Homosexuality

[JSM83]

The conversation took all sorts of loops and angles.
I think I'll settle on this as a summary for myself (open to movement as I learn);

The New Testament is not designed to be a rule book replacing the law.
I think it's a guide to help point towards the spirit of Christ. Once we see Christ's spirit, we can adopt it.

Each NT author appears to give examples of how one might be more Christ like.
I don't (currently) think these examples are always meant to be codified into new rules. Indeed, listing them all as rules and blindly following them would lead me to pretty much disqualify everyone from everything. I don't think that is the sentiment with which Paul wanted to advise Titus.

The homosexuality note - I do believe there is special attention towards homosexuality. I do think this is unfair. With unfairness comes imbalance, with imbalance comes crisis. (Good thing God uses crisis to generate new life, otherwise we are stuffed - crisis should be avoided though).

I'm not personally interested in whether homosexuality is a sin or not. I don't judge it as 1) I'm unqualified, 2) I don't know the truth, 3) Knowing the answer to this question won't help me love any better

If we take NT statements regarding homosexuality, decide the statements mean it's sinful, and practicing homosexuals may not be in leadership - ok, but how do you then account for all the other stuff that disqualifies your people from leadership - my experience with Christians and Churches is - they don't account for the other stuff - they just glide on by without worrying about it, and it's fine for them, because no one cares that much about the other stuff, or they care but only nominally - not to the point of making statements on their websites about it.

I think homosexuals are getting a raw deal.
If you see the NT as a law book - apply it fully and without passion. You must engage in negotiation over the regulations and definitions (I suspect that will be destructive and will tie you up with definition gymnastics that don't get you any closer to the heart of the matter - I don't recommend it).

If you read the NT and strive to uncover the sentiments and values therein - you don't have regulations anymore, you have guidelines and you operate with the spirit of the literature instead. You can understand that NT authors were human too, doing the best they could at the time.

Long post - Im surprised if you made it this far ;-)

God Bless

Note: This just is an opinion - maybe I'm wrong. Whats your opinion??

 

[Jaxxi]

I'd think wisdom would cause you to pick people who aren't addicts of any kind. I'm not sure why disbelieving children is in there. Maybe someone has some context on that one.

Personally, though not proud of it, I have an addiction that I am struggling with that does not impair my knowledge of the Bible or my love and devotion to Jesus Christ and I am able to share the gospel with people and have brought many out of the darkness in the grips of suicidal ideation to the love and light in Jesus and our Heavenly Father. I am not saying I should be given a title and a stage, but I do not think it is right to assume that a disease is the same thing as a immoral decision. I mean homosexuality is not a disease and if addiction was easily combatted with willpower and desire alone I wouldn't have this problem.

 

[JSM83]

Personally, though not proud of it, I have an addiction that I am struggling with that does not impair my knowledge of the Bible or my love and devotion to Jesus Christ and I am able to share the gospel with people and have brought many out of the darkness in the grips of suicidal ideation to the love and light in Jesus and our Heavenly Father. I am not saying I should be given a title and a stage, but I do not think it is right to assume that a disease is the same thing as a immoral decision. I mean homosexuality is not a disease and if addiction was easily combatted with willpower and desire alone I wouldn't have this problem.

I would consider you a leader funnily enough for going out and helping people in Jesus’ name. Good on you

 

[Jaxxi]

I would consider you a leader funnily enough for going out and helping people in Jesus’ name. Good on you

Thank you. I love Jesus with all my heart and I just wish more people understood His true reasons for coming here and what He actually did for us. I will keep on!

 

[Danthemailman]

Should we be surprised?

Disney confirms its first bisexual lead character, who is also multi-cultural - Fox News

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

Should we be surprised?

Disney confirms its first bisexual lead character, who is also multi-cultural - Fox News

huh???

 

[Strathos]

Is the implication that being 'multicultural' or of mixed-race ancestry is somehow a bad thing?

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

Is the implication that being 'multicultural' or of mixed-race ancestry is somehow a bad thing?

I stopped reading all the previous posts haha

 

[Caliban]

Assume true:
Homosexuality is a sin. A practicing homosexual may come to church but may not be in leadership.
Question:
Must we forbid the following people to be in leadership too.
1) Those who have children who do not believe, 2) People prone to dissipation (like overeating or such), 3) Alcoholics who are not abstinent?.

Titus 1:6-7
"...having children who believe.......not accused of dissipation......not addicted to wine..."
NASB Version

I see no reason to assume your premise as true. There is nothing wrong with homosexuality. Do you eat shellfish or wear blended fabrics?

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

I see no reason to assume your premise as true. There is nothing wrong with homosexuality. Do you eat shellfish or wear blended fabrics?

That’s not an answer to the question poster asked

 

[Caliban]

That’s not an answer to the question poster asked

It is actually.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

It is actually.

I have always found it odd that Jesus “nailed’’ all that other stuff to the cross but has taken more of an interest on what happens in bedrooms among consenting adults.

 

[Caliban]

I have always found it odd that Jesus “nailed’’ all that other stuff to the cross but has taken more of an interest on what happens in bedrooms among consenting adults.

It is definitely many of his followers who concern themselves with the sexual lives of others. I don't believe Jesus said much about it.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

It is definitely many of his followers who concern themselves with the sexual lives of others. I don't believe Jesus said much about it.

I think you are correct. I don’t recall Jesus saying anything about homosexuality. He did mention divorce and adultery though. His followers don’t seem to care about that stuff though.

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

It is actually.

It’s a reply - not an answer

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

I think you are correct. I don’t recall Jesus saying anything about homosexuality. He did mention divorce and adultery though. His followers don’t seem to care about that stuff though.

Probably not just about what he spoke about or mentioned. He didn’t mention a lot of things - we can’t use that fact to assume He was ok with it can we??

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Probably not just about what he spoke about or mentioned. He didn’t mention a lot of things - we can’t use that fact to assume He was ok with it can we??

We also can’t assume that He was against the things He didn’t mention.

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

We also can’t assume that He was against the things He didn’t mention.

Yeah - so I’d say we would need something more to establish His views on homosexuality

 

[Caliban]

It’s a reply - not an answer

Not true--it forces you to make a larger inference about the morality of homosexuality. If there is nothing wrong with it, there is only one response--absolute freedom from every angle and from every institution.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

It is definitely many of his followers who concern themselves with the sexual lives of others. I don't believe Jesus said much about it.

Jesus seems to have been more concerned about men who can't (or won't) love women in an agape prone fashion as they chase their eros.