New Southern Baptist Curriculum Bashes Gays

Sometimes it's hard to know which Christian denomination treats gays more horridly. Having been raised - and brainwashed - as a Catholic, I'm fully aware of that denominations hominid attacks against gays, especially under the current morally bankrupt Pope and his henchmen bishops. The Southern Baptist Convention ("SBC") is little better and I've known quite a few gays struggling to recover from what can only be described as psychological abuse during their religious upbringing. But apparently, the SBC feels that the "princes" of the Catholic Church are out dong it in terms of striving to demonize gays and making our lives a living Hell. Not ironically, the SBC seems to have sex abuse by clergy issues only topped by those of the Catholic Church, a far larger denomination. Hence, apparently, a new SBC curriculum that is particularly heinous in its treatment of gays. Religion Dispatches looks this hate filled and lie filled curriculum. Here are highlights:

Today, teenagers in many Southern Baptist churches are hearing about homosexuality through a curriculum called “Known.” . . . . One module, however, stands out for its sheer nastiness. The module on homosexuality (contained in the Insights, Options, Bonus section of Known 13) reads like something that could have been produced by the Family Research Council or Americans for Truth About Homosexuality. That is to say, it’s completely hateful.

I am horrified because teenagers coming to terms with their sexuality will be told that homosexuality is “vile and shameful” and “against God’s design for godly, holy living.” They will also be told that gay and lesbian people “consistently choose what is morally wrong.”

[T]he creators of Known are not interested in letting the facts get in the way of scaring the hell out of young people who may be struggling with their sexuality. They simply want to drive home the message that homosexuality is “vile” and all gay people are morally suspect not just in their sexuality but apparently in every aspect of their lives.

the homosexuality unit degrades and debases gays and lesbians—and loving them is only mentioned in the last paragraph. "We must also choose to love people in spite of their sin. If we love people, we will seek ways to share the gospel with them. What steps will you take to share the gospel with people you know who are enslaved to sexual sin?" Got that? Love them—by sharing the condemnation that you have just learned.

Some will certainly take the SBC bait, hook, line, and sinker, becoming the anti-gay zealots of the next generation. But for others, this may be the unit that pushes them away from the church—especially those closeted teens—and that is sad. Still others—those struggling teens, perhaps—could even be driven to suicide by this hateful and bullying lesson.

Has I have noted many times, today's conservative Christians - be they Catholic or Baptist - are best defined by their hatred of others. They have betrayed the Gospel message and are the strongest argument to be found for why one would not want to be known as a Christian.