I am a product of Etown – born in 1983 and left in 2001 and I honestly wish we had such enthusiastic joy and hometown pride when I was a teen. I may have never left.

Shame on you for not seeing these men for who they truly are – community leaders, fun creators, kind and decent human beings who just want to make sure everyone feels welcomed and loved.

Thanks for commenting, Justin! I appreciate your interaction on the subject.

Public sins warrant public comment. If I cheated on my wife and posted photos of it, it would be appropriate for people to speak out openly against this. Do we recognize the difference between someone sinning and then repenting of that sin as opposed to celebrating a sinful lifestyle? And even if I just cheated on my wife only one time, such a heinous sin (see the Westminster Larger Catechism for more) would warrant serious public censure (and potentially my execution if we lived in a righteous, loving society). If I am living in unrepentant sin, and celebrating it publicly, I would hope Lancaster County would have enough love to call me out publicly. I do not believe in perfectionism, but if someone claims to be a Christian and does not repent of their sin, they do not know the Savior: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). We understand this concept in many other areas of life. However, the sin of sodomy has become forbidden territory because Christians have caved to the culture. (I would also publicly call out someone who is celebrating their heterosexual sin via nude images, etc.)

(And, for those who might get their panties in a bunch because I am comparing adultery to sodomy and say that is unfair because adultery is worse because “sodomites are faithful to one another.” All I can say is I am beholden to the Law-Word of God. And both adultery and sodomy are so heinous and so destructive to society that the perfect Law of God calls for the execution of duly-convicted adulterers and sodomites—see Lev. 20:10 and 20:12, respectively. That is not my opinion, it is the Word of God, which stands forever.)

The idea that Christians should live lives of purity and righteousness is overwhelmingly evident in the Bible: “go and sin no more” (John 8:11); “put to death what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity… (Colossians 3:5), “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16), and “pursue…holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). If we cannot draw distinctions between Christians living in accord with God’s Word and unrepentant sodomites, or unrepentant fornicators, or unrepentant adulterers, or unrepentant blasphemers, we are in a bad place. And how can a pastor be “above reproach” (Titus 1:6) if he is worthy of the same shaming for sin that an unrepentant sodomite is?

How is every Christian inherently a hypocrite? Does every Christian claim to never, ever sin? Surely we can recognize the difference between sinning and turning from it with contrition and sorrow and celebrating sin. (The references to the Westminster Larger Catechism were meant to help with some of that idea.)

As far as Scripture, I referenced Ephesians 5:11: we are to “expose” the “unfruitful works of darkness.” What are those unfruitful works of darkness? Paul mentions it a few verses earlier: “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you.” Fornication, sexual immorality, and sodomy are to be exposed when celebrated.

Calling out sin does not mean anyone is superior to anyone else. If that were the case, the prophets would never have been able to call the people to repentance for sin. (Were the prophets perfect? No. Then were they hypocrites for calling out the people very specifically for their sin? See the entire book of Jeremiah.) And Paul would not have been able to write: “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.” Or what about the constant references to the wicked and the righteous in the Bible, especially the Proverbs? And how about John the Baptist? Was he acting as if he was superior to Herod when he called him out publicly for his public sin? John reproved Herod “for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done” (Luke 3:19). Was John wrong to reprove Herod, not only for his adultery, but also for “all the evil things that Herod had done”?

The Lord Jesus called on people to leave their sins behind. He never shied away from calling people to repentance, which is what I have done. And Jesus called unrepentant sinners children of Satan (John 8:44). Should Jesus have softened the truth because his message might turn people away? That is pretty offensive to sinners: “You are a child of the devil.” But it is what Jesus said, and it is the truth and it needs to be said. We show no love when we do not warn people of the danger they are in. To quote the Bible again (not my words, but God’s): Christ will come “in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). I love unrepentant sinners enough to warn them of that danger. Christians are not better than unrepentant sinners, but they are better off because we have been set free from the power of sin and the penalty of sin.

Yes, Jesus brought the message of salvation, but only for those who see their need for a Savior: “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). But he also came for judgment: “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind” (John 9:39). And as mentioned in the 2 Thessalonians passage above, Christ is a Judge.

I have had countless conversations with sodomites, fornicators, etc., on the streets. At the end of the day, it is love of sin which causes people to get offended when people warn them that their formication, or blasphemy, or sodomy is taking them to hell. We should love our county enough to respond publicly to public expressions of unrestrained rebellion against God’s Word and the created order. I am calling for more love, not less. Do we recognize that the celebration of sodomy has already and is inviting more judgment on our county? People are celebrating sodomy in the streets and parks and bringing children into this demonic worldview. Are we going to sit idly by and not speak up openly about God’s righteous standard? Jesus certainly taught the Law of God (Matthew 5:17-20; Matthew 15:4). We are to do the same, proclaiming it from the housetops (Matthew 10:27).

Thanks for reading and interacting, as these are extremely important issues! Blessings to you and Merry Christmas.

“Do not judge according to appearance”. Welp, I prefer to judge based on actions and deeds. These two incredible human beings are well known for their professionalism, their care for the people of the community, charitable acts, strong ethics that they’ve poured into their businesses, and absolute decency as people. Their stores cater to children and adults alike, allowing adults some moments to relive the child-like enthusiasm and joy that is so often drummed out of us as we get older. They treat others with kindness and respect, and the love and passion they have for what they do affects everyone that walks through their doors in a positive way. THAT is how to judge righteously, not through the thin veil of religion so many so-called Christians use to disguise their hatred of “the gays”. Way to Love thy neighbor as thyself, sir.

I agree! Clint and Tony are amazing people!! They have done so much for the community and would do anything they could to help someone in need. This article is disgusting!

“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” The only righteous standard for evaluating behavior and lifestyle choices is God’s Word.