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5/05/2006
Christian Leader to Reach Out to Gay and Lesbian Community at 'Not Ashamed Charlotte' CHARLOTTE, NC, May 5 /Christian Newswire/ -- On Saturday, May 6, at the first-ever "Not Ashamed Charlotte" rally in Marshall Park, Dr. Michael L. Brown, the event’s organizer and the director of the Coalition of Conscience, plans to reach out to the homosexual community. “The gay and lesbian community knows that we have strong moral convictions,” Brown explains, “and we make absolutely no apology for our biblical and moral views. But Christians have often treated homosexuals in a hateful and angry way, adding to the sense of rejection that many of them experience. For this, we want to apologize.” The timing of the Not Ashamed Charlotte event is significant, since for the last four years, on the first Saturday of May, Marshall Park has been home to the Charlotte Pride event, an event that some local Christian groups point out has been marked by public lewdness and obscenity. This year, when the gay pride organizers were not able to hold their event on time, Brown’s organization, the Coalition of Conscience, decided to obtain the park for their own rally, Not Ashamed Charlotte. But Brown wants to make clear that this event is not meant to provide a platform for hatred or religious anger. “As followers of Jesus, we have often failed to treat homosexual men and women with compassion. They know that we have non-negotiable differences with them on moral, ideological, and spiritual grounds, and they equate those differences with hatred. We want to break down the walls of hatred and instead build bridges for face to face interaction, without for a moment compromising our convictions.” There will be a city-wide rally from 3-4 p.m. in the park, and Brown expects to make a public statement at 3:30 p.m. Other speakers, which include local pastors and leaders, will be available to the media for interviews from 3:15-4:15 p.m. behind the platform. An official text of Brown’s statement will be issued at the event.
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