Coming out

[naotmaa]

Discussions with various people around these forums made me curious:

What would you do if your teen told you that they were gay/lesbian/bisexual etc.? How would you react?

I've had a few of my friends come out to their parents and their reactions ranged from anything from apathy to anger. But thankfully nothing more extreme than that.

 

[Trashionista]

I don't know, honestly. I don't have kids.

I think with one child, maybe in previous times, the idea of a homosexual child was more of a catalyst. Maybe in the 1960s, and I had one child, who came out, I'd be worried - from lack of a grandchild fear or something.

But in this day & age, I don't think this sort of thing would really throw me for a loop. I'd be worried maybe - from what other people would do - but I don't think I'd be angry, or sad, or anything like that.

 

[HaloHope]

Discussions with various people around these forums made me curious:

What would you do if your teen told you that they were gay/lesbian/bisexual etc.? How would you react?

I've had a few of my friends come out to their parents and their reactions ranged from anything from apathy to anger. But thankfully nothing more extreme than that.

If I was in that situation I (probably not surprisingly) wouldnt really care at all. The area I live is extremely gay tolerant and I wouldnt even be particularly worried about my childs safety.

When I came out it was much the same reaction "Oh right.. your gay... thats nice dear" and that was about it.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

If I ever were to have children. (I don't plan on it.) I would try to raise them right, and they would know that I would not approve of it. I wouldn't disown them or anything. But it would not be fun.. Perhaps I should ask my parents, since they had to deal with this recently.

 

[Pogue]

I wouldn't mind. I'd be a bit worried about how other people would react to them, but it wouldn't bother me.
The father of one of my friend who recently came out punched his son's partner in the face. It was in public, in the middle of town, and nobody did anything.

 

[brightmorningstar]

We would be somewhat disapointed, but would still love them and pray for them. If they then chose to follow a gay lifestyle rather than a Christian one we would be very disapointed but we would carry on loving them and praying for them.

 

[Aquamarine81]

I don't plan on having any children, but if I did and they came out -- I wouldn't feel any different at all. It would just be a part of who they are. They would still be my child, and I would still love and support them.

 

[Zaac]

Prayerfully, if I had kids, they would have made a decision for Christ at this point, so I'm going to operate from a Kingdom Perspective.

I would first ask the child if he knew what it meant to be gay. Then we would proceed to pray and seek God's guidance.

As a parent, I would continue to espouse the truth of God's Word and avow that gay or straight, as a Christian, we're still called to Holiness. And that holiness demands that we not fornicate be we gay or straight.

No one ever said that being a Christian would be easy. And a lot of times, regardless of what our deceitful above all things hearts (Jer. 17:9) tell us, we have eto trust and have faith in Jesus Christ and the Word that is Him.

That truth will guide us in the midst of the devil's attempts to destroy and ensnare.

God's order demands that we do things His way in order to experience His best. And in order to maintain a right witness for Him, we as Christians, cannot deny His truth as truth and present a witness that runs counter to His Word.

I would counsel my child just as I would in any other situation that Jesus Christ must be first.

First before mama.
First before daddy.
First before family.
First before friends.
First before love interests.

FIRST.

And anything that causes His Right to be placed in a secondary position is something that needs to be let go of.

 

[Ohioprof]

We would be somewhat disapointed, but would still love them and pray for them. If they then chose to follow a gay lifestyle rather than a Christian one we would be very disapointed but we would carry on loving them and praying for them.

You can be gay and Christian. There is no contradiction.

 

[Ohioprof]

I am a gay parent. If my daughter told me that she is gay, I would of course accept her as she is. I would in my heart worry that she will face discrimination and lack of acceptance from people in the world. Since I am a gay person, I know what that is like and how gay people are treated by many people. But I am heartened that people in general are more accepting now than they were when I was young, and she is not so likely to go through some of the things we older gay folks had to endure.

 

[naotmaa]

I am a gay parent. If my daughter told me that she is gay, I would of course accept her as she is. I would in my heart worry that she will face discrimination and lack of acceptance from people in the world. Since I am a gay person, I know what that is like and how gay people are treated by many people. But I am heartened that people in general are more accepting now than they were when I was young, and she is not so likely to go through some of the things we older gay folks had to endure.

Yes, thankfully there are also more resources now that glbt teens can use. GSAs, glbt teen centers, internet, etc.

I think as years go on we will see more and more people become accepting.

 

[naotmaa]

I wouldn't mind. I'd be a bit worried about how other people would react to them, but it wouldn't bother me.
The father of one of my friend who recently came out punched his son's partner in the face. It was in public, in the middle of town, and nobody did anything.

Thats horrible.

 

[naotmaa]

We would be somewhat disapointed, but would still love them and pray for them. If they then chose to follow a gay lifestyle rather than a Christian one we would be very disapointed but we would carry on loving them and praying for them.

If I ever were to have children. (I don't plan on it.) I would try to raise them right, and they would know that I would not approve of it. I wouldn't disown them or anything. But it would not be fun.. Perhaps I should ask my parents, since they had to deal with this recently.

I'm happy to hear you would continue to love them. Also remember that the coming out process can be very hard for the child especially when they are going to tell their parents. If the situation ever arises, try to handle their feeliings with love and care.

 

[Zaac]

You can be gay and Christian. There is no contradiction.

You can be Christian and commit a lot of sins. But the true Christian is chastened into righteousness by the Holy Spirit.

We've just got all sorts of folks in here who feel like they can rebelliously sin and it not give testimony to who they do not belong.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

 

[Zaac]

I wouldn't mind. I'd be a bit worried about how other people would react to them, but it wouldn't bother me.
The father of one of my friend who recently came out punched his son's partner in the face. It was in public, in the middle of town, and nobody did anything.

Absolutely despicable, but no more sinful than the denying of God's Word as truth when it comes to issues of fornicative homosexual acts.

 

[David Brider]

Well, I'm neither a parent nor a teen, but I recently came out as bisexual - firstly to my online friends, where I felt fairly safe, but I recently told my mum, and she was very accepting of it.

I've yet to come out to my fiancee, but I hope she'll be fairly understanding. I mean, it doesn't actually (from my pov) impact our relationship in the slightest, 'cos I'm intending to be utterly 100% faithful to her.

David.

 

[David Brider]

We would be somewhat disapointed, but would still love them and pray for them. If they then chose to follow a gay lifestyle rather than a Christian one we would be very disapointed but we would carry on loving them and praying for them.

Tell me something...what do you mean when you talk about "a gay lifestyle"?

David.

 

[Zaac]

I am a gay parent. If my daughter told me that she is gay, I would of course accept her as she is. I would in my heart worry that she will face discrimination and lack of acceptance from people in the world. Since I am a gay person, I know what that is like and how gay people are treated by many people. But I am heartened that people in general are more accepting now than they were when I was young, and she is not so likely to go through some of the things we older gay folks had to endure.

The Bible says 12In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3:12-13

It is no coincidence that as we approach the return of Jesus Christ that evil men go from bad to worse and are more accepting of sin.

The Bible also says 1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 2 Tim 3:1-5

Very descriptive of those who are okay with fornicative acts.

 

[naotmaa]

The Bible says 12In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3:12-13

It is no coincidence that as we approach the return of Jesus Christ that evil men go from bad to worse and are more accepting of sin.

The Bible also says 1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 2 Tim 3:1-5

Very descriptive of those who are okay with fornicative acts.

There are many other threads that discuss what the bible says about homosexuality. So if you could, try not to make this another discussion about what the bible may say about it.
thank you.

 

[Zaac]

There are many other threads that discuss what the bible says about homosexuality. So if you could, try not to make this another discussion about what the bible may say about it.
thank you.

But I didn't say anything about homosexuality. I spoke to homosexual acts and how I would deal with them and then responded to what other posters said.