Wolves in shepherd's clothing

If a local chapter of the National Rifle Association were found to be teaching that the 2nd Amendment doesn't guarantee an individual right to keep and bear arms, does anyone doubt that those who would normally support and associate with them would cease to do so?

So why, then, is this surprising to anyone?

The reverend of a St. Paul church says he needs to raise $200,000 to pay off a church loan after most of his followers left because of his support for gay marriage.
The Rev. Oliver White runs Grace Community United Church of Christ in St. Paul. The 69-year-old said he needs to raise the money by June 30.
“We lost our income when we lost a number of people from our congregation.” White said.

Losing income (and two-thirds of the congregation), frankly, should be the least of his worries.  His calling to ministry was not to "run" a congregation; it was to be a servant leader who continually points them to truth.  Instead, he seems far too willing to elevate his own perspective above the clear teaching of scripture:

He argued they have to accept it, adding that it’s a civil rights issue.
“It’s time for our society to do as Rodney King did and say, ‘Can’t we all get along?’ That should be the 11th commandment as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “We should not try to legislate morality, in terms of who should get married and who can’t get married.”

All legislation is based on some code of morality; on somebody's particular worldview.  Those who cite the tired canard this 'pastor' did really mean to say "we shouldn't try to legislate BIBLICAL morality."  At least that would define the debate in honest terms.  

The Gospel is about calling sinners (that's all of us, by the way) to repentance, whether from sexual sins (to include adultery) or any other conduct that runs counter to the standards of a holy God.  There is no need for any pastor to single out homosexuality as some "special category" of sin (though it should be said this is a particularly powerful snare in the service of the Deceiver).  At the same time, no pastor who understands the Gospel can advocate "just getting along" with unrepentant thieves, liars, gossips, philanderers, drunkards OR gays.  Such misguided efforts at human 'tolerance' merely reinforce and affirm rebellious choices that spurn the gift of reconciliation found only in the Cross.