Tony Campolo - The first Evangelical I agree with
Posted by hank, Thu Aug 09 23:38:00 UTC 2007
NPR just played a story on Tony Campolo, an Evangelical pastor. I really liked him - his views were actually thought out and valid rather than what I’m used to hearing from the Evangelical crowd. He even claims to have a wife that goes to an Evangelical church that supports gay marriage. I didn’t think these people existed! I love his views on abortion and gay marriage. He seems to support financial aid to curtail abortion, which is a very realistic point of view. Most of his fellow believers want to outlaw abortion outright, which will work just as well as prohibition did.
He states that the average woman receiving an abortion is lower to lower-middle class, and that usually their concern over cost of raising a child is that main incentive for aborting. This is a very good point.
When asked about gay marriage, he says that the government shouldn’t have any involvement in marriage itself at all, but rather grant all couples civil union and leave actual marriage up to the churches. This is a great idea - one I have never heard brought up before, and it would greatly benefit many couples, gay and straight.
I just hope that more people in the Evangelical community and especially in the Religious Right start absorbing this kind of attitude. Many of them are doing exactly what their religious leaders tell them to do, and not thinking for themselves. I’m glad at least a few can break from the herd and point out what’s wrong.
Check out his sermon podcast. I just may later tomorrow.
Blog Posts
August 12, 2007 @ 04:24 AM
I’ve always thought that the government shouldn’t be in the business of marriage. I’m glad I’m not the only one. :)
September 21, 2007 @ 02:41 PM
I think everyone will enjoy the clip of Tony on Eastern University’s website at www.eastern.edu/change.