No Compromise--Part 2

Have to confess that my computer and Internet use are limited....  When I watched the church video, I skipped over some parts because I didn't have a lot of time and I thought I knew what the speaker was saying....  Yesterday, I went back over it and saw what I missed, and I have a little better idea...

This pastor did say, near the beginning, that churches shape and transform our culture.  I wonder if people want to say the churches have done a good job of handling homosexuality--like over the past 700 years, which I've written about before?  And is it the JOB of the church to transform our culture...?  

The pastor also was giving some facts about how aggressive gays have wanted to target young children with their messages....  Is it really that gays care about the children, or did they hope to promote a new generation which understood them better?  

Also, some Christian gays are distorting the Bible in order to say that same-sex marriage is good and desirable, that it's acceptable....  

In the video, the pastor was able to give a very clear explanation about homosexuality and why our church doesn't condone it.  I believe it's good to be able to give a reason for our faith.  And we need to uphold standards within the church.

THEN, this minister was talking about church members preaching the truth to gays in the church and encouraging them to overcome their way of life....  It's a sensitive thing in the Bible to point out someone else's errors; and I believe it's even more delicate when it comes to a person's sexual orientation.  Not to mention that any constructive criticism might be seen as "conversion therapy," which is condemned by professionals and is forbidden by law in Canada....  Conversion therapy has had a harmful effect on many gays because it made them doubt their self-worth and put them under pressure....  Maybe I'll write about it separately, when I have more time...?  Can we accept homosexuals as people, wherever they are, even if we don't give them specific privileges within the church...?  (There are some self-help groups available for gays, if they're interested, and I've seen that some of these are positive.)

Myself, I don't wish to condone homosexuality in any context, except that I understand when a gay couple feels love and wants to commit in a married relationship they are trying to improve their lives.--That's my view.  I accept "gay marriage--with religious exemptions."  The conservative churches don't believe in the practise of homosexuality, and therefore it's obvious that they don't want to accept same-sex marriage....  I think we don't need to state the obvious.  [Except we need to be able to defend our position, when and where necessary, as I mentioned above.]

My church has some official statements on various topics, and I just wish they'd give up their judgment of same-sex marriage for people OUTSIDE of the church....  I'd like to see them say, "We have our standards, but we don't judge others."  

Anyway, the issues are complicated and there can be many situations to deal with....  If we're not exactly sure what to do, I believe it's better to be nice--to have some mercy--rather than being harsh or judgmental.  The Bible says, "...And mercy rejoiceth against judgment."  James 2:13, KJV.