Sound The Trumpet : Celebrating Sin - United Church of Christ to Sponsor Gay Games

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“Celebrating Sin - United Church of Christ to Sponsor Gay Games”
by Prophecy New Watch
July 10th, 2014

In yet another shocking move of ‘firsts’ the United Church of Christ (UCC) has taken the initiative to financially support the upcoming Olympic-style ‘Gay Games 9’ due to be held in the UCC's national headquarters in Cleveland and Akron, Ohio from 9th to 16th August 2014. This makes the UCC first mainline denomination to provide major financial support to a gay event. As a denomination purportedly representing Christendom, the UCC has also pioneered the affirmation of equal marriage rights for same-sex couples and the first ordination of an openly gay man.

The Christian Post recently reported that the event, which takes place every four years and attracts LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) athletes, will also involve the active participation of church leaders who will help organize events for 30,000 participants in an effort to embrace the LBGT community via its "Faith in Cleveland" campaign. The UCC will also reportedly provide significant financial backing in the name of “diversity, inclusivity and acceptance of all” – also with an eye to cashing in on the $50 million in revenue that the event is expected to generate for the local economy.

In a show of active support and solidarity with UCC leadership, nearly 1,500 congregations (out of the UCC's over 5,000 in the U.S.,) based in northeast Ohio are also said to have affirmed their support for the games and had their financial contributions matched by the denomination. And the gay support church network has also spread beyond the UCC: there are about 17 “faith partners” of Gay Games 9, representing eight denominations, including the Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church, the Unitarian Universalist Church and a synagogue that is part of the Union for Reform Judaism.

According to Rev. Dr. J. Bennett Guess, a UCC national officer and its first openly-gay church executive: “Serving as a major sponsor of Gay Games 9 is a perfect fit because of the UCC's longstanding commitment to social justice issues…We pride ourselves on being a bold voice for progressive Christianity and look forward to offering the UCC's trademark 'extravagant welcome' to the athletes, volunteers and spectators."

A separate report on these developments was covered in the Huffington Post which related that on June 26, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the controversial Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prevented the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages legalized by the states. Since then, LGBT activism has seemingly sped up - particularly among religious institutions.

Tom Nobbe, executive director of Gay Games 9, praised the decision on the denomination's press release: “We're so appreciative to have the backing of United Church of Christ and other members of the faith community. UCC's sponsorship of the 2014 Gay Games on a national level amplifies their strong commitment to inclusion on and off the playing fields. Our partnership serves to illustrate the open and affirming atmosphere participants will experience when visiting Cleveland and Akron.”

These developments testify to the level of spiritual degeneration and apostasy that supposedly Christian churches are rapidly embracing. As the Huffington Post further reports, in April 2014 the United Church of Christ filed a lawsuit against the state of North Carolina for infringing upon the clergy's ability to perform same-sex marriages and more recently protested the Hobby Lobby case by handing out condoms in front of the store. In June, the U.S. Presbyterian Church voted to change its definition of marriage to allow for same-sex marriages in the states where they are legal.

It is sad that any professing church would embrace what God has clearly labeled an abomination, and disregard the consequences of committing abominations both in the Old Testament and the New:

Leviticus 18:22
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.

Revelation 21:27
But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Romans 1: 26-32
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

In view of the above scriptures, among many others, there is certainly no room for confusion and doubt that the homosexual/LGBT lifestyles. A clear case study is also found in the account of Sodom (the root word for sodomy) and Gomorrah, cities that were destroyed by God because of homosexuality (Genesis 19). And as Ruth Graham once aptly stated: “If God doesn’t punish America, He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”

The United Church of Christ (UCC), the Presbyterian church, and all other so called “faith partner” churches that condone, support or embrace the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender groups will one day answer to God for the souls they have helped destroy, instead of helping to liberate them from sexual bondages and perversions. No wonder Romans 1 emphasizes: “…who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them”.

The Bible is clear that God hates sin but loves the sinner and died to save them (John 3:16), yet those who refuse to repent of their sin - will not inherit eternal life. As Jesus so clearly said: “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). That repentance message is not being received or passed on to LGBT groups by United Church of Christ (UCC), the Presbyterian Church, and other like minded churches cozying up to them; rather they are joining them in their sin and encouraging and celebrating their depravities.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13