It was a really bold move when Jay Bakker talked about accepting gay individuals into church instead of condemning them. I've had friends in church who are gay but must keep it a secret for fear of being ousted.
Viewers get to see a unique look into the inner conflict that (especially younger) Christians face today. They're automatically branded as part of the "religious right" when many times they're stuck somewhere in the gray area of politics. Guys like Bakker are marked too traditional for progressive liberals and too progressive for traditional conservatives. I think America has to be more open minded, more willing to do something about social issues, maybe instead of wasting time having Senate hearings about steroids in baseball.
I think it really does come down to "What Would Jesus Do?" Would he truly be out protesting or preaching messages of hate? Would he exclude people just because they were different? Or would he accept them for who they are? Wouldn't he love everyone just the same? I felt really bad for Jay when after taking a stand for what he believed in, he lost the support of the people who once agreed with him. It's an ugly thing that churches need money to get by, and it's hard not to feel like a crook when you ask for donations, but that's the cold reality of the gig.
Underneath the faux-punk image, Bakker seems like a deeply sincere person with the best intentions in the world. He displays a more real, compassionate, positive image of spiritual young people today, which because of the garbage on so many cable networks, people never get to see.
Viewers get to see a unique look into the inner conflict that (especially younger) Christians face today. They're automatically branded as part of the "religious right" when many times they're stuck somewhere in the gray area of politics. Guys like Bakker are marked too traditional for progressive liberals and too progressive for traditional conservatives. I think America has to be more open minded, more willing to do something about social issues, maybe instead of wasting time having Senate hearings about steroids in baseball.
I think it really does come down to "What Would Jesus Do?" Would he truly be out protesting or preaching messages of hate? Would he exclude people just because they were different? Or would he accept them for who they are? Wouldn't he love everyone just the same? I felt really bad for Jay when after taking a stand for what he believed in, he lost the support of the people who once agreed with him. It's an ugly thing that churches need money to get by, and it's hard not to feel like a crook when you ask for donations, but that's the cold reality of the gig.
Underneath the faux-punk image, Bakker seems like a deeply sincere person with the best intentions in the world. He displays a more real, compassionate, positive image of spiritual young people today, which because of the garbage on so many cable networks, people never get to see.
