Jars of Clay's Dan Haseltine Explains Endorsement of Gay Marriage on Bad Christian Podcast; Says Church Doesn't Know How to 'Treat This'

Jars of Clay

In this week's Bad Christian Podcast Joey, Matt, and Toby had Jars of Clay frontman Dan Haseltine on to talk about his controversial Twitter rant on homosexuality.

After a long plane ride back in April, the lead singer seemingly moved by the movie "12 Years a Slave," tweeted, "The treatment of people as less than human based on the color of skin is crazy... Or gender, or sexual orientation for that matter."

He added, "Not meaning to stir things up BUT... Is there a non-speculative or non 'slippery slope' reason why gays shouldn't marry? I don't hear one."

"I'm trying to make sense of the conservative argument. But it doesn't hold up to basic scrutiny. Feels akin to women's suffrage." He tweeted, "Is the argument born of isolated application of scripture or is it combined with the knowledge born of friendship with someone who is gay? I just don't see a negative effect to allowing gay marriage. No societal breakdown, no war on traditional marriage. ?? Anyone?"

These tweets sparked a lot of controversy for the band and actually resulted in them losing some shows and getting their records pulled from Christian stores. "Those aren't the people that are going to be in the conversation. These are just people reacting. I don't worry about that," he said on the podcast.

Haseltine said he was glad the conversation happened as it was a hot topic, but he may not have communicated properly.

"I was somewhat irresponsible in the way that I presented it, and at the same time I am grateful that the conversation is happening."

He likes that "It's grown into something where people can say, 'Oh, this is something to consider.'"

 

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(Photo : Facebook: Bad Christian)

 

Haseltine explained that Christians should be asking questions as to the response of the church towards gays. "What do we do with people in the gay community?" he asked.

He said too often it "gets stuck in, is it a sin or is it right or is it wrong?"

"The important conversation is, 'If yes, then what?" and "How are we supposed to treat this?" The church "does not know how to treat different people."

"I was asking questions as to the response of the church towards gays. Like what do we do with people in the gay community. I feel like the conversation always gets stuck. It's really sad the church has let this doctrinal, sort orthodox affect the way they treat human beings. I would just say that feels inconsistent with the way Jesus would want of us."

On the podcast the hosts and their guest narrowed the conversation down to whether or not Christians have all the right answers they need or not, believers have to learn to love as Jesus did. They said Jesus mingled with sinners because that is the calling, to bring people to God. At the same time Haseltine said, "I don't think scripture clearly states anything regarding morality."

To hear the entire interview with Dan Haseltine of Jars of Clay, click here.

For more information on the Bad Christian Podcast.