Spiritual Needs of Homosexuals

[prisonchaplain]

Mom, irregardless of that finding, genetic predisposition does not mean there is no possiblity of change. People are predisposed to alcholism, etc. However, they break free. IF someone is convinced that same-gendered sex is immoral, and they choose to attempt to diminish or eliminate their attraction, for their own sense of spiritual well-being, who's the APA to say that's wrong???

[prospectmom]

Your right of course... I do not agree with them at all.....

[Dravin]

I think the APA's reasoning/thinking is that first of all its not something that needs fixed and second trying to fix it can causes psychological damage.

who's the APA to say that's wrong???

They're the APA of course, bow before my argumentum ad verecundiam!

[OtterPop]

prisonchaplain,

I have no problem with gay people wanting to control their behaviors to fit with what they believe to be moral. Neither does the APA. Homosexuality is not a mental illness. One's sexual orientation is not a mental illness. I believe that what the APA objects to is the claim that it is, and that these organizations present themselves as being able to use psychological techniques to "cure" homosexuality.

Although people can certainly choose their sexual behaviors, and psychological interventions can help them do so, this is not the same as changing one's sexual orientation. There is no well-designed, longitudinal study that shows that people can successfully change their sexual orientation. Yet some of these organizations claim to do exactly that.

[prospectmom]

I think sexual orientation is a bunch of garbage...... unless ther is clear medical evidence of phisycal reasons. You choose for whatever reason to be gay......

[prospectmom]

that came out way moe harsher than I ment...... I do think for some there is a phisiological reason

[OtterPop]

prospectmom,

I'm not sure whether you mean psychological physiological, but if you think sexual orientation -- which is not something you "believe" in or not; perhaps you don't understand the term -- is something people deliberately choose, you are ignorant of the complexities of human sexuality and gender.

[cofchristcousin]

My guess is that their reception would be as varied as the wards themselves are varied.

I am always interested in what our cousin Church does. How is this issue handled at the Community of Christ?

:)

It varies from congregation to congregation in my world too. There are some congregations that would not let me attend, one where the Pastor shunned me for an entire weekend, mine that welcomes me with open arms largely because I am very low key, and I "hear" that there are some that would accept me and a partner with no problem. I've not experienced that kind of place though. I would guess that many congregations would struggle with a same sex couple who might hold hands in church.

The official policy is that a gltb person can be ordained as long as they are celibate, but reality is that acceptance is lived out or not in the local congregations. My congregation is comfortable with me preaching regularly and serving as worship director, things like that. I am involved openly at higher jurisdictions, volunteering in communications and and missional development programs. Leaders beyond the local congregation overwhelmingly are affirming privately, but are faithful to the official policy while our denomination discerns a solution together. It is likely to be a more prominent issue in our near future because some of our Priesthood are petioning for permission to marry gltb in places where it is legal.

Edited May 10, 2009 by cofchristcousin

[prisonchaplain]

prisonchaplain,

I have no problem with gay people wanting to control their behaviors to fit with what they believe to be moral. Neither does the APA. Homosexuality is not a mental illness. One's sexual orientation is not a mental illness. I believe that what the APA objects to is the claim that it is, and that these organizations present themselves as being able to use psychological techniques to "cure" homosexuality.

Although people can certainly choose their sexual behaviors, and psychological interventions can help them do so, this is not the same as changing one's sexual orientation. There is no well-designed, longitudinal study that shows that people can successfully change their sexual orientation. Yet some of these organizations claim to do exactly that.

IMHO the APA is also making a political statement--that religious aversion to same-gender sex is antiquated and psychologically harmful. My understanding is that groups such as Exodus believe homosexual behavior is spiritually immoral. They employ techniques to reduce or eliminate same-sex attraction. There are some preliminary studies that show a modicum of success at REDUCING same-sex attraction (I believe high 30s to low 40s% for those highly motivated). That next step, where someone is able to gain an attraction to the opposite has been less successful (15-17%, I believe). Those numbers are not incredibly encouraging, but they do point to the possiblity of deliverance, and certainly to the hope of at least being able to live celibate, and thus sexually pure.

I'm doubtful that there are many current Christian efforts to help homoseual believers that would label same-gender attraction a psychological or mental disorder.

[interalia]

I do have SGA, but I am not gay. I have been able to control those urges fairly well, but they are there. I still do not feel like I can speak representing the gay/lesbian crowd.

To the OP's question:

That is an excellent question. While I do not feel there will be an official "church mission" to gays and lesbians, I do believe that the Lord will inspire individual members of the church to undertake the task of specifically taking the Gospel to these people. Most likely these individuals who take upon themselves this mission, will be those who once struggled or who can relate to the gays/lesbians and understand the GBLT agenda.

I speak to this from personal experience. I myself have been called by God through personal revelation and in my patriarchal blessing, to take the gospel message to a 'special' group of people - the transgendered. The Lord gave me specific challenges as well as blessings in my life to prepare me for this mission. While I will never have hands laid upon my head by an authority to this particular mission call, it is no less valid. Just as I have been called to prepare them to receive the Gospel, so too do I believe there will be those called by the Holy Ghost to other wayward groups.

[Moksha]

A lady by the name of Desimans wrote this:

Whether a person is born a homosexual, made a homosexual, or chooses to be a homosexual it serves no purpose to demonize, judge, or criticize them - they are who they are.

Makes sense.

[YellowLight]

We share the gospel with heterosexuals and homosexuals, with bond and free, basically anyone who will listen

What else can we do?

Actually we don't. When I was a missionary in San Francisco, the Castro district was a red zone "do not enter" and we were specifically told not to teach homosexuals. And you ask what else can you do, I can think of lots of things, the Sermon on the Mount and the two great commandments come to mind to name a few biggies.

[Justice]

That doesn't mean they don't teach to ANY, just to those.

[Guest Apostate]

Moksha has set up a great, "When did you stop beating your wife" scenario and boy oh boy has everyone fallen for it.

[john doe]

Moksha has set up a great, "When did you stop beating your wife" scenario and boy oh boy has everyone fallen for it.

I agree. There has been a lot of finger-pointing with no real basis in the facts.

[Yaqub]

A lady by the name of Desimans wrote this:

"Whether a person is born a homosexual, made a homosexual, or chooses to be a homosexual it serves no purpose to demonize, judge, or criticize them - they are who they are. "

Makes sense.

Makes sense to me too. It's not our place to judge their behavior. Leave that to the hypocrites to be condemning others.

[Pintail]

Makes sense to me too. It's not our place to judge their behavior. Leave that to the hypocrites to be condemning others.

Correct-Hence the millions of dollars thrown at California's Prop 8 campaign by the church.

[spiritseeker]

Yellowlight was that order from your mission president? As far as I understand that's not an official church stance. Is it??????

[skippy740]

Yellowlight was that order from your mission president? As far as I understand that's not an official church stance. Is it??????

That was the way I understood it.

[spiritseeker]

[john doe]

Correct-Hence the millions of dollars thrown at California's Prop 8 campaign by the church.

Care to flesh that idea out a little bit?

[Aesa]

(It's my opinion that any "lisp" should not be used in speech. It just seems like such a dead giveaway.)

Skippy, most gay people do not 'put' those voices on like you seem to think.

It's their environment that shapes their accent.

My theory is this - gay people tend to get along with girls a lot more on a friendship level, therefore they hang out with women more and 'pick up' their accent.

[Pintail]

Care to flesh that idea out a little bit?

It's pretty straight forward.

[Pintail]

Skippy, most gay people do not 'put' those voices on like you seem to think.

It's their environment that shapes their accent.

.

Where is this city of "gay lisps" that homosexuals all seem to hang out in?

[interalia]

It's pretty straight forward.

I must be missing something - I had a hard time making out what you meant by it too. Seemed a bit ambiguous.