How should the Church recognise same-sex couples (or not)?

[Raphael Jauregui]

In many churches and denominations, governing bodies are discussing how the Church should respond to the legalisation of same-sex marriages and/or civil unions. Some, like the Episcopal Church, United Church of Christ, and Presbyterian Church (USA) in the US, have responded by supporting same-sex marriage. Some, like the Church of England and Church in Wales, have responded by allowing clergy to enter in civil unions but not yet marriage. Still others, like the Catholic Church, the Orthodox churches, and conservative Evangelical churches, do not provide any recognition.

What do you think? Should the Church fully authorise same-sex marriages? maybe allow civil unions for the time being? Could the Church provide services of thanksgiving and prayers of support? At the centre of this debate and discussion, is, of course, the interpretation of Scripture.

 

[CrystalDragon]

I don't see a problem calling it a civil union if not a marriage. People love each other, and not everyone is married though the church. Like atheists, or Hindus or the like, it's not marriage in the church but still a civil ceremony.

I think that it should all the very least be referred to have a supported civil union, if not marriage.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

The straight out message from all the BIBLE is clearly do not disobey YHWH , not for any reason.
That rules out all the perverted activities, and rules out approving of them.

 

[danstribe]

The straight out message from all the BIBLE is clearly do not disobey YHWH , not for any reason.
That rules out all the perverted activities, and rules out approving of them.

A voice crying in the wilderness....

 

[-V-]

Oh, they should be recognized alright - recognized as sinful.

 

[Traveling teacher]

How do I feel?
I should feel the same way God feels about it!!!!!!

in Deuteronomy God calls this specific sin an Abomination as the worse kind of sin....

God destroyed Sodom and Gormora specifically because of homosexuality.....
thus the term sodomy....

In revelation 21:8...Jesus calls it perversion or abominable...
shall not enter the kingdom

We should love them and pray for them to repent and find Jesus but to compromise and excuse their sin in any way is not from God

God will judge the sexually imoral....1 corinthians 6:9-10
Peter warned that God is the same and will also judge as He did in Noahs day, and sodom
1 Peter 2:4-6

 

[CrystalDragon]

The straight out message from all the BIBLE is clearly do not disobey YHWH , not for any reason.
That rules out all the perverted activities, and rules out approving of them.

How do I feel?
I should feel the same way God feels about it!!!!!!

in Deuteronomy God calls this specific sin an Abomination as the worse kind of sin....

God destroyed Sodom and Gormora specifically because of homosexuality.....
thus the term sodomy....

In revelation 21:8...Jesus calls it perversion or abominable...
shall not enter the kingdom

We should love them and pray for them to repent and find Jesus but to compromise and excuse their sin in any way is not from God

God will judge the sexually imoral....1 corinthians 6:9-10
Peter warned that God is the same and will also judge as He did in Noahs day, and sodom
1 Peter 2:4-6

We see polygamy as wrong now, but in Biblical times it was seen as okay, plus King David had multiple wives and concubines. Things change.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

We see polygamy as wrong now, but in Biblical times it was seen as okay, plus King David had multiple wives and concubines. Things change.

No.

 

[CrystalDragon]

No.

So are you saying we should go back to saying polygamy and concubines are okay things?

 

[Traveling teacher]

having more than one wife is not the same sin!!!!!!!!
The sin was not to marry foriegners.......

God says homosexuality is an abomonation....thats all we need to know
leviticus 18:22
you shall not lie with a man as with a woman. It is an abomination

God destroyed sodom and gomorah with fire, He destroyed the Roman empire
as Paul warned in Romans ch. 1
homosexuals brought the curse of aides to our nation.........

Inside the church pastors are marrying men with men...this is an abomination before God...

God is the same yesterday today and forever and He will judge this sin starting with church leaders who are compromising...

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

So are you saying we should go back to saying polygamy and concubines are okay things?

Revelation 22:15; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians ...
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9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor ...
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[yeshuaslavejeff]

(Honoring YHWH'S WORD is totally different than man's traditions and idols)

Isaiah 51:6
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall be dissolved and vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner [like gnats]. But My salvation shall be forever, and My rightness and justice [and faithfully fulfilled promise] shall not be abolished.

Isaiah 45:18
For thus says the Lord—Who created the heavens, God Himself, Who formed the earth and made it, Who established it and did not create it to be a worthless waste; He formed it to be inhabited—I am the Lord, and there is no one else.


Acts 17:24
The God Who produced and formed the world and all things in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in handmade shrines.

 

[Raphael Jauregui]

No.

Actually, Crystal is correct. The OT allowed polygamy. Exodus 21:10 provides guidelines on how to engage in polygamy 'correctly.' Marriage does and has changed. Not only that, but we now have other institutions for committed, faithful, and loving relationships. The various book of the Bible were written prior to the establishment of marriage, as a modern institution, and prior to the establishment of civil unions (also known as civil partnerships). Therefore, the Bible does not comment on those issues.

 

[JackRT]

When you look at marriage as a lifelong commitment one suddenly realizes that sexuality is actually only a small component of marriage. I believe that all Christians should be willing to celebrate two people who are deeply in love and wish to live together exclusively for life.

In my retirement I delivered meals on wheels for a number of years. I delivered to an old couple of lesbian women. They had been together for decades and were totally devoted to each other. One died and I found as I continued my deliveries that the family of the deceased woman was denying her claim to the estate because "it wasn't a real marriage". The last I heard of the situation was that she was left nearly destitute. All I can say is "this is so wrong".

 

[Albion]

Civil Unions and Same Sex Marriage are compacts that exist in law. There is absolutely no reason why the churches must give them any status or recognition because of that. Many churches decline to marry couples where one or the other party has a valid civil divorce but the conditions didn't meet the standards of the church. So also with these other situations.

 

[Traveling teacher]

I hate to break it to all of us humans on this earth that God does not need to consult us on this issue and He really doesnt care what sinful men thinks ....like he will change His word.....

Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever.......

James 1:13....God cannot be tempted of evil......

Malachi 3:6
I the LORD do not change ...so you are not consumed.....

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He said and will He not do it?
has He spoken, and will he not make it goo

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Actually, Crystal is correct. The OT allowed polygamy

Actually, that's not what was posted that was totally wrong.

 

[FireDragon76]

In the ELCA, it's up to the congregation ultimately.

 

[CrystalDragon]

I hate to break it to all of us humans on this earth that God does not need to consult us on this issue and He really doesnt care what sinful men thinks ....like he will change His word.....

Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever.......

James 1:13....God cannot be tempted of evil......

Malachi 3:6
I the LORD do not change ...so you are not consumed.....

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He said and will He not do it?
has He spoken, and will he not make it goo

God seemed to change his mind at other points in the Bible. Also not only did his commands and demeanor seem to change between the Testaments, but neither God the Father or Jesus directly wrote anything down. We only have the words of men who claim their scriptures were God-breathed (and when that was written not all of Scripture was compiled, and there were many "Scriptures" that were not eventually considered part of the Bible.

 

[least]

God seemed to change his mind at other points in the Bible. Also not only did his commands and demeanor seem to change between the Testaments, but neither God the Father or Jesus directly wrote anything down. We only have the words of men who claim their scriptures were God-breathed (and when that was written not all of Scripture was compiled, and there were many "Scriptures" that were not eventually considered part of the Bible.

There are certain things decreed by God that he will not change and there are some things he has set conditions on by which, depending upon the decisions we make, he will do one thing or another.

He doesn't change his mind on standards. Sin is a violation of his standards. Those who are found to be in sin will suffer God's wrath. And we are all inder sin! However, he has provided a way for salvation through his son, Jesus, who bore the wrath of God in our place. Those who trust in his work of salvation and turn away from a sinful mentality he turns his wrath away from.

There is no place in Scripture which puts homosexual, or any other sexual pervision, in a good place before God. Man justifies it, but not God.

When you take away God's authorship of the Bible and say it is only the work of men, you take away it's true authority and down the slippery slope you fall. If it is not of God, as you suggest, why waste your time with it at all?