How should I feel?

Question

I was baptised as a Greek Orthodox Christian. I always believed that God was good and religion was one way in which you could be a good person, this is what I was taught as a child. And undoubtedly I am sure that God is good and the ideas enshrined in religion are beautiful, but the way that churches and the bible relays the message I find can be very hurtful at times or even misleading, especially in this time of my life.

I know like all churches that there is and always had been a great degree of stigma and controversy regarding certain issues. Primarily, it seems although it is not discussed the Greek Orthodox church does not approve of gay people (despite news reports of gay bishops and scandals in churches). I am in no way in a position to support homophobia, because in essence it goes against what it means to be a good person, which is a fundamental of Christianity. Why then should there be stigma against a gay person who does no wrong against others and yet is still criticised?

I was inspired to ask this question after i read this article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,2763,1418094,00.html
which talks about Greek Orthodoxy and homosexuality. What these church leaders did may have been against the church but more importantly are hypocritical and impure considering their roles in the church. In a time when society accepts a diverse range of people why does the Greek Orthodox church leave a stigma around the whole notion of homosexuality? If we are good people who love and respect God, why is it perceived that we have done wrong just by having a sexuality which is unlike the masses? What should we believe and how should we feel?

Please note (as some people have said) I am not making some desperate plea asking people what i should feel, im asking rather simply what are your opinions? If I had the option I would say now What do you think... but basically read what I have said carefully. Please before you start quoting the bible, give me your explanation because I have heard what the bible has to say and i would now like some (non-hateful) opinions if that isn't too hard for someone to manage.

Answer 1

God is God and is the only perfect entity. church is man made. when it comes to the gay issue, i support them FULLY. people fear what they don't understand. fear often gets translated into hate and judgement. i think lust is a sin. i learned early on that Jesus' core message was to love.

Answer 2

The fundamental of Christianity is exactly what it sounds like - Christ Jesus! Not 'being a good person'. That's why Jesus died, because we're not born good people and will never be good people.

Jesus would have hung out with gay people... He was friends with all the people rejected by the religious leaders in His day. Remember this though: His influence and relationship also caused a dynamic, powerful change in the people he hung out with.

Christians can be so focussed on religion (laws, rules and all the other stuff that has catholic school students falling asleep during school mass) that we forget the true reason and power behind the cross.

Answer 3

You should not support homophobia, but, that does not mean that you have to support homosexuality either. It is possible to believe that someone commits a sin without hating them for it.

If you believe the Bible, then you recognize that there are certain commandments. One says that we should not steal. If a kid steals a candy bar from a store, is he immediately shunned by all Christians? No!

We can believe that one is acting wrongly, unaware of their sin, confused about what is right and what is wrong , or simply falling into temptation. Whatever the reason for the action, nothing warrants phobic behavior -- Sadly, though, it exists.

Jesus said "Love one another as I have loved you." That is as it should be -- when we Christians are living the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As to the behavior - it is a choice, like stealing, committing adultery, or any other. We can choose to indulge in the behavior - or not. If we don't indulge, there is no sin. We were given commandments and asked to obey. Whether we do or not, determines our status with God.

Phobics are those who choose to take God's role as judge upon themselves, and that is wrong!

Answer 4

ill tell you one thing that comes clear to me from the bible and which applies to "everyone"... That perversion is wrong. whether ur straight or gay. So the fact that they accuse a minority "exclusively", for such offense, and more over generalizing them as a whole, when infact there are alot of gay conservatives and on the other hand, promiscuousity in the heterosexual world - is a form of discrimination.
Hey..., also read about what the Church teaches us about judging others and hypocrisy then probably you'll see that some of them are not doing a pretty good job serving for the Lord...

Answer 5

What is a "good person"? In all of its complexity and never-ending debates which would no doubt ensue were this question ever attempted to be answered, who could ever agree on what makes a person a "good person"? What criteria would you use? And how would you ever really know if that one person totally and completely fulfilled that definition at all times and in all respects? What would be the yardstick against which you would measure and compare such a person? Would all others agree on the definition and the subsequent and agreed upon criteria? So, what is a good person? By whose standards? Man's? Or God's? If the former, we're already dead in the water. If the latter, why are we still doubting?

Answer 6

Easy answer - some of the hierarchs (including Archbishops and others) became Freemasons at a young age and practiced homosexuality and other behaviors "under secrecy."

Difficult answer - the Orthodox church is not a homophobic church but the homosexual person has separated from the unity of God. Just becase some of the leaders chose to sin does not make the entire religion a corrupt one.

Answer 7

The stigma is simply because some people are afraid of people who are different, and far too many people enjoy condemning other people for behaviour that they choose to disapprove of.

Don't take the bible literally - it'll drive you mad, there are so many internal contradictions. A great many of the rules for living that are found in the Old Testament in particular aren't so much commandments from God as collected good sense for living in a particular climate and other conditions. Jesus loved everyone, without exception, and the only times that he condemns other people are for hypocrisy or for treating other people as objects.

Be happy within yourself and love others. I wish you well.

Answer 8

The bible is pretty clear on the whole gay issue. Read it for yourself. Now, there are churches out there and there are people, like yourself, who will try and justify their sin in order to make it acceptable in their lives. What you have done is created God in your own image. You have violated His law in doing this. You can't clearly ignore scripture and call yourself a Christian. It doesn't work that way, sorry.

I hope that you truly seek God through prayer and reading His word. I am not the judge of your soul, but I really hope you take a look at this and take your relationship with God seriously. Where you spend eternity depends on it.

Answer 9

As a Christian you should realize ALL sin and it is the reason Christ paid the penalty of death for us. None are good but by faith are made new and in agreement with God's righteousness.

Answer 10

God made man and woman, to love each other. Gay is wrong the Bible says so. But don't hate gay people, hate sin. Hate the homosexual thing but not the person themselves. We are all equal in Gods eyes and he loves us all!