Christian and gay?

I understand your beliefs in God and the Bible, but you have to decide what you're feeling. If you really have a strong attraction toward the same sex, it could definitely be love. It could very well be lust too. That's something you need to decide. Don't let your religion take control of your feelings for someone, please. I've experienced the same thing with a past bf of mine who was a hardcore Christian and now he's still gay but with a girl he "appearance", not being true to himself. I hope it works out for you. But it is possible to be Christian and gay.

 

I'm Christian, but i guess i'm in no way a devout religious person. I go to a Catholic school and im surprised about some of the ways they contradict themselves. In year 9 i had an amazing teacher who would say that homosexuals are equal to everyone else, and that God does not hate them. A year later a i had this complete narrow-minded bastard who went on and on about pro-creation and how gays cant do that, blah blah blah.
I personally think that you can be gay and Christian, and a true christian (and god) wouldn't judge others based on their sexuality.

 

I honestly don't know...I am Christian and like girls. They have gone on for awhile about how gross it is, while I was dating a girl. I am losing my faith thanks to them...and don't know what to believe. If the Lord is as accepting as everyone says then he should love us just the same...right?

 

Yes and yes.

Christianity's view of God and God aren't the same. God loves ALL. So He can't throw you into a pit of doom (sorry for the image) cuz He loves you too much. Plus, you are a part of Him, so technically He would be sending a part of Himself in there if He were to do that.

It would be nice if I could do some readings on you and everyone else...

 

I'm a Christian. Roman Catholic, in fact. I sort of went through several micro-breakdowns because I didn't think that I could be gay and a Christian, and I felt like I was going to have to choose between my faith and my feelings. Thankfully-I didn't have to, for a lot of reasons, but it boiled down to this way of thinking.

There are two definitions of Christian:
A follower of the Christian faith (ie. the Church)
Or
A follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ

I found it a lot easier to deal with when I read the Bible and found out that Jesus himself never said anything about homosexuality. Heck, we're not called Churchians, or Old Testamentians! As I see it, Jesus was on a right thing-about loving your fellow human beings. Hope that helped.

 

I was in the same boat as you. I read books and surfed the internet, and mostly read the bible. Nowhere does the bible condemn loving same sex relationships - the story of Jonathan and David only affirms them. However, the bible condemns same-sex prostitution and immorality (leviticus 18), gang rape (sodom and gommorah), and affirms love and acceptance (everywhere).

I could get into the apologetics, but it's 4 am so I think I better wait until I'm more awake to do so, if you want me to.

 

yeah i'm just as confused right now, being christian and all.
it does actually say that you should not have relationships with the same sex in deuteronomy :/
and i don't wanna let my family down. they've always said that it's fine if i am, and they'll help me through it. somehow, i managed to dodge the first sex ed conversation with my parents, so i've never talked to them about any of it properly. oh well

 

Do you believe God makes mistakes? I don't! God created you just the way you are. A loving God would not make you gay and then send you to hell for following your feelings. That's not a God I want to believe in. I know alot of gay people in love. Their love is just as real as any heterosexual couple. There are alot of resources on the internet for gay Christians. In fact, I posted a whole bunch of links on another thread. I just need to find it.

 

post from Becky from another thread cuz i cant figure out the quote system...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Default Re: Wondering about Christian Gays/Lesbians
My son came out in a fundamentalist Christian family too. Most of them have been pretty good about it. Although I don't really know what they say behind our backs!

I think if you rent or buy and watch the DVD For the Bible Tells Me So, it will be of great help to your inner conflict that you are feeling. It could also help you come out to your family too. This is one of the best films I've seen on religion and homosexuality.

Just recently I was forwarded a list from my friend who is married to a psycholigist. If there is not enough proof that gay people exist in every religion, take a look at all these support groups!

A number of folks with conservative religious upbringing have found Mel White's book "Stranger at the Gate" helpful. Mel is a former speech writer for Pat Robertson and is now an out gay minister in Dallas, TX.

Also perhaps Troy Perry's book "The Lord is My Shepherd and He Knows I'm Gay. Troy founded the Metropolitan Community Church.

But, maybe some websites would be better:

PFLAG's website is always good: www.pflag.org

Pamphlet entitled "What the Bible Says—and Doesn't Say—about Homosexuality". By Rev. Dr. Mel White (former speechwriter for Pat Robertson). Download for free at http://soulforce.org/main/whatthebiblesays.shtml

Religious Resources for GLBT Clients



AFFIRM: Dr. Marvin Goldfried's site for psychologists with gay, lesbian or bisexual family members www.sunysb.edu/affirm

Baptist LGBT support organization: www.rainbowbaptists.org/christian.htm

Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests: www.bmclgbt.org

Catholic LGBTs: www.dignityusa.org

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) LGBTs: www.gladalliance.org

Christian Science LGBT Resources: www.emergence-international.org/index.php

Episcopal LGBTs: www.integrityusa.org

Evangelicals Concerned ("Safe Place" for GLBT Christians): www.ecwr.org

General support site: www.religioustolerance.org

General support site: www.whosoever.org

Jewish LGBTs (World Congress of LGBT Jews): www.glbtjews.org

LDS/Mormon LGBTs: www.affirmation.org

Lutheran Lesbian & Gay Ministries: www.elm.org

Methodists for GLBT concerns: www.umaffirm.org

Metropolitan Community Church (Christian LGBT church): www.mccchurch.org

Presbyterian GLBT advocacy (More Light Presbyterians) in the church: www.mlp.org

Quaker (Friends for LGBT & Queer Concerns): www.quaker.org/flgbtqc/index.html

Religious Retreats (One each year, mid-year, for LGBT Christians): www.kirkridge.org

Seventh Day Adventist LGBT support organization: www.sdakinship.org/

Unitarian Universalist Office of BGLT concerns: www.uua.org/obgltc

United Church of Christ Coalition for LGBT concerns: www.ucccoalition.org

 

Thank you Tyler!

 

Something witty,

I am Christian, Catholic to be exact, as is my best friend, her girlfriend, and another lesbian friend of ours. We go to church together on weekends. God loves you unconditionally. Love is the greatest thing created by God. If it was wrong for you to be able to feel this amazing emotion, love, toward girls, God would not have made it possible for you to do so.

 

If you don't have enough links yet, www.wouldjesusdiscriminate.com opened my eyes about different readings of the Bible which support gay people as children of God. Did you know that there is evidence that the celebrated relationship between Ruth and Naomi might have been what we would now call lesbian? God loves you just as you are, so love yourself (*hug*)

 

I am Christian as well. I belief that if people consider homosexuality a sin, they need to look at themselves as well. Do they lie? Do they cheat? Do they mix two different types of textiles? (No, I'm serious, look in Leviticus. No cotton/poly blends for you!) We're all sinners, and we all sin differently.
God loves us anyway. He loves us and he holds us dear, no matter what we say or do or think. That's what he's here for. To give us unconditional love.
Remember: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believes in him will never die, but have eternal life." John 3:16, the most quoted verse in the Bible ever, well, except maybe "In the beginning..." Genesis 1:1.

This is a very short answer to a very complex question, and I'm sorry I couldn't explain it fully. But if you need further help on this matter, please don't hesitate to PM me with questions. I'm here to help.

-Mesk

 

First off: sorry this post is so long! It's just that this issue is something that I've been thinking so much about lately that I have a lot to say on the matter. Second: I'm sorry if it sounds preachy! I really don't mean it to be! I just want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision, instead of just hearing that it's sinful from the majority of your friends and family.
I think for me, being a Christian and being gay, the biggest thing is still feeling like I'm living my life by excellent standards. I still need to feel like I'm doing the right thing, and I judge that by Christian standards. However, I think one of the biggest challenges for me is realizing that the Christianity that I was brought up with (Pentacostal) is not the only standard by which I can live and still be committed to living a good life. This sounds really heretical, but even amongst Christian denominations, there are differing opinions as to what makes a good Christian (which is why there are so many denominations). Many Christian denominations believe that being gay is no big deal, and that God doesn't hate you if you love someone of the same gender (see BeckyG's post above!).

So to give you all the facts and let you decide for yourself, a few things to note:
1. Jesus never addresses the issue of homosexuality, but he does address the issue of love and hypocrisy many times!
2. Leviticus does say "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman for this is an abomination". However, in the same section, it also says that eating shellfish is an abomination and that if you have mildew in your house, you should show it to a priest. Leviticus is an important book, and shows us what the Jewish Law was before Christ, but no longer relevant to Christians today. If someone quotes Leviticus at you, ask if they like clam chowder. It turns out that most people are very selective with what they believe (and like to pick out what they can clobber other people with).
3. Other passages in the Bible that are anti-gay are either referring to pedophilic relationships (between boys and older men) or temple prostitutes (who used ritual sex to worship other gods).
4. The passage in 1 Corinthians that details the list of people who aren't going to heaven that includes "homosexuals" in the list was never translated as "homosexuals" until 1958, but rather as "weaklings". Even in The Message translation of the Bible in 1992, it was translated as "those who use and abuse each other". The translation of this word is so contentious because the actual word means just means "soft". This word may refer to "moral weaklings".
5. Some other people say that the reason that homosexual relationships are condemned is because they can't create children. The procreation argument is hypocritical, since we allow sterile people to get married, even though they know that they can never produce children. We also allow people to get married even though they are past their child-bearing years. My mom just got married a month ago, and she is way past menopause. She is a Christian, but has no hope of making babies with her new husband.
6. I don't mean this in a critical way, but just in a way that points out the obvious. People, in general, pick and choose what they want to believe from the Bible. It just so happens that homosexuality is something that many Churches choose to pick on because it can be a fairly obvious lifestyle choice (involving partners of the same gender, for example). I haven't fully sorted this out for myself, so I don't want you to think that I'm preaching at you, when I'm going through the same issues. However, Jesus, Himself, condemns divorce, and many, many Christians are divorced. I think there are bigger issues that they need to deal with than homosexuality, which involves LOVE for someone of the same gender - note: consensual love (what's wrong with that??). I think that most gay people don't feel comfortable in Church, so we tend to be under-represented in Churches, leading to additional stereotyping because of our reduced presence. (An aside: Because of my really sheltered life within the Church, I've only ever met two other gay people besides my girlfriend!!). That said, I'm not really sure why homosexuality is such a big deal within the many Church communities. I don't really have an answer for that one!

I don't believe that the Bible condemns homosexual relationships at all. Why would God condemn relationship that is loving? Why would it matter that the person that you love is the same gender, as long as you are in a relationship that is loving?

As I said, I'm still going through and trying to piece this whole thing together myself, and it's hard! Especially for me, I've grown up in such a culture of fear (if you don't do all the right things you will be disowned by your friends and family) that it is really a lot of pressure to not think for yourself. But thinking for yourself is invaluable - make the right choices for yourself, not the right choices based on what other people tell you is right for you. And LOVE! Love is paramount too - that's what this whole thing is about! To quote a passage from The Message translation of the Bible (1 Corinthians 13):
"If I give everything I own to the poor and even go the the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head
Doesn't force itself on others
Isn't always, 'me first',
Doesn't fly off the handle
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others
Doesn't revel when others grovel
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over someday; praying tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We only know a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrive, our incompletes will be cancelled out...
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward the consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love."

 

After all, the world needs more babies. Plus, they're running out of spare kids at the adoption agencies.

 

i was in the same position you were in with religion and being gay or thinking u r and then i watched this movie on LOGO called Camp Out and it helped me a lot maybe u sould watch it some time

 

i think that alot of us have gone through the same thing. i was asked to be the drama leader @ my church and b4 i accepted i had a long talk with the pastor. and he's really kewl with it and most of the members are. my girlfriend used to go to church with me (we broke up) and we just made sure we were appropriate.
i watched the movie "Saved" and then helped me alot. at the end there is a gay guy and he's like i know God still loves me. and just like the whole ending is amazing.

 

I made a special trip to barnes and noble to pick up Stranger at the Gate by Mel White.
I had to ask the sales guy where the gay section was (very humiliating...but he was good about it). My parents still don't know I have it, but it made me realize how I could live my life. Buy it!