CHURCH LEADERS CONDEMN SENATOR FOR HATE SPEECH

In a debate over a bill to extend health benefits to same-sex partners of state employees, Colorado state Senator Scott Renfroe equated homosexuality with murder.

LezGetReal.com reported:

Quoting the Bible on the Senate floor, Renfroe said gays are an “abomination” and an “offense to God” … “have committed a detestable act and they shall surely be put to death,” and then went on to compare homosexuality with murder - both sins, he said, that the state has no business making “legally OK.”

His outrageous comments caught the attention of several local church leaders. Rev. Richard Craft, interim pastor at Family of Christ Presbyterian Church of Greeley, said in a statement issued by the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado:

“As a Christian, I am profoundly saddened by the hate speech uttered by Sen. Renfroe in the name of God… Such speech is not simply an expression of neutral opinion; it emboldens attitudes of exclusion and even violence against our neighbors, whom we are called upon to love. And, it feeds the growing idea that Christianity is a religion of hate.”

The Rev. Dr. Dan Geslin, pastor at Sixth Avenue United Church of Christ in Denver added…

“I am concerned that the beliefs held by Senator Renfroe continue to be the proclamation of the Christian church and that all are left with the impression that this is Christianity’s view on the matter. As an ordained Christian minister, I follow Jesus’ way of love and understand Christianity not to be an imperialistic religion, but a spirituality of service. Senator Renfroe’s remarks demonstrate a belief system that is anything but loving.”

The Alliance's statement urged legislators to enact SB 88, which the Senate passed on Monday by an almost 2 to 1 margin of 22-12. The Alliance vowed to “work with” Gov. Bill Ritter to make sure it was signed into law.

BTW - last week the bill was also attacked in an advertising campaign that was financed and produced by the equally vitriolic and hate-filled Focus on the Family.

It's really great to see the other, more humane side of Christianity standing up to the religious, right-wing thugs.

If you want to hear Senator Refroe's full comment, check out the YouTube video below...