His4Ever, my friend, do not mistake what’s being said. There are a lot of non-Christians here who think that being preached at about their immorality on the basis of what you believe to be God’s Word but they do not, is offensive. There are more than a few who thought your quoting Scripture to explain your views about homosexuality while apparently refusing to accept the same standard of condemnation in Scripture as regards your own marital life made you seem hypocritical.
There are a lot of us, Christian and not, and I think I include CJ, Guin, gobear, Lib, lel, Scotti and quite a few others, including of course myself, that would like you to start talking more about God’s love and in particular showing it towards others in what you post, and a bit less about His judgment over sinful man (which includes all of us, by your take and mine).
I’m aware that you do see warning people of what God’s Word says about their sins as caring. But what I’m talking about is a post, for example, that overtly recognizes that, say, gobear or andygirl is telling the truth in saying that they had no choice on whether to be gay or not – it was something they found out about themselves, not something they decided to become – and while they do have choices about whether or not to have sex with the people they’re attracted to, with or without marriage vows, it should not be too hard for you to empathize with their unwillingness to remain celibate for the rest of their life. Then pick up on the repeated story that they got condemned for being something they had not chosen to be by unthinking, uncaring people who claimed to be Christians and to speak for Christianity. Now, what is the Good News to them? What would Jesus say to them? Would He simply quote Leviticus and wander off? Or would He “come in and sup with them” and try to heal their emotional wounds, as He has done with yours and mine? And if we’re supposed, above all, to emulate Him and do what He commanded, most empatically to “love our neighbors,” then that, not “standing for the truth of the Bible” by sounding like one of the Pharisees whom Jesus condemned for judging people for breaking the Law while making excuses for oneself, is what you and I are supposed to do.
I’ve been trying my best to do just that. So have a few others. Won’t you join us? You have a lot of love to offer here, and I’ll bet there are more than a few battered wives who could use the “been there” help that you could give – and the spiritual lift of hearing from someone who’s been through all that and then found Him.
And pray for Kirk. You don’t know a fraction of the story, but he’s been badly hurt by people who, like you, meant well and ended up condemning him – he was not, when I met him, given to the sort of tirades you’ve endured. He needs God’s healing love, and I guarantee that he’s making it difficult for anyone to get through to him.
