A question about Christians and homosexuality?

Question

For the record, I'm Catholic, so I'm not trying to put down Christians in general by any means.

Here is what I'm confused about (and I'm already aware that this is a dangerous question): We all know there are some Christians or Baptists or whoever they may be who are completely against homosexuality. They say that the Bible states that it is wrong. But-aren't these people violating one of the most important commandments-to love your neighbor? If people have hatred toward homosexuals and they claim that they are just following the Bible, aren't they contradicting themselves? I'm really not trying to sway people's opinions toward one side or the other with this question. I just want some thoughts/clarification on it. Please be considerate toward both groups-I'm not trying to start anything.

Answer 1

Many Christians will claim they love the sinner, but hate the sin. If you pay close attention, you'll see that it's not true.

Gay people are singled out from any other group and treated differently. Otherwise, divorced people would not be allowed to remarry. Or to adopt children. Divorced people would be booted out of the military. People would make a big stink about divorced people teaching children. Or being boy scout troop leaders.

If it's truly a religious issue, that's fine. But a lot of people do not approve of Christian Scientists or Jehovah's Witnesses, who reject modern medicine and/or blood transfusions. Because t his is not in accordance with their own religious beliefs. And that's fine, but do you see any movement to ban them from getting married or adopting children?

How about anyone who has ever had premarital sex? Or what about people who overeat? A third of Americans are obese.......and probably the majority of adults are overweight, so I guess there would be no political support for a constitutional amendment to ban gluttonous people from getting married or to otherwise systematically harass them.

I could go on, but you should get my point by now. Good question, by the way.

Answer 2

Puffy hit it the nail on the head, what we see online is not Christianity, but instead VERY damaged souls lashing out to mask their own problems. Same in real time. If you try to define Christianity by the actions of those that hurl stones, then you are looking in the wrong places. Even when they don't use invective, they are still troubled enough to seek out gays or others that they see as weak.
Think about why these people go to the trouble of coming into gay forums, spending time waiting to pounce on their victims. They themselves are in turmoil. Heterosexuals who are secure in their beliefs, secure in their sexuality don't need to hunt down gays to attack. Emotionally unstable people do, these just happen to call themselves Christian even though they aren't really that religious at all.
Good question, good answers from puffy and a couple of others.

Answer 3

It's easy to attack someone for a sin you don't think you could ever be convicted of, yourself. Most people who attack us are pretty sure they're not gay (or trying to prove they aren't, in some cases), and/or maybe it's a 'sin' they don't understand. So we make an easy target group.

It's a lot easier to take the focus off their own junk by pointing the finger at us, than it is for people to live up to the commands about loving, not judging, and not bearing false witness ( a whole LOT of false witness about queer folks happens around here, I can tell you!)

So, you're right. The people who get all bent out of shape about GLBT folks are missing the point. Several of them, actually, including one of the Big Ten commandments from the Old Testament (not bearing false witness), and one of the Two Biggies from the New Testament. (Love God & Love Your Neighbour as yourself.)

Thanks for using the brain God gave you, and for genuinely seeking to understand.

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And to PUFFY, who said "What normal well adjusted straight Christian spends time in gay forums? NONE!" . . . . I have to answer this: QUEER CHRISTIANS, LIKE ME! :o)
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There are those of us with a foot in each camp, so to speak.

Answer 4

Well, to be honest, you cannot 'love' a homosexual if you are fundamentally denying who they are. In other words, you cannot 'love' someone while hating what they do, because we are defined by what we do, not what we could do, what we might do, or what we could have/should have/would have done. So, in essence, every Christian that 'hates' someone else IS contradicting their own teachings. But, being a Christian is as much about the process of learning to 'love' someone for who they are as it is the actual 'loving'. That is the 'master' concept, but most Christians barely love themselves, so it is not surprising that they also have no 'love' for their enemies. It might be more proper to say that they are Christians-in-training; proud, arrogant but essentially ignorant sheep, baying their catcalls at the moon while the patient shepard gently brushes by them with his crook.

Answer 5

I too am a Catholic and I don't understand it. I had a long in-depth email exchange with a Christian woman trying to convince me homosexuality is wrong and God hates the sin....and we are disobeying God by being homosexual. She acted as if she never sins. I believe we are all sinners and I personally don't think homosexuals should be outcasts. For some people, it is just a reason to hate. Many people are hypocrites.

Answer 6

kid_at_heart,
There were some great answers that you got. I am a Chrisitan, and Bisexual.

To say you are Catholic, what does that really mean? Roman Catholic? If so, your church is a part of those who are thinking Mortal Sin when someone says that they are 'sexually immoral.' So what is the distinction between you and the doctrine that you are supposed to be a part of?

As a Christian, I know that what makes me a Christian is that I can trust God with all things, including what He does with my twisted sort of sexual preference. It doesn't separate me from Him, it brings me closer. I look to Him to make me more His, in His time and in His way.

So yes, the Bible shows that God is totally against homosexuality, and it is damning, yet it only scratches the surface because it's our nature that is driving us towards any kind of separation from God.

That's why Jesus Christ was necessary to restore our connection to God. He stood in the gap, and provided the way we must focus, that is; to trust Him. And that is what a Christian does. A Christian trusts God through Christ.

Answer 7

I am Christian myself and I agree with what you said. I have a few gay friends, and one of them particularly stands out as a stellar human being. He is one of the most moral people I have ever known. He worked for years on a suicide helpline and volunteers his time with an AIDs organization. He works with me in the social work field and he never gives less than 100 percent to his clients. He and an organization that he was affiliated with even made important changes to the government's health policy in my area that were for the good of everyone, not just people with AIDS. Honestly, I spend a good bit of time with him and I have never seen him anything less than kind and moral. I don't see how such a good man could be condemned just because he loves other men. He certainly loves his neighbour as himself.

Answer 8

first of all.. Telling a Christian they are in a position to't use the Bible as a source is absurd! that's what we are residing via. you could call it what you prefer brainwashed, sheep, no longer having a strategies of our very own.. i in my view do no longer care. The Bible is what I stay my existence via. I have been given right here from an editorial referred to as "what's incorrect with being gay?" The complementary shape of the male and woman anatomy is obviously designed for the conventional husband-spouse relationships. of course, layout in human biology helps heterosexuality and contradicts homosexuality. the mixture of male and woman helps guy (and the animals) to offer and nurture offspring as commanded in Genesis a million:28 “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth.” This command is repeated to Noah after the Flood (Genesis 8:15-17). yet procreation isn't the sole reason God made human beings as sexual beings. The BUWA document affirms “that sexual intimacy between husband and spouse is sweet, and is meant via God for bonding, exhilaration and procreation.”7 Thirdly, God gave guy and lady complementary roles as a manner to augment the kinfolk unit. woman became to be the helper that guy mandatory (Genesis 2:18). inspite of the undeniable fact that, the girl's place because of the fact the helpmate is via no ability an inferior one. The enterprising God-fearing woman in Proverbs 31:10-31 is an inspiring place form. As for the guy who commented that Christians declare that being gay is misguided, yet they flow homestead and sleep with their boyfriend/lady chum.. you're good it rather is incorrect and a sin is a sin. I completely disagree with a guy or woman being gay. Am I going to hate that guy or woman? surely no longer! this entire gay bashing element has have been given to resign! Do i think of they are going to flow to hell in the event that they proceed to stay that existence-style? sure, yet so will a guy or woman who lies and gossips without asking God for forgiveness.

Answer 9

Lets distinguish between Christians and the people we see here on Yahoo! Answers who call themselves Christians.

The latter are emotionally damaged people who seek attention and validation by attacking those they perceive as weaker. They use Christianity to cloak their attacks. NONE actually believe they're advancing God's word or message. NONE care for their victims, in fact take special delight in tormenting them. They will protest and say they do, but has anyone every seen anything to indicate otherwise? Of course not, and you never will. This is done because their own lives are out of control and miserable so they divert attention from their own mess of a life by creating discord however it best suits them. If they didn't have gays, they'd pick on someone else. Think otherwise? Where were the weak and emotionally damaged focusing their energies before? Minorities. These same type that hide behind cartoon avatars were once underneath hoods surrounding burning crosses.

The vast majority of real Christians aren't doing this. They don't spend hours lurking in gay chat rooms, message boards answer boards. They may still think gays are wrong, they may not approve of gays, but most having well adjusted lives live their lives normally, not lashing out with venom and hate. Being emotional balanced they know that you do not win converts by threats, verbal abuse, attacking teenagers, name calling, threats of violence. They realize there are more productive means of getting the Word out.

Sadly the hater will be with us, sadly for themselves as they never address their own train wreck of a life. Sad for us because we waste so much time on them.

What normal well adjusted straight Christian spends time in gay forums? NONE!

Answer 10

Just because homosexuality is considered a sin by religion, doesn't mean we should treat homosexuals with hatred. I agree with you; we should still treat everyone in a good way to be good Muslims, Christians, Jews, whatever....it's up to God to judge.