Why is it ok to be a fat pastor but not a gay pastor?

[alan650]

I have the same struggle...... only with my opposite sex. They are every where, so I cant avoid them.

Yet I have learned to live and go out in public and see them without thinking of anything sexual when seeing them. So i struggle no more. Are you not able to do the same?

Why do you believe your struggle to be harder than anyone else's? We all are attracted to someone....

You being attracted to the opposite sex is not a sin though! The fact that I am only attracted to men is a sin. My only option is to be totally celibate in life and accept that I absolutely have to be single FOREVER. However, I am sure you will some day settle down with a partner of the opposite sex that you decide to marry. Of course this struggle is a bigger burden. I absolutely can never experience something like that because of this cross I have to carry.

 

[GaveMeJoy]

Not always. A person can eat like a sparrow and still gain weight because it is the wrong type of food; and sugar-based softdrinks and sodas are the worst, because they go straight into the bloodstream and raise blood sugar. These caffeine-based energy drinks are the worst. So I person can eat like a sparrow, and use these energy drinks for energy, and then gain weight.

Science would disagree. Calories in vs calories out. There is no excuse for people who eat poorly and remain obese

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Science would disagree. Calories in vs calories out. There is no excuse for people who eat poorly and remain obese

Come up with the magic formula for weight loss and control and I will be glad to promote it!

 

[Beanieboy]

How do we, as Christians, feel safe in our salvation? The people in my church do not feel safe. They worry about whether they will go to heaven or not. How can we live the abundant life if we think this way? We would live in fear.

Love casts out all fear.

I'm not sure why so many Christians want to plant seeds of doubt and fear in one's heart about whether or not they go to heaven, rather than focus on our relationship with God now. Historically, such tactics were used to control people.

So you are told to worry about this sin or that sin, that you may have committed an unpardonable sin (which negates the crucifixtion, if you have salvation, God might renege, which is seriously twisted, or that God will turn away from you, as if the Good Shepherd just shrugs when one goes lost, or the Prodigal Son's father changes the locks.

But does this happen? Yes.
Is one group targeted specifically? Yes.

I was once told that God hated me, and Leviticus used, way before the internet. Full of shame and fear, and hearing only condemnation, and hearing that I shoukd be put to death, repeated by many different self-professed Christians, my depression led to suicide attempts.

I realized many years later that it was a lie that was promoted, that the prople had hatred in their hearts, projected onto people like me, then blamed God by claiming he hated me and wanted me dead.

Those are the people that should be worried, because the judgement will be harsh.

 

[GaveMeJoy]

Come up with the magic formula for weight loss and control and I will be glad to promote it!

It’s not magic, more cals out then cals in.

 

[Jude1:3Contendforthefaith]

Making the sign of the cross and drinking water someone says is holy will do nothing. Pray directly the God

It Does work.


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[Jude1:3Contendforthefaith]

There are other lists of sins.

Galatians 5:18-21
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

That list of sins that Paul identifies above includes all of the deeds of the flesh.

The full list of the sins of the flesh would be very extensive indeed.

Gluttony is included of course by the phrase 'and things like these'.

If drunkenness is a sin, then obviously a lust for food is also a sin, a work of the flesh.

Gluttony is the opposite of fasting and fasting was common in the early church.

Acts 13:2
While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Right, I know. Yet The Lord still didn't destroy Sodom for eating to much at the buffet.

The men were so wicked that they were trying to "Know" the angels that were staying with Lot. They were evil and disgusting.

It had nothing to do with them being fat.


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[Jude1:3Contendforthefaith]

Is this not also true for the heterosexual? Are we not also told not to look at woman with lust?

Why do you presume to make it seem like a homosexual problem only?

Yes it is true for every type of sin.

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[Jude1:3Contendforthefaith]

Perhaps? All I know is that I've never been attracted to women since I hit puberty and it has stayed that way. Sorry but I don't believe in "making the sign of the cross" or this supposed "holy water"

Praying and fasting are definite biblical concepts though. You don't think I've prayed hard ever since I've realized this was my lot? I've prayed so much about it. I ended up only having peace when I realized this was the cross I am to bear. We all have sins and struggles. We are deceiving ourselves if we think we don't. However, a blanket statement of telling people who are struggling with homosexuality to pray, fast, drink holy water, and do "sign of the cross" is no help!

I'm telling you Man It's Spiritual, not just fleshly.

Have your Holy Chrismation and Holy Baptism into Holy Orthodox Christianity, Make The Sign of The Cross, Pray and Fast, drink Holy Water, ask The Holy Saints and Holy Martyrs to pray for you and see if you don't experience a change and deliverance from demonic bondage.

Look into it.

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[GaveMeJoy]

It Does work.


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Extra biblical creative writing. I can see how symbolically crossing oneself could be a beneficial spiritual activity, but there is no such thing as holy water. This is imaginary, the water is the same

 

[GaveMeJoy]

I'm telling you Man It's Spiritual, not just fleshly.

Have your Holy Chrismation and Holy Baptism into Orthodox Christianity, Make The Sign of The Cross, Pray and Fast, drink Holy Water, ask The Holy Saints and Holy Martyrs to pray for you and see if you don't experience a change and deliverance from demonic bondage.

Look into it.

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Here is a list of all these works for you to do, also tell dead men to pray for you and that will do the trick.
Shaking my head....just TALK DIRECTLY to GOD. Christ died for you to have the privilege. You don’t need to work just repent of your sins and accept Christ as lord, then depend on him to bring the rest. There is no homework list for accessing grace

 

[Jude1:3Contendforthefaith]

Here is a list of all these works for you to do, also tell dead men to pray for you and that will do the trick.
Shaking my head....just TALK DIRECTLY to GOD. Christ died for you to have the privilege. You don’t need to work just repent of your sins and accept Christ as lord, then depend on him to bring the rest. There is no homework list for accessing grace

Christians are In Heaven with The Lord. They see Us here on earth.

Yes, We pray directly to God unceasingly and we Also ask for the intercessions of the Holy Prophets, Holy Saints, Holy Martyrs and Mary (Theotokos) The Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ.


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[Jude1:3Contendforthefaith]

It's easy to rant and rave about "the gays" and act superior to this sin but you must know what a difficult and strong sin it is to bear!!!!

That's what I'm trying to tell you.

If it's Involuntary And Against Your Own Will, Then It Is Being Caused By Demonic Spirts and you need Holy Deliverance


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[Beanieboy]

[QUOTE="Athanasius377, post: 74706998, memberIt seems the whole point of the thread was to rationalize a particular sin by comparing with another sin.[/QUOTE]
That's one interpretation.
I infer that the point of the OP was to demonstrate the inconsistency the church has when addressing sin.
As I stated earlier, if sexual sin is really so important, premarital sex/fornication would be discussed as often, there would be countless debates asking if single adults who are sexually active can be Christian, singles in churches would have to openly and honestly discuss their sex lives to determine whether they could be members, not be able to teach or hold office, and would fight to allow heterosexual fornicators to be discriminated against, so could be fired for not remaining celibate, a virgin, prior to being married.
None of that hapoens.
People who get divorced and remarried are living in adultery. Are these people allowed in the church? Are the verses telling them of their sin constantly thrown at them? Are Bakers saying they can't make them cakes because it goes against their religious beliefs? Is someone at the courthouse refusing to sign the certificate because remarriage goes against their religious beliefs? Do members tell the couple they must repent, and get a divorce, because remarriage isn't really a marriage anyway?

There is a clear inconsistency.

I never think of my relationships as sin. They are loving. They are healthy and respectful. I do not feel happy in sin. I feel happy with my significant other. Snd like heterosexuals, being intimate is only one part of what you enjoy about beibg with them. There is romance for us, too. There are dinners, long walks and conversations.

And so when someone tries to convince me it is the same as rape, adultery or murder, I question if they are really willing to listen, or have ever known a glbt person to make such an ignorant statement, understand sin, or have ever prayed about it, and listened.

 

[Curtis.Hilliker]

2 Corinthians 7:10 Amplified Bible (AMP)
10 For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death.

Hallelujah!!!

 

[RaymondG]

You being attracted to the opposite sex is not a sin though! The fact that I am only attracted to men is a sin. My only option is to be totally celibate in life and accept that I absolutely have to be single FOREVER. However, I am sure you will some day settle down with a partner of the opposite sex that you decide to marry. Of course this struggle is a bigger burden. I absolutely can never experience something like that because of this cross I have to carry.

There are some, even in the bible, who feel that one can serve God more when remaining single. Is this such a terrible idea to ponder? Serving God more freely?

The God I serve can do anything..... the is nothing impossible for Him. Do you feel the same about the God you serve?

Does He not have the power to change your desires if you do not wish to have them anymore?

Is there anything too hard for your god?

 

[Neogaia777]

You know sometimes I think I only do this sometimes, just to ruffle your guys feathers or get you up in arms about over, like me or something I said, just to do it sometimes, etc, not that I'm lying, but and/or because I told you I'm not gay, etc, but by the way I described it, I knew some of you would or might think that, and talk, etc, and I think I did it on purpose, etc...

It only matters what God and I say about me, period, etc, and I could care less for the rest of your guys pitiful little very narrow and limited "opinions", and I think I just proved that, etc...

Anyway sometimes I think I do it on purpose, etc...

Talk, talk, talk...

And from most of the time very narrow and limited perspectives and/or points of views, etc...

Anyway,

God Bless!

 

[Neogaia777]

To see if I could get you to believe and follow the lie even though I told you the truth, etc, but then why do some of you almost make it have to be that way sometimes is what I'd like to know...?

It's rather irritating,

Human beings are not wired right sometimes I think, or wonder sometimes I think, etc...?

Anyway,

God Bless!

 

[Neogaia777]

To see if I could get you to believe and follow the lie even though I told you the truth, etc, but then why do some of you almost make it have to be that way sometimes is what I'd like to know...?

It's rather irritating,

Human beings are not wired right sometimes I think, or wonder sometimes I think, etc...?

Anyway,

God Bless!

I did and still do try to tell you truth very plainly sometimes, a lot of the time, etc, but sometimes feel like I sometimes have to resort to tactics like this or these sometimes as well, etc...?

Cause a little controversy, etc, light things up, cause a riot, ruckus, or disturbance, etc...

I do apologize though, if it means anything to you...

But I do and still will try my best to still try and do it plainly a lot as well still and even now still, and yet still, as well, etc, k...

Anyway,

God Bless!

 

[1213]

I've lived across the street from a gay man for 20 years, and he is quite normal.

I would say same about person who tries to eat through his ears, if he otherwise is like normal person.