Category — Whosoever Magazine

Ole bulletproof is at it again, this time via Religion Dispatches lambasting the founders of TripleXChurch for trying to help homosexuals and sex industry workers (prostitutes et al).

Although Candace Chellew claims to be a gay christian, a Rwandan elephant might be a better representation. We’ve talked about her sophistic butchery of scripture here and here before. Now she’s protesting gays at parades being treated with love. She’s found incontrovertible evidence  of a conservative Christian conspiracy to convert gays from their true orientation with a sinister bait and switch tactic using water bottles and bracelets. Wow, thankfully she’s now exposed it and gays the world over are safe.

A new book by two pastors with a ministry focus on traditional sexual “sinners” like those in the porn industry and those who “struggle” with pornography, is seeking to revive this sort of “friendship evangelism.” They’re traveling the country, attending gay pride parades, handing out “Jesus Loves You” water bottles and wrist bracelets apologizing for how the church has treated “sinners” like gays and lesbians.

On the serious side, Ms Chellew’s biggest problem (like most gay christian clerics) is that she has a substantial amount of misplaced (and unjustified) caan-like anger at God and his Word. Sorry, republicans, conservative Christians, James Dobson nor Exodus International created the Bible. In fact, no one Chellew continuously blames had anything whatsoever to do with what is contained in the scriptures. But because we simply believe what it says and proclaim its truth, its just as if you wrote those hateful words to her. That’s a reference to the homosexuality is an abomination part which she doesn’t like because she thinks her lesbianism is her identity.

Its strange that one sinner would say, I’m better than that sinner because I don’t do that! Isnt that breaking the dreaded thou shalt not be judgmental law? Believe it or not that’s exactly Chellew’s issue with sex industry workers. She’s better than those degenerates!

“The offensiveness of this “friendship evangelism” cannot be overstated. Let me outline what I find most offensive. First, gay and lesbian people are lumped in with porn stars. I agree with them that the porn industry is harmful not just to women, but to men. It degrades both men and women—but women especially. I join with them in their quest to change the behavior of porn stars. However, I am offended that my community is lumped in with them. There is absolutely no comparison. It’s like comparing the heterosexual community to the porn industry. Yes, there are some perverts in the heterosexual community, but that doesn’t mean the whole community is perverse. Same goes for the gay and lesbian community.”

So what’s wrong with handing out bottles of water and Jesus loves you bracelets at gay pride events? Gays have always complained that Christians don’t show them love and are always hatin’ on them cause of who they are. Well, now that Jason Harper and Craig Gross are not doing that Chellew thinks its definitely because they are conniving “friendship evangelism” devotees like her sister. Who, by the way she mistrusts too.

Well, with all this Christian 007 action going on, just who does Chellew, defender of the gay christian kingdom of gay faith trust? Most likely herself and her book, Bulletproof Faith. Its her version of how to protect yourself from the evil Christians who want to tell you Jesus loves you but secretly want you to burn in hell. Its like a one year how-to-survive-in-post-Sadam Iraq guide.  Talk about conspiracy theories.

While Chellew is busy instructing frightened gays how to duck and dodge Christians who sincerely love them, perhaps its never occurred to her (that comes from fear of reading the bible) God might actually be still speaking to her over and over.

As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” Heb 3:15. In other words, when God speaks to you, don’t play the bulletproof card.

And doesn’t God move in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform? Afterall, God did grant a jackass temporary speaking abilities to reprimand an apostate prophet and tell him he was about to get his head chopped off by an angel.  The case of Balaam strangely parallels the whole bulletproof ideology. Lying to people about God will only result in bondage, disobedience and severe consequences.

Apostate-in-chief John Shelby Spong (remember him?) wrote of BPF “It is an amazing truth that gay and lesbian Christians need to develop a bullet-proof faith in order to survive the attack of other Christians. That, however, is the experience of many homosexual persons. Candace Chellew-Hodge has in this book committed herself to the task of making that survival a reality. I salute her and her work”

Sounds like a perpetual victimization manifesto cult pledge. Like Spong’s crybaby manifesto, Chellew declares “there’s only one side to this issue.”   There’s something  ironically hypocritical about that when Challew’s church the UCC declares “God is still speaking”. But such are those who live in deception.

The incredulous thing is that people like Bulletproofing Chellew and Manifesto-ing Spong actually want us to believe them instead of God. What foolish arrogance.

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Numbers 23:19 NIV

Why would any Christian use nasty profanity to express themselves? Perhaps when sexual immorality is no big deal, then neither is having clean conversation.  If Candace Chellew, the so-called minister and Christian editor of the so-called gay christian website Whosoever cusses like this on her blog, it makes one wonder what else is acceptable in her so-called Christian life.  Chellew is a lesbian cleric with the United Church of Christ.

A good person produces good from the good treasure of his heart, and an evil person produces evil from an evil treasure, because the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.” Luke 6:45 ISV

On a blog  ironically called “the christian agnostic”,  Chellew foments against the Vatican because it took offense at John Lennon’s remark that the “Beatles were bigger than Jesus”.  Lennon made the  deadly remark in 1966.  Four years later, The Beatles dissolved and Lennon was tragically gunned down on a New York street fourteen years later. 

Maybe Chellew is not aware that the Vatican can’t forgive blasphemy.

The post was blatantly hypocritical. While Chellew lambastes the Vatican for not forgiving Lennon she holds Bob Jones University in unforgiveness for not subscribing to her brand of fake –and dangerous– Christianity.  

But then again, when you see nothing wrong as a Christian with an abominable sexual practice, then using filthy words, unforgiveness, hypocrisy and lying are of no particular significance either.

More on Candace Chellew and her false whosoever doctrines.

Gay Christian Movement Watch is seeking first hand accounts and personal narratives of several categories of individuals who have had personal experience with gay churches and organizations.

First, GCM Watch is seeking testimonials of former members of gay churches namely: Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), any affiliate churches of The Fellowship (Bishop Yvette Flunder), Unity Fellowship Church Movement or any independent gay church. In addition, if you were part of an “affirming” or “inclusive” church, but left because you no longer accepted its false doctrines, please contact GCM Watch as soon as possible.

Secondly, if you have visited, but never joined a gay/affirming/inclusive church your personal narrative of that experience is also welcomed. Please tell us what you saw and heard.

Third, if you know of someone who fits the criteria above, forward this information to them and ask them to contact GCM Watch.

These personal narratives are being sought to provide a balanced and truthful counter to the lies currently being promoted by gay churches about biblical sexual morality. These organizations promise an overabundance of love, value and acceptance but what are they actually delivering to hurting and confused people?

Contact GCM Watch at gcmwatch@yahoo.com
Partial list of “affirming/inclusive” religious organizations here .

Gay theology is so heavily influenced by antinomianism that all of the gay christian movement’s arguments against what the scriptures clearly teach about homosexuality are a result of this infusion of this heresy. Like a proverbial “pandora’s box” when a religious group embraces one doctrinal fallacy, it opens the door for other false beliefs to be accepted and practiced. Often it is spiritually fatal.

The sermon by Rev. Candace Chellew, Whosoever editor and a gay UCC minister, is one of the clearest examples of antinomianism we have come across. On its face, the antinomianist view is inherently hypocritical in part because it minimizes the written word in sexual and moral circumstances, but selectively uses it to support its own positions. Such beliefs are a dominant component of gay christian theology and account for the movement’s ability to look and sound Christian to those unfamiliar with its real beliefs.

In a sermon called “Better heresy of doctrine than heresy of heart”, Chellew sloppily attempts to pass off a quote from John Greenleaf Whittier as spiritual truth. She claims it is based on Matthew 6:19-21 and Matthew 15:10-20, but that’s only theological window dressing. Incidentally, Whittier’s poetry was known for appealing to emotions and feelings rather than logic.

Chellew attempts to support her antinomianist premise with a Thomas Carlyle quote: “A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge.” This, she says, leads to a “knowledge of self”. Perhaps it does, but is that the true path for a follower of Jesus Christ?
Psalms 110:10 says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments. Jeremiah 17:9-10 says the heart is deceitful above all things and desparately wicked, who can know it? The Bible never tells us to seek knowledge of self, rather we are told to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Thus, when we seek Christ, we find ourselves, but only in Him. For in Him we live, move and have our being (Acts 17:28). Chellew’s worldly philosophy like that of all false teachers, lead people away from God instead of into a deeper relationship with Him.

One of the hallmarks of a false gospel is that it produces no power over sin. Thus, followers of false doctrines begin to make creative concessions for their sin. Paul declared in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation” (freedom from sin). Chellew’s powerless gospel becomes the reason for her “massage table revelation”.

I had a revelation of this fact about a year ago as I was lying, quite naked and vulnerable, on a massage therapist’s table. The therapist was massaging an area of my upper chest when she remarked about how tight I was in that region. She then explained to me the concept in Chinese medicine that the body is divided into seven chakras or power points. The point she was massaging is called the Heart Chakra. Since it was tight she said, “That means you’re not following your heart.” I immediately burst into tears. Those simple words, said in passing by my massage therapist, hit home with me. It made me realize that more than anything else I need to honor what’s in my heart. I cannot live in any way that is contrary to what I know in my heart to be God’s will for my life.

Given that gay christian theology is so completely irreconcileable with the true gospel, its no wonder Chellew would make this statement:

Each of us, because we are sitting in a church as openly GLBT people, alongside our straight allies, knows that we are doctrinal heretics. But we also know that being doctrinal heretics is better than hiding, denying our true selves, and living a lie that doctrine would have us to live.”

Unable to use scripture to support her fringe claims, Chellews tosses in words from a Buddhist monk:

Buddhist monk, Jack Kornfield, in his book “A Path with Heart” gives us a starting place in answering that question [about the heart]. Above all, he advises, any path we choose should “have heart.” Think deeply about the path your life is on right now. Is it a path that fills your heart with joy and anticipation of each new day? Or is it a path that fills your heart with dread as each new day begins?

Her words are a set up to feed the brokenness of those listening. There is no power, no promise of freedom from sin, only a false compromise which tells each person to follow their own deceptive hearts.

After telling her audience that they must treasure God above all, Chellew then leads them in a Buddhist transcendental meditation exercise where they are to think on two good deeds they have done. This is supposed to make them feel better about themselves. In other words, being a good person is what really matters, not obeying some set of restrictive Bible rules. Nowhere in scripture are we told to meditate of our good deeds. We are told to meditate on God’s Word day and night. If we do, we will be like trees planted by the water whose leaves never wither. Psalms 1:1-6

Chellew says what stands in the way of their “path to happiness and self discovery” are “those of a more right-wing thinking who believe there is only one path that the heart must tread theirs of course. A path that strictly adheres to doctrines, no matter what the heart may say. Those on the religious right tell us that by following our hearts we will end up in hell sentenced to eternal damnation. They’ve made up doctrines saying it’s so!”

By incorrectly attributing biblical doctrine to the work of political “right-wingers” and not the Holy Spirit, she may have cut off the path to her salvation. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes for the Jew first and also for the Greek. What a tragic thing to discover in the end that both heresy of doctrine and heresy of heart are false roads that really do lead to hell.

Candace Chellew, editor of the gay christian site Whosover has a quick fix for anyone who thinks the Bible condemns homosexuality. Just cut out Jesus from the Bible. This Jesus, when placed in a box of red letter parameters is silent on homosexuality.

In an article entitled “Exploding the Myths of Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality” Chellew begins by quoting a Presbyterian minister who changed his mind about the bible. The point is that if such a well respected theologian could change his mind, why are the rest of us still hanging on to antiquated ideas? In our opinion, she chose a poor example for us to emulate.

Jack Rogers, a former professor at San Francisco Theological Seminary and Moderator of the 213th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) pokes fun at what people call the “gay lifestyle”, comparing it with porn nutcase Hugh Hefner.

“Hugh Hefner lives in a mansion with a lot of pretty women with whom he can have sex. His is a life of promiscuity but he’s straight,” Rogers said. “Then I think of my friend, Soulforce leader Mel White. He lives with his partner Gary Nixon in a committed, monogamous relationship and he’s gay. Which lifestyle would we say best emulates what we would want to live as Christians?”

What brilliant theology. Apparently, its some sort of revelation for Chellew and her readers.

Rogers claimed that after nine months of studying the Bible the anti-homosexuality presupposition didnt hold up when one “looked at particular texts in their literary, cultural and historical contexts.”
While its true that one should not study the scriptures with a predetermined thesis in place, such a standard should be applied equally to those like Chellew who use the scriptures to prove that homosexuality isnt condemned by God. Rogers doesn’t do that.

The whole concept of biblical compartmentalization serves the gay christian movement’s faux doctrine well in that it allows them to control the flow of truth to their adherents. Chellew’s cut-out Jesus is a perfect example of why gay christians will never accept truth. The cut-out christ isnt equipped to tell them.

Rogers uses the Sodom passage to prove his point but in the process demonstrates that he has to violate his own no presuppositional rule.

“But when you study it you see that Sodom and Gomorrah is mentioned many other times in scripture but never in connection with homosexuality,” Rogers said. “The other biblical passages in the Old Testament refer to the sin of Sodom as greed, lack of hospitality, excessive wealth and indifference to the poor. And Jesus refers to the sin of Sodom, which was in his view the failure of cities to give hospitality to his traveling disciples.”

The “other” passage[s] Rogers is referring to is Ezekial 16:49. Ezekiel 16:49 needs no interpretation, no spin of any sort. Since Rogers uses it as an example, let’s agree it is what it says. When one reads Ezekiel 16:49 it says exactly what Rogers agrees with. There’s no mention of homosexuality.

49 “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.
But the very next verse which continues the prophets thoughts show the sins of the previous verse led them to commit abominations.

50 “Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it.

Abominations? What could he be referring to when he said they “committed abominations”? Certainly Ezekiel wasnt simply repeating what he had said before, nor was he restating it. The word abomination in the scripture specifically referred to two equally detestable acts: idolatry and sexual immorality.

Not only did Ezekiel pinpoint the sexual immorality and idolatry of Sodom but quite clearly God recounts that HE took punitive action against them.

If it was about honestly looking at all the context, history, culture why doesn’t Rogers cite the 50th verse in its context? Rogers also neglects to cite the Apostle Jude’s warning about Sodom. “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire”(Jude 7). Jude describes their “grievous sin” as “going after strange flesh” Perhaps Rogers thinks that Jude (the Lord’s brother) is also guilty of antihomosexuality presupposition.

Its astonishing that after nine months of alleged Bible study, Rogers uses the exact the same cookie cutter arguments (even animal homosexuality) previous progay revisionists before him have rehashed. Excuse the sarcasm, but how original is that for a religion seminary professor?

Chellew admits that it wasn’t the Bible that changed, but how people viewed the Bible. Rogers attributes that to Karl Barth’s (1886-1968) “neo-orthodox” theology which held that “revelation of God comes not in an inspired book, but in the person of Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate” Rogers later calls Barth’s revisionism the church’s “roots”.

That’s an interesting disclosure. The Bible doesn’t change. Since it cannot and wont change to accomdate the whims of people, no matter who they are, the only solution is the change your mind about the Bible. What a dangerous road to take, but its one proponents of homosexual affirming theology take because they do not want to accept the scripture’s inerrant truth. Most base their obejections on a ministerpretation theory.

Wrong translations or right interpretations?
What’s the difference between translation and interpretation? Translations are unchanged in their meaning while crossing languages – they do not differ between translators because the original manuscript is the authority. Interpretations are perceptions of what the original manuscript meant. This can alter from one interpreter to another – as the various versions of the Bible we have do. 1 Peter1:20,21 tells us that the scripture is not up for private interpretation. That is to say, no one should derive a conclusion which allows them to escape the responsibility of their own sin.

Here’s another example of Rogers’ half-true interpretations in order to justify homosexuality.
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“You discover that Jesus never goes out on a moral crusade against people who are marginalized by society,” Rogers said. “He does the exact opposite. He brings in people who are considered outcast by his society including women and people with disabilities and people who weren’t Jews. This was a big deal because you weren’t supposed to have anything to do with these people because they were manifest sinners.”

True. Partially.

In scripture, “marginal sinner” who encountered Christ voluntarily repented of their sins and forsook them (Mary Magdalene) or they walked away from Christ’s challenge (rich young ruler).
This notion that some are marginalized and others are not is simply untrue. The proper perspective is that sin marginalizes all of us. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. Thus, such marginalization should be viewed from God’s redemptive perspective. Gaining social equality is of no significance if one’s soul remains unredeemed.
To encounter Christ was to encounter change. Either you accepted his challenge (Mark 1:14.15) or you rejected it. Fundamentally, that remains the challenge of the gospel message even to this day.

For a full critique of Jack Rogers flawed use of analogical reasoning, see Dr. Gagnon’s article.

Gay Christian Movement Watch is seeking first hand accounts and personal narratives of several categories of individuals who have had personal experience with gay churches and organizations. 

First,  GCM Watch is seeking testimonials of former members of gay churches namely: Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), any affiliate churches of The Fellowship (Bishop Yvette Flunder), Unity Fellowship Church Movement  or any independent gay church. In addition, if you were part of an “affirming” or “inclusive” church, but left because you no longer accepted its false doctrines, please contact GCM Watch as soon as possible.

Secondly, if you have visited, but never joined a gay/affirming/inclusive church your personal narrative of that experience is also welcomed.

Third, if you know of someone who fits the criteria above, forward this information to them and ask them to contact GCM Watch.

These personal narratives are being sought to provide a balanced and truthful counter to the lies currently being promoted by gay churches about biblical sexual morality. These organizations promise an overabundance of love, value and acceptance but what are they actually delivering to  hurting and confused people? 

• Contact GCM Watch at gcmwatch@yahoo.com
• Partial list of “affirming/inclusive” religious organizations here and here.

This announcement will repost each month.