Ohio Billboards Debate God and Gays

Outdoor advertising has become the venue for two Toledo-area churches to offer competing views on whether being gay is “a gift from God.”

By Trudy Ring

BEING GAY IS A GIFT FROM GOD (FAIR) X390 | ADVOCATE.COM

There’s a battle of the billboards going on in Ohio, with two churches offering supportive and not-so-supportive messages to LGBT residents.

In the spring the Central United Methodist Church of Toledo put up a billboard reading, “Being Gay Is a Gift From God.” Last week the Church on Strayer of neighboring Maumee countered with nine billboards around the area proclaiming, “Being Gay Is NOT a Gift From God. Forgiveness, Love, and Eternal Life Are.”

A leader of Central United Methodist said she isn’t surprised that another church is advertising a different message. “I’m somewhat surprised it didn’t happen earlier,” Lynn Braun, chair of the church’s lead team, told The Blade of Toledo. “We felt it important to express our faith this way. I think people have the right to express their faith the way they see fit, and I think it helps the community to know where churches stand.”

The church is a member of the Reconciling Ministries Network, which advocates for LGBT equality within the United Methodist denomination. It recently replaced its original billboard with one reading, “Creating a Space for All God’s Children Regardless of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity.”

Meanwhile, Tony Scott, pastor of the Church on Strayer, told the newspaper his billboards are not hate speech. “I love everyone,” he said. “There’s nothing on that billboard about hate. I’m getting hate mail from lesbian and gay people, but my point is that I love them too much to let someone believe a lie. I love this city too much to let a lie be sown.”

Same-sex marriage is being debated within United Methodism, as the official denominational policy does not currently support such unions, but to Scott, whose church is affiliated with the Church of God, a Pentecostal body, the issue is settled.

“God’s definition of marriage is that he plumbed him and he plumbed her so that the two of them could procreate,” he said. “Anything relationally between the sexes that does not have that potential, and that opportunity, does not come from God.”

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Reader Comments

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Name: Matt
Date posted: 11/7/2011 8:43:01 PM
Hometown: Glenview

Comment:
• “God’s definition of marriage is that he plumbed him and he plumbed her so that the two of them could procreate,” he said. “Anything relationally between the sexes that does not have that potential, and that opportunity, does not come from God.” Yes, but we have to look at the time this was envisioned. The bible verse stating, 'a man shall not lay with another man' was reflective on that era. I don’t understand why Christians do not research the context of the writings. The male seed was all of nascent life contained right there and women had nothing to do with birth except incubation. Also, homosexual acts were not allowed because it was about saving the seed only to procreate so the nation could grow. If you want a good documentary about the bible and homosexuality watch, Fish out of Water. The film fights against the bible verses that Christians continually hold against homosexuality.
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Name: Mark Haddix
Date posted: 9/29/2011 10:40:36 AM
Hometown: Sylvania, OH

Comment:
Appears that Mr. Scott is just another Ted Haggard. We should just wait until the skeletons begin pouring forth from his closet.
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Name: Jeff
Date posted: 9/28/2011 1:19:56 AM
Hometown: seattle

Comment:
So if you have to have a hysterectomy and have your 'plumbing' removed, you are no longer ok to have sex? If you lose your nuts to injury or cancer you must become celibate because you can not procreate?? These are the lame ass arguments put forth by desperate religionists who havent had sex with their married partners for years. Sad, irrational, dried up souls.
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Name: Jason
Date posted: 9/27/2011 9:06:07 AM
Hometown: Phoenix

Comment:
I do not believe that being gay is a gift from God. Indeed, I am pretty upset with God for creating me gay. If I was not gay, life would be so much easier. More people would accept me also.
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Name: Sam Molloy
Date posted: 9/27/2011 2:47:36 AM
Hometown: Louisville

Comment:
Holy Toledo.
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Name: Clayton
Date posted: 9/26/2011 11:29:25 PM
Hometown: Chicago

Comment:
Religion is stupid.
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Name: Peter
Date posted: 9/26/2011 11:13:06 PM
Hometown: Tampa

Comment:
Well, well, well, isn't that Christian? A series of billboards essentially saying you hate gays. Christ would be proud.
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Name: James
Date posted: 9/26/2011 11:03:47 PM
Hometown: Oakland

Comment:
Church on Strayer funny while pulling up their website is askes for money right off the bat another one of these 'faith-based' groups that GWBUSH gave some power too.
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Name: Scott
Date posted: 9/26/2011 10:04:13 PM
Hometown: Torrance, CA

Comment:
Note to Pastor Tony Scott..FUCK YOU...
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Name: riffraf002
Date posted: 9/26/2011 9:53:35 PM
Hometown: Portland ME

Comment:
Hate speech is hate! We gays are equal to hetrosexuals nothing more nothing less any religion that says we are not are useing the same lies Hitler used! Just read the men with the pink Triangles Gays and then look at these lairs and hypocrites it's time to fight them on every level we are at war!

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