Should a Christian attend a gay wedding ?

[Strong in Him]

Then it is not really a wedding,

Yes, it is.
People who marry in a registry office, or have a service where there is no mention of God, are just as married as those who have a full Christian service. The legal bit is making vows in front of witnesses, maybe exchanging rings and signing the register. I'm sure some didn't have the chance to plan a full church wedding during the war - they wanted to be married before their husbands went to fight.

 

[ralliann]

Yes, it is.
People who marry in a registry office, or have a service where there is no mention of God, are just as married as those who have a full Christian service.

No it is not. God defines marriage for us which believe.

The legal bit is making vows in front of witnesses, maybe exchanging rings and signing the register.

It is still not a marriage. And to pretend it is, is a problem in itself.

I'm sure some didn't have the chance to plan a full church wedding during the war - they wanted to be married before their husbands went to fight.

And they should not. It is unbiblical. and using biblical terms does not make it so either.

 

[NBB]

If a person is attracted to people of the same sex, that's how they are. I don't see how anyone can repent of that - any more than I could repent for having 2 X chromosomes, or hay fever.
They could come to Christ and then maybe make the choice not to be in a relationship. But they cannot change who they are.

ihmo homosexuality is not God design, is a 'corruption', caused by the fall, and probably some trauma, distortion or even evil spirit.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Why would you be amazed? It's how it is.
I have heard, been in contact with and read about people who are gay and who are persecuted, discriminated against and sometimes - if they are in countries where it is illegal - are in fear of their lives. Others face being ostracised from the family. Several have met "Christians" who tell them they are going to burn in hell, and then claim they are loving as Jesus loves. I have read articles from people who knew they were gay when they were children, or from parents who knew their child was gay. I have read several from people who have tried hard not to be gay so as to be more acceptable - they get married, and their spouse later finds out it was all false.

What do you think we should say; "you didn't choose to be gay, but God is going to punish you for something you have no control over"?
"Your sexuality, and therefore you, are disgusting - and we have the right to speak for God and condemn you"?
"Stay away from our church; it's not for the likes of you"?
You choose that if you like - but Jesus told us to love.

Let's say the same thing about pedophilia. Bestiality. Serial killers. You going to pack the churches with this?
How about genocide? Poor NAZI. So misunderstood and judged.
How about slavery and slave owners. They could just form a "community," insist people not be prejudiced against them, and demand acceptance. Anyone who refuses must be haters?
This is all foolishness and does not make sense, certainly not Biblical sense.
Same sex attraction is not genetic. Survival of the fittest and natural selection would have weeded any such trait out of the species within a handful of generations... simply because gays do not have children together and cannot pass their genes on. Insurmountable genetic mutation. It is like being born with no genitals at all. How could that trait ever be passed on?

 

[Paidiske]

The Scripture declares what is sinful - we should not depart from it's message.

The point I was trying to make, was distinguishing between orientation and behaviour. The Scriptures speak clearly on sexual behaviours (which we choose); they are silent on orientation, which we do not choose. But Christians often speak in a way which confuses these things.

There's a great deal of ignorance of the lived reality of gay people being expressed in this thread.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Oh, ok then, we'd better disassociate ourselves from proud, arrogant, judgemental, greedy people. From people who lie, steal anything, assassinate someone else's character or reputation which is as bad as murder - or anything else.

There will be a lot of very lonely people around.

No - disassociation is only applied to believers who refuse to depart from serious sins.

Our relationship with the unsaved is not effected by this.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Ok then, go into a gay bar, speak to gay people and hear their stories and then come back and tell me that they could have chosen not to be gay if they'd wanted.
Someone who is gay might choose to stay celibate - THAT is their choice, just as it is for any heterosexual not to sleep with someone before marriage, or have an affair. But they can't get rid of, or deny, the attraction to people of the same gender.

Just as I can't choose to make myself fancy/love other women. I don't want to, but I couldn't even if I did.

The stories of people are often a function of a deception they are not yet aware of.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Yes - but the Bible doesn't say that to attend is to condone.
Otherwise Jesus would have condoned the actions of tax collectors and sinners when he ate with them. He would not have allowed a woman with a colourful past to anoint him with oil.
And as he often opposed the Pharisees, calling them blind guides, etc, he would not then have gone for a meal with one of them.

Not correct -He went for a meal with Matthew...

 

[crixus]

@Strong in Him I've noticed two things. You have a hard time admitting when you're wrong. And you're wrong regarding this topic. Peace.

 

[Carl Emerson]

The point I was trying to make, was distinguishing between orientation and behaviour. The Scriptures speak clearly on sexual behaviours (which we choose); they are silent on orientation, which we do not choose. But Christians often speak in a way which confuses these things.

There's a great deal of ignorance of the lived reality of gay people being expressed in this thread.

The concept of 'orientation' has been created by radical thinkers to present same sex desire as a 'natural' state. No where does scripture refer to this because it isn't what folks are born with, and doesn't exist in reality. The temptation exists but the orientation is simply a term used to promote a deviance as normal.

 

[Paidiske]

Oh, well, if we're basically going to deny scientific knowledge and understanding, and tell people we know better than them about their own lives and experiences, I think this thread has departed so far from any meaningful reality that there's nothing further for me to add.

 

[Benjamin Müller]

If you run with bad crowds then bad things can happen, so yes, you dissociate from liars, thieves, proud people and arrogant people etc.

If we're not willing to sacrifice everything for Christ we cannot be his disciple. If that means being a lonely person for the sake of the kingdom, then that means being lonely, yet we're not alone, because Christ is with us.

 

[NBB]

Oh, well, if we're basically going to deny scientific knowledge and understanding, and tell people we know better than them about their own lives and experiences, I think this thread has departed so far from any meaningful reality that there's nothing further for me to add.

The meaningful reality is that the bible says people who stay in sin are not going to inherit eternal life.
Better to be a 'bigot' and try to save some than go along.
I get your point though that same sex attraction could be not sinful if not acted up on. Still that is not God design, and probably result of problems spiritual issues etc.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Oh, well, if we're basically going to deny scientific knowledge and understanding, and tell people we know better than them about their own lives and experiences, I think this thread has departed so far from any meaningful reality that there's nothing further for me to add.

Interesting - I haven't noticed any significant scientific knowledge and understanding presented on the thread.

Folks struggling with their own lives and experiences often understand a lot less about it than observers do.

So those who disagree with you don't have a meaningful reality ?

Thanks for your participation,

 

[Paidiske]

Interesting - I haven't noticed any significant scientific knowledge and understanding presented on the thread.

Rejecting sexual orientation as a reality is basically to reject our best scientific understanding of human development.

Folks struggling with their own lives and experiences often understand a lot less about it than observers do.

I find the assumption that "I know better than you about your own life, experience, struggles, and identity," to be an inexcusable stance. The breathtaking arrogance, and dismissive, disrespectful belittling of such an approach to another human person, should never be the way a Christian treats another.

So those who disagree with you don't have a meaningful reality ?

Those who refuse to engage with either contemporary science, or the lived reality of others, are retreating into a bit of a solipsistic bubble rather than engaging with reality.

 

[Hank77]

No - it's not the same thing.

Is that because it's not consensual?

 

[Carl Emerson]

Rejecting sexual orientation as a reality is basically to reject our best scientific understanding of human development.

I find the assumption that "I know better than you about your own life, experience, struggles, and identity," to be an inexcusable stance. The breathtaking arrogance, and dismissive, disrespectful belittling of such an approach to another human person, should never be the way a Christian treats another.


Those who refuse to engage with either contemporary science, or the lived reality of others, are retreating into a bit of a solipsistic bubble rather than engaging with reality.

Orientation is a result of giving into temptation. It is not a matter of identity.

Psychiatry has 'known better' than the individual for generations when it comes to mental health, in fact medicine does as well when it comes to physical health.

The reality is that science is not settled on the cause of claimed sexual orientation because it doesn't have the tools to do so when there is a spiritual component.

 

[Carl Emerson]

I get your point though that same sex attraction could be not sinful if not acted up on.

Jesus taught that thoughts not acted on can be sinful....

Matthew 5:28
But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

 

[Paidiske]

Orientation is a result of giving into temptation. It is not a matter of identity.

Nope. It's a biological reality; an artefact of our development.

Psychiatry has 'known better' than the individual for generations when it comes to mental health, in fact medicine does as well when it comes to physical health.

Neither of those disciplines reject the lived experience of the patient, but rather bring it into dialogue with an academic discipline.

The reality is that science is not settled on the cause of claimed sexual orientation because it doesn't have the tools to do so when there is a spiritual component.

It's pretty clear that there's a complex interplay of genetics and developmental conditions/environment. There is, however, no basis for claiming a spiritual component.

Which brings us back around to: if we don't, as Christians, even have a basic shared understanding of the world, any discussion of practical matters such as how to respond to a gay wedding becomes pretty much meaningless.

The best we can probably hope for is mutual respect despite differences and an understanding that, as Paul said, we're not to judge each other; we each stand or fall before the Lord, and will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make us stand. There is room for us to disagree on such matters of practical wisdom.

 

[Aldebaran]

The best we can probably hope for is mutual respect despite differences and an understanding that, as Paul said, we're not to judge each other; we each stand or fall before the Lord, and will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make us stand. There is room for us to disagree on such matters of practical wisdom.

Paul actually said that we should judge those inside the church. 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 tells us that.