Church is being protested for advocating gay marriage amendment.

[madfloridian]

Politics by the church? Sure, it is. This is the largest church in Lakeland, membership of several thousand. This will take place weekly...see details in article.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041117/NEWS/411170357/1004/NEWS08

LAKELAND -- The Rev. Jay Dennis, at the forefront of a call by Florida Baptists for a ban on gay marriage, is now finding himself and his church the target of protests.

A group of between 15 and 20 protesters stood on the sidewalk outside the sprawling First Baptist Church at the Mall on Sunday, and organizers have vowed they will continue the protest on successive Sundays with even larger groups.

Dennis, senior pastor of First Baptist, made a motion on Nov. 9 at the annual meeting of the Florida Baptist Convention in Jacksonville, calling for the state Legislature to pass a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman. In an article in Friday's Ledger, Dennis said he hoped Florida Baptists and other citizens would mount a petition drive and that he would be calling other pastors to help start such a drive..."

At the church entrance

[davidinalameda]

1. sweet!

glad to see people standing up to these bigots

[Unstuck In Time]

2. "First Baptist Church at the Mall"

Ah-hahahahahahahahaha!!! :D

[Chovexani]

7. You know

That right there tells you everything wrong with America right now.

[madfloridian]

9. What a great picture!

And yes, church at the mall is a scary creepy name.

[CatBoreal]

3. Keep the faith...

How ironic is that.

Cam

[Selwynn]

4. My favorite protest I participated in - was in defense of two churches

For their inclusive and open stance on gay rights. Fred Phelps and his hate group came to down and staged demonstrations to harass people trying to get into these churches. His numbers are small, but if you've ever seen his "events" - they are brutal. About 200 Christians, Jews, Buddhists gay and lesbians (not that gay and lesbians are necessarily different from Christan's, Jews, Buddhists, etc - but a couple local gay activists groups specifically participated with members) all came together and united to counter that crap. We lined the church property from one street corner to the other, and all around the block, forming a human wall. We stood between the Phelps crew and people trying to get to church - shielding them from that hate and taking it ourselves.

One of the best things I ever did. You know what else was great? Afterwords, when we all went inside to warm up and drink coffee at this episcopal church -- I was in an episcopal church, as a non-denominational believer, sitting next to a lovely gay woman, sharing a biscuit, talking to a Jewish rabbi and a a Buddhist -- and everyone was happy.

<tear>
Sel

[dkofos]

5. WOW

You mean, when you take the hatred out of religion people get along?

Incredible

[Selwynn]

6. See -- its SO FUCKING GOOD WHEN IT WORKS that I just can't give up on it..

..yet. :)

[zbdent]

8. Somebody should really represent the other side of the argument

standing by the driveway with a sign "Entrance for the Church of I Hate Fags & Lesbians" . . .