Finally--a real disciple of Jesus and not just a hate-filled, self-righteous "believer." Let's hope his "heretical" gospel of loving one's neighbor as oneself actually catches on!

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Evanglelical preacher rejects hell. . . .
Reverand Pearson's trenchant observation in his observations about how black chuches treat gay and lesbian members rises to the level of pure poerty: "We sung their songs and cursed their souls. Most poets would weep to come up with such a line as that!
Jchasroli.

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To some extent, anyway. I left evangelical Christianity several years ago for similar reasons. I simply couldn't reconcile the conflicting claims made about God. It's not possible that God can be omnipotent, omniscient, intimately involved in human affairs AND all-loving. A cursory look at the condition of the world shows that one or more of those claims has to be false. And I never could believe in the traditional concept of hell. It just made no sense at all that God would consign billions of people to eternal torment just for believing the wrong things about him.

It also makes no sense to me that an omnipotent being who created the vast universe would be so concerned about what mortal humans do with our naughty bits.

It's dangerous for an evangelical or fundamentalist to think too much if you want to remain one.

When I go to church now (which is rarely), I go to a liberal, inclusive church that welcomes people of all stripes and orientations.

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Where is my article? Do you only get one if you stop being stupid and take up reasonable positions?

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To further what the previous poster wrote, I think that Alternet and the left wing in general should be very leery of ex-conservatives and ex-fundamentalists. We are by nature humanists and want desperately to believe in the inate goodness present in everyone. But something drives a person to throw a brick through the window of a gay bar as much as something drives them to feel bad about it.

Its not that we should not find common cause with persons like the subject of this article or the host of former conservative denouncers eager to abandon their hateful cohorts. But we shouldn't necessarily give them the spotlight either when so many of us are too smart to be an ex-conservative or ex-fundamentalist.

Is Francis Fukuyama not still a neo-colonial capitalist?
Is William F. Buckley not still an elitist apologist for wealth?

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The minister for the progressive church I attended said "Of course there is a hell, its in the Bible. But only a fool believes anyone is there". He taught that grace extends to everyone, not just to those who deserve it, and not just those who asked for it.

I applaud the preacher for embracing this difficult concept. I could not believe that Hitler was not in Hell, and this is what drove me away from the church. All the religious hatred that has bubbled up has just made me less likely to try to come back.

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While I take the point that we should take what such converts say with a pinch of salt, the old addage of 'it's better late than never' comes to mind.
Why do we spend our time arguing our perspectives and opinions if we don't mean (or hope) to change the minds of people such as this? Wouldn't that be just a monumental waste of our time and energy? We do it because we DO hope to change ideas and opinions, and help to enlighten and liberate people from political and/or religious dogma.
As a child and teen I was brought up in a very conservative evangelical household, and it was only through spending time with and hearing the ideas and opinions of others that I finally was able to address the nagging doubts and questions I had had all along. I don't think I should be rebuked for this, nor should he.
If it takes this kind of radical mental shift to make our fellow men and women to embrace peace and reject bigotry and discrimination, then bring it on. more of it.

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I read a good article on Carlton Pearson on NPR (Fresh Air) and they listed all these high powered evangelical churches that Carlton used to be associated with. TBN was one of them, so, interested in what they had to say about him, I went to the TBN.org site and did a search for Carlton Pearson.
Nada. Nothing. Totally erased from their website. That's the modus operandi of evangelicals; they obliterate the name of anyone who 'apostisizes' from their narrow faith.
It can be easily ascertained from the Bible that 'hell' is merely the condition of death, from which everyone is promised a resurrection. The fact that people in the pews don't know this is an indictment on their leaders, who deliberately withhold this key of knowledge.

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Well, it seems like Rev. Pearson decided to embrace the true spirit of forgiveness and love, and in doing so, came that much closer to the spirit of Jesus and Christian grace if not the letter of certain segments of the Bible. Good for him, good for his brethren he serves, and good for people in need of a spiritual home and some rest, peace and acceptance.

After all, for those of us who believe in God, only God can truly know and judge who should and will go to Hell (and the nature, if not the existence, of the place).

An earlier poster questioned whether we could ever trust an ex-conservative or an ex-fundamentalist, and compared Rev. Pearson to neo-conservative Francis Fukuyama, among others, who may have changed their opinion but not the cloth from which they are cut.

The major difference between Rev. Pearson and neo-conservatives and ex-conservatives with a change of heart is that Pearson had to give up his church and his livelihood for what he believed. In doing so, he sacrificed a whole lot more than think tank intellectuals with a change of heart could ever imagine, and he held onto what he believed was right.

Moreover, in rejecting the religious and cosmological concept of Hell, he completely rejects the power that religious fundamentalism gives to mere mortals--the power to judge another. Regardless of whether one believes in Hell or not, conservatives are all too fond of acting like they know who is going there.

No one knows Rev. Pearson's mind and heart but Rev. Pearson, but I would say this guy is for real about inclusion, acceptance and empathy--all core liberal values. One could be as secular as they come and yet see religious liberals like him as absolutely natural allies and fellow progressives.

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Will preaching about Christ's love and inclusion of gays get straight people in Peoria to open up their check books???? Homophobia in religion is a cash cow to be exploited.

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A revealing interview with Falwell's ghostwriter, Mel White:

The Reverend Mel White Remembers The Late Jerry Falwell

"During his years of concealing his own same-sex urges, the Reverend Mel White was a ghostwriter for iconic antigay evangelical figures such as Pat Robertson and Billy Graham. When the Reverend Jerry Falwell got wind of White’s prowess, White was recruited to pen Falwell: An Autobiography, published in 1987. Eventually White came out and became a voice, as the cofounder of Soulforce, for open and closeted LGBT people against the religious right’s condemnation. Here, White remembers his relationship with Falwell, who died May 15, and looks to the future of the antigay movement. "

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Letter to the editor
Peter Macdonald 465 Packersfalls rd Lee NH03824 603-659-6217
Letter to the Editor are a great way for people to learn about problems in our government. What do you do if newspapers censor your letters. In today’s letters I read how people are harmed by the Veterans administration. I have a copy of the paper work to show that the VA has used my service connected disabilities as a tool to stop me. NH Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter had Dr. Biswas of the Manchester VA Hospital attempt to commit me for her self gain. The Director of the NH VA has stopped my medical care. I went to the Portsmouth VA clinic on May 13, 07 at 2:30 and was informed by two nurses to leave and not come back. I was there for severe head pain and numbness and drooping of the left side of my face. I left now the VA administration in Manchester refuse to talk with me. My messages go unanswered. NH judges and government officials are violating the Constitution for self pleasure. The newspapers refuse to print the people opinion. Did Cpl McKay miss use police power to inflict harm on someone that he did not like? Was Carle Drega harmed by town officials, the judge and NH state police in Colebrook NH? Maybe we the citizens just get fed up. I volunteer to help a Madbury NH family so desperate they called me because of my letters in the paper. I had never met this family before. The Madbury NH selectmen use government powers to harm residents the selectmen do not like. Judge Peter Fauver violated the Constitution 29 or more times to protect these selectmen. Judge James O’Neill acknowledged these crimes in open court and then ruled them constitutional to protect a brother judge. The NH supreme court refuse to hear the case to protect the legal empire. The Federal courts ruled that judges have immunity to protect the monopoly on power. I am a 100% disabled United States Marine. I have a head injury which left me with no memory of life prior to my seventeenth birthday. I broke my back while performing my duty in a combat support mission. I lost my hearing on another combat support mission. NH has taken my freedom, money, wife and much more. Now NH has taken my medical. To strip a disabled veteran of medical services for service connected injuries is a crime. Federal officials, judges and NH government officials are dominating we the people. The newspapers are fueling these crimes by censoring the truth. I have violated no laws or threatened anyone. I volunteer over 1000hr/yr helping any one that needs help. I am fed up. Should I do what our Constitution obliges us to do when all means of redress fails. There must be a peace full solution. Congresswoman Shea-porter lied on a police report and the Dover and Lee NH police refuse to allow me to file a complaint. Check Dover police file 7002-942 before it disappears. Letters to the editor that are censored are destructive to a free society. Death, Destruction and turmoil will eventually rule. Peter Macdonald Sgt USMC Semper Fi.

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