Will Church antagonism toward gay folks encourage youth & young adults to reject Christianity in general?

Question

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Barna, the Christian polster, has suggested that, since most youth & young adults know gay people that do not behave as the Church has protrayed them, the young folks may be questioning all of the teachings of the church.

Is this happening in your own experience?

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SHAYNA: I appreciate your sentiment, but as a matter of picayune correction, Jesus did not say "Love the sinner but hate the sin." That was Mahatma Gandhi, who was a Hindu.

Answer 1

yes indeed. I'm the pastor of an affirming church in Lumberton, NC and I've come in contact with literally hundreds of teens who have been totally turned off to Christianity because of how the Christian church as a whole deals with the issue of homosexuality.

Answer 2

The only possible morality is within yourself. When you see a little girl about to be hit by a car-what do you do? For most of us, I am proud to say we jump out there and some of us would even risk getting hit to save her. Why do we do this? I know that when such a situation arises I never ask "Is this good? What's in it for me? What will happen to me if I don't? What will happen to me if I do?" Even if it wasn't a time sensitive matter such as this, you still would not even ask yourself or hesitate to do the right thing. As a mother, you would do anything for your children wouldn't you? That is love. The question of morality, ethics, right, wrong, good, evil, pain, happiness, reward or punishment...they never arise in you when you do something for your children do they? That is because they come from you. It is unconscious, as though it is what is supposed to be done. So I hold therefore, that it is having an authority outside yourself that is the cause of so many problems. You will act bad when the authority is gone and good when it is there. Instead of doing something simply because it must be done (i.e. pushing the girl away from the car), you do it because you desire reward or to escape punishment. This is not morality. This is not real. When this man was out of the church-look how he acted. There was no higher authority watching him, and even if there was, he was "forgiven" wasn't he? Do you not think that those who say all he has to do is ask forgiveness and he'll be forgiven are part of the problem? And to those who say he wasn't a "good Christian", I take it a step further and ask if you really know what a "Good Christian" is? So what if "God" forgives him? The children will always know what he did, God will not remove the misery, sorrow and loss from their innocent hearts will he? He can never repay the woman who he brutally murdered, but he still hurt his children and it is THEY who may or may not decide to forgive him. I am as you well know I am not a Christian, but I believe Jesus' Golden rule was the best part of the Bible. But what you'll also notice is that the Bible is not unique in this rule. That should say something-that the Golden Rule is universal, it is the details that are the problem. Peace and happiness, Travis Anderson

Answer 3

The church I attend accepts gay people, as do several other churches I know about.

But, yes, I’m hardly a young person but I feel horror and resentment when I see how certain churches treat gay people.

We know a gay couple who have been together for more than 25 years. The one man has suffered with cancer for the past couple of years, his partner devoted throughout the entire ordeal.

Then when the family realized this man was about to die they swarmed in and made the partner know that he was unwelcome. He was not permitted to be there when his partner of over a quarter century died, nor was he permitted to have a say in funeral arrangements.

This couple were together as long as my husband and me. I have no reason to suppose their love and devotion was any less than ours. I cannot begin to imagine the pain I would feel if I were not permitted to be at my husband’s side at the end, or to see that his wishes were carried out.

This man’s family was Catholic.

As angry as I am over stories like this and knowing what some gay young people have suffered at the hands of so-called Christian families, there is no way this would cause me to leave the church. My relationship is with Christ, not religion. The church is first and foremost a way to worship God in a group setting.

As much as Jesus challenged the religious practices of His day, he never stopped being a Jew--didn't walk away from religious practice.

Christians with any amount of empathy should try to help bring awareness instead of leaving. It is about our love for God and being faithful to what God loves, compassion and justice.

Answer 4

There's an old saying "No one drives more Christians from the church than Christians!" I honestly believe that.

I left the church because of hypocrisy. Jesus said that we are supposed to hate the sin, but not the sinner. I find it hard to see how we can love a 'sinner' by ostracizing him from the church.

Edit: Thank you for the correction. I believe I should have probably used the words "Jesus implies. . ." rather than "Jesus said. . ."

Answer 5

It is possible it happens, since cristians beliefs condemm this kind of behavior. They have the right to do so. Maybe they should create their own religion. Believing in a merciful God.

Answer 6

I've personally encountered someone who was raised Catholic, but chose to leave Christianity because within Christianity he could find no meaningful and fulfilling way to be what he is -- which is a gay man.

Answer 7

excellent point.

yes, it will make the youth of america question the teachings of the church.

so will the internet.

so will our ever-evolving television.

so will our growing cultural diversity.

so will our exponentially expanding globalization.

the church is on the outs. good riddance. it's about time we let the kiddies decide.

Answer 8

Unlikely. However, with education, they might learn to ask the right questions and finally reject superstitions once and for all.

Answer 9

Yes. That is one of the great hazards of such an attitude,from a Christian point of view.

Answer 10

Makes sense. I would never attend a church that demonized someone as kind as my brother-in-law.