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Megachurch Pastor: Not Against Gays, Just Against Gay Sex

Megachurch Pastor: Not Against Gays, Just Against Gay Sex

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The pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, where Starbucks' CEO recently canceled an appearance after the church was accused of homophobia, says Willow Creek is not antigay -- it just expects gay members to be celibate.

Starbucks founder and CEO Howard Schultz had been invited to speak at Willow Creek's annual Global Leadership Summit earlier this month but canceled after a Change.org petition noted that the suburban Chicago megachurch had a long association with Exodus International, which believes that gay people can -- and should -- be converted to straight. Willow Creek ended its association with Exodus two years ago, but the petition sponsors said the church has its own outreach program that sends an anti-LGBT message.

In a video posted on YouTube, Willow Creek pastor Bill Hybels addresses his congregation about the matter. He says the church is not antigay or anti-anyone, but he makes it clear there are different standards of behavior for gay and straight people. "We challenge homosexuals and heterosexuals to live out the sexual ethics taught in the scriptures, which encourages full sexual expression between a man and a woman in the context of marriage and prescribes sexual abstinence and purity for everybody else."

Watch the video below.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.