Youngstown church welcomes gay, bisexual, lesbians to its congregation

Wow, it is true. The suburbians want everything and they don't care who they hurt to get it.

Sorry that was meant to go towards another article.

I had to laugh when I read this. The Unitarians aren't a church! The're just a collection of ultra-liberals, acamedians, tree huggers and other leftist fringe. In other words, people who have never gotten their hands dirty with honest toil. You never see a Unitarian Universalist Church
unless there's a college nearby. They can welcome whomever they want, but they really should drop the "church" from their name.

I had to laugh when I read Anita's post. Ignorant people are always the first ones to say things like "The Unitarians aren't a church!" and to talk about "honest toil" as if only physical or manual labor are "honest". Yes, normally you don't see a Unitarian Church unless there is a college nearby. I guess we can be glad Youngstown got a college in place years before the "honest" work of the steel mills went overseas. Without one, this community would have even more people like Anita in it: people who think that their way is the only way.

funny.
bisexual
FindBilover.com

Anita, do your research. You are truly uninformed about the Unitarian Universalist CHURCH. To which church did Thomas Jefferson belong? Look it up. And thank God the Unitarian Universalist CHURCH draws so largely from the academic community. Our country needs people who can think filling its pews.

Kudos to the Unitarian Universalist Church for their courageous decision.

Tell it, Lucy!

Oh and Anita, The Unitarian Church began in Youngstown in 1892...before the University. Visit our website at uuyo.org for more information.

Thanks, Bob Hogue and Cbarzak!

I'm so sick and disgusted with gays throwing there "gayness" in my face. It's unholy, depraved and sick. They'd all better be praying to God for forgiveness.

Hey Tomcat, get educated: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/745658...
It's nature. From where I'm sitting, you're the one who should be asking for forgiveness.

When you go to bed at night, behind closed doors, why in the world would you worry about what others are doing? Good for the Unitarians. Down with haters.

"I'm so sick and disgusted with gays throwing there "gayness" in my face."

How does one throw THEIR gayness in your face? By going to church? By being involved in the community? By asking for equal rights? By not hiding behind closed doors? How?

Tomcat, buddy, the world is changing and you'd better just get used to it. We aren't going anywhere.

I respect the Unitarian Church for taking this step.

Hey Robert,
Remember Col. Fitts, USMC from "American Beauty"? That's TOMCAT! Look how that turned out.

Anita- I had to laugh when I read your comment. Clearly, you don't know many unitarians and know even less about our local church. For our history, you can refer to Lucy's comment. Never got our hands dirty with honest toil? Perhaps you aren't familiar with the work many of our members have done with "treez please". Search the vindy site, Ralph and Frank's "church" referred to in the article would be the Unitarian church. Or maybe you haven't heard of the North-side Farmer's market, held on our grounds every summer. Google that one. My six year old son is currently growing forty eight tomato plants and will sell the fruits of his labor at the market. Granted, he is indeed guilty of "tree-hugging" (and climbing) but I assure you he is working hard and getting his hands quite dirty as he tends to his plants. I hope the other students in his class are more open-minded about his "leftist fringe" ways as he plans on donating the money back to his school's greenhouse. I could go on about the different ways local unitarians continue to engage in honest toil to better our community but instead, I encourage you to come visit us and see what we are all about before you judge. You will be most welcome.

Many thanks to the rest of the folks who voiced their support about our recent step.

Sorry, but I'm homophobic and darn proud of it. If you can say that the horrific porn that goes on in the gay community is "OK", well, I feel sorry for you. Check out the big gay party in San Francisco each year. Check out the LOGO channel. They have men making out and one was standing up defecating on the floor. It's putrid and sick. They are shoving it in the children's faces in the schools. Fine, go ahead and stand up for this disgusting life style. I will stand my ground, it's unholy and their marriages are unholy alliances.

Maybe you're not aware there's straight porn with women urinating and defecating, so what this has to do with the gay lifestyle, I'm not sure. You can argue this kind of porn is disgusting, but that has nothing to do with gay or straight; it's a fetish.

And why gays can't have parties like everyone else isn't clear either. As to "shoving it in the children's faces in the schools," again you haven't exactly cited anything that helps create a frame of reference, so this is impossible to reasonably discuss with you.

The only thing disgusting here is the holier-than-thou attitude coming from those who otherwise preach "judge not lest ye be judged".

Dear Tyler, I guess you lead a sheltered life and maybe that's a good thing. If you could see the specticals at the Folsum Street Fair in San Fransicko and the other gay parades, it's just pathetic. That LOGO channel is not a pay per view either. Any child could come across it like i did when scanning through the channels. The GLTBi's or whatever you guys are, now want to be allowed in any bathroom you feel like. Maybe you get up in the morning and feel like you're a girl that day - well, you could walk into a girls room in a school or park or where ever, and traumatize a poor kid. Why are some schools having "gay day's" so they can indoctrinate your lifestyle on poor innocent children. That's all what I mean about shoving it in my face. I'm sick of turning on the freakin TV or opening the paper and having to look at 2 men kissing each other (or visa versa). I'm sick of it. I never had a problem with gays before as long as I didn't have to be constantly barraged by them. You just don't get it do you. You don't see what you folks are doing. It sure isn't making you popular by any stretch of the mind.

Way to go, Tomcat!! Too bad these people have too much "gay pride" to see how others are seeing them . "Straight pride" people act normal, not like a bunch of lunatics who are trying to make people believe they are just like everyone else while they are playing dress-up and acting disgusting in front of the whole world.

Tomcat, What, exactly is the "vice versa" of two men kissing each other? Two men kissing each other? It's hard to take you seriously when you have, well let's just call it a less than firm grasp on the English language.

I am glad that my children are finally seeing positive images of LGBTQ people in the media. It's about time. My daughters make no distinction between our gay, lesbian, bisexual, or heterosexual friends. It's unfortunate that my husband and I have also had to teach them about homophobia. People like you have made those teachings necessary. You're tired of "gayness?" I'm tired of hatred.

Not that it matters, but you seem to have assumed that because Tyler is advocating for LGBTQ rights that he must be gay. He's not. Neither am I. Nor are others who have posted here, standing beside our LGBTQ friends. In other words, you and those who think as narrowly as you do are more and more alone in your views every day.

hmm, well lets see Tomcat, maybe you should block that channel or possibly even stop paying for it. It's funny how you know all about the gay life, parties, channels, porn, etc...And what Tv shows are you watching or Newspapers are you reading that you see 2 men kissing? kinda makes me go hmmmmmmm

As for myself I applaud the church in doing so and I may even attend. Wait, if I attend does that mean I'm gay? Actually Tomcat, if I'm straight or gay doesn't really matter because I've learned that everyone is different and I, unlike you, accept that and respect people regardless of what they think or who they are, even you. So watch PBS and read the Bible, you should be safe in your little world.

I am not familiar with the doctrine of the Unitarian Universalist Church, but as a Christian and a clergyman, I am familiar with ours. Christian Churches should, and are morally bound to admit gays. But those who join a Christian Church have to understand Christianity's position on homosexuality. The Bible says quite plainly in both the Old and New Testament that homosexuality is an abomination, and a sin. No matter what anyone says to me, they cannot circumvent God’s Word. I think homosexual tendencies are a cross to bear, and He will not put more on you than you can bear. In a nutshell, homosexuality angers God.

Does that mean that we are to condemn, chastise, ostracize, and ridicule gays? God Forbid. It means that in the eyes of God, no matter which way you try to spin it, it is against God's Law. However, saying that a lifestyle is a sin is not spewing hate. It becomes hate, when people let their own fears, or their own religious zeal get in the way of what God wants. God does not want us to beat them, but to love them. Even we in the clergy do not sit on such a high horse, that we have the right to judge others. I am not at all homophobic. I can work and joke with a gay person just as easily as a straight person. Does it mean that I approve of your lifestyle? No. Does it mean that I am goign to let your lifestyle get influence how I treat you? No. We are ALL God's children, and we are required to love each other accordingly.

Everyone has their own issues to deal with, and no one is without sin. Just because a sin is accepted in some societies, and growing in popularity in others, it doesn't mean that it is not sin. However, God is love, and love is kind, and unconditional. There are examples in the Bible of when Jesus intervenes on the behalf of a sinner who has been verbally (or even physically) attacked by a group "believers".

All sin is sin, regardless of the perceived magnitude of the sin. All sin will keep you out of heaven. Not just homosexuality. To have the audacity to look down on someone for their lifestyle is laughable, when we have SO many of our own flaws. "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." Matthew 7:5

To make my point plain, God loves the sinner, but not the sin. We should do the same.

Minister D, while I applaud your message of acceptance of all people, the repeated use of the word "lifestyle" in reference to homosexuality implies that sexual orientation and gender identity are choices--akin to choosing a neighborhood or a hairstyle. Sexuality and spirituality are interconnected. A church that ignores a person's sexual orientation/gender identity under the premise of being accepting is contributing to a culture of homophobia.

As for the Bible, while your interpretation is certainly the most common and the most simplistic, the passages most often cited as evidence that homosexuality is a sin are debatable and have been debated. I'm sure you know that. Still, it's refreshing to hear a Christian minister focusing on Christ's message of love.

If you need to learn more about the Unitarian Universalist principles, visit uua.org.

Clayor, thank you for seeing my side and thank the good minister for his understanding of what i have been trying to say. I find it very funny that some folks here are more worried about my use of the English language than the point I am trying to get across. Flaunting their lifestyle in a sick and deviated way is what I find offensive. They just can't understand that. Like the good Minister said, it is a sin in God's eyes. I know you may not believe this, but I have had gay friends and acquaintances during my lifetime. These people did not "flaunt" it. I got along fine with them. These day's they want to shove it down our throats and that is where my tolerance ends. Enough is enough.

Tomcat, We use the apostrophe with an s to make words possessive, not plural. The word days in the phrase "these days" does not require an apostrophe. You might also want to review how to correctly use pronouns. Your points, if you actually have any, are undermined by your inability to use standard English past a fourth or fifth grade level.

Tomcat knows an awful lot about gay culture. Methinks, perhaps, too much. I wonder how many late late nights he "accidentally" watches LOGO for an extended period of time. I'd love to check out his browser history and see just how many times he has checked out the "specticals" he describes...and misspells.

And Clayor...have you ever played "dress-up"? It's super fun. Come on girlfriend, grab some glitter...let's go dancing!

First of all, not all LGBT people shove it down the throats of others. LOGO is a station for LGBT people and encompasses many of our various characteristics and interests. For someone who claims to have gay acquaintances, you apparently aren't very tolerant at all. I wonder, Tomcat, if you speak this way to your LGBT "friends." You apparently don't respect anyone unless they share your close-minded belief system.

As for Univeral Unitarians, way to go! Perhaps I'll stop by sometime. And also good work with Treez Please in the community, it's wonderful community institustions like you that have always invested in our urban communities and have continued to increase the quality of life within them.

First I will address Lucy. I could care less about you're English lesson and how you so sarcastically say I am at a fourth or fifth grade level. I'm sure I make more money than you do.
Robert - I do not go looking for gay crap! When I happened on that LOGO channel, I thought I was watching a normal movie. When I saw what was going on, I immediately called and had it deleted from my channel line up. The next day, I put in a complaint to the FCC. Any child in my home could have also happened onto that porno site. I don't care to look at same sex ANYTHING!!! Why can't you just go back into your closet's where you belong!!!! Let's see....is that plural......

Tomcat, It's your, not you're and closets not closet's.

Oh, and I wasn't being sarcastic. I was being truthful. Your writing, Tomcat, is at a fourth or fifth grade level at best. I hope you enjoy all of the money you make; clearly, it's done nothing to improve your quality of life or you wouldn't feel the need to write so hatefully about a group of people in whom you claim not to have any interest.

You began your rant by accusing gay people of "throwing their gayness" in your face, and yet, the article to which you've responded is only about a church making sure LGBTQ people feel welcome. What that news has to do with gay porn, excrement, the LOGO channel, or your deep and meaningful friendships with appropriately closeted gay people is unclear.

Ive been quietly reading the comments and generally don't see any point in correcting those who are ignorant of biblical context, my own religion, and/or concepts of acceptance because experience has taught me that minds that are closed generally don't respond to reason. Still, it is out of compassion that I feel the need to intervene into Tomcat's diatribe. Sir, with all due respect, I am becoming embarrassed for you. You do write on a fifth grade level at best. Your "arguments" are completely devoid of logic and tell the common reader way more about yourself than you probably want them to know. Please, before you continue to make a spectacle of yourself, take a moment and reflect upon how you are presenting yourself. I mean this in the kindest way possible sir. You are coming across as a brain damaged sociopath. I am hoping the impression you are creating is the result of lack of judgment and self-awareness as opposed to the reflection of a truly disturbed individual. I will warn you up front, I do not intend to engage in any personal attack wars but hope you take this in the spirit that it's meant. For the record, I am a (heterosexual) married mother of two small children and I find viewpoints like yours to be much more harmful to them than anything Ive ever encountered on TV or in person in regards to those who happen to be LBGTQ. From this point forward, I will not be reading comments posted by you, and recommend that others engaged in this dialogue not encourage you any further either. Please stop talking sir and seek professional help.

As for LOGO...I find it to be pretty tame. They bleep naughty words and pixelate nudity. You can find much worse on Cinemax, HBO, Showtime, MTV, BET, VH1, and even Lifetime and Bravo.

I still don't understand exactly what constitutes "throwing gayness" in someone's face. Tell us Tom...other than having a TV channel that no one can force you to watch and congregating at a church that you don't have to associate with...how is the gay community "flaunting" their "horrific porn" in your face?

I get the idea from reading your posts that you expect homosexuals to either change, or remain silent and out of sight. Understand this. We will go to church. We will get married. We will have children. We will become productive members of society. Many of us already do and are. As I said before, the world is changing. People are becoming educated and giving up the fear/hate doctrines of old. It is only a matter of time. Closets...are for gowns.

Well I see I am the only hetro in this whole blog. That's OK, I can take it - I'm a man!!!!! Are any of you????. Have any of you been to war? Have any of you had to fight for your right to be gay? Have you been to Korean, Nam, Iraq? You had better be thankful that our real guys are over there protecting your rights to be gay. Gee, so now you are calling me (CRSE) "a brain damaged sociopath and devoid of logic". This is becoming the biggest joke of the century. Go back and start at the beginning. I only started with two sentences "I'm so sick and disgusted with gays throwing there "gayness" in my face. It's unholy, depraved and sick. They'd all better be praying to God for forgiveness".
I find it amazing that so many of you have ganged up on me and are trying to tell me that I don't have the right to express my feelings. Sorry, but this is still the USA and I have the right to my feelings. If you don't like it, lump it!!!! You can call me names and put me down, but I'm telling you what you don't want to hear. Gayness and the LGBT or whatever you want to call it is unholy and that's all I have to say. May God forgive you all for your sins.

You have a right to your feelings. Everyone else has a right to tell you that you are wrong, insane, and make up whatever you want to believe instead of facing reality (for example, your above post saying that you are the only straight person here, when others have clearly identified themselves as heterosexuals, not to mention your obvious ignorance to the fact that many LGBTQ men and women serve in our armed services and have throughout history--unfortunately they go unacknowledged because of this society's ignorance and hypocrisy.) You also seem offended because others have put you down and called you names. Well then, perhaps you can now understand how it feels to a LGBTQ person when you call them the names you have in this thread, and put them down as you have done here. May God forgive you for your own sins.

Well, as much fun as this has been, I'm starting to find Tomcat's (Tomcat: note the correctly used apostrophe) contributions more disturbing than amusing.

Thanks to all who spoke up in support of the Unitarian Universalist church. We welcome you...even the heteros ;)

Well, well, well..our dear Lucy is now an English teacher, Robert wants to play dress-up with me, Cbar speaks in tongue ( I use the term loosely) and poor Tomcat is getting harrassed because he has an apostrophe problem. What's wrong with this picture? The issue here is homosexuality, period. What you do in your own little closet is your business, and your problem if you do it improperly, but I don't want to see you do it. When you force it upon others blatantly for shock value, it does become an issue. When children see it, it becomes a bigger issue. When all these fag/drag queens start parading their stuff and antics in public for kids to see, that IS a problem. They can find their own sexuality as they grow, they do NOT need to have outside stimulation from people who still don't know where they are coming from. (pardon the pun)..I am neither condoning or criticizing your lifestyle, merely saying act responsibly, look around you and see who sees you and how they perceive you, and occasionally look UP to see who is looking down on you and think how HE reacts to your actions.

Well folks, you have tried to humiliate me as much as you can. Very ironic coming from true Christians. Read back some of the stuff you have called me. Glad the military still has the no ask, no tell policy. It's not so bad for grown adults to have to share a shower or close quarters with queers, but for a child to have to endure such perversion is quite another thing. It truly is the time of Sodom and Gomorrah. Time for me to re-deploy. I wish you all the best. OOOOORaHHHH!!! ( oh, and thanks for the English lessons teacher)

Hey Lucy! This one's for you. '''''''''''''''''''''''