Gay 'Pride' celebrated, criticized at festival

[William769]

Roughly 2,000 people filled Park Central Square to listen to musical groups, poetry, and motivational speakers. Colorful flags waved in the wind while patrons visited merchandise tents.

Randy Gamel, a member of First Unitarian Universalist Church in Springfield, sat in the shade with literature aimed towards the GLBT community.

"We think everybody's loved and everybody's special so we're happy to be here," Gamel said. "We're not what you consider an old fashioned church; we've changed with the times. Everybody's welcome, come as you are no pretense. You don't have to pretend to be anything you're not. We love you just the same."

Steps away, volunteers advocating AIDS testing and awareness, passed out stickers and free water.

http://www.kspr.com/news/kspr-gay-pride-celebrated-criticized-at-festival-20120616,0,3561957.story

[msongs]

1. christians trying to enforce their religion on the lives of all people. ugly nt

[Confusious]

2. Where?

The unitarian church? Might want to look them up on wikipedia. Very liberal church.

[WillParkinson]

3. Per the article:

""To say they are 'Born that way,' it's just not true. It's just something just like anything else; they need to make the decision to act on it or not to act on it," said Brad St. Clair, evangelist with Repent and Turn. "The bible says that homosexuality is a sin. As well as adultery and fornication and lying and hatred and murder. So it's just that, that's just one sin that the bible says that those who do so will go to hell.""

[Confusious]

4. That'll teach me to not just skim the article. nt

[Swede Atlanta]

5. No, you were correct.

Randy Gamel of First Unitarian Universalist Church was there supporting the merry-makers. His church is very open and accepting. Please see their website @ http://www.uua.org/justice/index.shtml.

It was Brad St. Clair representing Repent and Turn that was spouting the same old misguided religious hatred.

I have attended several UUA services over the years. Their style is interesting. Their approach is very holistic. I am still more comfortable with my "traditional" Lutheran church (that is very open and accepting I must add).

[WillParkinson]

6. No one is denying the UU part...

It was the part about the group that was protesting. Another religious group.