Angela Harlem said:
Phew, glad this is sorted
I have to try and be really quick as I'm sneaking the net at work and I only temp here so it's technically stealing resources..
Ok, so Christianity aims to promote love, acceptance, and not judging. Which is great, unless you are a homosexual. Or other things, but we're all on about sexuality at the moment. People say it's not exclusionary, but it is. Ask a homosexual Christian how he or she feels. I dont get how people who are supposedly caring and good people can allow this to fester. They dont seem to want to change it, so their inaction is seeming like an embracing of these views which are causing hurt and pain to so many. In the name of God. Like any of us have a bloody clue what God's will is, or who He'd like to see married. It's this fostering of seperation and judgement which really leaves me cold. Too often we see people preening themselves over their righteous path and the like, but what the fuck is so righteous and admirable about such lack of compassion and acceptance?
I explained/ranted a bit further back about it, if you're interested.
Ok Angela gotcha! I see what you are questioning now (I think? lol) And hope you didn't get busted for being online!
Why do Christians promote love of everyone yet stand up against things that would cause other people to feel ostracized? Well simply put, the Bible tells us to do both, kinda . I say kinda because God's aim is not for us to ostracize, but if it comes down to standing on what He says and people do not like it then, there is nothing much to be done. But we are commanded to love each other no question in that at all. First love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, etc , and second to love each other as you love yourself.
Now, loving God covers a lot of ground but for the sake of discussion I will point out one way Christians can show they love God - following the Bible and stating the truths within it. Traditional Christians say the Bible is God's word and we believe everything that is in it to be infallable, inerrant and God-breathed (inspired by His life breath). There have been many times in my life that I wished it didn't say some things were wrong, but it is not about me and what I want from God, it is about God and what He wants from me. His Word is given to us because He knows what we are capable of (from the worst to the best) and His word gives us an understanding of who He is and what He wants of us.
Now as for loving people, we love people because God loves us. Love is not an natural human state of mind - not true love, not real love, not the love God is talking about when He tells us to love one another. That love is only possible through God and a life abundant in His Truth.
Also, loving people by the way does not mean saying that what they are doing is ok. I love my kids but if they throw my cordless phone into the toilet and state is a new scientific discovery in boyancy (not in so many words, but they did say it was a science experiment) they are going to get told that what they did was wrong. Further still they are going to get a punishment that fits their crime, so to speak.
In terms of giving you personal opinions I do have many on a wide variety of things, but if you ask a Christian to tell you what they think yet tell them not to use the Bible, you are not asking for a Christian repsonse, but for a personal non-biblical one.
Personally I could care less what anyone choses to do in his or her life. God has given everyone choices. He did not give those of us who follow Him the right to take them away. That is the design behind free will, and He is the one that set that into action.
Now it does concern me that there is a world full unsaved people out there, and that is the an URGENT matter, and any way God can use me to reach them I am game for.
I do hope this helped?
Take care,
Carrie