A fellow student in my History of Christianity II class commented about a Methodist congregation in Columbus the bears a overly-large banner in front of their meeting place that references homosexuals as being “welcomed” as Jesus would welcome. The congregation claims to be “inclusive” of all people types. Her angered statement concluded with, “they are just so liberal.”

Is it evil to be liberal?

Many of my contemporary conservative evangelicals would say, “yes.” I have heard multiple negative remarks about “liberals.” What does it mean to be “liberal?” Are we referring to politics, theology, or a merging of the two?

Is it evil to welcome a homosexual to a place where Christians gather?

I do understand that the National Methodist Conference balloteers did indeed decide to change doctrinal statment about acceptance of homosexuality. Aside from that context, why would Christians not want to engage in relationship with homosexuals? But that argument doesn’t really work because any gathering modeling that of he previously mentioned in Columbus does not neccesarily foster relationship.

Jesus says, “Do not resist an evil person?” Are conservative evangelicals translating that now as, “Do not resist a liberal person?”