Update Season VI - "A New Day Dawning"

[afleitch]

Case in point:  My cousin, the mother of the three nephews and sister-in-law to my Pastor, has turned lesbian.  This saddens my Pastor and his wife, like you wouldn't believe.  They cry every night together crying out to God to bring her out of this destructive lifestyle and back to Himself.  I'm a little more accepting of it, but still not supportive of it.  I still pray that God would bring her out of it.

Then your Pastor and his wife are both losers if they cry every night because your cousin is lesbian. There are millions of people in this world who are more deserving of those tears. I don’t have a god, but if I did I would pray for your cousin too; so that she get’s out of the ‘destructive lifestyle’ that is her family.

[afleitch]

Case in point:  My cousin, the mother of the three nephews and sister-in-law to my Pastor, has turned lesbian.  This saddens my Pastor and his wife, like you wouldn't believe.  They cry every night together crying out to God to bring her out of this destructive lifestyle and back to Himself.  I'm a little more accepting of it, but still not supportive of it.  I still pray that God would bring her out of it.

Then your Pastor and his wife are both losers if they cry every night because your cousin is lesbian. There are millions of people in this world who are more deserving of those tears. I don’t have a god, but if I did I would pray for your cousin too; so that she get’s out of the ‘destructive lifestyle’ that is her family.

They are crying every night because they care more about her soul than they do about any temporary pleasure this lifestyle causes.  They love her so much that they want to get her out of the lifestyle and make sure she has her eternal future secured.  If we didn't love her, we would just let her continue on like she is.  They don't compromise the Bible even an inch even when it comes to their own flesh and blood.  They know the Bible has the Words of Life.  They are approaching her very gently and are letting God sort this all out right now.  We want to help her, but we don't want to push her away, either.

As for my thoughts, i know she is a Christian because she gave her heart to Jesus Christ a few years ago, but has since gone back.  She knows the truth, and she knows her sister, brother-in-law, mother, and me are there for her anytime she needs to talk.  I, personally, treat her lesbian lifestyle as sin, but no more sinful than anything I've done previously on this thread.  I will never endorse her lesbian lifestyle, and I, too, pray for her every night, but I will always love her for who she is and what she means to me.  If she asks me, I will tell her exactly how I feel and exactly what the Bible says, but I will not say anything unless she asks me.

But you don’t love her for who she is. Not really, because you love your god more. Your understanding of god is one who doesn’t want gays and lesbians to be themselves and to love someone of the same gender. Other Christians would disagree. You don’t care for her soul as what happens to her soul is in the hands of your god and there is nothing you can do about it. What you care about is your own; a selfish drive to secure your own place in the afterlife by ensuring you stick to ‘the rules’ even though it’s not exactly clear what they are just in case you piss off god. So people hate on other people because they value themselves over others.

People like your Pastor probably care more for their reputation and their image than they do about an LGBT family member. So you all work together, even if you don’t think you are doing so, to subject someone to psychological abuse invoking prayer, god, rejection and self loathing. Leave her alone.

If there is a god and he works in the ways you think he does it’s you, the pastor and his wife that will be damned because you hurt someone in his name. It will be your cousin who is embraced by him.

[afleitch]

Case in point:  My cousin, the mother of the three nephews and sister-in-law to my Pastor, has turned lesbian.  This saddens my Pastor and his wife, like you wouldn't believe.  They cry every night together crying out to God to bring her out of this destructive lifestyle and back to Himself.  I'm a little more accepting of it, but still not supportive of it.  I still pray that God would bring her out of it.

Then your Pastor and his wife are both losers if they cry every night because your cousin is lesbian. There are millions of people in this world who are more deserving of those tears. I don’t have a god, but if I did I would pray for your cousin too; so that she get’s out of the ‘destructive lifestyle’ that is her family.

They are crying every night because they care more about her soul than they do about any temporary pleasure this lifestyle causes.  They love her so much that they want to get her out of the lifestyle and make sure she has her eternal future secured.  If we didn't love her, we would just let her continue on like she is.  They don't compromise the Bible even an inch even when it comes to their own flesh and blood.  They know the Bible has the Words of Life.  They are approaching her very gently and are letting God sort this all out right now.  We want to help her, but we don't want to push her away, either.

As for my thoughts, i know she is a Christian because she gave her heart to Jesus Christ a few years ago, but has since gone back.  She knows the truth, and she knows her sister, brother-in-law, mother, and me are there for her anytime she needs to talk.  I, personally, treat her lesbian lifestyle as sin, but no more sinful than anything I've done previously on this thread.  I will never endorse her lesbian lifestyle, and I, too, pray for her every night, but I will always love her for who she is and what she means to me.  If she asks me, I will tell her exactly how I feel and exactly what the Bible says, but I will not say anything unless she asks me.

How can anybody read this and tell me religion doesn't make people crazy?

Well it doesn't make this Christian crazy like Bushie.  Think of Bushie as the Christian version of an Islamic extremist.....it will put it in a clearer light for you.

Except, I don't go around advocating for the destruction of any people group who differs from my point of view.  As I said before, and Franzl said it best, I support same sex marriage, but I still hate same sex relations and I still think its sin.  That doesn't mean I hate them.  I love those who are gay, including my cousin.  Just because I don't agree with them being gay, doesn't mean I don't love them.  In fact, if I did approve of them being gay, then the Bible says I don't love them.  True love always is a reflection of Jesus Christ and His love and pointing everyone I meet to the Father.

No you don't love them. Saying that you do over and over doesn't make your statement true.

[afleitch]

Andrew, read my last post in the "Will We Ever Have an Atheist President?" Thread.  It explains what I should have been saying all along, for it encompasses what I believe, but I just couldn't find the words for it.  Then, comment here as I want to discontinue hijacking that thread.

You may call it what you will but it does not make it good. I hope your cousin and her children find peace away from her family if you continue to create a psychologically damaging environment for her. She deserves real love.

[afleitch]

Andrew, read my last post in the "Will We Ever Have an Atheist President?" Thread.  It explains what I should have been saying all along, for it encompasses what I believe, but I just couldn't find the words for it.  Then, comment here as I want to discontinue hijacking that thread.

You may call it what you will but it does not make it good. I hope your cousin and her children find peace away from her family if you continue to create a psychologically damaging environment for her. She deserves real love.

I tell you something honestly, Andrew.  I disagree quite a bit with my Pastor and his wife when it comes to the issue of homosexuality.  I firmly believe a gay person can accept Christ just as easy as a straight person or a Christian, or a Muslim, Jew, etc.  Just because they are different doesn't mean they are loved any less by our God.  I support same sex marriage, even while I don't like the gay relations, for that very reasons.  If my cousin ever needs anybody to talk to about anything, she knows she can come to me.  She knows I will not judge her, I will love her, and I will keep things confidential unless she specifically gives me permission to tell her sister or even her mother.  She is 24 years old, so she is old enough to make her own decisions.  I am just here as a non-judgmental confidant.  If she asks me what I think, I will tell her and I will not sugarcoat it, but my main purpose is to point her to Christ and point her children to Christ.  The children's father has been coming to church regularly, and while he's had problems of his own, mainly drugs, he is a good role model to them now.  Yet, he does not judge her, nor do I judge her.  I have no place to judge her.  I lie, I take advantage of people, so I have no room to judge her for being gay.

You do know that loving a person of the same gender, if she is lucky enough to find that is in no way comparable to 'lying' or 'taking advantage' of people. Let me say one thing about my husband. I love him. Let me tell you what that means. It means I will sit with and fuss over him when he is sick. It means that when he travels and I'm not with him I get a knot in a stomach that doesn't settle until he arrives and phones me to let me know he's there. It means leaping a little inside when I come from from work to see him sitting there or feeling so disappointed in him when he sells himself short. If you consider that love a 'sin' then you do not understand love at all. But your book doesn't mention me and Michael; how could it? How one earth would they know? But it does talk about love. If you really love her you will support her right to find love with someone else. That's the only thing on this planet you don't have to pay for.