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As a gay black atheist, I find you all offensive.  

He didn’t judge anyone. He was asked a question which he responded to. He didn’t single out gays he also included bestiality, those who sleep around, adulterers, the greedy, the drunks, the slanderers and the swindlers. I find it interesting that if your beliefs aren’t in line with some on here you are a hater, bigot or dumbass. Anyway, a line has been drawn in the sand. The issue is not an attack on gays it is an attack on a man’s personal religious beliefs. We will see how it pans out.

This thread has me pretty lit up, and unfortunately it's not Phil Robertson or A&E that caused it. I'll point this finger at myself before I point it at anyone else, but I think as affluent American Christians, we need to take a good hard look at ourselves in the mirror before we go judging anyone else for anything. The prophetic voice is hard to hear, and I'm not terribly certain that any of us would particularly like to hear it today. It doesn't make me really comfortable, but as I type this and think about it, the gay person in America today is a heck of a lot more marginalized than I am. And, as I read it, Jesus spent most of his time with the marginalized - much to the consternation of folks like myself.

  Yep. A lot of people don't even go that far, though.    I never even considered trying to work through the original text until I began experiencing some significant life changes and all anybody could tell me was "you're going to hell, boy". Thats when I started digging deeper because I wanted to really know for certain what the deal was. I certainly won't claim to be a Biblical scholar though.    At the end of our time, Christians believe we will stand before God and answer for our lives, solely responsible for what we've done. Somehow, I didn't think telling the Lord "Well, preacher so and so said this" was going to cut it for me. Why didn't I make an effort, why didn't I read more, study more, and make God more of a priority. So I tried. 

I'll buy that even though I don't know what "come peel off" means.  :P

A few thoughts:   I've got a friend in a place where he keeps a family bible under the floorboards of his house.  I will remember the day he shared it with me until the day I die.  His wife smuggled it into the country, and it was considered a capital offense.  It's not a capital offense anymore, but being caught with it will result in your right hand being shredded.  So, I'm sorry.  I just can't see the Christian persecution thing so many people are screaming about.  There are places in this world where Christians are actively persecuted.  A&E isn't one of them.    Are the same people who are screaming persecution right now going to complain with as loud a voice if/when they realize that this was a publicity stunt by A&E.  I see this angle being less and less likely, but I hope people remember that they were played if that turns out to be the case.   In the more likely case that someone at A&E made a snap decision and/or made a statement and suspended the guy, it's interesting that by taking that action, they gave him a much louder voice and wider audience than he would have had otherwise.   As a Christian, I hope that I can have the courage to act out my belief that a gay person's sins don't put any more distance between them and God than do the sins I bring to the table.  If I really believe that, then it should be reflected both in my personal life, my voice and in my church.    Regardless, I just have a hard time seeing this whole brouhaha as something that I need to be outraged about. If I let my more cynical voice come to the surface, I would argue that this is a wonderful example of a manufactured crisis.  As I see it right now, in the short term both A&E and the Robertson Family benefit from this by selling a whole lot of product.  Good product on television only lasts so long.  What a way to move some merchandise and go out with a bang.

  And THIS is what sticks in my craw about the whole thing. As I've said before, I have a lot of gay friends. During the great chicken outrage, all the "Evil Chicken People" Facebook posts were coming from my liberal idiot friends. My gay friends were silent. Some even had lunch there during the whole thing. Fact is, there was no hate involved. I view the thing with Phil as the same thing.   This whole issue isn't about free speech, discrimination, homophobia, hate, or any of that stuff. It's about over the top political correctness... again.

I'm going to bash some segments of our society and make it personal, regardless of the rules and political correctness because I have zero tolerance for arrogance and stupidity. Can you see my index finger extended straight out and pointing and my thumb 90 degrees vertical to it with my other three fingers curled in?   Let's start with liberals, career politicians, the immoral and the people running this country into the ground. This just defies common sense and slaps our hero's and defenders in the face and all American's should be ashamed and embarrassed for just the mention of it.   I speak of the proposal to cut our retired military veterans cost of living adjustments (COLA'S), pay and benefits, for putting their lives between U.S. and our enemies for 20+ years. How's that for a grateful nation? HO HUM... Let's hurry up and get to the sports results please. Where's America's outrage?   A proposal was introduced in Washington to reduce / eliminate wasteful spending for lifetime welfare payments, assisted housing, free cell phones, affordable healthcare, etc.. Riots and chaos have broken out in every major city in America, hundreds of law suites have been filed on the un-constitutional aspect of "for the welfare of the people" clause. MSNBC, the Washington Post, New York Times among dozens of other media outlets are livid about the cruel, discrimatory and unjust action of our government.   I take it personally when by force of law, the government takes a large portion of my labor and squanders and wastes it on worthless people, projects and programs. That would not even be possible without our military protecting our way of life and protecting our nation. The federal governments number one constitutional job is to defend this nation. To do so it takes a professional, well trained and loyal military, now they're degrading the service and sacrifice our veterans have given.   Just the latest and another example of penalizing the productive and foundation of this country and rewarding the unproductive and scourge of our society I guess.   That's my zero tolerance.    

Well, after a couple weeks absence from deer hunting due to leg and back issues, I finally made it back out yesterday. I was in my ladder stand and at about 7:30 a Mature Doe came running down the hill in front of me being chased by a very nice Buck. I raised the rifle up to get a shot at the Buck and big mamma slammed on the brakes and started blowing at me. The buck spun around and disapered and a third deer headed for the next county. The doe stood looking at me and blowing. I swung the crosshairs on her neck and fired. She dropped straight to the ground. NICE! So I sat in my stand for about 10 minutes and was tying my rifle to my pull cord, when this other Doe came bee bopping down the side of the hill. It stopped and was staring at the first doe laying on the ground. NITE NITE! Neck shot and DRT!! Both deer required an uphill drag and I was really not up to it. I went up to a neighbors house and got Jason (teen ager who lives there) to help me get them out of the woods. I threw the kid 10 bucks for his troubles (all I had on me). He was grateful and so was I. I wish I would have gotten a picture as he was wearing a pair of Firefighter boots, tee shirt and Sponge Bob jammy pants....kids..... Those were the first deer to come off my property this year. I wished I had a good hunting partner, but I don't. Life is what it is! This mature Doe dressed at 103. Lots of meat there boys! Here is a pic of me with both deer. Smaller deer dressed at 62 pounds. Neck shot DRT Both were taken with 7mm/08 120 grain Fusion soft nose. PS...Santa beard comes off day after Christmas thank goodness!!! Merry Christmas to all! Dave

  It depends on how much a person wants to understand for themselves, and how willing they are to just believe whatever the preacher says because he's behind the pulpit.    Too many Christians follow the preacher, too few follow Jesus.    Just my opinion, your mileage may vary. 

[quote name="Dane" post="1081869" timestamp="1387571513"]Could someone please point out where in Corinthians it says homosexual? I've seen this verse mis quoted several times:Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD[/quote] effeminate is translated from the Greek word Kinaidos meaning "men with a feminine love of being penetrated by men." Not trying to be vulgar just proving the translation isn't different. I affirm again that God calls it a sin just like when I cussed at the guy who cut me off today. This verse only has 2 conditions, no more. "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord , and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you shall be saved" Rom 10:9 NASB

[quote name="Mike.357" post="1081619" timestamp="1387515571"]I have thought long about this. Phil Robertson has no business placing judgement on anyone. In Christianity I believe only one being makes judgement calls. I am also sure that if you believe in God that you were created in his image, and that has a lot to do with why only God may pass judgement. Phil woke up one day on third base and thought he hit a triple. Just another person out of tune with reality.[/quote] If you're going to comment, at least have the witts to actually read what the man said. I know you haven't, because his words strictly contradict what you just wrote about "placing judgement". Instead of thinking, I believe you should have done some reading. No, I did not just judge you

Y'all should remember this when things are back to "normal".  They've got a history of this, and it is inexcusable.   We as gun owners should speak with our wallets - which is the only thing they'll hear and help to put them out of business.   They're nothing but opportunists selling to a panicked market.  They should be recognized as such.

[quote name="TresOsos" post="1081736" timestamp="1387552051"] But they attack any Christian that disagrees with them and tells the truth.[/quote] Christians are also the only group that scream so loudly that they are right, and there is no possibility they could be wrong. While its fine to believe that, you have to understand that a lot of people disagree with it. Heck, even a number of Christians believe there will be gay people of heaven. I think the "attacked" Christians would gain more ground if they didn't dig their heels in and refuse to even consider the possibility they could be wrong.

They's dead to me

I find it funny that the most "offensive" thing Phil said was a direct quote from the Bible. Let's Check the list sinners: idolaters, adulterers, drunks, slanderers, homosexuals, prostitutes, the greedy, swindlers Non-sinners: nobody Which of the above categories do each of us fit. I see at least 5 myself; that's without the prostitution. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God"

Calling sin what it is is not passing judgement.

Any Christian in this country (including myself) who thinks Christians are being persecuted needs to take a trip to China or Myanmar or any of the M/E countries that were part of the Arab Spring. Getting told that your ideas are bad is not persecution. Having your family raped in front of you before they disembowel and behead you, THAT'S persecution.

Took my first shot at a bacon weave tonight and it came out great! Took some pics and thought that I would share.

  You still can't lash out at the wrong person. Phil didn't say anything more than "I don't get it". Hell, I don't get it, and have really close friends in the lifestyle. I go to their houses, and they come to mine. This is about hypersensitivity. It's about rednecks being themselves, pop tarts shaped like guns, and all that crap. People are sick of it. I'm sick of it.

Absolutely -   an excerpt from one of our Celebrate Recovery seminars -   Matthew 9:10-13 10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum? 12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices. For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”   So, our role is to show Mercy, and Compassion. Note that when Matthew went out, he brought them home. Jesus met them in Church, (which just happened to be at Matthew’s house). Who did Christ seek to socialize with?  “disreputable sinners”! Mathew 9:10   I am so grateful to be invited into Matthew's house.

  Translations of translations written by men, every rendition to suit the particular needs of the patriarch, sponsor or whatever of the time....to control.   I'm a KJV man myself when the need arises.  I like to work and think for myself.

I think GQ magazine was the big winner in all this. Until this week, I had no idea it was even still in publication. I can't imagine how many copies they sold with this issue, but it surely will be a record.

[quote name="RobertNashville" post="1081859" timestamp="1387569994"]What good and what point would there be to following any religion if its foundational texts are fluid and/or just a matter of opinion? It doesn't matter if "Christians" are "right" or not...they have an absolute right to believe what they believe. Maybe the Constitution is "wrong" too and needs to be ignored when is says something that one particular person or group doesn't like![/quote] My post that you referenced was not about Phil's rights. I've said several times already what he said was fine. My post was in reference to the idea that Christians are persecuted for "speaking the truth." As for the foundational texts being fluid, the Bible is. How else do you explain all the different denominations within Christianity? Which group has the truth correct? If church A says drinking is a sin, and church B says drinking is okay, someone must be wrong. If church B members drink regularly, are they not living in a sinful lifestyle as viewed by church A's viewpoint? Are they not unrepentant of their theoretical sin? Whose truth is right? I can prove rocks are hard. I can prove lit matches and gasoline will start a fire. I can prove TGO loves gay threads. :lol: With spiritual matters, you simply can't nail down hard proof. Even the Scriptures say faith is required. As a result, you can't lay claim to having the one and only truth. You can believe anything you want, whether we agree on it or not. That's your right, and I will defend that right until the end. We can debate various belief systems, which is what I was doing, but I'm not questioning your right to believe it.

CNN cancelled their religious documentary on Hillary Clinton.

  Not sure I'm with you on that one, Blake. We'll have to see how it shakes out. My gut says that A&E screwed up. I don't see how they can get thru it undamaged at this point. They have pissed off every redneck in the entire US. In this case... the bulk of their audience.

[quote name="mikegideon" post="1081786" timestamp="1387559583"]I finally broke down and read the original article. I couldn't find any hatred in anything he said. I'm not a bible scholar, but afik, it calls it a sin. Just more libtard crap. They hate me too. When it comes to A&E... they know the Robertsons. They were more than willing to accept the ratings and the revenues from that show. I hope they're prepared to accept the consequences of their knee jerk reaction to Phil being Phil. They put that show on the air so everybody could laugh at the funny rednecks, and wound up with something totally different. It was an accident... one that will be impossible to replace. Seems like being a liberal idiot is just one disappointment after another :)[/quote] I still think this intentional on some level. It's a stunt, and may have been intended as an attention grabbing way for them to end the show and boost the ratings/ merch sales in the process.

Never watched the show, but the guy has a right to speak his mind, which just happened to be true, IMHO, A&E needs him worse than he needs A&E. Liberal rides again........

I finally broke down and read the original article. I couldn't find any hatred in anything he said. I'm not a bible scholar, but afik, it calls it a sin. Just more libtard crap. They hate me too.   When it comes to A&E... they know the Robertsons. They were more than willing to accept the ratings and the revenues from that show. I hope they're prepared to accept the consequences of their knee jerk reaction to Phil being Phil. They put that show on the air so everybody could laugh at the funny rednecks, and wound up with something totally different. It was an accident... one that will be impossible to replace.   Seems like being a liberal idiot is just one disappointment after another :)

Do you want to know who this will end well for? The guys selling those stickers. God Bless America!

[quote name="Mike.357" post="1081641" timestamp="1387518418"]justify it anyway you want The dumb ass said what he thought and a bunch of people defend him. Play it anyway you want.[/quote] Lol now HE's a dumbass? Please tell me what about this statement is judgmental "We never, ever judge someone on who’s going to heaven, hell. That’s the Almighty’s job. We just love ’em, give ’em the good news about Jesus—whether they’re homosexuals, drunks, terrorists. We let God sort ’em out later, you see what I’m saying?” -Phil Robertson You see man, it's ok. God, myself, and yes even Phil Robertson still love you

  Many mango seasons before you won that big swimming race, I never saw a revolver without a hammer. I won't own a revolver without one. It turns into a different animal in single action mode. Never worried about snags enough to give up the hammer. Both of my J frames have them.

Like I said in a blog post about this issue, the claims that this is about freedom of speech is laughable on several levels. First, nobody is saying Phil can't express his views. All A&E did was say he can't use their network to promote them and they don't want to be associated with him or his views any longer. Second, like any freedom, exercising it comes with personal responsibility. You are free to say pretty much anything you want, and there may be consequences to what you say. If you want to say something you know is controversial, you have to own the consequences. You walk into your boss' office and cuss her/him up one side of the room and down the other, you're going to get fired. That's not a violation of your free speech rights. Third, there are multiple examples of conservatives and Christians calling for the firing of liberal pundits. I have seen first hand on this forum multiple incidents of people with opposing viewpoints being insulted and run off for expressing them. These debates are never about tolerance or free speech; they are about people demanding to have their voice heard while demanding to have other people's ideas shut down. Personally, I think what the guy said was inappropriate and smacked of ignorance. If one really thinks that acceptance of what two people do in the privacy of their own homes will lead to bestiality, I don't know what to do with them. If one thinks that Southern blacks during the pre-civil rights era weren't unhappy and never complained because you saw them singing songs in the fields, that is ignorant. I'll protect his right to say it, I respect the ability of a private employer to determine the standards for acceptable conduct from those they employ, and I also say he should have the opportunity to redeem himself if he chooses to. That is the Christian way. Edit: And it only took me about 5 minutes to determine that DD was one of the worst shows I have ever seen,

As a person who does a lot of the banning around here, I can say authoritatively that no one has ever been kicked off of TGO for being a "homophobe."  You can think that gays are icky and you're going to catch it if you get to close.  We don't care.     Where I draw the line is when a person is hateful towards another member or expresses open animosity towards a group.  We just don't need that here.     We've got a big audience these days.  Check the front page and you'll see that we're just shy of 20,000 members.  We put a lot of effort into protecting this community, and the "family-friendliness" of it.  Frankly, you guys are responsible for a lot more of that than the staff is.  I really enjoy it when someone tells me that they don't mind their kids reading TGO as they learn about guns.  We're going to protect that.  Plain and simple.

Ive never met Phil, but Ive met several "Phil's" in my time.  I have a feeling he isnt loosing much sleep over this.  If he is Id be suprised.  he's been through much more difficult times than this.     If you havent seen this, its what he stands for. I strive to be as stong in faith as he   http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/the-robertsons/

I've seen the show a couple of times. A&E just screwed themselves. I love it when some liberals step on their own dicks.

Sadly, the Repbublicans aren't that smart either.

Well, I guess I will say that in this world are many different types of people who believes what they want to believe and that is their own business. If someone wants to say something that may be offensive to someone else I say let them say it. I also believe that if another is offended by it let them also speak out and say how they also feel. That is what this country is based on is the right for each person to effectively speak freely because our Constitution's 1st amendment gives each individual that right.  I fought for this country in our military to make sure that our rights as a free nation will continue and I would fight again if able to make sure it remains a free nation of the people by the people and for the people. Now as for A&E. They own that network and they have the right to remove or discontinue any show at any time on their network of their choosing. Do I think it will be good if they remove Duck Dynasty? Only time will tell that. As far as the Robertson's, They have chosen to remain a solid family and It looks like all the rest of the family will be standing by Phils statements which in turn gives me the utmost respect for the family. Blood is always thicker than water. I am quite sure they have already began receiving many offers from other networks requesting they come to their network so I am quite sure Duck Dynasty will prevail and A&E will be the losers................jmho

Speaking as an American engineer, I'm really pulling for Ford. They made a lot of poor decisions for a lot of years, and that cost them - especially on the car side of the business. But, they stepped up and made some tough decisions. Starting with the rebranded and relaunched Taurus, they showed they were serious about design. They're doing some cool stuff. I hope they pull it off.

Oh c'mon! That's it I'm outta here. I'm going to the store to buy some bacon!

[quote name="RebelCowboySnB" post="1081408" timestamp="1387488487"]I dont think it is. We are not burning people at the stake but....[/quote] Christians are no more persecuted than those they persecute, unless doing so in the name of religion somehow makes it acceptable.

DD is a terrible show. They maybe good people, but DD is not good TV.  I think a lot of Christians feel the need to support DD because they are preachy.  Kinda like some Christian rock bands.  Just b/c they mention the lord doesn't mean its quality entertainment...    I read the GQ interview. Nothing he said was really all that bad, but the old saying goes "when you're standing in crap up to your nose, it pays not to open your mouth."   The interviewer's goal was to make him look like a backwoods red neck looney toon religious zealot Beverly Hillbillies type.  Phil stepped right up and jumped in it. 

Reading the comments from around the web I am reminded of Romans 1. I've copied a few verses below, but you can see the progression of sin in these few verses. They didn't honor God and their thinking was corrupted, then they became idol worshipers and it continues on a progression until God gives them up. To me it is blatantly obvious we as a country are well down the path the Romans were on. Romans 1:21-28 ESV For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

Thats a screamin deal.  I paid $149 way before the panic stuff.    As long as shipping isnt $30, this is the cheapest ive seen it anywhere   http://www.cabelas.com/product/Vortex-StrikeFire-Red-Green-Dot-Scope/753526.uts?productVariantId=2798347&WT.tsrc=CSE&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=753526&rid=40&channel=GoogleBaseUSA&mr:trackingCode=169D9052-F5D2-DF11-82EF-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=pla&mr:ad=30640536311&mr:keyword&mr:match&mr:filter=47538480505&gclid=CM3epp63vLsCFU5o7AodgwMAzw&gclsrc=aw.ds

I'm not going to get into a debate about homosexuality, sin, and morality but A&E needs to realize that the reason this show is the most popular on TV is because it's about a family that teaches their kids the importance of having strong values and respect for one another. But more importantly it's the least politically correct show on TV and people love that.   I did think it was funny when Phil said a woman's vagina seems more appealing than a mans anus. Classic line.

To each his own I guess. Not my flavor.

I haven't purchased from them since 2008. I was never buying from them again anyways.

3 days ago that case of .223 was $500, and those mags were $12 or so. Not that ammo is $900, and the mags are $60. That is called price gouging, due to the panic situation.