Why are gay couples & unmarried couples treated differently?

Question

I asked the following 2 questions:

An unmarried couple with children begins attending YOUR house of worship. How would the members react?

A gay male couple with children begins attending YOUR house of worship. How would the members react?

I rated the answers Positve (+), Negative (-), both Positive & Negative(+/-), and Neutral (O)

Here are the results:
Unmarried Couple - 29 answers, 4 thumbs up, 1 down:
+: 19 - 66%
-: 3 - 10%
+/-: 5 - 17%
O: 2 - 7%

Gay male couple - 28 answers, 2 thumbs up, 2 down:
+: 8 - 29%
-: 7 - 25%
+/-: 9 - 32%
O: 5 - 18%

(Many of the "+"s in the gay question came from non-Christians.)

How do you explain the discrepancies?

Please also include your faith tradition as a part of your answer.

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

Original questions:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Au7SBAmJxE4h8WNdqiwc5Ejsy6IX?qid=20070115163502AALiEJS

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqxUL0BavJ1veiW1AR8FEabsy6IX?qid=20070115164206AA52UUk

Answer 1

Well, I hate to point out the obvious, but Christians have a real problem with homosexuals. They treat them like dirt because they're scared of them, in my opinion.

Unmarried straight people? That's normal. It's understandable. You could see yourself in that position.

Gay people? EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! Yucky!

At least, that seems to be the typical Christian response. Followed by some prdictable nonsense about "hating" the sin. I thought you weren't supposed to hate, period?

Answer 2

+ 1

Answer 3

I'm a Christian and have always said, "church is for all the good people". Your census proves me correct in my assumption that what I call "good" people attending church, are NOT really that GOOD ... are they ? Christians, who attend church are there because he or she is supposed to realize that they [Christians] are not good and NEED a relationship with Jesus in their particular, individual lives. Unmarried and Gay couples have as much right to a relationship with Jesus Christ, as any Christian attending church, does. God is not a respecter of persons. Jesus Christ died, because He loved the whole world [human race] not just the people Christians say He should. Non-Christians are no better since some, in general, have been slowly lulled into "accepting" the political agenda of lobbyists in our governing places. If you were to ask these questions ... say, 30 years ago, you would be inundated with (-) answers by the tons. All a matter of relativity and conditioning of the masses, by what's current in our society. All people Christian or not ARE self-righteous, smug, and grandiose at times. Where there are people [humans] you will have problems. Gay couples and / or unmarried couples are welcome in the church I attend - they are people too !!!

Answer 4

Its all sin my friend. I am Christian and had a child out of wedlock when I was young. There was meeting on how I was going to confess my sin to the church and ask forgiveness.

I think whether unmarried, gay, straight whatever, premarital sex is a sin.

The question how do you explain the discrepancies? Obvious.

I think what no one is willing to say here on the gay issue. Is that being gay isn't the sin, its the sexual immorality and acting on it that is the sin.......

Same as straight couples.

God Bless

Answer 5

Um.... obviously they are. Not that that's a good thing, but I could've told you that without the "numbers" to prove it.

People are generally homophobic. People generally give preference to heterosexuals in all situations. Even though that unmarried couple with children are living in sin, at least they aren't HOMOSEXUALS.

Bigotry is alive and well. That explains the discrepancies.

Answer 6

There is one thing you must get straight. (No pun intended - although quite funny.)

Homosexuality is a sin! Being single is not! A relationship should be between a man and a woman. After all in the Book of Genesis, it was Adam and Eve - not Adam and Steve!

If the homosexual is seeking the church for forgiveness or to find out more about the Christian faith, they should be welcomed. Christians are encouraged to love the sinner and hate the sin.

Singles with children are accepted for the same way - regardless if the children were conceived out of wed lock or not.

Answer 7

Another answer for a question.

Your question asked about my house of worship. I do not have a house of worship and I have place where God is worship.

I may or may not have an opinion about unwed parents or same sex preference parents with children. They may or may not be welcome in my home, but in God's home all are welcome.

People who dedicate a place to God, no longer own it. Financial support of a place that is dedicated to God; it isn't a mortgage. You either give it to God or you don't.

I read about "Christians" banning or throwing out individuals they don't approve of. As followers of Christ, they should know better.

Answers: God, not man, judges.

Answer 8

The discrepancies as you refer to them are because we live in a world that is so closed minded and judgmental, I am surprised people are not choking on their own bigotry.
It saddens me to no end that society as we know it is not capable of loving another unconditionally, as God would have it.
People fear what do not understand, nor do they want to try and understand, they are happy in their stuffy little judgmental boxes.
I was raised a Mormon, but have not been active in the church for many years, ever since I came out of my stuffy little box, and decided to live by the Golden Rule.
Do unto others as you would have done unto you.

Answer 9

Because an unmarried heterosexual couple can receive the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, and a so-called "gay" couple can never do so. It's quite simple actually.

I am an Anglican Priest.

Answer 10

Because ignorant people feel threatened by what they know NOTHING about. Gay people are born gay, we can fall deeply in love and desire to marry. Heterosexuals are often confused about how this happens, so they knock what they fear. Gays are not suffering from a mental illness nor are we destrying mankind. Not everyone is a believer or follower of christianity, so those christians need to stop forcing their belief system down our throats. Our lives will not affect yours, so back off and live and let live.