How many boys do you have to kiss to get right with the Big Guy?? And pecks on the cheek or deep french kisses? I don't remember the part about kissing in the 10 Commandments, what does it say about deep kisses?

I don't have TV so I haven't seen the video, I listened to part of her interview on Howard Stern and it kind of sounded like Katy was raised in the church, and got her start singing gospel songs. So salvation goes away after kissing members of the same sex. Huh.

I find it utterly appalling that Churches are reducing to pop song tactics to imply damnation. The fact that Katy Perry's character in the video wakes up next to a male is surely a plus for the Right Wing conservatives.

Oh wait, it may be premarital sex. WHOOPS.

I really hope the sign gets taken down pronto, and the fact the Pastor didn't think it'd "escalate to this" means he's severely delusional. Maybe he should have the writers from Daily Show help him if he -really- wants to get some zingers instead of relying on the bigoted staff.

Please Lord, or to whom it may concern (famous Unitarian Universalist joke), lead us not into the temptation of bigoted and not-so-funny puns, but of liberation of the mind and equality for all.

Too bad the church was not being ironic. If they had been that sign would make for great snark.

Also, has anyone here seen the video? I recall seeing a version of it and from what I can remember there was little to no kissing at all in the video; Just a bunch of women in lingerie (which is not shocking by today's pop music standards).

As a side note however, I hate that song. I am not opposed to homosexuality but there is something about 'lipstick lesbians' (read: fake lesbians; see: Lindsay Lohan) that makes me angry.

maybe they were trying to be funny? because if they were being serious with that comment, i'm really really sad...

I find it a bit strange how vehemently some of the American Christian right have reacted to this song - I mean, she spends all of the lyrics of the song apart form the title ones reassuring us that she's not really a lezzo, like, don't worry, I totally wake up to a guy every morning, I was only, you know, like, experimenting and stuff.

I understand that it must be frightening for the bigots for a song like this to even enter popular culture at all, but COME ON, GUYS! It's not as though she's saying it's ok for girls to actually, you know, like other girls. She thinks lesbianism is all just a big, mischievious, party trick. Isn't this the kind of thinking these people would welcome, because it hides the alternative, where it is actually a valid, self-affirming identity?

As a side note, I hate that song. I am not opposed to homosexuality but there is something about 'lipstick lesbians' (read: fake lesbians; see: Lindsay Lohan) that makes me angry.

A 'lipstick lesbian' isn't someone who fakes lesbianism. A lipstick lesbian is a lesbian who is feminine. Because we as a society can't stand not to put people in boxes, we have to have a special phrase for a lesbian who doesn't fit our spikey-haired, flannel-wearing image of one. *smile*

And I don't know about Lindsay being a fake lesbian; she's been with her girlfriend for some time now, hasn't she? (I stay out of popular culture for the most part so I could be way off base here!)

FeministGal: I'm pretty sure they weren't trying to be funny from the quotes in the article. I live in a rural community but luckily, we've never had signs like this. However, the town right next to where I like (which is tiny tiny tiny) has several churches who display these kind of messages. When the Harry Potter books were big, signs about witchcraft were up warning us against them. Homosexuality is always a great church sign topic and up until about last year, one building had the Ten Commandments painted on its side.

Oh my gosh! This is awful. And kind of funny. I always that of that song as there for heterosexual guys than promoting bisexual or lesbian young women to act on genuine feelings. Someone needs to watch the movie FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

Oh my gosh! This is awful. And kind of funny. I always that of that song as there for heterosexual guys than promoting bisexual or lesbian young women to act on genuine feelings. Someone needs to watch the movie FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

Wow, it's like that church totally missed the point of the song. If there's anything I hate it's faux-lesbianism to get the boys' attention. Jill Sobule's song was much better.
It was a little jaw-dropping. But it happens and we want people to know there are more than 300 welcoming and affirming churches across Ohio.
Yeah...I'd like to refer this group to Liberal Christian Bingo!

I would like to know if this guy was equally opposed to pop videos like Christina Aguilera's (sp?) Dirty....or, I don't know, every other single freaking music video out there! Honestly, to single this video out as pornography is really stupid.

I am an anti-pornography feminist (with a few specific exceptions) but this video was not pornography. Stupid? Yes. Pointless? Yes. But not pornography.

This sign is simply ridiculous. It reads almost as a parodie of something right-wing evangelical churches would write. It's like this movement has joined the rest of the reasonable world in making fun of it! If the clear hatred behind this sign was not so deeply disturbing, this sign would be hilarious. Who the hell co-opts pop lyrics to discuss coomplicated theological issues, like how or why one goes to hell? It's so flippant and colloquial! You'd think they'd find it insulting to their religion, too!

1 Corinthians 16:20
All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
1 Thessalonians 5:26
Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
1 Peter 5:14
Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Mark 14:45
Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him.

Someone needs to read their Bible again.

It reads almost as a parodie of something right-wing evangelical churches would write.
Sounds like Poe's Law.

Add one more line:

"But it wasn't because of the girl-kissing, it was because I said "no" to health insurance for children!"

That would make so much difference.

Heh. Sure different from my church. My minister and I were chatting the other day about how we're always getting mail for "The Pastor's Wife". She said to me, "I'm tempted to write them and tell them I'm single and straight, but should that change, I'll drop them a line". She also said, "Geez, I wish I were gay. It'd be so much easier to find a mate in this church". Hehe.

I simply do not understand the virulent homophobia in Christian churches. It makes no sense whatsoever. EVEN if one take the bible literally (which is plain silly), and takes homosexuality as a sin, why should it be reviled any worse than any other sin? Like say, using the Lord's name in vain (an actual commandment, as opposed to statements made by Paul in the Epistles, or comparisons to eating shellfish in the Hebrew scriptures). No one screams "You're going to HELL!" at people who utter "Jesus Christ!"

"Pastor David Allison said he didn't put up the sign to draw attention to the church."

Hey, isn't lying a sin?

oh, for fuck's sake.
i'm willing to bet pastor David Allison's
holy computer is littered with
girl-on-girl action.

Its unrealisic to expect someone who's faith teaches them that homosexuality is sinful, to believe that homosexual activity somehow leads to heaven.

If its common ground you're looking for, I think that's in the civil rights (marriage, civil unions, etc) extended to homosexuals. There are bigots who disdain anything having to do with homosexuality, and then there are people who may consider it sinful, but still support equality and tolerance.

Just another reason why I no longer subscribe to any religion.

"...there are people who may consider [homosexuality] sinful, but still support equality and tolerance."

Like who?

Hell is looking better and better. I want to open a queer club called Hell. Cuz then we could say, "I'm going to Hell tonight!"

Dude.

That sign is fucking hilarious.

Stupid, distasteful, a reflection of their deep rooted hatred of the unknown and in no way related to the message of Jesus...

but...

fucking hilarious.

Just about every video out there is littered with basically no clothing, dry humping and insinuated sex, and the pastor happens to pick on this one video...something is so wrong here. Here is the email to the church.

E-mail:
wesleyan43062@yahoo.com

I just don't understand how this video, where no kissing was done, no one touched eachother, they just danced and sang in langire, that actually covered everything, could upset a church. And you are all right, she liked the kiss in the dream, it was playful, it was fun, it was an experiment, and she woke up with the man!

"Like who?"--Shiftercat

Well, like me. And I'm not the only so-called evangelical who believes that individuals should have the right to choose their faith, their devotion, and their spouse.

Its certainly true that there are bigoted types who use their Christianity to justify homophobia: As Obama has said, some Christians elevate a few scriptures about homosexuality over the whole of the Beatitudes and Ten Commandments.

The consensus area is what Obama mentioned in his acceptance speech: The Golden Rule. Treating everyone as we would want to be treated...And a majority of people support civil unions...And in time a majority will support gay marriage, as long as we focus the discussion on equal rights for all & disentangle it from personal understandings of Christianity.

We posted about this story on the community blog a few days ago. Glad to see the discussion make it to the main page.

We doubt the pastor even watched the video or really listened to the song before the sign went up. The lyrics were just an excuse for their "loving warning".

Check this out... it looks like some people decided to change the sign's message.

Well, aside from you, Sly, I have yet to hear of any Christian who thinks homosexuality is "sinful" but still supports legal same-sex marriage. Every one I've read of or talked to either doesn't see homosexual behaviour as sinful or thinks it's a sign of moral decay.

Oh well, guess I'm going to hell then.

jamesneysmith: Lindsey isn't a faux lesbian because she never said she was gay. There's been plenty of rumors about her and Sam but she hasn't confirmed or denied anything.

jamesneysmith: Lindsey isn't a faux lesbian because she never said she was gay. There's been plenty of rumors about her and Sam but she hasn't confirmed or denied anything.

jamesneysmith: Lindsey isn't a faux lesbian because she never said she was gay. There's been plenty of rumors about her and Sam but she hasn't confirmed or denied anything.

Shiftercat...talk to more Christians! 80% of the country is Christian, 40% of the country supports gay marriage, certainly that means a lot of Christians support gay marriage! As one of them said to me, "homosexuality isn't making my marriage unstable". I imagine she's correct, unless you're in the closet, I don't know how gay marriage makes you want to divorce your wife!

I've never heard of this song (I'm not exactly old but haven't followed the charts in years) and the sign read to me as a very pro-gay message. 'None of this hetero nonsense in this church.. we only want gay guys'.

I agree lots of christians support gay marriage - even fundamentalists (the way a particular fundie reasoned it to me was, since sex outside marriage is 'bad, mmkay' then you either condemn a significant proportion of the population to forced celibacy (which is both cruel and unrealistic) or support gay marriage.

Please read more carefully, Sly. What I said was that all the Christians I've either talked to or read fall into one of two categories:

1. Doesn't see homosexual behaviour as any more sinful than heterosexual behaviour, and therefore has no problem with same-sex marriage.

2. Thinks that out-of-the-closet homosexuality is a sign of moral decay on both an individual and national basis, and therefore is actively against same-sex marriage, and usually against anti-discrimination laws too.

You said that there are Christians who believe that homosexuality is "sinful", yet support equal rights for gays and lesbians, including the right to marry the consenting adult whom they love. You're the only one I've encountered who's claimed that position.

I know it wasn't intended but that sign is hilarious!!!!! I downloaded the image and might set it as my wallpaper for awhile. By the way EngineGal, somebody had a similar idea because though it is not a queer club, there is a bar in Chapel Hill, NC named Hell :)

For the record, ShifterCat, I've encountered several, so it's not just Sly. They say things like "love the sinner, hate the sin" which I don't fully comprehend.

Ok, well, my first reaction was "LOLZ! ROFL!", etc. That is just too funny. It's so absurd, I can't image anyone 1.) Believing in it. or 2.) Seeing that and being (excuse the pun) scared "straight".

It really seems like it was intended to be funny, because it's just so freaking stupid. (And I do find the fact that there *are* people who do believe that equal parts hilarious & terrifying. Why do people pick and choose which parts of the Bible to be super serious about? Keep Holy the Sabbath is a COMMANDMENT and yet gay-hating so-called Christians, break that one all the time! WTF?)

I love that song because I'm a big fan of sex-positive culture, and even if Katy Perry points out that she's not a lesbian or really bisexual, the point is still that she tried it. I don't think the song implies she's doing it for the attention of guys, either. Granted heterosexual dudes get a boner from the thought of two chicks kissing, but that's how our culture is. Some people have a problem with the popularization of this song, but as someone who's sex-positive I advocate healthy experimentation, which Katy Perry sings about. I think it's more accepted suddenly, and all we need now is the male equivelent (which we'll prolly never get, because 'lesbians are hot' when they're lipstick lesbians making out).
As for the sign, I am sick of super conservative nonsense about gay people going to hell. Although I advocate experimentation, I do not think gay is a choice. I can't see many people choosing to be made fun of in middle school, be verbally or physically abused, damned to hell, and even disowned from their family and basic 'unalienable rights' like getting married. It's human nature to pick the easier course if there is a choice to be made.