Question for Liberal Christians?

[Leevo]

First, let me start by saying I do not intend to cause debate or conflict with this post. If this is not the right place for it, please tell me and I will move it. I did want answers specifically from Catholics though, which is why I am posting here.

Anyway, a bit of backstory. I used to be extremely conservative, even so far as leaving the Catholic Church over the liberal leaning half of the church, and the current Pope. I returned to my former Southern Baptist roots because of it. I eventually came to the realization that I was going through quite a bit of depression and my OCD started to act up and get worse than it ever had. I was forced to go to the doctor who prescribed me an SSRI called Zoloft. It has since helped me to become a happier person and caused my overall beliefs to shift towards the left, both politically and somewhat theologically. I eventually left the Christian church as a whole due to me getting fed up with all of the rules. To me, it seemed like chains even though they called it "freedom." In my Conservatism, I used to be strongly outspoken against homosexuality, in the typical Southern Baptist fashion. With my political views and my overall views of everything shifting more to the left, someone I am very close to confided in me that they are homosexual. Something they only felt they could tell me due to my belief change. This really has caused a bit of turmoil in my own head because I know what Holy Scripture has to say about it being a sin. I also know how good of a person this person is and how they really do love God and devote themselves to the church. What has me confused, is that they have found it in themselves to be totally okay with the homosexuality, and do not view it as a sin. They have told this to the liberal priest at our old shared parish and he seems to be totally okay with it. This all has me confused. So this leads me to my question. How do you justify, or accept having beliefs such as this even though Holy Scripture teaches against it? I am trying my best to understand this, as I clearly still have a bit of theological Conservatism left and this is one thing that was always difficult to understand. It used to seem to me, that liberal Christians just did not care what the Holy Scriptures said, but I know that isn't true now. I am currently outside of the Christian church still, so I bear no judgement towards anyone for any reason because honestly, in simple terms, I currently just do not care about anything religion and feel everyone can do whatever they want so long as they do not do harm to others.

 

[Michie]

The Lord's Table is where all the 'liberal Catholics' are. Here, we are just Catholic in union with the Holy See. No labels here.

 

[Michie]

By the way, being a homosexual person is not a sin. Acting on those desires is, according to the Catholic Church.

 

[chevyontheriver]

First, let me start by saying I do not intend to cause debate or conflict with this post. If this is not the right place for it, please tell me and I will move it. I did want answers specifically from Catholics though, which is why I am posting here.

Anyway, a bit of backstory. I used to be extremely conservative, even so far as leaving the Catholic Church over the liberal leaning half of the church, and the current Pope. I returned to my former Southern Baptist roots because of it. I eventually came to the realization that I was going through quite a bit of depression and my OCD started to act up and get worse than it ever had. I was forced to go to the doctor who prescribed me an SSRI called Zoloft. It has since helped me to become a happier person and caused my overall beliefs to shift towards the left, both politically and somewhat theologically. I eventually left the Christian church as a whole due to me getting fed up with all of the rules. To me, it seemed like chains even though they called it "freedom." In my Conservatism, I used to be strongly outspoken against homosexuality, in the typical Southern Baptist fashion. With my political views and my overall views of everything shifting more to the left, someone I am very close to confided in me that they are homosexual. Something they only felt they could tell me due to my belief change. This really has caused a bit of turmoil in my own head because I know what Holy Scripture has to say about it being a sin. I also know how good of a person this person is and how they really do love God and devote themselves to the church. What has me confused, is that they have found it in themselves to be totally okay with the homosexuality, and do not view it as a sin. They have told this to the liberal priest at our old shared parish and he seems to be totally okay with it. This all has me confused. So this leads me to my question. How do you justify, or accept having beliefs such as this even though Holy Scripture teaches against it? I am trying my best to understand this, as I clearly still have a bit of theological Conservatism left and this is one thing that was always difficult to understand. It used to seem to me, that liberal Christians just did not care what the Holy Scriptures said, but I know that isn't true now. I am currently outside of the Christian church still, so I bear no judgement towards anyone for any reason because honestly, in simple terms, I currently just do not care about anything religion and feel everyone can do whatever they want so long as they do not do harm to others.

I second Michie's statement that we are Catholics here, and that we don't fit into liberal or conservative molds. So I'm not answering this as a 'liberal'.

I also second Michie's statement that merely having same sex attractions is not sinful. It is in the acting out of those attractions where the sin comes. I have attractions to the complementary sex. What I do about those attractions is either chaste or sinful. If I view inappropriate contentography or say inappropriate things or violate my marriage vows, that's sin. A homosexual person who lives a chaste life is not sinning.

You sound like you have some tumultuous religious issues in your life, fed by OCD and depression. So much so that you are bouncing around from Baptist to Catholic to Baptist to nothing. And from conservative to liberal, however you define those things. Catholic truth has not changed. We are to love the sinner and hate the sin. We are to live chastely no matter what attractions seem to drive us. We are all sinners trying to live right, and that includes living in chastity. And we don't condemn people for merely having disordered attractions.

Now if you want a 'liberal' opinion on the matter you might try a different forum. But the Catholic understanding is that we try to live rightly despite our attractions and whatever temptations we may experience. We have confession for when we fail. And you, having become a Catholic, still have the opportunity to go to confession as well. Find a confessor with a balance of compassion and high expectation that can help you along the way.

Do stay on the meds for now, and find a good counselor who can help as well. Depression is serious stuff, as I know from personal experience. OCD I haven't had but I know it to also be serious. Changing religious beliefs, political beliefs, and social beliefs as a result of an anti-depressant is odd. It would give me pause. Are you your best self now? Were you your best self at some other point in your life? How do you get to what is really your best self?

 

[zippy2006]

First, let me start by saying I do not intend to cause debate or conflict with this post. If this is not the right place for it, please tell me and I will move it. I did want answers specifically from Catholics though, which is why I am posting here.

Anyway, a bit of backstory. I used to be extremely conservative, even so far as leaving the Catholic Church over the liberal leaning half of the church, and the current Pope. I returned to my former Southern Baptist roots because of it. I eventually came to the realization that I was going through quite a bit of depression and my OCD started to act up and get worse than it ever had. I was forced to go to the doctor who prescribed me an SSRI called Zoloft. It has since helped me to become a happier person and caused my overall beliefs to shift towards the left, both politically and somewhat theologically. I eventually left the Christian church as a whole due to me getting fed up with all of the rules. To me, it seemed like chains even though they called it "freedom." In my Conservatism, I used to be strongly outspoken against homosexuality, in the typical Southern Baptist fashion. With my political views and my overall views of everything shifting more to the left, someone I am very close to confided in me that they are homosexual. Something they only felt they could tell me due to my belief change. This really has caused a bit of turmoil in my own head because I know what Holy Scripture has to say about it being a sin. I also know how good of a person this person is and how they really do love God and devote themselves to the church. What has me confused, is that they have found it in themselves to be totally okay with the homosexuality, and do not view it as a sin. They have told this to the liberal priest at our old shared parish and he seems to be totally okay with it. This all has me confused. So this leads me to my question. How do you justify, or accept having beliefs such as this even though Holy Scripture teaches against it? I am trying my best to understand this, as I clearly still have a bit of theological Conservatism left and this is one thing that was always difficult to understand. It used to seem to me, that liberal Christians just did not care what the Holy Scriptures said, but I know that isn't true now. I am currently outside of the Christian church still, so I bear no judgement towards anyone for any reason because honestly, in simple terms, I currently just do not care about anything religion and feel everyone can do whatever they want so long as they do not do harm to others.

The Catholic Church teaches that homosexual desires are disordered and homosexual acts are sinful. This is the Biblical teaching and I see no way around it.

At the same time, individuals struggling with homosexual desires have a heavy cross to bear, and they should be supported by the faithful. For the Catechism's treatment, see CCC 2357-2359.

If you want a liberal viewpoint you should probably try the forum called "The Lord's Table - Liberal Catholics." On this forum homosexuality can be discussed, but on that forum it can also be promoted, so it is also a better place for your thread for that reason.

 

[football5680]

There is no way to justify it because God has declared that it is a sin. Somebody can attempt to justify it in their own mind, but it will not impact how God judges them. Liberal Christians seem to either take Luther's view to the extreme logical conclusion which is called antinomianism where pretty much nothing is a sin or they focus on one aspect or verse of the bible and ignore whatever else might contradict their interpretation of it.