What is your stance on Churches inviting and praying with LGBT?

[RileyG]

I live near Hoboken, NJ, and recently, a Pride Mass at a local Catholic church stirred a lot of controversy among Catholics.

“Pride Mass” at Catholic Church Wounds the Sacred Heart - The American TFP

Wolves are destroying the Faith from within. For a seventh year, a sacrilegious “Pride Mass” took place on June 23, 2024 at Our Lady of Grace Church in Hoboken, New Jersey, thus wounding Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Archdiocese of Newark. Nothing was hidden. Rainbow streamers hung from the...

www.tfp.org

Personally, I’m politically independent and prefer to assess situations based on context, not ideology. I find both far-left and far-right views often extreme, especially when they enter spaces like churches. Churches should be places of refuge and hope, not political battlegrounds.

That said, I don’t understand why some Christians react so angrily to churches welcoming LGBT individuals. If the goal is to help people find God, isn’t the church precisely where they should be? Who are we to deny anyone the chance to seek faith? If a person struggling with their sexuality is willing to explore a relationship with God—even if they’ve been told He hates them—shouldn’t that be encouraged?

We see churches accepting people with various sins, yet some react harshly to LGBT individuals. Unless a church explicitly endorses actions contrary to its teachings, why object to them extending a hand to those searching for God?

Disgusting. Whoever organized that Pride Mass should be ashamed.

 

[RileyG]

As an outsider I think if religious organisations continue to demonise the LGQBT+ community then these organisations will continue to experience a sharp decline in affiliation and membership.

If you want your church to continue existing then stop hating, and discriminating. Embrace people, show them love and courtesy.

But hey, which ever way it goes i.e. membership decline and eventual shutdown or embrasing people and potentially growing, I don't care. It's your organisation, not mine.

Ah, yes. Saying someone's actions are sinful and/or wrong is hateful and discrimination. It's not.

I don't know why people can't differentiate between ACTIONS and ATTRACTION.

They are NOT the same.

I'm (formerly/technically) obese. Does that mean I should eat myself to death? No.

 

[RileyG]

If had pride symbolism, or anything promoting LGBT then it would be confirming, but having a mass for this specific demographic is something I don't think is wrong. Church in general is for the sinner, it's just this group has been portrayed to be something more intolerable than many other sinners that would come in.
There really isnt anyway for them to encounter God other than through a church.

...but when they say PRIDE they are affirming the BEHAVIOR. That's the difference.

 

[stevil]

Ah, yes. Saying someone's actions are sinful and/or wrong is hateful and discrimination. It's not.

I don't know why people can't differentiate between ACTIONS and ATTRACTION.

They are NOT the same.

I'm (formerly/technically) obese. Does that mean I should eat myself to death? No.

Should Christians exclude obese people from their organisation? Should they approach you and tell you that it is a sin to be obese, that you are going to hell for being obese, for eating? Should they tell you that skinny people are allowed to eat, but not obese people, it is disgusting for obese people to eat, it is sinful?

Of course not. All people should be allowed to eat. In fact it is natural and normal for people to eat. Of course you should be allowed to walk around with out being constantly approached by people tell you that you are obese or telling you that you are a sinner. People should not hassle you, should not refuse to sell cake to you, should not judge you.

 

[RileyG]

Should Christians exclude obese people from their organisation? Should they approach you and tell you that it is a sin to be obese, that you are going to hell for being obese, for eating? Should they tell you that skinny people are allowed to eat, but not obese people, it is disgusting for obese people to eat, it is sinful?

Of course not. All people should be allowed to eat. In fact it is natural and normal for people to eat. Of course you should be allowed to walk around with out being constantly approached by people tell you that you are obese or telling you that you are a sinner. People should not hassle you, should not refuse to sell cake to you, should not judge you.

Correct. But simply stating sin is sin isn’t hassling anybody. I say let us live and co exist peacefully,

And yes, LGBT can worship and pray peacefully with Christians if they choose.

 

[stevil]

Correct. But simply stating sin is sin isn’t hassling anybody. I say let us live and co exist peacefully,

I mean, if people come to a church surmon and someone is up on stage telling the congregation what is a sin. That's to be expected.
But if a person is walking down the street, they might not even belong to your religion, approaching them and telling them they are a sinner is hassling them.

And yes, LGBT can worship and pray peacefully with Christians if they choose.

Can they love a consenting adult of their choosing?

 

[RileyG]

I mean, if people come to a church surmon and someone is up on stage telling the congregation what is a sin. That's to be expected.
But if a person is walking down the street, they might not even belong to your religion, approaching them and telling them they are a sinner is hassling them.

Can they love a consenting adult of their choosing?

I agree. That shouldn't happen. That's wrong.

Depends how you define love. We are getting off topic now.

 

[stevil]

I agree. That shouldn't happen. That's wrong.

Depends how you define love. We are getting off topic now.

The reason why society has the pride flag and pride month and parades and stuff is because there is so much discrimination and hate going on.
If people in LGQBT+ were treated with respect and dignity and didn't have people calling them sinners, stopping them from getting married and forming families then you wouldn't need the parades.
As far as I can tell the parades are to help these people hold their heads up high, to help them know they are not alone, and to help them know that many people in society support them in their lives and their right to find love and happiness and their right to form families just like everyone else.

A church that supports them is a church that leans more towards love and away from hate. I would have much more respect for a church that supports LGQBT+ and I think really this is the only way for churches to thrive in modern society, where discrimination is seen as hateful and undesirable.

 

[RileyG]

The reason why society has the pride flag and pride month and parades and stuff is because there is so much discrimination and hate going on.
If people in LGQBT+ were treated with respect and dignity and didn't have people calling them sinners, stopping them from getting married and forming families then you wouldn't need the parades.
As far as I can tell the parades are to help these people hold their heads up high, to help them know they are not alone, and to help them know that many people in society support them in their lives and their right to find love and happiness and their right to form families just like everyone else.

A church that supports them is a church that leans more towards love and away from hate. I would have much more respect for a church that supports LGQBT+ and I think really this is the only way for churches to thrive in modern society, where discrimination is seen as hateful and undesirable.

Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope.

I cannot respect a Church that supports sin, including LGBT+. Love the sinner, hate the sin. That's entirely hypocritical to go with the world's way instead of God's way.

Should we have Churches that give beer and hard liquor to alcoholics? Or heroin to an addict?

Makes no sense.

They aren't special. They're just like everyone else.

Jesus said come as you are, he never said stay as you are.

 

[stevil]

They aren't special. They're just like everyone else.

I agree completely with this.

Every adult should be allowed to find love and form a family.
Every adult should be allowed to find a consenting adult partner of their choosing, whom chooses them back.
We should celebrate and cherish love, companionship and above all, family.

 

[RileyG]

I agree completely with this.

Every adult should be allowed to find love and form a family.
Every adult should be allowed to find a consenting adult partner of their choosing, whom chooses them back.
We should celebrate and cherish love, companionship and above all, family.

Lust isn’t love.

 

[Tinker Grey]

Lust isn’t love.

What @stevil described isn't lust.

 

[RileyG]

What @stevil described isn't lust.

My perspective and my perspective only. The whole LGBT movement isn't about love. I have my experiences.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

Your belief, not true Christians.

Its a generally held belief by a lot of people.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

Lust isn’t love.

Oh, that’s where you are wrong my friend. Love and lust can exist together and it’s a lot of fun when they do. And same sex relationships aren’t anymore or less lustful than anybody else’s.

 

[stevil]

Oh, that’s where you are wrong my friend. Love and lust can exist together and it’s a lot of fun when they do. And same sex relationships aren’t anymore or less lustful than anybody else’s.

If humans didn't experience and embrace lust we would die out as a species. No one would be having babies. Lust is beautiful and natural and takes us from the friend zone and into the joyous world of having a deep romantic connection with someone. It drives us to want to form and expand families

 

[RileyG]

Oh, that’s where you are wrong my friend. Love and lust can exist together and it’s a lot of fun when they do. And same sex relationships aren’t anymore or less lustful than anybody else’s.

Depends on your definition of lust vs romance vs intimacy. It can mean different things to different folks.

 

[RileyG]

If humans didn't experience and embrace lust we would die out as a species. No one would be having babies. Lust is beautiful and natural and takes us from the friend zone and into the joyous world of having a deep romantic connection with someone. It drives us to want to form and expand families

A sexual action between a man and woman in marriage isn't lust. It's an act of love, since they aren't "using" each other.

Again, depends how someone personally defines lust.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

Depends on your definition of lust vs romance vs intimacy. It can mean different things to different folks.

I mean, it means pretty much the same thing universally.

 

[stevil]

A sexual action between a man and woman in marriage isn't lust. It's an act of love, since they aren't "using" each other.

Again, depends how someone personally defines lust.

Sexual intimacy always includes lust. I don't know why some people want to demonise lust. Love without lust is more like the way you love your parents or your children, your brother or sister or your best friend. Love with lust is the foundation of forming a family with that special someone.