It's not about using different words for the
same thing. SSA = the attractions, gay = the lifestyle. Don't like my usage? Tough. There's nothing wrong with it.
I will say it one more time: It
is possible to love a person without condoning their lifestyle. A person who acts on their SSAs and a person who does not cannot simply be lumped into the same category together because they are living very, very different lifestyles.
As for your distaste for the Roman Catholic Church, all I can say is that it's too bad your community mistreated you so. The Church's actual teaching is that homosexuality does not make a person a "freak" -- the catechism tells us specifically that we are to treat those who are attracted to the same sex with love and respect. Calling the Church more of a "business" is insulting and unnecessary. Whoever told you that you are not welcome in a Catholic church didn't know what they were talking about
It's nice that you think you've helped youth -- others might disagree considering the kind of things that you've said in your post...
How would I react if a close sibling was gay? I would not condone their lifestyle if they chose to live it out. I would not change my views that the Word of God is much more important than my own personal feelings. I would not stop loving them. I would not treat them differently.
Discussing whether homosexuality is right or wrong is not the point of this thread. We clearly have different views on this that will most likely not change by discussing them on this message board. Let's stick to the OP and forget about what acronyms are OK and which ones offend you. That's a discussion for somewhere else.
I'm sorry...but I'm not going to shut up here until you decide to put this to rest. You can't go out with posts like this and think I'm not going to respond. I'm not angry, but I do have a passion about certain things, and this is one of them. First off, seeing as you are a moderator in training, I would suggest you don't be so hostile in your posts using such things as "tough" and "dont know what their talking about".
I'm not sure where you are coming from but I will say this GAY = homosexuality..PERIOD!!! Stop making your own packaged terms to make things all pretty. Gay has NOTHING to do with a lifestyle. Are heterosexuals a "lifestyle"? You can be a go go boy on a box in a dance club partying till the sun comes up and you are GAY. You can be a Dr with a life partner in bed watching the 11PM news and you are GAY! What is so hard to understand about that? IT has nothing to do with me not liking your usage and saying "tough"...it is simply not correct and you are wrong when you state it that way. Again, if you need to say you have a condition called SSA..then that is for your peace of mind..and ultimately that is what is important. However, the reality of the situation my friend, is if your impulse is to men, and you are attracted to men, and you are a man..I think it's safe to say 99 9/10% of the world population would call you gay....and then move on b/c most couldn't care less. SSA is simply another term that religious people put together to make it a bit more palitable to talk about. No different than "ex gay" or "reparitive therapy". All faith based. No science. Strictly religion speaking which is why it does not have to follow medical guidelines and be monitored, controlled and/or licensed. I can set up a store front tomorrow and call it Christ Loves You Ministries, and counsel you on SSA or EXgay...there are no guidelines or licenses necessary. Simply be ordained (and some aren't even that), and then put someone's mental stability in your hands.
As for loving a person and not condoning their lifestyle...who ever said that can't be done? I do it all the time. I still love my ex-boyfriend but hate that he smokes pot 7 days a week so I walked away. THAT, my friend, is a LIFESTYLE!!! I love my roommate to death, but think he drinks entirely too much on the weekend (he's str8 by the way). THAT is a LIFESTYLE!!
As for the Roman Catholic Church..that is strictly my opinon and based soley on my experience. I would think many others had similar experience given the sharp decline in their members of the past several years (minus the Catholics of Latin America). I was born/raised catholic and went to Catholic school for 12 years. I know MUCH about it. I never denied what the church was SUPPOSE to do when it came to homosexuality. They always say to love the sinner...hate the sin. No one says you are not welcome here directly, however, when I enter a place of worship, where the doctrine is VERY CLEAR, we do NOT accept homosexuality...we do NOT accept civil unions, and we do NOT accept you who you are...then to me, that is telling me you are not welcome. They ask me to give my tithe and yet do not accept me for who I am. The doctrine of Rome, which runs the Catholic Church, is very clear about that. They are 110% against same sex anything. The one thing I will give them however, is they are not out to change people like fundamentalists with Ex gay ministries. The RCC offers what is called "Courage" and it does help. Reason being is they talk and help homosexuals DEAL with being gay..NOT to CHANGE them from not being gay. Every priest I spoke to in the Catholic church all agreed that we do not have a choice of our sexuality, and it is something only God could understand. My issue with that is only that saying that, but at the same time condeming it just didn't make sense for me. As for the Catholic Church being "big business"...I'm not going down that route. Suffice to say that Vatican City owns the most expensive art collection in the world. They have a structure of superiority no different than CEOs to low level managers that any other major corporation has. From Pope to a Brother...they are all titles with different tasks with in the church. That is not a bashing comment. That is not an anti-Catholic comment at all. It is simply stating a fact. The church is way to involved in heirarchy than what is going on within their own faith. Again, my personal opinion. I respect the Pope and all those under him and would NEVER speak out against them. However, they are all people like you and I and with sins of their own. I sorta have a hard time bowing and kissing rings of a man that is like us. Perhaps more spiritual no doubt...but certainly not God himself. I tend to work better with congregations that are independant in and of themselves. It allows one to really profess, and worship, etc..without following guidelines of man-made doctrine. Again...ONLY MY OPIONON!!!
Finally, and I've gone on way too long....I'm not here to gather acceptance from anyone as far as whom I've helped and whom I haven't. I'm not speaking of helping people on these boards. Perhaps maybe I have..I have no idea. I'm talking in my day to day life. I know my success stories, so I need no approval from a website for what accomplishments in life. My posts have never been to bash anyone. I have simply stated facts. If you feel that is bashing, then again, I suggest you look inside yourself as to why such the hostility and apologies for any offense that may have been unintentionally taken. Now, if you want to stick to the subject at hand...I'm with you on that. However, continue to post the things you do..well you'll continue to get a response if I so choose to leave one. Peace.