Why Is This An Issue?

[MrPirate]

I'm serious.

Why are we debating homosexuality when out of all the sins we need to be "fighting against" we focus on this one?

I mean seriously folks, homosexuality warrants more attention than:

-lying
-the commercializiation/consumerism of current Christian culture
-The fact that "Christian" leaders are committing atrocities all around the world
-That we have done nothing to build up friendships with people from other faiths as a whole
-Or that the majority of non-Christians and increasingly larger numbers of Christians are falling away from a church which they feel cares more about dogma than people.

I'm seriously asking. I can't see how a sexual act is such a big issue. Sin or not, we're all sinning, all the time. I"m sure most of us lie at times. Or get angry at others. Or have lustful thoughts. Why do we go out of our way to focus on gays?

This is kind of like asking why a generation ago civil rights was an issue

 

[MrPirate]

For me the issue with homosexuality has nothing to do with the sin of homosexuality itself but the denial that it is even sinful.

For many the issue with homosexuality has everything to do with prejudice/discrimination and the denial that prejudice/discrimination even sinful.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

Can you not understand why people view it as sin? They aren't trying to hate you. Why do you try to compare them to biggots?

 

[MrPirate]

Can you not understand why people view it as sin? They aren't trying to hate you. Why do you try to compare them to biggots?

There were and are people who view racial equality as a sin.
Can you not understand why they view it as sin?
Are you suggesting that racists are not bigots?

 

[DMagoh]

Then call 'em on it. I can't stand hypocrisy. If you come upon a Christian who calls homosexual fornication into check, ask him if he does the same thing with heterosexual fornicators.

Amen Brother!

 

[Zaac]

For many the issue with homosexuality has everything to do with prejudice/discrimination and the denial that prejudice/discrimination even sinful.

Prejudice and discrimination have nothing to do with God's people pointing out sin as sin.

 

[TheManeki]

If folks want to talk about homosexual fornication, then lets also deal with the heterosexual fornication.

Then call 'em on it. I can't stand hypocrisy. If you come upon a Christian who calls homosexual fornication into check, ask him if he does the same thing with heterosexual fornicators.

I think promiscuity for any sexual orientation is wrong. I think cheating on a spouse is wrong. Loving marriage is the way to go.

Since homosexuals have been denied the aegis of "marriage," however, I can't use that term for same-sex couples. I can only talk about long-term committed relationships. Save for being unable to call it "marriage," those kinds of relationships are no different from a heterosexual marriage.

 

[UberLutheran]

The reason homosexuality is an issue is because there is no more poverty and no more starvation in the world; everyone has plentiful, abundant and clean drinking water; the homeless problem has been solved; everybody has access to health care; the problem of abortion has been solved; Protestants and Catholics and liberals and conservatives and evangelicals and liberal Christians and Christians and non-Christians have all reconciled and are happily living together as one, big happy human family; the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan have ended and been successfully resolved; we've paid off the U.S. national debt, have a trade surplus and a balanced budget; the entire world respects us again; AIDS has been cured and is no longer a problem; and the overall temperature of the earth is heading blissfully back to normal where it should be.

The only problem remaining to be solved is homosexuality.

 

[Zaac]

I think promiscuity for any sexual orientation is wrong. I think cheating on a spouse is wrong. Loving marriage is the way to go.

Ungh ungh. Right is based upon what God SAYS. Promiscuity ain't got a thing to do with sin. If it's sin the 50th time, it was sin the first time.

Since homosexuals have been denied the aegis of "marriage," however, I can't use that term for same-sex couples.

You mean you CHOOSE not to use it. Homosexuals granted the aegis of marriage still aren't in a marriage covenant with Christ and are still guilty of fornicating if they have sex with each other.

The Bible says 1Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.2But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 1 Cor. 7:1-2

If God says this, 1 time is as much fornication as is the 3000th time.

I can only talk about long-term committed relationships. Save for being unable to call it "marriage," those kinds of relationships are no different from a heterosexual marriage.

Does God's Word say that fornication is no longer fornication if two people are in a long term relationship?

 

[Zaac]

The reason homosexuality is an issue is because there is no more poverty and no more starvation in the world; everyone has plentiful, abundant and clean drinking water; the homeless problem has been solved; everybody has access to health care; the problem of abortion has been solved; Protestants and Catholics and liberals and conservatives and evangelicals and liberal Christians and Christians and non-Christians have all reconciled and are happily living together as one, big happy human family; the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan have ended and been successfully resolved; we've paid off the U.S. national debt, have a trade surplus and a balanced budget; the entire world respects us again; AIDS has been cured and is no longer a problem; and the overall temperature of the earth is heading blissfully back to normal where it should be.

The only problem remaining to be solved is homosexuality.

So in other words, we should focus more on the ills of the world than on the souls of the lost?

Spreading the Gospel and allowing folks the opportunity to come to Christ is primary. If you're poor and starving and you've got Jesus, you're better off than the man mired in sexual sin who does not have Jesus.

 

[ChaliceThunder]

Why do we go out of our way to focus on gays?

I constantly ask this question.

THe answer is quite simple...it's as old as human history itself.

People need to blame. They need scapegoats. It has happened for millennia, and it will continue to happen until people fully give their lives to God.

When you are in God, you do not need to scapegoat anyone for any reason.

 

[UberLutheran]

So in other words, we should focus more on the ills of the world than on the souls of the lost?

Spreading the Gospel and allowing folks the opportunity to come to Christ is primary. If you're poor and starving and you've got Jesus, you're better off than the man mired in sexual sin who does not have Jesus.

Then best off is the poor and starving person who has Jesus and died because the rich, well-off Christian couldn't be bothered to give the poor person something to eat, or something to drink, or a place to live -- or all that other stuff mentioned in Matthew 25:31-46 -- because to do so would have been "a handout" and "welfare" and "creeping socialism" or "the social gospel" and Heaven knows that good, conservative, American Christians don't want creeping socialism or the social gospel!

 

[Zaac]

I constantly ask this question.

THe answer is quite simple...it's as old as human history itself.

People need to blame. They need scapegoats. It has happened for millennia, and it will continue to happen until people fully give their lives to God.

When you are in God, you do not need to scapegoat anyone for any reason.

As sinners, each and every one of us, there is plenty of finger pointing to be done towards all of us.

And ALL OF US hate being told by others what to do. But that's why conviction of the heart about sin is in God's hand. His people are only tasked to give you His Word that makes men free to show sin as sin.

If you're fornicating, admit that you're fornicating. You've got to admit it before you can confess it and repent.

 

[Zaac]

Then best off is the poor and starving person who has Jesus and died because the rich, well-off Christian couldn't be bothered to give the poor person something to eat, or something to drink, or a place to live -- or all that other stuff mentioned in Matthew 25:31-46 -- because to do so would have been "a handout" and "welfare" and "creeping socialism" and Heaven knows that good, conservative, American Christians don't want creeping socialism!

It was a comparison of twooor starving person and the group of well off Christians. Thus, better.

 

[jad123]

I constantly ask this question.

THe answer is quite simple...it's as old as human history itself.

People need to blame. They need scapegoats. It has happened for millennia, and it will continue to happen until people fully give their lives to God.

When you are in God, you do not need to scapegoat anyone for any reason.

Scapegoat? From What? Have you even read any of the other boards? Gays are NOT the only ones being held accountable for their sins.

 

[DMagoh]

Scapegoat? From What? Have you even read any of the other boards? Gays are NOT the only ones being held accountable for their sins.

Yeah man. I have debated with people who engage in pre-marital sex, watch pornography, smoke weed, etc. Gays arent the only ones trying to justify their sin.

 

[Zaac]

Scapegoat? From What? Have you even read any of the other boards? Gays are NOT the only ones being held accountable for their sins.

Thank you. If yall ever heard me talking to Catholics about the things they espouse, you'd think I was out to get Catholics.

I told ya, I'm an equal opportunity pointer-outer as I would expect my Christian brothers and sisters who say they love me to be with me.

 

[DMagoh]

Thank you. If yall ever heard me talking to Catholics about the things they espouse, you'd think I was out to get Catholics.

I told ya, I'm an equal opportunity pointer-outer as I would expect my Christian brothers and sisters who say they love me to be with me.

They are out to get the "sympathy vote". If they can just get people to start believing that they are the "blacks of the 21st century"...

 

[jad123]

Yeah man. I have debated with people who engage in pre-marital sex, watch pornography, smoke weed, etc. Gays arent the only ones trying to justify their sin.

Bingo! I have my struggles but I don't deny them. Others hold me accountable for them and I thank the Lord that they do.

 

[ChaliceThunder]

As sinners, each and every one of us, there is plenty of finger pointing to be done towards all of us.

And ALL OF US hate being told by others what to do. But that's why conviction of the heart about sin is in God's hand. His people are only tasked to give you His Word that makes men free to show sin as sin.

If you're fornicating, admit that you're fornicating. You've got to admit it before you can confess it and repent.

I agree that everyone should repent of their sin.

There are things I do or leave undone every day that I need to repent.

However, God does not call anyone into a ministry of scapegoating.

When one focuses on the sins of others there's precious little room to focus on one's own sin. Classical scapegoating - and you see it every day on this board by a certain brand of Christians.