has NOTHING TO DO WITH CONDUCTING HIS FUNERAL. Clueless clueless clueless...

PuyoPiyo · 08-11-2007, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteWolves64

That is really so STUPID and SAD for this church declined the service for this deceased GAY vet... SMH!!!!!!! What happened to "love your neighbors"? I guess this Church is so CLOSED minded!!!! Geez Whiz!!!!!!!!

Totally agree with you! What happened to the "Love your neighbor"?? Oh I thought they believe that being gay is less sin than the murder.

Deafilmedia · 08-11-2007, 10:37 PM

There is nothing you can do about it....
Gay groups and gay activists are too small.... and
yall rights are ignored completely.

Pacman · 08-12-2007, 08:05 AM

Damn, WTF at church, they are fucking conservative.

I'm suggest that they need goes to metro church or other church if support gay, also that will great if their family (that's decreased vet) would take legal action on church.

christlovedeaf · 08-13-2007, 11:14 AM

It is very unchristlike church. Honor the gossipers, liars, backstabbing, but gays, sorry. You know what? There are many churches are like stumbling blocks. Jesus talked about it. As Jesus said, God is more tolerable to Tyre, Sodom and Gomorrah, but intolerable toward religious leaders. Many churches don't teaches that. I said, it is sad, sad, sad. Bec, the more churches twisting and etc, will do lot more damage in society. It is very horrible things to do and its pharisee reputation than Christ's reputation. And has nothing to do with being open minded. Problem is, they look at labels, not who the person is. Who the person is alot different that label the person.

shel90 · 08-13-2007, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calphool

This seems very wrong to me. Regardless of who this guy was, or how he lived his life, he was a man and he impacted the lives of his friends and family. A funeral is for the living, not the deceased -- it helps people remember their loved one, and to begin healing. This pastor must be utterly clueless, or the leadership within his church must be extremely closed minded (and questionable Christians). There is no point in hurting a family that has just lost their loved one, regardless of how he/she lived his life. Murderers have funerals in churches for crying out loud!

Rolling a body into a church, and saying some kind and calming words to a hurting family has nothing to do with "supporting a gay agenda". Let's say the church went ahead and let the family put photos of this guy and his partner. How exactly does that suggest that the church membership is supporting his lifestyle? Are they trying to suggest that in all their history of all their funerals they NEVER had a photo of someone committing a sin? If they did have any such photo, how could they argue that this one is any different? They weren't supporting those other sins.

These are the kinds of "Christians" that put stumbling blocks in the paths of their bretheren (1 Corinthians 8, Romans 14). These are the kinds of "Christians" who are more concerned with their own piety than reaching out to others in their time of need (Matthew 9:13). Woe to those who chose to do this... they will reap what they sow (Matthew 25:31-46).

Somehow homosexuality has become a new "unforgivable sin", but Jesus said that the only unforgivable sin was blaspheming the holy spirit. Even if that church somehow construed this guy's lifestyle into blaspheming the holy spirit, that has NOTHING TO DO WITH CONDUCTING HIS FUNERAL. Clueless clueless clueless...

and I agree with u.

WhiteWolves64 · 08-13-2007, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deafilmedia

And plus I am an Organ Donor....

And I would feel awful if doctors give my organs to smokers, overweight
people, and people who live a dangerous lifestyle.

I should write down on my will... that I want my organ to be
giving to innocent children and people who live right. Or people
who was born with heart defect or something like that...

Do you know how many people are waiting for organ transplant?

ANd they want to give organ to people who ain't worth giving to.

That is sad.

Maybe I should ask my Driver Licence to change that... I won't
be an Organ Donor anymore, cause that isn't fair.

Don't you dare to say about "Organ Donor" in this thread!!!!!!! This is about a Church who declined the service to deceased vet!!!!!!!!! Please RESPECT this thread!!!!!!!! So, Please change your subject about this topic!!!!!! SMH!!!!!!!!!!!

RedheadGrrl · 08-13-2007, 03:58 PM

at first the church was accept to give the service till a chruch member saw the picture of him kissing and cuddle with other male. Then church changed their mind and canceled the service. Just bec of that. Why did they accept the first place since they knew he's gay? hmm? sigh!!

TweetyBird · 08-13-2007, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedheadGrrl

at first the church was accept to give the service till a chruch member saw the picture of him kissing and cuddle with other male. Then church changed their mind and canceled the service. Just bec of that. Why did they accept the first place since they knew he's gay? hmm? sigh!!

true i agree with u damn.. ic ant believe that shesh!

Freaky Cat · 08-13-2007, 06:45 PM

YEAH Its so sad to hear that the church is ignorant when it come to this? sure the guy is gay but he died for our country.. does that count? sheesh.. i agree that the church is closeminded.. sigh..

Deafilmedia · 08-13-2007, 07:16 PM

well we Black people don't go to all white Church for funeral in Memphis.

I went to an all white Dentist office here in Mississippi...
and White people there were surprised.

They don't want me in there because I am Black.... but I went there
anyway... I don't care.

And of course this is TEXAS.... south. So I ain't surprise how
Southern White people turned down gay people.

***VamPyroX*** · 08-14-2007, 03:45 PM

Gee... that's fucked up!

***VamPyroX*** · 08-14-2007, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deafilmedia

well we Black people don't go to all white Church for funeral in Memphis.

I went to an all white Dentist office here in Mississippi...
and White people there were surprised.

They don't want me in there because I am Black.... but I went there
anyway... I don't care.

And of course this is TEXAS.... south. So I ain't surprise how
Southern White people turned down gay people.

Hey, it's not just Texas. Other states have the same attitude.

PuyoPiyo · 08-14-2007, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VamPyroX

Hey, it's not just Texas. Other states have the same attitude.

Agree, not only Texas.

RedheadGrrl · 08-14-2007, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VamPyroX

Hey, it's not just Texas. Other states have the same attitude.

Thats right!! I agree!

blackcrow · 08-15-2007, 06:19 AM

Wright called the church's claim about the pictures "a bold-faced lie." She said she provided numerous family pictures of Sinclair, including some with his partner, but said none showed men kissing or hugging.

Whoa! Pastor lied...wait a min...I am not THAT surprised. I've met a lot of pastors who deceived a lot of informations like that and they will be punished for being homosexual offenders. I didn't say we will punish them, the one above us will do for the judgement.

Pacman · 08-15-2007, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deafilmedia

well we Black people don't go to all white Church for funeral in Memphis.

I went to an all white Dentist office here in Mississippi...
and White people there were surprised.

They don't want me in there because I am Black.... but I went there
anyway... I don't care.

And of course this is TEXAS.... south. So I ain't surprise how
Southern White people turned down gay people.

Not always, it's usually in suburb or rural area of southeast usa are more conservative than in urban, plus along with inner suburb, also southeast isn't alone, there's alot conservative in some part of midwest, as well.

Black people has nothing with gay people, you can't compare that.

MetroGuy03 · 08-17-2007, 12:46 PM

That is very disappointing news. I find it as extremely bigot and selfish of this mega church who turned it down because he is gay. Let God takes care of this problem.

As for Deafmedia,

You digust me completely. Cut the craps! You're trying to make people to feel sorry for you. I don't give a damn about you at all because of your negative attitudes toward to gays, deaf people and hearing people! Your posts are totally unnecessary! You deserved to get banned for that.

Anyway. Let's get back to the topic.

Pacman · 08-17-2007, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetroGuy03

That is very disappointing news. I find it as extremely bigot and selfish of this mega church who turned it down because he is gay. Let God takes care of this problem.

As for Deafmedia,

You digust me completely. Cut the craps! You're trying to make people to feel sorry for you. I don't give a damn about you at all because of your negative attitudes toward to gays, deaf people and hearing people! Your posts are totally unnecessary! You deserved to get banned for that.

Anyway. Let's get back to the topic.

Yup, we need buy hammer then destroy deafilmedia's special laptop and kill AOL.

MetroGuy03 · 08-17-2007, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacman

Yup, we need buy hammer then destroy deafilmedia's special laptop and kill AOL.

I have a hammer! LOL!

SxySpicyGrrl · 08-21-2007, 04:35 PM

Yep! its so sad to see a chruch not willing to do that what a SHAME!!!

Mizzou · 08-29-2007, 05:36 PM

Not sure if you know I am strong southern baptist here and I am gay. I see some gay went to baptist and likely 'hide'. I went to gay chruch (wonderful) and friendly people there. They been talk about their family's church and how it been differcult on them.

I can see that.

I know states has vary thoughts around. Smiles!

HappyBoi · 08-29-2007, 11:46 PM

Wow. =( he fought for his country & this is how they repay him? RIP.

08-11-2007, 04:33 PM	#1 (permalink)
RedheadGrrl Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,743	Church Cancels Memorial for Gay Vet News - Church Cancels Memorial for Gay Vet ARLINGTON, Texas (Aug. 10) - A megachurch canceled a memorial service for a Navy veteran 24 hours before it was to start because the deceased was gay. Officials at the nondenominational High Point Church knew that Cecil Howard Sinclair was gay when they offered to host his service, said his sister, Kathleen Wright. But after his obituary listed his life partner as one of his survivors, she said, it was called off. "It's a slap in the face. It's like, 'Oh, we're sorry he died, but he's gay so we can't help you,"' she said Friday. Wright said High Point offered to hold the service for Sinclair because their brother is a janitor there. Sinclair, who served in the first Gulf War, died Monday at age 46 from an infection after surgery to prepare him for a heart transplant. The church's pastor, the Rev. Gary Simons, said no one knew Sinclair, who was not a church member, was gay until the day before the Thursday service, when staff members putting together his video tribute saw pictures of men "engaging in clear affection, kissing and embracing." Simons said the church believes homosexuality is a sin, and it would have appeared to endorse that lifestyle if the service had been held there. "We did decline to host the service - not based on hatred, not based on discrimination, but based on principle," Simons told The Associated Press. "Had we known it on the day they first spoke about it - yes, we would have declined then. It's not that we didn't love the family." Simons said the decision had nothing to do with the obituary. He said the church offered to pay for another site for the service, made the video and provided food for more than 100 relatives and friends. "Even though we could not condone that lifestyle, we went above and beyond for the family through many acts of love and kindness," Simons said. Wright called the church's claim about the pictures "a bold-faced lie." She said she provided numerous family pictures of Sinclair, including some with his partner, but said none showed men kissing or hugging. The 5,000-member High Point Church was founded in 2000 by Simons and his wife, April, whose brother is Joel Osteen, well-known pastor of the 38,000-member Lakewood Church in Houston. Now High Point meets in a 432,000-square-foot facility in Arlington, near Dallas. Wright said relatives declined the church's offer to hold the service at a community center because they felt it was an inappropriate venue. It ultimately was held at a funeral home, but the cancellation still lingered in some minds, she said.

08-11-2007, 04:44 PM	#2 (permalink)
WhiteWolves64 ADers are ROCKS!!!!!!!!! Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,008	That is really so STUPID and SAD for this church declined the service for this deceased GAY vet... SMH!!!!!!! What happened to "love your neighbors"? I guess this Church is so CLOSED minded!!!! Geez Whiz!!!!!!!! __________________ Check it out if you are Transgender and your significant others, families, friends, and allies (SOFFA) are welcome to that group. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TransDeaf/

08-12-2007, 08:05 AM	#6 (permalink)
Pacman dunno dunno Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 12,098	Damn, WTF at church, they are fucking conservative. I'm suggest that they need goes to metro church or other church if support gay, also that will great if their family (that's decreased vet) would take legal action on church. __________________ Oh damn, don't mess with me

08-13-2007, 11:14 AM	#7 (permalink)
christlovedeaf Pices Guy Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: toledo,ohio Posts: 1,868	It is very unchristlike church. Honor the gossipers, liars, backstabbing, but gays, sorry. You know what? There are many churches are like stumbling blocks. Jesus talked about it. As Jesus said, God is more tolerable to Tyre, Sodom and Gomorrah, but intolerable toward religious leaders. Many churches don't teaches that. I said, it is sad, sad, sad. Bec, the more churches twisting and etc, will do lot more damage in society. It is very horrible things to do and its pharisee reputation than Christ's reputation. And has nothing to do with being open minded. Problem is, they look at labels, not who the person is. Who the person is alot different that label the person. __________________ I can only imagine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV9jiqS-74g

08-14-2007, 03:45 PM	#14 (permalink)
*VamPyroX* bloody phreak from hell Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Hell Posts: 25,832	Gee... that's fucked up! __________________ Check out my city... CLICK HERE! (If you already visited yesterday, visit again today!)

Today
Deafness	Sponsored Links __________________ This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members. Register your free account today and become a member on AllDeaf.com

08-11-2007, 07:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
Calphool Hello There! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Des Moines, IA Posts: 198	This seems very wrong to me. Regardless of who this guy was, or how he lived his life, he was a man and he impacted the lives of his friends and family. A funeral is for the living, not the deceased -- it helps people remember their loved one, and to begin healing. This pastor must be utterly clueless, or the leadership within his church must be extremely closed minded (and questionable Christians). There is no point in hurting a family that has just lost their loved one, regardless of how he/she lived his life. Murderers have funerals in churches for crying out loud! Rolling a body into a church, and saying some kind and calming words to a hurting family has nothing to do with "supporting a gay agenda". Let's say the church went ahead and let the family put photos of this guy and his partner. How exactly does that suggest that the church membership is supporting his lifestyle? Are they trying to suggest that in all their history of all their funerals they NEVER had a photo of someone committing a sin? If they did have any such photo, how could they argue that this one is any different? They weren't supporting those other sins. These are the kinds of "Christians" that put stumbling blocks in the paths of their bretheren (1 Corinthians 8, Romans 14). These are the kinds of "Christians" who are more concerned with their own piety than reaching out to others in their time of need (Matthew 9:13). Woe to those who chose to do this... they will reap what they sow (Matthew 25:31-46). Somehow homosexuality has become a new "unforgivable sin", but Jesus said that the only unforgivable sin was blaspheming the holy spirit. Even if that church somehow construed this guy's lifestyle into blaspheming the holy spirit, that has NOTHING TO DO WITH CONDUCTING HIS FUNERAL. Clueless clueless clueless...

08-11-2007, 10:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
Deafilmedia Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1,579	There is nothing you can do about it.... Gay groups and gay activists are too small.... and yall rights are ignored completely.

08-13-2007, 03:58 PM	#10 (permalink)
RedheadGrrl Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,743	at first the church was accept to give the service till a chruch member saw the picture of him kissing and cuddle with other male. Then church changed their mind and canceled the service. Just bec of that. Why did they accept the first place since they knew he's gay? hmm? sigh!!

08-13-2007, 06:45 PM	#12 (permalink)
Freaky Cat Space - it's like heaven! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: ArKaNsAs Posts: 10,037	YEAH Its so sad to hear that the church is ignorant when it come to this? sure the guy is gay but he died for our country.. does that count? sheesh.. i agree that the church is closeminded.. sigh..

08-13-2007, 07:16 PM	#13 (permalink)
Deafilmedia Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1,579	well we Black people don't go to all white Church for funeral in Memphis. I went to an all white Dentist office here in Mississippi... and White people there were surprised. They don't want me in there because I am Black.... but I went there anyway... I don't care. And of course this is TEXAS.... south. So I ain't surprise how Southern White people turned down gay people.

08-15-2007, 06:19 AM	#18 (permalink)
blackcrow Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 22	Wright called the church's claim about the pictures "a bold-faced lie." She said she provided numerous family pictures of Sinclair, including some with his partner, but said none showed men kissing or hugging. Whoa! Pastor lied...wait a min...I am not THAT surprised. I've met a lot of pastors who deceived a lot of informations like that and they will be punished for being homosexual offenders. I didn't say we will punish them, the one above us will do for the judgement.

08-17-2007, 12:46 PM	#20 (permalink)
MetroGuy03 Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: Seattle, Washington Posts: 844	That is very disappointing news. I find it as extremely bigot and selfish of this mega church who turned it down because he is gay. Let God takes care of this problem. As for Deafmedia, You digust me completely. Cut the craps! You're trying to make people to feel sorry for you. I don't give a damn about you at all because of your negative attitudes toward to gays, deaf people and hearing people! Your posts are totally unnecessary! You deserved to get banned for that. Anyway. Let's get back to the topic.

08-21-2007, 04:35 PM	#23 (permalink)
SxySpicyGrrl Cannot wait for spring!!! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: California Posts: 1,109 Blog Entries: 1	Yep! its so sad to see a chruch not willing to do that what a SHAME!!!

08-29-2007, 05:36 PM	#24 (permalink)
Mizzou Where is my car ? Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: somewhere in Missouri Posts: 2,574	Not sure if you know I am strong southern baptist here and I am gay. I see some gay went to baptist and likely 'hide'. I went to gay chruch (wonderful) and friendly people there. They been talk about their family's church and how it been differcult on them. I can see that. I know states has vary thoughts around. Smiles!

08-29-2007, 11:46 PM	#25 (permalink)
HappyBoi Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 46	Wow. =( he fought for his country & this is how they repay him? RIP.