The August drumbeat

Whose agenda matters most? Mine, yours, or God’s? | Marvin Olasky

Kathleen Wright with a photograph of her brother, Cecil Howard Sinclair, who recently passed away.

Should biblical churches host gay-glorifying funerals? Should evangelical politics move leftward? Many news organs give us one answer: Yes!

The lead of an Aug. 11 Associated Press story seemed to reveal a clear case of homophobia: "A megachurch canceled a memorial service for a Navy veteran 24 hours before it was to start because the deceased was gay."

The story stated that officials at High Point Church in Arlington, Texas, offered to host the service for a gay janitor who wasn't a church member but had worked there—only to say no when his obituary listed a "life partner." The deceased's sister said, "It's a slap in the face."

The AP story did quote the church pastor's concern that the service would promote the gay lifestyle. That quotation was a throwback to the old AP style of trying to present both sides equally, but the new AP is politically correct and the overall slant of this story was clear: Christians lack compassion.