Quoting Lucid Dreamer:" That is good you would still love and accept them but explaining to them what the bible says about it ... [snip!] ... about and turned to drugs. Thankfully his family accepted it. I myself have never viewed as a sin even when I was Christian."

The Bible specifically says that homosexuals have no place in the kingdom of Heaven. So I would hope if they do feel they're homosexual that they have a fear of hell. Like I said, I'd teach them what it says and that would be the end of my part. Treat them as I always have. But it's my duty to inform them, as a Christian and as a parent who wants to see her children in Heaven. If I didn't teach them I would not be a good Christian.

Quoting Lady GooGoo™:" The Bible specifically says that homosexuals have no place in the kingdom of Heaven. So I would hope ... [snip!] ... as a Christian and as a parent who wants to see her children in Heaven. If I didn't teach them I would not be a good Christian."

The fear of Hell would only make the situation worse and if they really felt they would go to hell they would probably freely engage in all kind of sexual acts because they would figure since they are gay they would go to Hell anyway. I believe God loves and accepts all for who they are. There is true story of a gay man who believed was worthless to God and thought he was going to hell so he slept with everyone he could and eventually planned on suicide and got a bottle of pills. I don't remember the exact details of the rest of the story but he heard a voiceless voice tell him he was loved and he did not go through with the suicide. He was still gay but went and got help for his sex addictions. Never under estimate the love of God. I believe the only ones who ever judge people are people.

Quoting Lady GooGoo™:" The Bible specifically says that homosexuals have no place in the kingdom of Heaven. So I would hope ... [snip!] ... as a Christian and as a parent who wants to see her children in Heaven. If I didn't teach them I would not be a good Christian."

My perspective used to be very much like yours, but it isn't any longer. Whether or not the old testament is accurate, the new testament proclamation's against homosexuality are made by Paul in his letter's to different people groups and churches. I, personally, cannot be certain that all the things he proclaimed were straight from God. Much of what he wrote was instructional to the people who lived during those times. We don't admonish women for cutting their hair(unless you're old school pentecostal), speaking in church, or not covering their heads in times of prayer. It seems to me that much of those writings are immersed in Jewish cultural expectations. I think many of those letters are Paul's opinions and not God's absolute word. Just my perspective.

Quoting Fat-and-Happy:" My perspective used to be very much like yours, but it isn't any longer. Whether or not the old testament ... [snip!] ... cultural expectations. I think many of those letters are Paul's opinions and not God's absolute word. Just my perspective."

I totally agree.

Quoting Lucid Dreamer:" The fear of Hell would only make the situation worse and if they really felt they would go to hell they ... [snip!] ... help for his sex addictions. Never under estimate the love of God. I believe the only ones who ever judge people are people."

So you're saying fear of hell will keep him gay. And not fear of hell will keep him gay because he has no reason not to be.
I'll go with fear of hell because that is what keeps me off drugs.

I compare homosexuality to an addiction, let's just say porn as an example. People like porn. They want it. But to turn it down means God is pleased. Whether homosexual feelings are there or not, to live a heterosexual lifestyle against your earthly urges will get you into Heaven.

Quoting Lady GooGoo™:" So you're saying fear of hell will keep him gay. And not fear of hell will keep him gay because he has ... [snip!] ... homosexual feelings are there or not, to live a heterosexual lifestyle against your earthly urges will get you into Heaven."

So to get into heaven they have to be something they are not? Many have tried it and it destroyed families,

Quoting Lucid Dreamer:" So to get into heaven they have to be something they are not? Many have tried it and it destroyed families, "

So I should be a drug addict instead of sober? Of course I always want the drugs. I resist that urge.

Quoting Lucid Dreamer:" The fear of Hell would only make the situation worse and if they really felt they would go to hell they ... [snip!] ... help for his sex addictions. Never under estimate the love of God. I believe the only ones who ever judge people are people."

And is love for God born of fear of damnation really love or an obligatory obedience to avoid punishment? As I understand it, there is no fear in love and God is love.
Jesus often to referred to the thing we translate as Hell... a fiery place where blasphemers go... but his references were speaking of the trash pits outside of town that had constant fires.
I'm curious to know if the Hell Jesus spoke of was actually the result of certain lifestyle practices that had dire consequences in this life.

Quoting Lucid Dreamer:" So to get into heaven they have to be something they are not? Many have tried it and it destroyed families, "

Wasn't there a lifetime movie about a kid who was gay and his mother tried to force him to be something he wasnt and did the whole fear of hell? Based on a true story and the kid killed himself in the end because the one person he thought would love him no matter what would not accept him for who he was and wanted him to be what she believed he needed to be.

Quoting redneck mamma:" Wasn't there a lifetime movie about a kid who was gay and his mother tried to force him to be something ... [snip!] ... would love him no matter what would not accept him for who he was and wanted him to be what she believed he needed to be."

What she did was completely wrong

Quoting Lady GooGoo™:" What she did was completely wrong"

What she did was wrong but I can understand it when I place myself in her shoes and look at the world through her perception of it. She believed that her child would go to Hell if she didn't do the things she did. She truly believed she was working to save her son from suffering forever. Isn't that what most of us try to do for our children? In actuality, she created a great deal of suffering for her son but she couldn't see it until it was too late.

Quoting Fat-and-Happy:" What she did was wrong but I can understand it when I place myself in her shoes and look at the world ... [snip!] ... our children? In actuality, she created a great deal of suffering for her son but she couldn't see it until it was too late."

Yes, I can see why she did it, and it would hurt me if one of my children decided to live a homosexual lifestyle. But we should always give our children unconditional love as Christ gives us unconditional love.

Quoting Fat-and-Happy:" My perspective used to be very much like yours, but it isn't any longer. Whether or not the old testament ... [snip!] ... cultural expectations. I think many of those letters are Paul's opinions and not God's absolute word. Just my perspective."

This is the MAIN reason that I am learning the original text/meaning. We don't fully understand what those things mean when they are interpreted into English. It is dangerous to take them at what believe to be face value, when it's not. I encourage you to look deeper into it as well!

Quoting lovinthem04:" This is the MAIN reason that I am learning the original text/meaning. We don't fully understand what ... [snip!] ... It is dangerous to take them at what believe to be face value, when it's not. I encourage you to look deeper into it as well!"

That is so true. So how does one go about learning Hebrew? I would love to do this myself. And I 100% agree, I never want to take everything a pastor says for truth. I mean, there are many great pastors out there, but I'd love to learn the original language of the Bible and get the meaning of it for myself to fully understand.

I believe that the most important thing to do as a believer and follower of Christ is to love people. To genuinely, unconditionally love people. To show them the love that Christ has for them. This can only be done when you stop looking at people for what they are doing wrong, and start looking at them as people who need a savior and need his love. As offensive as the gospel is, it's not my job to convict anyone. It's my job to be Jesus to a dying world. To live my life like he did. I hope that I can go to my grave and I will be remembered for standing for what is right, loving people and serving others, and not for always speaking against something when I could have had an impact by loving them. Actions speak louder than words. Jesus acted on love