By Charles Layton
Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association officials will have lunch on Saturday with leaders of local and state gay rights advocates. The topic: Camp Meeting speaker Kirk Cameron’s condemnation of homosexuality.
Cameron was also invited, but declined.
According to Ocean Grove United’s co-chairs, Harriet Bernstein and Luisa Paster, the invitation to the Saturday luncheon was extended by Corey Bernstein (no relation), who is 17, a New Jersey resident and a leader in the movement against the bullying of gay and lesbian teenagers. He says he “endured brutal bullying at my former school because I am gay.”
Corey Bernstein
His invitation, addressed to Cameron, said in part: “In a kind, respectful and constructive way, we’d like to talk to you about the pain your words about being LGBT have personally caused me and other LGBT youth… We yearn to grow up in a world that provides us dignity and safety. That is our simple, most heartfelt dream.”
Cameron, a featured speaker at the Great Auditorium this weekend, has ignited protests because of a March 2 CNN interview in which he said homosexuality was “unnatural” and “destructive to so many of the foundations of civilization.”
While continuing its support for Cameron, the Camp Meeting Association has recently expressed an interest in establishing a dialogue with members of Ocean Grove’s gay community. The CMA also issued a statement last month saying it “does not support derogatory remarks about any groups or individuals.”
Kirk Cameron
Saturday’s luncheon is to be at the home of Harriet Bernstein and Luisa Paster. They said CMA President Dale Whilden and six or eight CMA trustees will attend. This was confirmed by Ralph Del Campo, the CMA’s acting administrator. “A few of us will be going and we’re looking forward to it,” he said.
Also attending will be members of Garden State Equality, a New Jersey gay rights organization, and some teenagers who have stories to tell about being bullied because they are gay.
Bernstein and Paster said in an email that they were “thrilled” that CMA officials “will be able to hear the personal stories of these young individuals.” One of the messages gay rights advocates are attempting to send is that harsh anti-gay rhetoric by religious leaders encourages bullying and helps generate a climate of persecution against gays.
Interpreting the Bible (Old and/or New Testaments) is akin to interpreting the Constitution (think 2nd Amendment)….you believe whatever you want to believe.
Wisher — The most interesting to me is Jesus’ statement that it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. People have been rationalizing that one for centuries. One trips over many such remarks in the New Testament, such as, “do not store up treasures on earth,” and Jesus’ advice to the rich man to sell all he had and give the money to the poor, and “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil,” and one should “keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have” and watch out for “filthy lucre” etc. — but it’s a theme that gets, in your words, “flexible and generous interpretations.” People — even strict constructionists — just cannot bring themselves to take those passages at face value.
It is extremely unlikely that the LGBT community will ever reverse Judeo-Christian or Muslim beliefs thousands of years old about marriage and homosexuality. This is not a PC issue nor a legal issue — it is a deep-seated religious belief system that is well accepted by a majority of Americans. In so trying, however, I believe that uncessary negativity is generated towards the LGBT cause of live and let live — which I believe a growing number of Americans support.
I am a strong supporter of the LBGT individuals’ rights to live and work in a tolerant environment. Further, I am very glad that there is a strong gay community in Ocean Grove, including — especially — my neighbors next door, who are great.
Provoking controversy over a single speaker who came to launch Camp Meeting Week, a reglious celebration, is unquestionably counterproductive.
Charles: Cherry-picking from the bible is a very interesting topic. For instance, many people have quite liberal, kind, flexible and generous interpretations of the commands of God in the Bible — when they want to.
The most interesting to me is remarriage, which Jesus condemned as living in a state of adultery. Yet you will never hear anyone saying that the remarried are destroying the foundations of civilization, destroying marriage, or harming children. A take-what-you-like-and-leave-the-rest approach is fine with me, as long as they who do this are equally tolerant and liberal when it comes to the views of others.
I’ve never heard a really good, smart defense of literal observance and interpretation of the Bible, but I’d like to. For instance, Ephesians chapter 5, verses 5 & 6. It seems outdated to me, but am I wrong? Are people expected to still follow that? Should all those slave laborers during WW2 have respected and obeyed their German masters? Or the women being sold into slavery now as prostitutes, are they expected to submit to that status with sincerity of heart? It seems a hard case to make. Whose advice is a person supposed to take on a question such as that?
So Bullets, selective interpretation and enforcement? Been to a good stoning lately because a woman mixed cotton and wool frabrics? Give up bacon, keeping to a strict Kosher diet and not serving dairy products on the same table as meat? Smashing your crockery after every meal? All these are Old Testament laws.
I think the point was, that according to the Gospels, Jesus didn’t have an opinion on the topic.
Anonymous look in the first half of the bible
I completely agree with “Let’s Move On.” I was disappointed that he changed the topic, but he was a very good speaker. Tolerance works both ways and we all still have a right to free speech even if what we say is not PC.
No where in the Gospels does Jesus offer an opinion on homosexuality that I can find. If it wasn’t important to Him why make an issue of it? Judge not, lest ye be judged, Someone once said that. Just agree to disagree, accept that other’s views that are different from yours, acknowledge differences, love one another and move on.
Did anyone else note that Kirk C. changed the topic of his sermon this [Sunday] morning away from the topic of marriage (which was printed in the program)? Obviously, he (or the CMA) was not looking to provoke any (more) controversy here. My view is that Kirk should be able to espouse his views, if supported by the teachings of the Bible, which I think he generally does. No conservative church supports gay marriage (or gay anything in the religious sphere) as most all of them would agree the Bible teaches the opposite. I was raised a Catholic and I can assure you that they do not support gay marriage either. I think the confrontation this week by the gay community only served to harden views, not change them.
Outside of CMA religious services, however, I think ANY lack of tolerance against the gay community is completely unacceptable. Gays should not try to influence religious beliefs of others and heterosexuals should be respectful of gays in the arena of day-to-day life.
Re: “Aggravated Curmudgeon’s” remark, I wholeheartedly agree. I hope the new leadership – Del Campo, Whilden, and Bailey can choose a variety of preachers, not just very conservative ones. And that minister from the Riverside Church was a GREAT preacher, who was invited back for many years.
Best wishes to the new regime, and thank you for being willing to have an dialogue with Ocean Grove’s gay community. Also thanks to the Trustees that attended the luncheon for having an open heart and open mind and visiting with these LGBT youth.
Why are almost all of the Sunday ministers fundamentalists, and why is there no longer a minister from the modern, liberal branch of Protestantism? Not so long ago, a minister from the Riverside Church in Manhattan was invited to preach every summer. No more. I’m surprised they still let Tony Campolo preach here.
Thank you, CMA, for taking the high road. I am straight, but homosexuality has run on my father’s side of the family for a few generations. I am convinced that it’s biologically based. All that those family members ever wanted was to live in peace with with everyone. Let’s keep striving for that goal. Love for all, despite their circumstances, is the most important precept that Jesus taught,
I would like to see the CMA work hard to protect Ocean Grove as a quiet, seaside community that is a place of rejuvenation, prayer and inspiration for all. Ocean Grove works smoothly as a diverse community. When I moved here, a gay friend of mine said Ocean Grove is unique in its blend of Christian, gays and people with disabilities. “It shouldn’t work, but it does,” is how he put it.
But if the CMA draws national attention with anti-gay statements, all that will surely change. The community now likes things quiet, I think. Some like Victorian restoration, or relaxation, and like the charm of the Christian activities. I know I do. But all that peace can change in a heart beat. It will change if the Ocean Grove brand becomes something like the Anita Bryant orange grove. Perceptions don’t even have to be true to have a damaging effect and draw the wrath of protesters.
Freedom of speech is great. But the responsibilities of speech have to be accepted and dealt with practicality.
Why should Ocean Grove become the poster child for gay issues that should be discussed at the state and national level, such as bullying and gay marriage?
Connecting the dots between what Kirk Cameron said once on TV and gay rights in our town is a stretch too far. Which gay person in OG will be harmed by his appearance here? Who is being bullied in this town? Where is the anti-gay rhetoric in Ocean Grove? Equality flags announce that equality is compromised in Ocean Grove. Is it really? Or is that something that needs to be argued in Trenton?
It’s ironic that the demonstrators will assert that the CMA should deprive a man of his free speech, while complaining that they themselves are not being treated equally.
People who don’t know the town will associate it with abuse of gays, and that is simply not the case.
Too bad Mr. Cameron chose to not attend. He might have learned and benefited from it.
When this controversy first began I feared OG would be a spectacle and look bad. Actually instead quite the opposite is happening. We are looking like a fine example of communication and understanding despite different points of view.
I salute OG United for the very professional, peaceable, and civil manner in which they present themselves and are addressing this matter.
I hope that the lunch is delicious and that minds and hearts are opened.