Just saw a UCC commercial

[lcalise]

So, has anyone else seen this United Church of Christ commercial that shows a traditional (i.e. whitebread and prejudiced) family going into a church? The camera then spans to a presumably single mom with her baby and a overtly homosexual couple who are consequently “ejected” from the church? The end line is something like “God doesn’t reject people-- Neither do we.”

While I really don’t care if people think traditional Christians are prejudiced (I know those people exist), does anyone know how they can morally approve things like pre/non-marital sex and homosexuality? I thought that the Bible uses pretty specific language about these issues and I wonder how people get around that.

 

[coyote]

I think that the message of the ads, at least in part, is that no one, regardless of the nature of their sin, will be rejected at this church.
How is that message objectionable?
Is your church made up exclusively of certified non-sinners?

 

[lcalise]

coyote:

Is your church made up exclusively of certified non-sinners?

No, but that doesn’t change my confusion in the commercial.

Do they consider premartital sex or homosexuality sinful? The commercial suggests that they don’t. Therefore, I’m wondering how they can morally justify the two.

That’s what I meant. Response?

 

[franco_antonio]

coyote:

I think that the message of the ads, at least in part, is that no one, regardless of the nature of their sin, will be rejected at this church.
How is that message objectionable?
Is your church made up exclusively of certified non-sinners?

Right! no one will be rejected unless they repent,
but this church does not tolerate to live in sin like homosexual couple.

 

[slyboots]

That is a commercial for the UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST not the Church of Christ as it is practiced in the Bible belt of the U.S.
Believe me, it’s a different church entirely.

 

[Crumpy]

I would give them credit, at least, for trying to reach out to sinners.

Jesus loved sinners, but told them to stop sinning. The CC is not very delicate about that.

 

[coyote]

lcalise:

No, but that doesn’t change my confusion in the commercial.

Do they consider premartital sex or homosexuality sinful? The commercial suggests that they don’t. Therefore, I’m wondering how they can morally justify the two.

That’s what I meant. Response?

I don’t get that from the ads at all. I think it is a reaction to doctrinal bigotry that many have experienced.

And, what is to be done about sin that has already happened. It can’t be undone. So, if a young woman has a child that was conceived outside of marriage is she to be continuously chastised and refused entrance into the church? What about homosexual partners who live celibate but still share a household? How is anyone going to know the intimate details of the lives of others?

Some have sins that can be seen, most sins can not be seen or discerned by onlookers. Are we to select and persecute those who’s sins are easiest to see while excusing those that have sins that can’t be seen?

 

[cathgal]

lcalise:

No, but that doesn’t change my confusion in the commercial.

Do they consider premartital sex or homosexuality sinful? The commercial suggests that they don’t. Therefore, I’m wondering how they can morally justify the two.

That’s what I meant. Response?

That commercial is ambiguous and it’s probably their intention of having it that way. If they say such sins are tolerated, then they’ll be criticized. If they give the impression that such sins are tolerated, then they’ll have new members.
They sure know something about marketing don’t they…

 

[Fredricks]

This is more of a Protestant internal issue.
It is becoming obvious that the UCC is slipping further and further away from traditional Christian teachings about most things. They do ordain practicing homosexuals, and the seminary graduates I have met, are, well Bishop Spong clones.
Having said that, there is an imagery we use in our circles about the Body of Christ. That his right hand, outstreched is the more conservative members of his body and the left hand is the more liberal. I am in no way suggesting the UCC are not part of the body of Christ, I would suspect the majority of the laity accepts the divinity of Christ, his saving power, and have been baptized.
No doubt, one can leave the body of
Christ. The Unitarians come to mind as they were once the most liberal branch of Christianity and are now mostly pagans, agnostics, and few Christians(mainly in the South and Northeast a Unitarian minister told me once).
I pray for their church. I know that I just read an article about their membership loses and how many churches have left their denomination to become independent, or joined some of the Congregational movements.
Personally we should welcome all to our churches. We should not compromise our message but we must reach out to all.
I had a minister tell me something one time. A United Methodist minister once relayed a story about an atheist who was coming to his church with his wife I believe. The atheist asked him what he thought about this since he did not believe. The minister said, 'we welcome everyone, no matter where they are in their walk with Christ, even those who have not started".
Amen. We should teach the truth. But we must welcome all.

 

[IanS]

If you ever want instant popularity all you have to do is come up with a way to use the Word of God to justify a particular sin. After all, that is what Satan did to our Lord in the dessert. The world will sing you praises! Unfortunately, the world is all you are appealing to and the world is where your praise begins and ends.

I went to a UCC Marriage Encounter about 10 years ago and I think it’s safe to say that most of their Christian Theology revolved around Woodstock. Nice people, but they very much had a “hippie” slant on Sacred Scripture.

 

[mrs_abbott]

“God doesn’t reject people-- Neither do we.”

While I really don’t care if people think traditional Christians are prejudiced (I know those people exist), does anyone know how they can morally approve things like pre/non-marital sex and homosexuality? I thought that the Bible uses pretty specific language about these issues and I wonder how people get around that.

Nowadays it’s all about feeling good and getting along. The teachings get side-swiped and those churches don’t have any long-term stability.