Can you be gay and a Christian?? (salvation, churches, Israel)

[wildberries61]

Originally Posted by Amavel

Being born again doesn't mean you can't be a liar, adulterer, homosexual, etc.

Therefore, I don't see why homosexuals can't be accepted as Christians..

If you had read MoMark it would have explained to you and then, read further down on hoosier67!!!

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by hoosier67

I've heard that there are gay people who call themselves Christians. Can you be gay and a Christian at the same time? Does being gay go against what the Bible says? FYI: I am just asking a question, not making a statement.

Of course you can... I know plenty of gay Christians, and they're more "pious" than many of the straight Christians out there. If you're concerned about them breaking one rule in the Bible, can you honestly say you follow it 100%?? Besides, I personally don't think homosexuality is a sin (I don't follow that mind-set, as an "Agnostic Reform Jew" ), but that's irrelevant to my point. Being Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, etc., has less to do with which book passages you follow, and more to do with what's in your heart & soul - Period.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by puckett

the answer is no why do you think god destroyed the city in soddom and gommarah no if you are gay god did not make you that way and you were not born that way it is only your sick mind that makes you that way

No, it's sick to judge them so harshly, and pretend to know what they think & feel... did you CHOOSE to be straight? Don't think so. Anyway, I'll just say that the Soddom & Gommorah passage is widely mis-interpreted, and probably has nothing to do with homosexuality. You might want to read this, if you're interested in opening your mind a bit: (sorry for the long address!)

http://www.gaychristian.net/greatdeb...e1f85ab45ff7e/

[HDL]

If we allow Him, God will use our sins and failures for His good and His glory. Many times we go through difficult things in our lives so that we can be of help to others. Other times, we experience difficulties because of our (poor) choices.

Twenty two years ago I attended a church in San Jose,CA that had an outreach program for people coming out of a gay or lesbian lifestyle. I've been a born again believer for 36 yrs and I have never seen that ministry before or after that church. I thought it was gutsy of the Pastor and great that the church was trying to be supportive and non-judgemental regarding this issue.

Hoosier67, I wish you and your family God's blessings !! Thank you for sharing a difficult part of your life. Much success to you in 2007!

[Amavel]

Originally Posted by wildberries61

If you had read MoMark it would have explained to you and then, read further down on hoosier67!!!

Great, all his post did was clarify that all sin is equal and only the sinless can enter heaven, which is no one of either 'party'.

No one has responded yet to why gays are shunned in mainstream Christianity if they can be born again and homosexual. Why is it that Jesus is praised for being a groundbreaker because of his fellowship with tax collectors, corrupt religious figures, and prostitutes, yet the Christian Right can't look in the general direction of an openly gay person?

[Hoosier]

Originally Posted by gizmo980

I'll just say that the Soddom & Gommorah passage is widely mis-interpreted, and probably has nothing to do with homosexuality.

Is this your opinion or do you have anything to back it up? Okay, let's say that passage doesn't matter. How about these?

No Israelite man or woman is to be a shrine prostitute. Deuteronomy 23:17

There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 1 Kings 14:24

He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his fathers had made. 1 Kings 15:12

He rid the land of the rest of the male shrine prostitutes who remained there even after the reign of his father Asa. 1 Kings 22:46

He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes, which were in the temple of the LORD and where women did weaving for Asherah. 2 Kings 23:7

It's also talked about in Judges when a man comes into town to stay the night (a similar story to S&G). The concubine is sent out into the group of men and they rape her, although they wanted the man.

Now don't even try and say, we'll that's the old testament and it's not relevant today. I am not trying to say we should live the way they did back then. These stories are showing you that God does not approve of men lying with men, and women lying with women.

Go to the New Testament and you'll see another that God says regarding this practice:
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Romans 1:26

Now tell me why you think Sodom is misinterpreted.

[ncsu99]

Excellent testimony Hoosier67! You are a prime example of what can be done through Christ.

As I stated in an earlier post before you posted your testimony:

Originally Posted by ncsu99

True, God doesn't categorize sin. However, as a Christian, I believe a homosexual should at least feel the desire to abstain from that type of lifestyle. I'm not saying you would have to be perfect, but at least realize that God doesn't approve of that behavior.

I believe you have the desire to do things as God would like them done. It doesn't mean it's going to feel natural or normal. But, I'm sure you have been blessed by doing the will of God. Amen brother, and God bless you and your family.

[Sorcerer68]

Originally Posted by hoosier67

I've heard that there are gay people who call themselves Christians. Can you be gay and a Christian at the same time? Does being gay go against what the Bible says? FYI: I am just asking a question, not making a statement.

If you ask any Bible Scholar, a person with a working knowledge of the Ancient Greek and Aramaic languages as well as Hebrew, they will tell you that there are many mistranslations in the bible, over 1000 to be exact. In the original texts, in no way does it say Homosexuality is immoral or a sin. One Bible scholar is a very conservative man from Bob Jones University...you know...the place that won't allow interracial dating. Not one Bible scholar will go on record saying the Bible condemns homosexuality because it doesn't. It never did. Fundimentalist religious groups were responsible for the subsequent mistranslations and addition of words that didn't exist when the bible was written. The word <i>homosexual</i> never came into use until the 1800's. Anything that has anything to do with preaching hate was never in the original Bible manuscripts.

A couple more things: the Apostle Paul was actually concerned about prostitution in his city. Many of the prostitutes were male. Another thing is the Council of Nicea and how that affected (or greatly edited). If you don't know what it is, look it up.

[Hoosier]

Originally Posted by Sorcerer68

In the original texts, in no way does it say Homosexuality is immoral or a sin. Not one Bible scholar will go on record saying the Bible condemns homosexuality because it doesn't. It never did. Fundimentalist religious groups were responsible for the subsequent mistranslations and addition of words that didn't exist when the bible was written. The word <i>homosexual</i> never came into use until the 1800's.

Yep, you're right, no word homosexual in the Bible. It does how refer to men lying with one another (same concept but not the same word). Throughout history words have come and gone but meanings have translated.

Male prostitutes...don't think they were taking women home and having their way with them.

Every reference I posted earlier this morning shows that men were having sex with one another...it doesn't say the exact word homosexuality, gay etc. But c'mon let's get real and stop mincing words. It is what it is. You have the right to believe what you'd like. And as I said in my post last night. I am not judging anyone...I've been judged enough to know how that hurts. But I guarantee that God will judge all of us for everything we've done and said.

[ontheroad]

Have you read St. Augustine?

No, he didn't write any of the chapters and verse in the bible!

However, he made many contributions to the Roman Church.

I lay much of sexual distortion, hate for one's own body, and self-loathing at his door and certainly at his feet.

I've always suspected he was a closeted-homosexual!