Post by Paddy by Grace on May 5, 2010 0:26:09 GMT -7
www.beloitdailynews.com/articles/2010/04/29/news/local_news/news2908.txt
What do pygmies in Africa and gays have in common?
They are both going to heaven. At least that’s what those exploring universal reconciliation believe.
Because she always feared for people who weren’t exposed to Christianity, bar church minister Kathy Price started pursuing universal reconciliation, the belief that all people will receive salvation and won’t end up in the fiery bowels of hell.
Price leads the Red Door Ministry every Sunday at the bar to those turned off by traditional worship services, and this Sunday’s guest is expected to attract 70 attendees.
Williams, once the ‘poster boy’ for the Word of Faith movement in America, once spoke at churches around the country with a testimony that he had been delivered from homosexuality. During that time, he had appeared with well-known religious celebrities like Pat Robertson and Joel Osteen and appearing also on such Christian broadcasts as the 700 Club and the Trinity Broadcasting Network.
“I had to pretend I was no longer gay, because if I was gay I would go to hell. I couldn’t be truthful with my family and everyone who listened to me,” he said.
Williams gained notoriety being one of the first high profile ‘Ex- gays’ to openly acknowledge years later that he was still gay. He says homosexuality, or sin for that matter, is a “non-issue” with God. He doesn’t promote or defend any lifestyle but teaches strictly from the Bible that all of humanity received freedom from sin and judgment through the death of Jesus Christ.
Price said the Apostle Paul and Jesus didn’t speak much about hell. She said the book of Revelation mentions it the most, although there is debate among biblical scholars about that particular book of the Bible.
Price said she doesn’t know anything for sure, but she said universal reconciliation settles better with her than the things she’s learned all her life. She believes that Christ died for everyone’s sins. The doctrine of hell has alienated people from seeking God’s grace. After all, would a loving God d**n people for eternity just because they don’t believe?
One of the negative aspects of the hell fixation, she said, is that it gives people ammunition to judge each other and focus on doing good for a reward, not as fear of punishment.
Williams believes sin began with Adam but ended with Jesus Christ. He said some books of the Bible such as the letters of the New Testament, for example, is commentary on scriptures as opposed to the scripture itself.
Williams is also concerned about people around the world who aren’t Christian and doesn’t believe God would toss them in to hell. Williams struggled as a child believing in God in fear of punishment. When he finally believed without fear of punishment he said his faith became much more powerful.
Williams admits he’s been called a heretic and kicked out of many churches, something he’s not ashamed about.
“The definition of heresy is that you think and believe something that is outside of the society’s realm of normality. That’s what heresy is. I am a heretic, I preach heresy, because I do not agree with the religiously accepted view of the cross which teaches that Christ’s a failure, I teach he’s victorious,” Williams said.
What do pygmies in Africa and gays have in common?
They are both going to heaven. At least that’s what those exploring universal reconciliation believe.
Because she always feared for people who weren’t exposed to Christianity, bar church minister Kathy Price started pursuing universal reconciliation, the belief that all people will receive salvation and won’t end up in the fiery bowels of hell.
Price leads the Red Door Ministry every Sunday at the bar to those turned off by traditional worship services, and this Sunday’s guest is expected to attract 70 attendees.
Williams, once the ‘poster boy’ for the Word of Faith movement in America, once spoke at churches around the country with a testimony that he had been delivered from homosexuality. During that time, he had appeared with well-known religious celebrities like Pat Robertson and Joel Osteen and appearing also on such Christian broadcasts as the 700 Club and the Trinity Broadcasting Network.
“I had to pretend I was no longer gay, because if I was gay I would go to hell. I couldn’t be truthful with my family and everyone who listened to me,” he said.
Williams gained notoriety being one of the first high profile ‘Ex- gays’ to openly acknowledge years later that he was still gay. He says homosexuality, or sin for that matter, is a “non-issue” with God. He doesn’t promote or defend any lifestyle but teaches strictly from the Bible that all of humanity received freedom from sin and judgment through the death of Jesus Christ.
Price said the Apostle Paul and Jesus didn’t speak much about hell. She said the book of Revelation mentions it the most, although there is debate among biblical scholars about that particular book of the Bible.
Price said she doesn’t know anything for sure, but she said universal reconciliation settles better with her than the things she’s learned all her life. She believes that Christ died for everyone’s sins. The doctrine of hell has alienated people from seeking God’s grace. After all, would a loving God d**n people for eternity just because they don’t believe?
One of the negative aspects of the hell fixation, she said, is that it gives people ammunition to judge each other and focus on doing good for a reward, not as fear of punishment.
Williams believes sin began with Adam but ended with Jesus Christ. He said some books of the Bible such as the letters of the New Testament, for example, is commentary on scriptures as opposed to the scripture itself.
Williams is also concerned about people around the world who aren’t Christian and doesn’t believe God would toss them in to hell. Williams struggled as a child believing in God in fear of punishment. When he finally believed without fear of punishment he said his faith became much more powerful.
Williams admits he’s been called a heretic and kicked out of many churches, something he’s not ashamed about.
“The definition of heresy is that you think and believe something that is outside of the society’s realm of normality. That’s what heresy is. I am a heretic, I preach heresy, because I do not agree with the religiously accepted view of the cross which teaches that Christ’s a failure, I teach he’s victorious,” Williams said.