Headlines
CHURCH TO REMOVE 'HOMOSEXUALITY' FROM BILLBOARD
Tue, 10 July 2012
The Church behind the Pretoria billboard promoting a spiritual gay ‘cure’ has decided to remove any reference to homosexuality from the advert, but has failed to apologise.
On Tuesday, Light of the Nations founder Dr. Deric Linley said that his Church never intended to "discriminate against any group, but purely to offer a non-judgmental refuge for people dealing with issues in their personal life".
He went on to say: "Light of the Nations firmly believes in the grace of God to release people from any internal battles they may be facing and in fact we are being Christ-like in saying that whoever needs help, we have an answer.
"In this non judgmental spirit we have chosen to remove the word 'homosexuality' from our billboard,” Linlely added.
He did not go so far as to apologise for the hurt and offense that the billboard caused within the LGBT community.
Complaints have been laid with the Advertising Standards Authority and the South African Human Rights Commission about the billboard, which equates homosexuality with a number of social ills and claims that these can be ‘cured’ through the Christian faith.
Two members of the public, Francois Joubert and his husband Werner Nieuwoudt, first brought attention to the advert after they drove past it at the corner of Solomon Mahlangu Ave. and Bendeman Blvd. in Pretoria East about a week ago.
The story was broken by Mambaonline on Monday morning but has since been picked up by the mainstream media, finally prompting the Church to take action and issue a response.
Do you think the Light of the Nations Church has done enough to make amends for their billboard?
Comments
hugovz 7/16/2012 10:40:22 PM
Offensive Bill Board. Please name and shame the ad agency and the pony tail Judas having accepted 30 silver coins for this offensive "art" piece? Can't publication watch dog classify this as dangerous art and "skill"?
JC 7/12/2012 12:54:25 PM
I want to see how a person can be set free from divorce- is God going to kill the ex factor and wipe that person off the face of the earth? He can fool the local church people who accept any crap from the pulpit, but not everyone. One can never be set free from divorce or emotional aftermath especially if there are kids involved. The damage has been done.
R 7/12/2012 12:08:10 PM
So What? Typeks 'Homosexuality' n all is honky fuckin dory? Last I checked the Church had a responsibiliy to show people the right path through Christ. Giving vaugue lips service with no apology when the crux of Christianity is forgivness is a dangerous and irresponible way of leading by example. These fake pearchers r forgettig (or they just don't care) that God knows all... n when they meet God they will be unpleasently suprised when God doesn't take kindly to assholes using His word as a get rich quick scheme
7/12/2012 12:07:22 PM
So What? Typeks 'Homosexuality' n all is honky fuckin dory? Last I checked the Church had a responsibiliy to show people the right path through Christ. Giving vaugue lips service with no apology when the crux of Christianity is forgivness is a dangerous and irresponible way of leading by example. These fake pearchers r forgettig (or they just don't care) that God knows all... n when they meet God they will be unpleasently suprised when God doesn't take kindly to assholes using His word as a get rich quick scheme
JC 7/12/2012 11:39:49 AM
Bible is clear that amongst fornication, adultery, bestiality, sodomy and fornication is a form of sexual perversion and is therefore a sin. Scripture dose not talk about same sex relationships only sodomy, but what is most important that God has chosen to forgive those who have accepted Jesus Christ as the son of God and whosoever believes in him and accepts Him as the truth.
Galatians 3:11 GW No one receives God's approval by obeying the law's standards since, "The person who has God's approval will live by faith."
Wayne van Niekerk 7/12/2012 11:39:49 AM
Sodomy is a sin BUT do you know what Sodomy is.SODOMY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HOMOSEXSUALITY:
the Bible tells us exactly why Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.
Ezekiel 16:49 says the following : Behold this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before me therefore I took them away as I saw good.
The fact is that the people of the city wanted to take the angels and gang rape them. This is clearly not referring to a homosexual orientation or a loving same-gender relationship. This is talking about men abusing power in violent rape. To say this is wrong and sinful and that God condemns it is not to say that homosexuality is any of those things.
In Luke's Gospel (10:12), Jesus also understands the sin of Sodom to be inhospitality. In fact, Jesus says nothing anywhere in the Bible about homosexuality, but he has a lot to say about the importance of welcoming people.
According to the Bible, the sin of Sodom is failure to welcome people who are different. By biblical standards, then, those who fail to welcome GLBT people are the real sodomites that the Bible condemns.
johan steyn 7/12/2012 1:57:25 AM
and while they are at it, can they also have cure for all their obese heterosexual members and other prejudices that they have and pray that they REALLY get an understanding of the principle of TRUE UNADULTERATED GOSPEL BASED CHRISTIANITY .... ????
Izak Kruger 7/12/2012 1:40:26 AM
An apology is essential as this "church" is perpetuating the myth that homosexuality can be cured [and that it is therefore a sin] by I guess, simply just praying!! You can pray 'till doomsday come and no cure will be forthcoming, but lots of damage will certainly be done! This is grossly irresponsible!!
JustMe 7/11/2012 10:43:21 PM
A certain home entertainment company distribues a warning, together with the age restriction notification on rental DVD's stating that the effects of a film last beyond the end of the film. Advertising and propoganda thrive on this mechanic - even in static form. Soo too does this apply to this church's billboard. Merely editing the billboard has little if any effect on amending the message to those already affected by the original version. Something more would need to be done in order to reconcile intent with action.
Trevor 7/11/2012 8:31:59 PM
I still beleive the LGBT community should organise that we pitch for a Sunday service and then afterwards see who has been "cured"
Arial 7/11/2012 8:31:59 PM
Ditto!
gordon grieve 7/11/2012 2:36:04 PM
I feel the same wayne, no where does it state its a sin, they need to brush up on their english and distinguish the difference between the words sin and abomination.
Wayne van Niekerk 7/11/2012 2:29:41 PM
No I dont. They need to clarify that being gay is not Biblically a sin