Should churches be responsible for their hateful and hurtful rhetoric?

Question

Should churches be responsible for their hateful rhetoric?
I know a young man who committed suicide. He could not deal with the "sin" of homosexuality. He sought guidance from his pastor and his family...who all told him he had to turn away from this sin.

He said he tried to turn from these feelings and couldn't. He was told that he would either have to live a life of celibacy, or marry a woman and deny his sexual impulses. He decided he was unable to do this.

We do not understand the origins of sexuality...we do not understand the psychological state of many who are gay...are we doing the world a disservice by asserting our beliefs...which are only that, beliefs...interpretations of scriptures...for we are not God.

Who are we to tell this young man he is sinning and should remain celibate...who are we to tell this young man he cannot live out his life as he feels he should? Should we as mere humans, make such judgement calls?

Answer 1

No. Only Don Imus should be responsible for his hateful and hurtful rhetoric. Everyone else gets a free pass. :)

Answer 2

Suicide indicates having been involved in a cult. I think it's acting out in loyalty to the cult's "self-denying" creeds against the self.

As for homosexuality, prayer is the best way to go with that. Heterosexual marriage is not the answer. Neither is forbidding marriage. In fact, part of the mark of the beast in Revelation 13 is "chi" which corresponds to "agamos" according to www.blueletterbible.org - without marriage. "xi" means hard working and "stigma" means stigma. The other usage of stigma in the Bible is in Galatians 6:17 to describe the "marks of Jesus" that Paul carried. He was comparing this to circumcision, which some in the congregation wanted others to do so that they would avoid being persecuted for Christ. Those ones drawing away from Christ's head would be worshiping angels (Colossians 2:18) - those who would carry this message for them.

So it would appear that literal marks are used to signify factions and ownership in the Christian congregation. They can also exert a powerful influence over the owner of the mark as mind control based on fear of the one who seems to have so much prominence. Such a person would be using Satan's tactics of overwhelming people with knowledge of families (2 Corinthians 2:11, 1 Timothy 1:4). Pleonektes is like "polus" "echo". Polus ochlos means great multitude. Echo means "to have or to hold, also in relation to kinship". The other description of Satan and his spirits in Ephesians 6:12 uses the word kosmokrator. This means holding the kosmos in your hand. Krator comes from krateo, which means to have power, have possession, hold fast in the hand and not let go.

In any event, I'd still be worried for the family. These things don't happen just by rhetoric. There's more to it than that.

Answer 3

I'm don't know how anyone can be so judgmental, if that was the case. We all have ways in which we don't obey God, and it is natural for everyone of us. I think the biggest problem is when Christians place greater significance on some acts than on others, and this is due to prejudice more than on the love of God. It's not my job to tell Christians when they are sinning - if God isn't telling them, then how can we? God may ask us to encourage others, but in doing so he we should recognize our own sinfulness. It's not up to me to determine what sin is and what it isn't. Just remember, God does not depend on our definition of what is socially acceptable to determine His own standards. His standards are higher than ours, and we CAN'T adhere them - that's why Jesus died for us.

Just to add a little more of relevance, here, there is hurtful, hateful rhetoric and hatefull hurtful actions. The former is bad enough; the latter is much worse. Also, there are malicious intentions (deliberately hurting) and good intentions (ignorantly hurting), the former is obviously much more reprehensible than the latter. Then there is prolonged, willing hurting and spur-of-the-moment reactive hurting, the former being much more reprehensible. Finally, there is offensive hurting (initiating conflict) and defensive hurting (reacting to an offense against you) the former reprehensible in both man's and God' s laws, the latter being merely human.

Answer 4

We are all uncapable of changing and quitting our bad habits.
For this reason, God sent Jesus to take away the sins of the world. When the Holy Spirit comes in and lives inside of us, He is able to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We can't quit our addictions without Christ. It is Christ who delivers us from sin. We come just as we are and when the Holy Spirit comes inside of us, He is more than able to remove the sin.

We don't make these judgment calls. God makes them. Only Jesus can take away the sins of the world and all we must do is believe Him. It is true the statement, "Without God we are nothing." We are bound to sin, disease and afflictions. We even inherit sin from relatives. Wife beaters grow up to be wife beaters. Smokers have children who smoke. Drugies have drugy children. Alcoholics have children who are Alcoholics. Sex perverts raise sex perverts.
Pornography comes down from father to son to grandson, etc. etc. etc.

What's wrong is that the churches are not preaching about sin. The churches are tickling the ears of the congregations to keep the money flowing. This young man should have been taught the love of God and what God can do for him. Every day young men leave the homosexual lifestyle and God delivers them from this sexual preference. No one loved this young man enough to help him and he lost his way in confusion of his mind. Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy because Satan is the creator of sin and disobedience.

Answer 5

Jesus is the Great Judge.

That was a Horrible Thing to have to happen to that young man, but don't give up hope--if he was born-again, he is in Heaven (suicide is not the unpardonable sin).
If he wasn't saved--GOD has Secrets! GOD can expand Time and give people a Last Chance to GET Saved (spirit recreated) and go to Heaven.

Horrible thing to have to happen.

Answer 6

All people should be responsible for their bad decisions.

Unfortunately my people (Christians) have a bad rep because a lot of people get the idea we have to dictate to everyone.

the Bible says hate the sin love the sinner. It also says we must tell them that homosexuality is wrong, but we don't have to shove it down everyone's throats.

Answer 7

Who are you to stereotype everyone in the church?
it's terrible about your friend i will be praying for him but i hate all the stereotypes
its like saying all Muslims are terrorists
i personally believe that if some one is so depressed that they commits suicide that God will let them think about it in prugatorty and then go to heaven
i also don't agree that homosexuality is wrong although there should be commitment and monogamy just like a heterosexual relationship

Answer 8

That young man was troubled and its sad. The church should not have to change its teaching. We all have the right not to attend church. When someone commits suicide its easy to blame outside influences but really there was something inside or missing from inside the person who did it.

I have been shunned from church before. (and family for that matter) I don't think the church should have to change to accomodate me, I know my lifestyle was not acceptable to them. I made my decisions. Does that make the church right? no. but we all have the options of attending another church.

Answer 9

Nothing against homosexuality........Just the act ...........

"Four types of this form of criminal wickedness can be distinguished in an effort to show you the totality of the whole matter in and orderly way: some sin with themselves alone [masturbation]; some by the hands of others [mutual masturbation]; others between the thighs [interfemoral intercourse]; and finally, others commit the complete act against nature [anal intercourse]." - St. Peter Damian ("The Book Of Gomorrah" 11th century A.D.)ust the act................

Answer 10

The bible is quite clear about what happens when people do what they feel is right:

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

proverbs 14:12