tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post1573808267000958229..comments2023-06-24T05:34:52.317-05:00Comments on The Writer's Lair: Does Survivor's Gay Christian Couple Represent Christianity Well?Mary Ruth Pursselleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325447738032828151noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-16533814874802922562014-12-26T16:18:30.738-06:002014-12-26T16:18:30.738-06:00Thank you for joining the discussion, Yanezi. Plea...Thank you for joining the discussion, Yanezi. Please note that my response is said with kindness and respect.<br />Without meaning to sound sarcastic, I must ask whether you actually read my article. At no point did I make the assertion that homosexuality is "okay" or acceptable within Christianity. Just the opposite, in fact, so really your comments are preaching to the choir. No one is arguing with the fact that "homosexuality is clearly condemned in the Bible."<br />That being said, I would like to examine some of your later remarks. Yes, the Bible does state that at some point God will give a sinner over to the sinful desires they persist in pursuing, and this does result in the hardening of that sinner's heart. But NOWHERE does the Bible say that it is too late for the sinner after that point. Mark 3:28 says "Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter..."<br />Now read Ezekiel 36:26 - "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." This verse leaves no doubt that God is perfectly capable of transforming a hard, stubborn heart.<br />To declare as you did in your comments that a homosexual person "will not seek forgiveness. They will die in their sins..." is to claim God's unique and exclusive ability to see the heart and the future, and puts words in His mouth that He never said. It misrepresents God's grace and compassion for the blinded sinner. Read Psalm 51:17b - "A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." (And why would a heart need to be broken unless it was first hardened?) <br />Luke 15:7, also: "I tell you...there will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent."<br />Of course you don't wish eternal hell on anyone, Yanezi. No normal person would. But instead of passing judgment yourself or giving up on those with hardened hearts, you would be much better served to pray for the softening of those hearts and the breaking of proud spirits.Mary Ruth Pursselleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325447738032828151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-67981208383113794712014-12-25T23:19:56.195-06:002014-12-25T23:19:56.195-06:00Wow Christian gays! They should read the bible!
...Wow Christian gays! They should read the bible! <br /><br />Lev. 18:22, "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination."1Lev. 20:13, "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltness is upon them."1 Cor. 6:9-10, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God."Rom. 1:26-28, "For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper."<br /><br />Homosexuality is clearly condemned in the Bible. It undermines the basis of God's created order where God made Adam, a man, and Eve, a woman--not two men, not two women--to carry out his command to fill and subdue the earth (Gen. 1:28). Homosexuality cannot carry out that command. It also undermines the basic family unit of husband and wife, the God-ordained means of procreation. It is also dangerous to society. (See, Is homosexuality dangerous?)<br /><br />Unlike other sins, homosexuality has a heavy judgment administered by God Himself upon those who commit it--and support it. This judgment is simple in that those who practice it are given over to their passions--which means that their hearts are allowed to be hardened by their sins.<br /><br />"For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error." (Rom. 1:26-27).<br /><br />As a result, they can no longer see the error of what they are doing. They will not seek forgiveness. They will die in their sins and face God's holy condemnation. But, that isn't all. In addition to the judgment of being given over to their sin, those involved in it also promote it and condemn others who don't approve of their behavior.<br /><br />" . . . and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." (Rom. 1:32).<br /><br />So, in their hearty approval of homosexuality they encourage others to be trapped in their sinfulness. This means they will reject Christ's redemptive work on the cross. Without Jesus, they will have no forgiveness. Without forgiveness, they will have no salvation. Without salvation, there is only damnation in eternal hell. We don't want this for anyone.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12677771772213967283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-809773671419982332014-12-22T18:54:56.593-06:002014-12-22T18:54:56.593-06:00Why? Because you lack the patience and maturity to...Why? Because you lack the patience and maturity to wait even a couple of hours for me to moderate your comments?Mary Ruth Pursselleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325447738032828151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-17495823576967740532014-12-22T18:52:57.670-06:002014-12-22T18:52:57.670-06:00I have comment moderation enabled on this blog to ...I have comment moderation enabled on this blog to control spam. See above reply.Mary Ruth Pursselleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325447738032828151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-19767951723695904132014-12-22T18:52:21.660-06:002014-12-22T18:52:21.660-06:00I live in a rural area where internet is currently...I live in a rural area where internet is currently not available, and I'm not able to get to public wi-fi to check blog comments every day, so it sometimes takes a few days for your comments to appear on the blog itself.Mary Ruth Pursselleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325447738032828151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-19529399850361965102014-12-22T18:49:16.206-06:002014-12-22T18:49:16.206-06:00It's an inconsistency, yes. A very blatant one...It's an inconsistency, yes. A very blatant one at that. But so is claiming to be a Christian while losing your temper in traffic or staying silent when the cashier makes a mistake in your favor. But it is not our place to declare one way or the other whether they are or are not genuinely born-again.<br />If two gay men walked hand-in-hand into a church I was attending and the problem was not addressed, I would go elsewhere also. We can't let blatant sins go unaddressed or act like it's all okay, and no one is arguing that. But neither can we treat the sinners like lepers. Remember, Jesus hung out and had dinner with prostitutes and tax collectors (who were, in that time period and scenario, basically traitors to their people). Hate the sin. Love the sinner.Mary Ruth Pursselleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325447738032828151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-14909508665826393972014-12-19T09:31:00.949-06:002014-12-19T09:31:00.949-06:00You suck You suck Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-86227632437018185682014-12-19T08:35:25.882-06:002014-12-19T08:35:25.882-06:00Why can I not see my comments published? Why can I not see my comments published? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-22282836550994470762014-12-19T08:30:37.301-06:002014-12-19T08:30:37.301-06:00Why did you censor my opinion. It was not vulgar o...Why did you censor my opinion. It was not vulgar or even mean.????? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-40038069924494036712014-12-19T08:25:20.868-06:002014-12-19T08:25:20.868-06:00To me, to say you are openly gay and a follower of...To me, to say you are openly gay and a follower of Christ is an oxymoron. If I saw two gay men holding hands walking into church and everyone else acted cool with it, I would walk out and find a new church. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com