Accepting Evangelicals
Would Jesus Discriminate?
On the evening of Saturday 6 October, Living
Springs Metropolitan Community Church, Bath launched a new outreach initiative
called Would Jesus Discriminate? The rally was held in the open air and was
presented by the Pastor of Living Springs, Rev Kieren Bourne and visiting
evangelist and gospel singer, Rev Delores Berry.
Rev Bourne highlighted that fact that churches used to use the Bible to
justify discrimination against women by preventing them becoming ordained and
also from gaining their right to vote. It also used the Bible to support
kidnap, torture and death by promoting slavery as a holy cause. He wondered
whether the mistakes made over the oppression of women and the promotion of
slavery are not now being repeated with gay and transgender people.
Rev Bourne said that it was a great sadness to him that there are many people
in the community who believe a lie that has emanated from some churches - the
lie that God hates them. He called upon spiritual and political leaders to
begin to work publicly for an end to identity-motivated discrimination and
violence and for people of goodwill to stand up for, and speak out on behalf
of all people whose lives are marginalised and jeopardised by hatred, bigotry
and sometimes, even, violence.
At the rally, members and friends of Living Springs gathered in solidarity and
wore Would Jesus Discriminate? t-shirts. They handed out postcards and
interacted with passers-by who were interested in what was going on. Rev
Delores sang three songs, including Orphans of God which proclaims that that
are no outcasts in God's kingdom.
A full transcript of Rev Bourne's short address, which was delivered in three
parts, can be found at
Would Jesus Discriminate.htm.
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