Doesn't God love us where we are at, who we are at any given moment of the day. Bad way to show God's love by turning against those who do not believe or do not follow YOUR doctrine. I love Christ and I love my kids who are gay. He loves me as I am, I love as they are.

God loves us as we are, it's true, but His mercy is not endless where there is no love for Him in return, and no repentance for disregarding His righteous laws.
If we love Him, we strive to obey His commandments, #1 being: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart... & strength..." #2: "...& your neighbor as yourself."
God's mercy holds His justice at bay until death renders the soul incapable of repentance. Those who have accepted Jesus' death-ransom for sin will be pure to enter God's presence! All others will reap His righteous judgment for eternity.
Seek Him while He is near; call upon Him while He may be found. His mercy will not always be extended to the unrepentant. Call upon Jesus for mercy, before it is too late!

Could the real reason be because the lead pastor of Mars Hill just resigned?

http://blog.marshill.com/2011/09/06/important-letters-from-pastors/#more-14656

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I just can't get over what an odd choice of location this is for an evangelical mega-church. There's nowhere to park in that neighborhood and nobody from the neighborhood will actually be going to the church. The only reason I can think of as to why they'd even want to be there is so they can be closer to the heathen natives they want to convert.

@ Roberta T: If you quit worrying so much about God, you wouldn't have to capitalize "He" and "Him" mid-sentence. The life of an atheist is much simpler.

Don't forget: we already have multiple nasty homophobic churches in Portland - all those Catholic (and Mormon) parishes that financially backed Measure 36.

And yes, that includes all you lefty, "progressive" Catholics, who like to think you have absolutely nothing to do with the evidence-free discrimination now enshrined in the Oregon constitution (I'm talking to you, active members of St. Andrews, Holy Family, Holy Redeemer...)

Your dollars were collected by the Portland Archdiocese and spent on one nasty, prejudiced, and successful campaign to selectively erase a basic American civil right from your gay and lesbian neighbors, co-workers, family members, and friends...

So Mars Hill? Latecomers. Wannabees. Few discriminate as successfully as lefty, "progressive" Catholics who still send money to their awful church.

Forget Mars Hill, looks like the PM is the place to go for my daily dose of close-mindedness and intolerance. How about we wait and see how these people fit in here instead of picking a fight?

>Forget Mars Hill, looks like the PM is the place to go for my daily dose of close-mindedness and intolerance.

I'll bet few Mercury posters gave money to churches that funded (and still fund) successful efforts to selectively deny certain family members, friends, co-workers, etc. access to their basic civil rights...

Perhaps this pains you, but even gays and lesbians still share free speech rights here in Oregon : )

And crazy, unfounded religious beliefs/prejudices don't automatically get a free pass. If this latest religious scam didn't reference another load of supernatural b.s. to attack gays and lesbians (and science, and women, and common sense), they might get the "wait and see."

But who exactly has picked a fight?

>>But who exactly has picked a fight?
Exact answer: You all did. And then I did. Figured it was fair, since you all got your piece out, before the people of this local church have had a chance to say anything except "Hi folks, we're here to be good neighbors".

Nothing pains me about free speech. It's the freedom that provides everyone the opportunity to express an opinion on any issue, whether or not it is culturally acceptable. Obviously, we're both using it, Pink Fist uses it just like Mars Hill Church does. So did the poster who told some old lady named Roberta to suck it.

Nobody should get a free pass, not even you. Far as I can tell, the leaders of this congregation have not come in expressing a divisive attitude. Looks to me more like the news outlets have tried to dredge up some vitriol, and some people have taken the bait. Perhaps even myself.

I suppose I'm just hoping for the best in this situation. And to that end, I am a little upset with the people who are making all the noise (hint: not the church folk).