Sunday 16 August 2009

Anger at [Chelmsford] vicar's anti-gay preaching

Ed: Slightly old, but Chelmsford-related. I also note that Alan Comfort has now left Great Baddow, though he only arrived in March.

A VICAR is dividing the congregation with anti-gay preaching churchgoers claim.

But former footballer Alan Comfort, who took over at St Mary's in Great Baddow in March, insists he is simply preaching the views of the Bible, although he admits the Church of England's official stance isn't clear.

People have even plastered pro-gay stickers on the church fence reading "God loves Gay Christians."

One churchgoer, who did not want to be named, said: "It's not Christian to go around slagging people off.

"The church is supposed to be preaching love, not hate. At least that's my understanding.

"The minister is there to unite a congregation, not divide it.

"There is plenty to discuss, and no need to bring that subject up. He is entitled to his views, but the church is not the place for them." Read more
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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

It appears Alan Comfort has produced a letter for his congregation saying why he resigned. I believe it does not major on the 'gay issue'. I might be worth asking someone for a copy, before we assume too much.

Unknown said...

I have seen the letter. It very much does major on the gay issue.

Anonymous - would you like to tell us who you are (obviously you're not from Gt Baddow!)?

Anonymous said...

Why, I wonder, cannot the good people of Great Baddow (and, no doubt, lots of other places) distinguish between the people and what they do? No doubt God does love homosexuals - but does that mean he loves how they live and what they do? No doubt a church should be preaching love - but not love of any or every practice/conduct. No doubt God loved the perpetrators of the Holocaust - does that mean the CofE (in Gt Baddow, and other places) has to be "inclusive" of their conduct and acts? All the "inclusivity", "diversity" and the rest have fooled people into thinking that accepting people (loving them) means accepting them on their own terms, in their "natural" (sinful) state. Real love, of course, would mean leading people away from their self-destructive behaviour; the people who really hate homosexuals are those (like governments, etc.) who encourage their "lifestyle choices" and thus condemn them to degradation and death by hideous diseases, etc.

John Thomas said...

John, I think there's a problem on your site such that comments are loaded before contributiors have chance to give their name. The contributor of the large "Why I wonder..." piece (by me, John Thomas) is not the same as the previous Anonymous - who may have tried to leave his/her name.

Unknown said...

Thanks, John. The mechanics of the site are down to Blogger - something over which I have little or no control. However, when commenting, have a look at the radio buttons below the comment window ("Choose an identity") to see whether you are signing in on an account or as 'anonymous'. As you'll see, your last comment went in under your name, the previous as 'anon'.

Anonymous said...

Well according to St Mary's website Alan is back as Team Rector.

Unknown said...

Anonymous, despite this, I can guarantee you he is not!

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