"Catholic Priest to Gay Couple: Get Divorced & You Can Have Communion"

I was not arguing about Christianity in general declining, but rather the number of CATHOLICS declining, as members and former members of that denomination continue to distance themselves from the church due to the harsh punitive measures it has imposed upon its parishioners. Many have thus much preferred to cut their ties with Catholics and seek a more accepting and loving church such as the Protestant.

 

Where is the link to this bogus fake story?

I repeat: This story is a lie because in the eyes of the Church those men are not married anyway, so how can a priest tell people who are not married to get a divorce? This whole story is fabricated.

 

In your prejudiced viewpoint and that of the church, perhaps. However, you'd be very surprised to learn how many Christians respect Gays and Lesbians today. Many enlightened people around the world embrace same-sex marriage and America now has a majority that fully accepts it as well. The number is between 55-59% currently and climbing.

There is no abomination in same-sex marriage. It was once fully accepted and embraced by Christians until the far right-wingers began to discriminate against it.

Would Jesus Discriminate?
http://www.wouldjesusdiscriminate.org/biblical_evidence.html

When Same-Sex Marriage Was a Christian Rite
http://anthropologist.livejournal.com/1314574.html

The Medical world has declared that homosexuality is NOT a perversion or mental illness. The American Psychiatric Association knew that since the early 70's and the American Psychological Association reached the same conclusion shortly thereafter. Even the World Health Organization has reached that conclusion. However, the apparent inherent need to be overly dominant and discriminatory over a minority has consequently caused those in some churches and elsewhere to forcibly see that things are changing rapidly in favor of Gays and Lesbians attaining their human rights to which they are fully entitled to under the Fourteenth Amendment. And you must remember that America is not governed by a Theocracy.

What The Mental Health Experts Say
https://www.truthwinsout.org/what-the-experts-say/

Evangelicals for Marriage Equality
http://www.evangelicals4equality.com/

New Evangelical Group Supports Marriage Equality
http://election2008.advocate.com/po...-evangelical-group-supports-marriage-equality

Americans For Marriage Equality
http://americansformarriageequality.org/

The fact that Jesus Christ said not one word against homosexuality during His ministry and that even God did not make it a serious sin in His Ten Commandments should show all others that it is not sinful as people are Born That Way and God, their Creator, being omniscient, knew that full well thus, did not make being Gay or Lesbian a sin by adding an Eleventh Commandment against it.

 

Well for many it's also a matter of conscience. And when you're a member of a church that does not fully allow you as a responsible adult to be who you are and does not allow you to love a person whom you love you need to seriously reassess whether that is the right church for you or not. And that's why those who feel strongly about their sexual orientation not being sinful but rather inherent are moving on to other churches that are more accepting of same-sex marriage and such relationships. The Catholic Church continues to struggle with this issue and until they are more accepting of the LGBT community within their church they will continue to see many more people, and not only Gays and Lesbians, leave that church for another that does not have those prejudiced and discriminatory views.

 

"""it maintains a perfect consistency of message""


Then why isn't it shorter and why do christians argue over it ?


Because it isn't consistent and is written in garbled stories easily open to anyone's interpretation.

 

OK, but most Protestants agree with the Catholic Church on this issue.

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For the most part, they don't argue over the essentials. As far as non-essentials, I thought diversity was good. Your point is a bit of a red herring, there is amazing unity in the Bible written by 40 people over thousands of years in different cultures and languages. Poll five of your neighbors and see if you can get them to agree on anything.

 

Well just try explaining that to the priest who denied the Gay couple Holy Communion until they were divorced.

 

But by doing so the church would thereby be acknowledging that a marriage had still taken place, which is a good admission on the part of the church. However, the Catholic priest did not tell them to get an annulment, he emphatically said they should get a DIVORCE and he should certainly know the difference between the two legal proceedings and how they both affect his church.

 

Well go and explain that to the Catholic priest that insisted the two men get a DIVORCE. That's why it's such a double standard.

 

So why didn't the writers of the bible (men) just write simply and plainly with NO room for interpretation.....seems they just like to write stories to cause trouble...

IF your bible contains the "Truth" why so wordy......??? Unnecessary wordiness is the sign of a bad writer....

Anyway , it's just fairy tales, I don't really care...

 

YOU are the prejudiced one, and are blinded to clear Biblical teaching.

In the dying West, yes sodomy is popular. The US is only 5% of the world's population. The Bible is clear an active homosexual is not a Christian. Here is a list of Christian denominations, tell me how many support the gay agenda: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations_by_number_of_members I can tell you the three largest branches do not, i.e., the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and the vast majority of the 75,000,000 member Anglican Communion.

That's funny, apparently to you Justin Martyr and Clement of Alexandria were 'far right wingers'. Only a far left winger would say that. The church from the earliest days condemned the pagan practice of homosexuality: http://www.catholic.com/tracts/early-teachings-on-homosexuality

I only read a little of your first link and it is crazy, assuming eunuchs were active sodomites.

That decision was due not to science, but heavy gay lobbying. For the real story of what happened, see http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1172711/posts

So that means religious people advancing the gay agenda should shut up, right?

In our fallen state, the same way cancer and alcoholism can be something people are born with.

It wasn't an issue in the Old Testament or with Jesus' Jewish audiences. Anyone caught in sodomy by the Jews would have been stoned. It was an issue with Paul's pagan gentile audiences, which is why he discussed it and Jesus did not. In fact, the pagan culture in which Paul condemned homosexual activity was probably much more accepting of homosexuality than our own. And by your argument bestiality is OK, since Jesus or the 10 Commandments didn't mention it. No doubt that will be the next frontier. Jesus would have said to a repentant homosexual the same thing He said to the woman caught in adultery, "Your sins are forgiven, go and sin no more." He also tightened the OT law on sexual morality, saying not only is adultery wrong but simply thinking about it is a sin. Similarly, He would have said not only is sodomy wrong but so is mentally fantasizing about it.

Referring to homosexuality among other sins, Paul says in I Cor., "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUXhKbHMGJg

 

If you don't care why have you made over 5,000 posts here?

 

They could just say "screw it" and have breakfast at home on Sunday mornings. That wafer and cheap wine ain all that great anyway and provides little to no nourishment.

 

Why can't you answer my questions? Trying to wriggle away?

I'll make myself clearer so you haven't a reason for ignoring the rest of my post....I don't care what the badly written bible says.......now answer the questions or hide.

 

You need to read the information contained in these good websites for a better perspective devoid of prejudice and discrimination against those who are born different than you. There are currently over 5,000 churches that accept Gay and Lesbian individuals and that is only in these United States.

Why Being A Gay Christian Isn't An Oxymoron
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/why-being-a-gay-christian-isn-t-an-oxymoron

Where do they Stand – Protestant Denominations and LGBT members
http://www.sacredpauses.com/where-do-they-stand-protestant-denominations-and-lgbt-members/

Christianity and LGBT Equality
http://www.believeoutloud.com/background/christianity-and-lgbt-equality

 

Please show where gays = not a chrsitian in the bible.
Or admit you made it up.

 

I Cor. 6:9, ESV:

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,"

 

7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a] 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Kinda figured you'd cherry pick the verse and single it out. And you are correct. But there are a whole host of other sins most do. And a 50% divorce rate among christians. A much much bigger problem for christians than the puny 3-5% of the gays who want to marry and be happy as god commanded.

And of course the ever popular get out of free card at the 12th hour,

So to condemn or turn away someone today for their actions, is damning them for life. Even though at the 12th hour they may be saved.

 

>> http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm

Chastity and homosexuality

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,141 tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

 

You are missing the wider point.

As a result of Original Sin, we are all disordered and have inclinations to various sins. Some folks are gluttonous, others are drunkards, some prone to gambling, sex, lying, stealing, etc... ..... When one is in Christ one tries to do their best to not sin.

The problem with homosexuality is not just being a homosexual, because that is just yet another disorder to add to the list above. The problem with that or any inclination to any sin is giving into it and doing it. An alcoholic must recognize that drunkeness is a sin and stay clean and sober. A kleptomaniac must recognize that stealing is wrong and not steal. The homosexual must recognize that homosexual sex is a grave sin and not engage in it.

Alcoholics are not bad people and can be good Christians, if they stay sober.
Kleptomaniacs are not bad people and can be good Christians, if they don't steal.
Homosexuals are not bad people and can be good Christians, if they remain chaste.

But our society has perverted itself into thinking that this particular sinful activity is not sinful. How this has managed to come about I have no idea. But that is the problem

 

"""You are missing the wider point""" meaning the poster's interpretation of the bible....

 

No where does it state that this is not a christian. Just may not inherit the kingdom of God. But still can be a christian, as most christians will not inherit the kingdom either. But some gays may.

 

There is no possible way to interpret the Bible as saying that homosexual sex is not a sin.

As the saying goes, love the sinner, hate the sin. We are all sinners, yet we are all expected to not sin.

Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, but what did he say to her? He said, "Go, and sin no more."

 

From my experience, the Catholic Church does not recognize civil divorces, and will not allow you to remarry (in their Church, of course, they have no control of what you do elsewhere) unless the marriage is actually annulled for cause. "Cause" is in direct proportion to the size of the check you're willing to write to the Church. For one of my friends, it came out to $5,000. Poof, annulment granted.

 

Shall not inherit - Shall not possess; shall not enter into. The kingdom of heaven is often represented as an "inheritance;" Matthew 19:29; Matthew 25:34; Mark 10:17; Luke 10:25; Luke 18:18; 1 Corinthians 15:50; Ephesians 1:11, Ephesians 1:14; Ephesians 5:5.