To the Readers' Forum:
According to reporting in The Post-Journal, the newest action team in the Strategic Planning and Partnerships Commission is a group dedicated to racial reconciliation in Jamestown headed by Max Martin, branch manager for the Eastside YMCA. The group also includes other community leaders as well.
As citizens of Jamestown we should all support such efforts in embracing racial and ethnic diversity and in bringing about more harmony and understanding in our city. But the diversity group strays from its priority objective when it heads in a direction that most Christian citizens cannot support the promotion and normalization of homosexuality in society.
According to The Post-Journal report, "Martin believes that the term 'diversity' extends to many different aspects aside from heritage. He took time to elaborate upon how the new legalization of gay marriage in New York has allowed the city to become a more diverse city as a consequence." But according to biblical and Christian teachings homosexuality activity is a sin. According to traditional Western and American morality homosexuality is wrong. Most citizens still classify themselves as Christians, so this is a public issue. But it isn't just a Christian issue; there are plenty of non-Christian citizens who believe traditional and cultural moral standards are worth preserving.
Yes, six or seven out of 50 states in the U.S. have legalized gay marriage, New York State included. That means that citizens of these few states must tolerate or "put up with" so-called same-sex marriage. But that doesn't mean we must embrace or promote it. It doesn't mean citizens must celebrate immorality. I'm afraid when the newly organized diversity group includes the gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender and queer (GLBTQ) segments of society it crosses the line from promoting legitimate community diversity to radical left-wing social engineering and re-education. This is not what diversity is all about. It's disingenuous to attract the support of genuine seekers of racial and ethnic diversity in Jamestown, only to change the agenda in the radical direction. I would hope the diversity group could stick to promoting real, legitimate diversity in Jamestown and abandon this other radical agenda. Let's have diversity we can all celebrate.
Pastor Jeff Short
Jamestown