Being Gay and Christian...is this possible?

[freezerman2000]

Why are you ridiculing us on the Liberal forums?

I'd like to know too...

 

[mwood30]

I agree and the record shows in most cases children are seduced into sex acts and very rarely are they raped by pedophiles, (see catholic priesthood training seminar 10) and for the case of inappropriate behavior with animals you can own animals, you can eat your animals, no law should prohibit you from having sex with them, people are just closed minded and don't seem to understand alot of people have deep relationships with animals and children and culture and religion should not judge what they feel is right or wrong about these acts, just love Jesus and others, and animals if thats your thang

I think you are confusing "love" and "doing your own thing." Those often are two mutually exclusive concepts. "Love" is "doing someone else's thing," not your own. If you love animals, you look out for what they want, not how you want to use them.

 

[lismore]

I am a new Christian of about 5 weeks.

Welcome to the forums! Good to have you here.

In the new testament it says that the greatest commands are to love the Lord with all your heart and to love your neighbour as yourself.

My view on Christianity is therefore very simple. If you love the Lord and do the right thing by your neighbour then no-one can ask more of you.

 

[paintedgoldfish]

Thank you lismore. I know that Jesus said that the most important commandments are to love God above all else and to love your neighbor as yourself. I want to try to do both of those things.

I am sorry that I caused you all to argue about my question, that wasn't my intention. I would like to ask if we could stop using references to children and animals, these things have nothing to do with my relationship with my wife. This is my family we are talking about. My son was raised by my partner and I and our family is normal to him. These other references just don't have anything to do with our relationship.

 

[Izdaari Eristikon]

This is a topic that isn't safe to discuss on CF. I wish it weren't so, but it is.

 

[ghendricks63]

Thank you lismore. I know that Jesus said that the most important commandments are to love God above all else and to love your neighbor as yourself. I want to try to do both of those things.

I am sorry that I caused you all to argue about my question, that wasn't my intention. I would like to ask if we could stop using references to children and animals, these things have nothing to do with my relationship with my wife. This is my family we are talking about. My son was raised by my partner and I and our family is normal to him. These other references just don't have anything to do with our relationship.

Hi, glad you had the courage to ask for advice. I am very sorry you had to be exposed to these types of inflammatory tactics such as you mentioned above. These comparisons are grossly dishonest and only meant to offend. I find them to be among the ugliest of behaviors exhibited by some in the Christian community. I ask you please do not judge Christianity by the unChristlike behavior of some who profess it. (Judging from the maturity you have displayed though I suspect you have the ability to see such posts for what they are)

Take care and hope you find the perfect group of believers to worship with.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

yeah . pain in the buttocks them debatey people . hehehe . thanks for posting .

 

[paintedgoldfish]

gehendriks63 thank you for the kind words of support.
I have been an Atheist for the last 20 years, believe me when I tell you that I have seen poor behavior from christians before. It is the very thing that keept me away for so long. It has been the unusual kindness of 2 people I have never met that impacted my life. It was their love for God that changed my heart. These are the people I am seeking out.

I am interested in an honest discussion of my question. I have already learned things I didn't know before. I would like as much advice as I can get from any perspective (within reason).

 

[ghendricks63]

gehendriks63 thank you for the kind words of support.
I have been an Atheist for the last 20 years, believe me when I tell you that I have seen poor behavior from christians before. It is the very thing that keept me away for so long. It has been the unusual kindness of 2 people I have never met that impacted my life. It was their love for God that changed my heart. These are the people I am seeking out.

I am interested in an honest discussion of my question. I have already learned things I didn't know before. I would like as much advice as I can get from any perspective (within reason).

This is such a sad commentary...the ugliness you encountered among Christians kept you away from God all those years. I am not surprised...but still saddened every time I encounter someone like you. I do believe the church will put this barbaric false teaching about homosexuality behind them one day. But in the meantime...how many more just like you will be driven away needlessly?

If you would like a good book on the subject I would recommend "God Is Not A Homophobe" by Philoh Thelos (Pen Name) Of course there are many well written works exploring the problems with the popular anti-gay bigotted Christian interpretation of the bible. In the end I hope you will find peace with yourself and your relationship with God. He made you and He really does love you. Fortunately there are a growing number within the faith who are coming to terms with this ugliness and standing with you and millions of others like you.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I remember reading in a book called the shack that said, trust grows naturally in a relationship where people know they are loved . i think that's the basis of the whole deal .

Some contemplation questions that i ask myself:
1) Does this cause harm to anyone?
2) Does this in any way hinder me from loving myself or loving those around me as myself?
3) Do i personally think there is a problem with this?
4) If there is no problem relating to the above three questions, why are you so worried about what others think?
5) When you are praying, what do you think about it?

hope that helps live loved .

 

[meliagaunt]

Some contemplation questions that i ask myself:
1) Does this cause harm to anyone?
2) Does this in any way hinder me from loving myself or loving those around me as myself?
3) Do i personally think there is a problem with this?
4) If there is no problem relating to the above three questions, why are you so worried about what others think?
5) When you are praying, what do you think about it?

hope that helps live loved .

Excellent guidance. Thank you.

 

[trek4fr]

IMO, this does seem to come down to religion or relationship.

The Southern Baptist denomination, probably the largest sect within Protestant Christianity, takes the hardest line and has the most strident voice against homosexuality, a subject that Jesus himself never once addressed. But in a twist of irony, while Jesus did speak against divorce, Southern Baptists have a divorce rate that is around 50%, close to the national average. Something is definately wrong within "the house of God" when some Christians make their public platform an issue that Jesus didn't address while ignoring other issues that he did.

It is easy to say that we are all sinners and that we all need forgiveness. But, frankly, I'm tired of hearing that line. Jesus didn't preach the kingdom of God in order to make "sinners saved by grace." He preached the kingdom in order to call people into compassionate community. It's not that we're sinners needing forgiveness; it's that we are selfish and haven't yet learned how to love.

We don't need more religion with its rules that we think make us acceptable to God or rejected by God. We need more relationship with the Love that is the Ground of Being which gives all of us life in order that we, too, might learn to love.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

When i got saved .. all that mattered was Jesus .. i guess i was just a kid and wasn't part of any church groups .. Recently i realized i've been in the faith for 19 years .. God dealt with a lot of issues in my life . but he dealt with my sexual issues kind of as the last thing to deal with before just going to the root cause of all the problems which was an underlying irrational fear . still not perfect but i do realize what Jesus did say about sexuality on the sermon on the mount didn't seem to leave anyone out .

because every human has a heart .

But i guess my point is . God deals at his own pace . and some things the bible calls sins stay around anyway . i think what is the problem here as with many issues in the Christian faith is .. the people just aren't willing to trust God to do what is best . even if it doesn't conform to their image of what is best .

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Dear Mr, The Gospel is offensive, how did Jesus act around prostitutes and tax collectors? did he treat them like they had some strange disease? How did Jesus act around lepers?

it is possible the only issue here is you are transferring your own situation onto another person . where this may not be relevant . i smell a lot of fear in what you are speaking . but love is what is required . and i'm talking about the love Jesus showed to people .

insinuating that someone is not saved because they do not agree with the idol of your understanding doesn't necessarily mean they aren't saved . and technically is against the flaming rules of CF .

God bless you thegospelisoffensive, i know the gospel is offensive . but it is important to always check if it isn't infact you, who are being offensive devoid of any good news .

 

[ghendricks63]

This is a topic that isn't safe to discuss on CF. I wish it weren't so, but it is.

Since this is a topic that is very much a part of the necessary discussion among liberal believers...I truly hope we will have some latitude here on the liberal forum. It makes no sense to provide a liberal forum and then not allow us to discuss key liberal issues.

 

[jpcedotal]

Being Gay and Christian...is this possible?

yes, yes, yes, yes....I am a sinner and I am a Christian...same thing. I am very traditional, I take the Bible very literally, and I am a fundamentalist so I will be very careful with how I say this.

The question isn't "Can I be gay and a Christian?", it is "Is being sexually active with someone of the same sex a sin, or morally (I used the word only in the Christian sense) incorrect?"

I have had sex outside of marriage after I had become a Christian. Every time I did, I felt ashamed because I knew I was not glorifying my Lord when I did it because it went directly against His Word. The Bible teaches the same thing about homosexuality (I use this word only to describe the sexual act). We, as Christians, can not tear out the parts of the Bible that we do not like or even the parts that we do not agree with or understand completely just for the sake of "it feels right." That's the flesh talking and that's where the Devil whispers to our hearts. We must trust GOD and his wisdom ABOVE any individual or group or church or movement who pushes or distorts what the Good Book says even with things that on a human level seem acceptable.

If the words "the Bible is outdated", is part of your church...find another church.

Let me touch on marriage just a little since you stated that this was your wife. Both heterosexuals and homosexuals can be married legally without being married in God's eyes, therefore just because the state says you are united, the sex is still outside of marriage in God's eyes. A piece of paper does not make one married under God...that is why I think this whole gay marriage battle is a waste of Christian energy because in the end God decides, not man, who is married. If gays want the same union heterosexuals have that entitles someone else to your stuff, then have at it...the lawyers will just get richer.

Are you acknowledging that what you are doing is sin? That is probably where we differ the most in our opinions. When I was having sex outside of marriage, I knew I was doing wrong and knew I was going to have to work on getting this sin out of my life in order to walk in a way that glorified my God.

I hope I did not offend anybody because was not my intentions at all.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

So JP, if i came over to the Baptist forum and started to speak a neutral dialogue that basically challenged the way you guys thought .. what do you think would happen to me?

 

[Jase]

Do you still not realize you are in the liberal forum?

 

[Jase]

Since this is a topic that is very much a part of the necessary discussion among liberal believers...I truly hope we will have some latitude here on the liberal forum. It makes no sense to provide a liberal forum and then not allow us to discuss key liberal issues.

Liberals are not given nearly the lattitude conservatives are here. Conservatives have a liberal bashing thread on their forum, and we get banned for even telling them they are behaving in an Unchristian manner. And yet, half a dozen conservatives have hijacked this thread and attacked us, and we will be the ones punished for the subject matter.

Most liberals have been run off this forum.

 

[Jase]

Being Gay and Christian...is this possible?

yes, yes, yes, yes....I am a sinner and I am a Christian...same thing. I am very traditional, I take the Bible very literally, and I am a fundamentalist so I will be very careful with how I say this.

The question isn't "Can I be gay and a Christian?", it is "Is being sexually active with someone of the same sex a sin, or morally (I used the word only in the Christian sense) incorrect?"

I have had sex outside of marriage after I had become a Christian. Every time I did, I felt ashamed because I knew I was not glorifying my Lord when I did it because it went directly against His Word. The Bible teaches the same thing about homosexuality (I use this word only to describe the sexual act). We, as Christians, can not tear out the parts of the Bible that we do not like or even the parts that we do not agree with or understand completely just for the sake of "it feels right." That's the flesh talking and that's where the Devil whispers to our hearts. We must trust GOD and his wisdom ABOVE any individual or group or church or movement who pushes or distorts what the Good Book says even with things that on a human level seem acceptable.

If the words "the Bible is outdated", is part of your church...find another church.

Let me touch on marriage just a little since you stated that this was your wife. Both heterosexuals and homosexuals can be married legally without being married in God's eyes, therefore just because the state says you are united, the sex is still outside of marriage in God's eyes. A piece of paper does not make one married under God...that is why I think this whole gay marriage battle is a waste of Christian energy because in the end God decides, not man, who is married. If gays want the same union heterosexuals have that entitles someone else to your stuff, then have at it...the lawyers will just get richer.

Are you acknowledging that what you are doing is sin? That is probably where we differ the most in our opinions. When I was having sex outside of marriage, I knew I was doing wrong and knew I was going to have to work on getting this sin out of my life in order to walk in a way that glorified my God.

I hope I did not offend anybody because was not my intentions at all.

Marriage has never historically been religious in nature. It's a modern concept to associate the two (in fact Martin Luther strongly opposed marriage being associated with Christianity. He deemed it a "worldly thing".) And Paul specifically says, most people do not have the gift of celibacy. Those who do not, are best to get married and satisfy their spouse instead of burning with lust. Gays can't marry who they love, they can't all be celibate, and marrying someone of the opposite sex would be a disaster since they can't satisfy their spouse. This will ultimately lead to divorce and/or adultery.

Gays have no Biblical remedy according to you fundamentalists.