{"id":119029,"date":"2021-06-29T15:15:40","date_gmt":"2021-06-29T13:15:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/thefreethinker\/?p=119029"},"modified":"2021-06-29T23:00:36","modified_gmt":"2021-06-29T21:00:36","slug":"big-trouble-in-little-ferndale-as-lutherans-clash-over-church-sign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/thefreethinker\/2021\/06\/big-trouble-in-little-ferndale-as-lutherans-clash-over-church-sign\/","title":{"rendered":"Big trouble in little Ferndale as Lutherans clash over church sign"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

IN picturesque Ferndale<\/span><\/a>, California (population around 1,300) there are two Lutheran churches. Our Savior\u2019s Lutheran Church is LGBT-friendly. St Mark\u2019s anything but.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
Images via Facebook and YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But it wasn\u2019t until the latter, led by pastor Tyrel Bramwell, above, displayed a homophobic sign that major doctrinal differences surfaced \u2013 and led to the first Pride march ever staged in what is known as \u201cthe Cream City\u201d at the weekend.<\/p>\n

Lost Coast Outpost<\/em><\/a> \u2013 don\u2019t you just adore that name? \u2013 reported last Friday that, while both St Mark\u2019s and Our Savior are Lutheran, they\u2019re aligned with two distinctly different sub-denominations that have opposing views on same-sex marriage and other LGBTQ issues.<\/p>\n

Our Savior belongs to the\u00a0Evangelical Lutheran Church in America\u00a0(ELCA), a mainline Protestant denomination whose assembly, in 2009, voted to allow gays and lesbians who are in committed, monogamous relationships to be ordained as clergy. Since then, the ELCA has appointed a gay bishop and ordained a trans pastor, and its clergy are allowed to officiate same-sex marriages.<\/p>\n

\u00a0St. Mark\u2019s, meanwhile, belongs to The Lutheran Church\u2014Missouri Synod\u00a0(LCMS), a \u201ctraditional\u201d denomination that categorically condemns \u201chomosexual lusts and acts\u201d\u00a0as profoundly \u201cunnatural.\u201d Members of the LCMS church believe they\u2019re called upon to help such poor souls \u201cto overcome the temptations which beset them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bramwell\u2019s sign immediately prompted Our Savior to retaliate with a one that read:<\/p>\n

We welcome everyone! Jesus said all are precious in his sight. Love is always the answer.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"
Image via YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This in turn led around 100 individuals taking part in an impromptu Pride parade<\/a>, and Bramwell found himself besieged outside his church by people demanding what to know what was going through his tiny little mind when he created the sign in a haven also known as America\u2019s \u201ccutest\u201d city.<\/p>\n

One of his inquisitors was Chris Tanner, a gay artist from New York City who often visits his 95-year-old mum in Ferndale. Tanner \u2013 not Christian but a fella who accompanies his mother to Our Savior\u2019s \u2013\u00a0 told the Outpost<\/em> that he was happy to take part in Saturday\u2019s demonstration.<\/p>\n

Tanner had questions for the pastor, and he pressed for some clarification on why people would need healing from \u201cLGBTQ culture.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bramwell: \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of stuff that goes on in the LGBTQ culture.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike what?\u201d Tanner wondered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s all the different letters, right?\u201d Bramwell replied. \u201cThere\u2019s lesbians. There\u2019s gay. There\u2019s bi. There\u2019s trans. And then there\u2019s the plus. The \u201cIA.\u201d All the stuff. And if any of that has hurt you in any way, if you\u2019re hurt by it there\u2019s a place to come and be healed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tanner: \u201cWhy would anybody be hurt by that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bramwell: \u201cWell, it is sinful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tanner: \u201cIt\u2019s sinful?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bramwell: \u201cScripture does say that. And we stand on scripture.\u201d<\/p>\n

His silly explanation impressed no one. In fact several expressed that they\u2019d been hurt in the past by religion.<\/p>\n

Left wriggling on a hook, Bramwell was forced to reach for his Big Ol\u2019 Book of Bullshit and launched into an impromptu sermon, adding long passages of scripture about humans\u2019 sinful nature. As his voice got louder, the crowd responded with singing and chants of \u201cLove is love!\u201d<\/p>\n

And in a sign that the good folk of Ferndale have little time for faith-based bigotry, passing motorists honked signs for approval for those who turned out to march for love and inclusiveness.<\/p>\n

Hat tip: BarrieJohn<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Please report any typos\/errors to barry@freethinker.co.uk<\/span><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019d like to buy me a cup of coffee \u2013 and boy, do I get through a LOT<\/em> of coffee keeping this site active \u2013 please click the link below.<\/p>\n

\"I'dI\u2019d love a cup of coffee<\/a><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

IN picturesque Ferndale, California (population around 1,300) there are two Lutheran churches. Our Savior\u2019s Lutheran Church is LGBT-friendly. St Mark\u2019s anything but. But it wasn\u2019t until the latter, led by pastor Tyrel Bramwell, above, displayed a homophobic sign that major doctrinal differences surfaced \u2013 and led to the first Pride march ever staged in what […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3705,"featured_media":119054,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[898,8642,15,4302,8648,8645,8651],"class_list":["post-119029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-california","tag-ferndale","tag-homophobia","tag-lgbt-pride","tag-our-saviors-lutheran-church","tag-pastor-tyrel-bramwell","tag-st-marks-lutheran-church"],"yoast_head":"\nBig trouble in little Ferndale as Lutherans clash over church sign<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"IN picturesque Ferndale, California (population around 1,300) there are two Lutheran churches. 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