Friday, June 6, 2014

Sayings and No Sayings...

There is a long-standing strain of self-proclaimed innocence that has plagued humanity since Adam and Eve. We tend to deflect fault for our actions while accusing the actions of others....I recently posted this on Facebook to which the included discussion ensued. I post it here (with the other name deleted) to make the point of why the Church struggles to engage society....

A few sayings I can't seem to find in the Scriptures.....
"And Jesus said to them, 'I love you just the way you are, keep sinning.'"
"And Jesus said to them, 'I made you that way, so there's no need to repent.'"
or my favorite...
"And Jesus said to them, 'You're not perfect like Me and My Father. Don't bother yourself so much trying to be prefect."

But what He did say was...
"See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." John 5.14
 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 4.17
"Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5.48



READER But you don't think of gay people if you say this, do you?
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READER 
Because this argument is always used against people who live their homosexuality in a partnership.
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Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ Why are YOU asking ME this question? Do you think I am doing this? Are you homosexual? There has to be a reason you ask at this moment.
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READER  I asked wether you do so. If so, I would feel disparaged.
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Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ So are you living your homosexuality in a partnership?
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Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ And do you subscribe to the belief that because we are made a certain way, we must not be asked to repent?
READER  okay, I see you don't want to say whether you mean your posting in a homophobic way.
So I suspect that you do so. sorry for annoying you. You can delete my questians. I will go now. Good bye and God bless you.i

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ If you have EVER read my blog, you would know that my posts are always what they say. You would know that I believe ALL sin must be repented from, whether sexual sexual sin, financial sins, health sin. ALL SIN separates us from God. You seem to want to fight about homosexuality, I'm not......so if you want a discussion, we need to get things out in the open.
READER  All sin must be repented. I have no problem with that. But I would have a problem with you if you would say living homolsexuality, even in a devoted partnership, is sinful.

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ OK. So we can discuss. I do. That being said, can you explain why you don't?

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ Let's use the word "share" why you don't rather than explain....

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ One more thing.....do you consider yourself Orthodox?
READER  Because you can't justify with the Holy Scripture that love between homosexuals is sin.
Because Christ said that to love God and our neighbor, that's all the law is about. So love never can be sinful....See More

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ Ok, we need to agree on some terms.....when I hear/read "living homosexuality" it includes sexual activity. Do I hear you correctly?
READER  you do, yes. Of course.

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ Also, so we can have everything on the table.....are you gay living in a homosexual relationship?
READER  I am gay, yes. And I had a relationship. But not at the moment.

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ I make a HUGE distinction between the love God calls us to and sexual activity, so let's separate the points. I am commanded to love my enemies. Does that love equal the love I have for my wife?

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ Were you born gay? I do believe that is possible by the way
READER  I don't want to argue this way. God made you hetero sexual, and made me gay. He allows you to have a wife and have sexual activity with her.
Why shouldn't he allow this to me, if he made me as i am?
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Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ But this is my point. You and I don't have the same struggle. Are you obese? I am
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Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ I can either eat my way into a coma, or accept that God desires something BETTER for me than just food. I am called to repent from gluttony and live without being able to eat whatever or whenever I desire.

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ This is the root of the "God made me that way" part of my original post. We are ALL made in the image of God, but we are ALL fallen, and God desires for ALL of us to repent and draw closer to Him.

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ I have a confession coming in soon, so I may have to pause, but I will be back.
READER  but now you compare sinful behaviour or illness with homosexuality. And that is my point. that's unfair.

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ my desire for too much food in sinful, it isn't an illness

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ your desire is for sex, that isn't an illness either

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ Life isn't about food OR sex, it is about living in Communion with God

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ We all desire certain things that God doesn't desire for us. The Orthodox Way of life is about "deny yourself, take up your cross" and following Christ. That makes each of our struggle unique. Your cross is your sexuality, mine is over-eating.
READER  my cross is to live in a church that dares to forbid me to love. That is my problem.

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ NO. Your Church does NOT forbid you to love. That is my point. Your Church is here to assist you in your struggle to deny your passions and unite with God. I think our society has done you a HUGE disservice if you think the Church said, just because you can't marry, you are somehow forbidden to love. The society has projected that on the Church.
READER  There can't be a different criterion for heteros or gay concerning gays.

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ I don't understand that one....

Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ Your Church dares you to love God MORE than yourself and your fallen passions, just as it does for me.
READER  Concsrning seyuality,I meant. have to struggle to deny my passions, only because I am gay. And you, because you are hetero can live you passions?
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READER  to be gay and to love men ist not fallen passsion. thats church doctrin. but from yesterday.
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Be Transfigured - Live a New Life in Christ Let's look at it from another direction, which (I presume) neither of us has an interest.....There are arguably (if you trust social science) members of our society that "were born" sociopaths or murderers or deceitful. Would we EVER suggest 'they' don't have to repent?
READER  There is no scriptural background for you sayings, if you do a sorrow exegesis of the handful of texts that are used against us..
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READER  Good bye. It is offending to compare me as gay with sociopaths or murderers.
I won't write anymore and block you. It's unbearable. this homophobia.

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