Straight sex sermon upsets rural Alabama town

[ccharles000]

(Good Hope, Alabama) It’s one thing for a church in a big city like Dallas or Atlanta to tackle the ticklish topic of sex. It blends in with the urban scene.

It’s another thing when a small-town congregation puts up billboards with the phrase “Great sex: God’s way” on rural highways to promote a sermon series. You can’t even legally buy beer in Cullman County, and a preacher is talking about S-E-X on Sunday morning?

Daystar Church, whose congregation has grown dramatically under pastor Jerry Lawson, has run up against the sensibilities of a conservative north Alabama community with a monthlong focus on sex.

Sex just isn’t an appropriate topic for church, some say, and others are upset over the church’s signs, which advertise the sermon series and accompanying Web site.

“It’s really stirred up the people here,” said Good Hope town clerk Joann Jones.

Evangelist Roland Belew, a self-described fundamentalist and former trucker who now preaches at a truck stop, said the whole idea goes against the teaching of New Testament apostles.

“Paul said preach the Gospel,” said Belew. “Talking about sex ain’t gonna get nobody to heaven.”

The controversy is a bit ironic considering the church’s overall point is about as straight-laced as they come: That God intends for sex to be enjoyed solely within a heterosexual marriage, and that anything else - adultery, pornography, homosexuality, even “sexual arousal” outside of marriage - is sin.

http://www.365gay.com/news/straight-sex-sermon-upsets-rural-alabama-town/

[Turbineguy]

1. The trick is to delay the service

so folks can sleep in and have sex before church.

[SacredCow]

2. I agree. Sex is dirty, awful, nasty, and sinful.

All fundie wackos should stop having sex IMMEDIATELY.

[Brazenly Liberal]

12. Well, it is if you do it right.

:evilgrin:

[SpiralHawk]

3. "We don't do sex. Smirk." - Republicon Evangelical Homelanders

"We just follow the Republicon Family Values example of Holy Republicons like David Vitter, Larry Craig, Jeff Gannon, Robert Allen, Ted Haggard, Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, etc. etc. etc. and all the other Annointed Ones. Smirk."

- Holier-Than-Thou Republicon Evangelical Homelanders

[BOSSHOG]

5. And don't forget the leader of the republican party

and his strong support for the sanctity of marriage.

[msongs]

4. so, what about Jesus' sex life? nt

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. Actually, Paul had quite a lot to say about sex.

He positively OBSESSED about it.

[Echo In Light]

7. They need to book Tristan Taormino

[Blue_Tires]

8. such grandstanding prudes...

i bet any amount of money that less thant one mile from that church is a tittie bar AND/OR an adult film/sex toy shop which does a brisk business even in this economy....

[Ilsa]

9. For them, the only time to talk about sex is when you can talk DIRTY about sex. nt

[AndyA]

10. What's the problem?

Everyone knows sex should only be between a man and a woman, and only for the purpose of making babies. Missionary position only, please.

Everyone knows that. :shrug:














:sarcasm:

[TlalocW]

11. If I lived in that town

I would be spending the entire week talking to and cajoling all the couples in the church that once the first sermon was over, they would all stand up, grab hands, scoop up their partners, whatever, and rush out of church into their cars, peel out and drive home where they again grab hands, scoop up their partners, and run inside and slam the door. Now once they're in their homes, do whatever they want but don't come out for at least 4 hours.

It wouldn't prove anything. I just think it would be a great prank to pull on the minister.

TlalocW

[DemoTex]

13. Big stink in my small Georgia town in mid-1960s over youth pastor's talks:

Three talks given on three consecutive Sunday nights to the First Methodist's teens:

1. "Hunting Dear"

2. "Captured Dear"

3. "Petting Dear"

It was that "Petting Dear" that got some of the community prudes' knickers in a wad.