Christians ACCEPTING & LOVING Gay & Lesbian People (Gospel, Sodom, churches)

[Dcm22]

WARNING- THIS POSTING IS MY OPINION AND WHAT I SEE AROUND ME AND IN MY COMMUNITY. THIS BY NO MEANS APPLIES TO ALL COMMUNITIES OR ALL PEOPLE. THERE ARE SEVERAL GENERALIZATIONS HERE AND I AM SORRY IF I GENERALIZE YOU INCORRECTLY, BUT THIS IS WHAT I SEE AND FEEL. AGAIN SORRY FOR THE OFFENSE.

I am a Christian (I consider myself liberal and I like to remind people that Jesus wasn't a conservative nor an American!) and this whole conflict with gay people and "Church" is rediculous! (Notice I say Church, because there is no conflict with Jesus and gay people or christians truly after God's heart and gay people, just some people in the "church" today and gay people). From my experience, gay people don't have much of a problem with Jesus, thier problem (and I think rightly) is with the church which doesn't accept them as equals. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GAY OR LESBIAN PERSON AND A STRAIGHT PERSON! GOD WANTS US ALL!

For the record, I am voting NO on Proposition 8. I am for Same-Sex marriage. That really is a whole separte post which hopefully I will have time to get to, because I feel the greater problem is gay people not being welcomed and accepted as God's people by all of us other sinners. I have been reading some of these posts on this forum, and I feel some relief that there are churches out there that don't make the distinction between gay and straight and it is not even an issue. Praise the Lord!

However, where I living right now (California) there is a lot "anti-gay" sentiment in the "christian" community. It is really disheartening. For example, a friend of mine said that she didn't feel it was right that a gay guy she previously went to school with was a christian and witnessed to people as a christian, and she didn't feel this was right. I wish I knew who that guy is, so I could take him to coffee or something I wish I could so easily witness to people (and inspite of the discrimination!). That is what Jesus would do... Witness to people and bring people to the Lord.

A big thing I hear is, "Hate the sin, love the sinner" and "Just repent and God will help you as long as you stop being gay", and I think that that is completely missing the point. I wish our society made no distinction between gay and straight. If you believe that being gay is a sin (and I know a lot of you do), I say... WHO CARES! Love is love, love each other, love Jesus, love, love, love. Its all about love!

Also, I disagree with accepting gay people into church on the condition that they "repent of their sin and promises to try to stop being gay". We should be accepting everybody. If I am accepted, (the biggest sinner I know) then we all should be.

To me it is unimaginable that anyone would be discouraged from following Jesus for ANY REASON, let alone thier sexual orientation. Now, I could rant about this for a while but there are two reasons why I won't. 1. Time is limited and 2. I am really trying to turn my frustration on this issue into love for people and I want to show the love of Jesus to all people (gay, lesbian, straight, christian, non-christian, everybody).

The punchline in this post is that I have been praying about starting a ministry for gay people who are kicked out of church or disowned by their family for being gay or who just feel the discrimination of "christians" or the pressure to stop being gay, or live unhappy lives in a straight charade, or anything like that (in the Sacramento, CA area and eventually the CA Bay Area).

I know this post will upset a lot of people, but the responses I am more interested in are the ones who would support such ministry or have any resources for me. This is a big job (as is any ministry for God in today's world) and I could use all the encouragement I can get. I have a lot of research to do and I am going to talk to my pastor about this, but any help from you would be great!

THANKS!

[artsyguy]

Fundamentalist church goers will be against gays. Other type of Christians might not be. United Church of Christ, MCC, and some Episcopalian churches are cool with gays.

[joedrsaved]

Gays are NEVER allowed by GOD to enter the kingdom of GOD unless they repent 100% of their very perverted ways.

Gays who think they are Christians are decieved. Gays who repent of the entire spectrum of homosexuality can, if they are serious in their repentance, receive JESUS as LORD, just as any other sinner. But they must leave their life of perversion or they will not be saved!

Yes, you can find a bunch of other decieved people who will welcome you with open arms and who are just as decieved as the ones they welcome.

If my statements do not appear politically correct, that's because I'm a follower of JESUS LORD ALMIGHTY, and not a politician!

[urbanlemur]

1 Cor. 6:9 reads "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." We didn't write it, we don't make the rules....God does. The problem is that many folks try to put a spin on this and other scriptures to soften what God says about unrighteousness and sin, thereby trying to make it seem that God is tolerant of sin. He is not. Oh yes, He is loving, caring and compassionate but He is also just, righteous and HOLY. Don't blame us, we're only the messenger. It's up to you to hear the message and run with it.

[joedrsaved]

Moderator cut: orphaned

You know, adulterers and fornicators (straights who practice sex outside holy matrimony) will not enter the kingdom of GOD either. Also rich people who love money will also be left out, as will liars and idolaters.

But they all will find mercy in CHRIST JESUS, if they will repent of their sins and believe with all their heart in JESUS.

Not meaning to throw sand in the wound, but the gospel is so good!

[june 7th]

Originally Posted by joedrsaved

I truly hope you will love

June is desperately hoping that this ^ is the operative concept/principle here...


Take gentle care.

[Morale Officer]

"...and the greatest of these is LOVE."

[grmike]

Originally Posted by Morale Officer

"...and the greatest of these is LOVE."

“If you love me you will keep my commandments”
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul. mind will and emotions.

someone living the kind of lifestyle the topic is about is like a drunkard or murderer saying they believe in Jesus but not repenting of doing those things. not feeling the conviction of the holy spirit means the holy spirit might not be there or is being quenched.

[joedrsaved]

Originally Posted by june 7th

June is desperately hoping that this ^ is the operative concept/principle here...


Take gentle care.

June--- By the grace of GOD I honestly say that I do not hate any person on this planet, but I do hate any aspect of sin. I do have a growing concern for peoples soul. It is a love which is from GOD and not from me.

Thanks for your patience!

[artsyguy]

What happens if the gay man doesn't have any form of sex? The relationship is mostly platonic and some physical affection out of love. Do I need to repent to God for that? Just curious.

Originally Posted by joedrsaved

Gays are NEVER allowed by GOD to enter the kingdom of GOD unless they repent 100% of their very perverted ways.

Gays who think they are Christians are decieved. Gays who repent of the entire spectrum of homosexuality can, if they are serious in their repentance, receive JESUS as LORD, just as any other sinner. But they must leave their life of perversion or they will not be saved!

Yes, you can find a bunch of other decieved people who will welcome you with open arms and who are just as decieved as the ones they welcome.

If my statements do not appear politically correct, that's because I'm a follower of JESUS LORD ALMIGHTY, and not a politician!