Question......

[Leah]

This is a question for gays only: What do you mean in saying "You still don't love your homosexual neighbor."

This is NOT an attack nor meant to start trouble. I'm just trying to understand where ya'll are coming from about this. That's all.

So in your own words, what is love and in what way(s) do you see yourself as being loved or unloved by christians?


And for the record, this is not a debate thread. As I said before, you are free to debate against homosexuality all you like, but please do so in your own thread.

 

[BigBadWlf]

A very nice question.

Though not directed to me specifically I hope you will let me give my opinion on the topic.

The answer to your question is at your fingertips here on these forums.
Take a look at what some Christians are saying about our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters.
All to often what is presented are outright lies about gays and lesbians

Gays and lesbians are comparisons to pedophiles
To murderers
To drug dealers

Gays and lesbians are called “diseased”

There are Christian here who deny that gays and lesbians love and marry for love and commitment and family.

There are those who suggest that gays and lesbians are possessed by demons

There are Christians who seek to deny an entire minority equal protection under the law.

There are those who demand gays and lesbians lie and pretend to be heterosexuals.

False claims about promiscuity, life expectancy, the “gay agenda”, child abuse abound

Christians happily use the bible as a weapon to attack an entire minority all the while ignoring the teachings of Jesus.




How can people do this and so much more and claim to be loving?

 

[Leah]

Though I don't agree with homosexuality (now or ever), those beliefs you mentioned sound like their own personal offenses and prejudice they have towards gays but are just too cowardly to admit to that to themselves or other people.


As far the as the teachings of Jesus, what are they?

 

[Leah]

Also, remember that samaritan woman Jesus talked to? You know, the one who slept with 5 husbands and the one she had wasn't even hers, either?

Didn't Jesus focus on and gently confront her about her immediate need (which was salvation) rather than her sin?

Does anyone recall that story in the bible??

 

[KCKID]

Though I don't agree with homosexuality (now or ever),

I'm sure that you mean well and I mean no offense, but one's sexual orientation has nothing to do with whether one agrees or disagrees with homosexuality. The reality IS that there ARE homosexuals who are 'that way' through no doing of their own. I'm looking forward to the day when people, particularly Christians, will simply acknowledge that fact and move on.

those beliefs you mentioned sound like their own personal offenses and prejudice they have towards gays but are just too cowardly to admit to that to themselves or other people.

So true. It's almost criminal that they use the Bible to support their own prejudicial agenda. I would say that 90/95% of Christians who purport to use the Bible to condemn 'gays' don't really CARE what the Bible may or may not say about the issue.

As far the as the teachings of Jesus, what are they?

If Jesus was against 'homosexuality' we have no way of knowing about it. He had a lot to say about heterosexual sexual sins but He breathed nary a word about homosexuality. Zilch. Considering that Christianity has made the 'gay issue' one of such mammoth proportions, one might have thought that Jesus would have said something. But He didn't.

Does Jesus' silence on the issue tell us something ...or doesn't it?

 

[Secundulus]

Does Jesus' silence on the issue tell us something ...or doesn't it?

He wasn't silent. Jesus certainly spoke against fornication. Why do some people think they are exempt from this teaching?

 

[KCKID]

He wasn't silent. Jesus certainly spoke against fornication. Why do some people think they are exempt from this teaching?

No, no. Jesus said NOTHING about the issues of homosexuality (as in sexual orientation) that are being discussed on this forum. Fornication would certainly apply to 'gays' as well as 'straights' but 'homosexuality per se' didn't rate a mention from Jesus. Actually, the act of fornication that Jesus spoke of was aimed at heterosexuals anyway. Check out the context. We might (rightly) apply the same lesson of restraint to homosexuals but Jesus certainly did not refer to them by name. Why not, I wonder?

I realize how frustrating this might be for some Christians who like to vocalize their contempt for homosexuality. I also realize how discomforting it might be for the many individuals who have, at some time in their lives, committed fornication themselves. But, I guess that doesn't count as long as one is 'straight'.

 

[HaloHope]

This is a question for gays only: What do you mean in saying "You still don't love your homosexual neighbor."

This is NOT an attack nor meant to start trouble. I'm just trying to understand where ya'll are coming from about this. That's all.

So in your own words, what is love and in what way(s) do you see yourself as being loved or unloved by christians?


And for the record, this is not a debate thread. As I said before, you are free to debate against homosexuality all you like, but please do so in your own thread.

Love is unconditional acceptance and care for a person regardless of your own personal viewpoints or prejudices.

How do I feel loved by Christians? Well, my girlfreind is a Christian for a start and I feel loved by her, if it wasnt for her I wouldnt be a Christian now I'd turned my back on the faith due to the harsh words of others and it was her that convinced me to speak to reach out to God once more.

I also feel loved by the Christians who accept me, care about me and/or manage to hold a normal conversation with myself or myself partner without preaching about their beliefs on homosexuality (assuming they think its a sin).

How do I feel unloved by Christians? When Christians accuse gay people of being disease ridden, child abusers, sick in the head, perverts and all that nonsense. It hurts a great deal to be told by people that its impossible for me and my partner to love each other like a hetrosexual couple and have a functional relationship like a hetrosexual couple. Newsflash: Gay people love each other in the exact same way hetrosexual couples do and we can have wonderful healthy loving relationships. In fact there are to many examples of being unloved by Christians that I can list in one post, which is a sad and tragic thing.

 

[Secundulus]

No, no. Jesus said NOTHING about the issues of homosexuality (as in sexual orientation) that are being discussed on this forum. Fornication would certainly apply to 'gays' as well as 'straights' but 'homosexuality per se' didn't rate a mention from Jesus. Actually, the act of fornication that Jesus spoke of was aimed at heterosexuals anyway. Check out the context. We might (rightly) apply the same lesson of restraint to homosexuals but Jesus certainly did not refer to them by name. Why not, I wonder?

Is it your premise that God has different rules for different people on fornication?

 

[KCKID]

Is it your premise that God has different rules for different people on fornication?

I didn't say that, did I? I said that fornication would apply to either 'sexual persuasion.' Being 'gay', however, does not necessarily equate to 'fornication.' Does it?

 

[Phinehas2]

Very good thread Imana.
Jesus did not focus on the sexual sin of the Samaritan woman but was focused on her salvation. Nor did He focus on the sin of the woman caught in adultery, but rather on her salvation and the sin of those carrying out the punishment from the judgment of her sin.
I believe this shows us what Christians must focus on when confronting any non-believers, to be charitable to and serve the person wherever possible and to tell of the gospel, the rest is up to Jesus.

 

[BigBadWlf]

He wasn't silent. Jesus certainly spoke against fornication. Why do some people think they are exempt from this teaching?

Jesus spoke against prejudice….why do some think they are exempt from this teaching?

 

[BigBadWlf]

Though I don't agree with homosexuality (now or ever),

How would you respond to someone posting that they don’t agree with racial equality (now or ever)? Would you think that Christian was loving their neighbor?

 

[Secundulus]

I didn't say that, did I? I said that fornication would apply to either 'sexual persuasion.' Being 'gay', however, does not necessarily equate to 'fornication.' Does it?

With very few exceptions, nobody says it does.

However, if that's not the issue, then what is it?

Nobody is being legislated against for simply existing.

 

[Secundulus]

Jesus spoke against prejudice….why do some think they are exempt from this teaching?

They are not. And I agree that many Christians hold this up, -homosexual fornication-, as being worse than everything else. I suspect they do this because of inborne cultural predjudices that pre-date Christianity and were in fact ingrained into Greek and later Roman culture.

 

[Phinehas2]

Dear BigBAdwlf,
I believe what we understand as prejudice Jesus taught about not favouring anyone and treating all disciples treating all people the same

Jesus spoke against prejudice….why do some think they are exempt from this teaching?

Where did Jesus speak about prejudice? Show us.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

Dear BigBAdwlf,
I believe what we understand as prejudice Jesus taught about not favouring anyone and treating all disciples treating all people the same
Where did Jesus speak about prejudice? Show us.

There is something in the gospels about not esteeming one person above another, based on social status. I don't have the chapter nor verse, but it's there, maybe even in more than one. But by prejudice he's speaking racial stuff, probably. So I think it's just a trap of words.

 

[Leah]

Well, some will not agree with what I'm about to say, but I'll it it anyway.

I think the reason why Jesus (Himself) did not mention homosexuality alone, (as I've noticed we tend to focus on what He said only and not the apostles who testifed and who eye witnesses of Jesus) is becuase it's not any different than racism, being prejudice, lieing, cheating, stealing, fornicating, taking and dealing out drugs, rape, violence, hatred, killing (with objects AND with words), gossiping, tale-bearing, lusting, COVETING, being hypocritical, unloving, unmerciful, lacking self-control, being judgemental without cause or a willingness to help mend what is broken, ect, ect.

All the above is sin and there is not one person in this entire forum or in the world who has not done any of those things and anyone who tries to say otherwise is lieing. I think when we place our focus on sin alone, it causes prejudice, stereotyping, and very ungodly behavior towards people. Even hatred.


Yesterday, God helped me to realize something conecerning this post. And the peace that came after wards was only from Him. I'll post it tommorrow, being the fact that it's in my journal and it's at home.













Btw, christians are not here to take away the sins of people and that is not our department. Handeling sin belongs to Christ. We are called to be salt. He does the rest. We worry about and labor over something that is not even ours to worry about or labor over in the first place. (That's a sneak peak about tomorrow's post).

 

[BigBadWlf]

With very few exceptions, nobody says it does.

However, if that's not the issue, then what is it?

Nobody is being legislated against for simply existing.

Tell that to our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters facing legislation denying them equal right sand legal protections

 

[BigBadWlf]

They are not. And I agree that many Christians hold this up, -homosexual fornication-, as being worse than everything else. I suspect they do this because of inborne cultural predjudices that pre-date Christianity and were in fact ingrained into Greek and later Roman culture.

The Greeks and Romans were anti-gay?

Where exactly did you find this “fact”?