Cowardly v Courageous Stances

@suzianne said
If this is an issue for you, good luck with that. It would, if you were a Christian, presumably color the quantity or the quality of love you show for them. Doesn't this weaken the whole "love your neighbor" philosophy?

When I was a Christian, I shared your "love thy neighbour" philosophy. It was part of my faith.

Nowadays, my perspective on homosexuals - one that sees being free of prejudice and being against discrimination as ideals - is "secular" for want of a better word.

There is no doubt, however, that the Christian "love thy neighbour" philosophy continues to influence my moral compass, even 20 years since losing my faith.

@suzianne said
It certainly does affect everything regarding how these people would be treated by you. I'm of the opinion that this is not what Jesus had in mind with this commandment.

As a Christian, you either see homosexual acts as "sins" or you don't.

You can still have your "love thy neighbour" philosophy even if you recognize that, according to Christian teaching, some things are "sinful".

Indeed, one might say that the "love thy neighbour" philosophy is more important than ever when the neighbours are "sinners" according to your religious faith.

@fmf said
As a Christian, you either see homosexual acts as "sins" or you don't.

Question: is it "courageous" of me to take a stand and state that, I believe, according to the scriptures, homosexuality is a sin?

-Removed-

There was a certain amount of "bullying", certainly, but what is becoming more and more clear over time is that at least some, and more likely most, of this "bullying" was warranted, given the inappropriateness of the things he said. Every community has standards, that when violated, will result in the expulsion of those guilty of violating those standards. This appears to be what happened in this case.

@josephw said
Question: is it "courageous" of me to take a stand and state that, I believe, according to the scriptures, homosexuality is a sin?

Not really. Not to me. I think your view is a conventional Christian belief. You certainly don't need to be courageous to state what your belief is regarding such a matter on a forum like this.

@suzianne said
There was a certain amount of "bullying", certainly, but what is becoming more and more clear over time is that at least some, and more likely most, of this "bullying" was warranted, given the inappropriateness of the things he said.

You are mistaken. Romans1009 was not bullied by Ghost of a Duke or divegeester or me ~ or by anyone for that matter. Indeed, the three of us did not interact with him at all for 3-4 months, and his trolling just continued and even increased. Ghost of a Duke, in many ways, copped the worst/most of it and yet Ghost of a Duke didn't bully him. The same goes for divegeester and me.

@fmf said
As a Christian, you either see homosexual acts as "sins" or you don't.

You can still have your "love thy neighbour" philosophy even if you recognize that, according to Christian teaching, some things are "sinful".

Indeed, one might say that the "love thy neighbour" philosophy is more important than ever when the neighbours are "sinners" according to your religious faith.

What sins people commit are between them and their Maker. I am told not to judge and to treat them as I would prefer to be treated, and further, to love them as I love myself, as an equal being, no better and no worse, as myself. Modern Christianity seems hellbent (heh) on blaming others, on treating them as "less than" me, on using others to exalt myself above others. This is, no doubt, sinful behavior, and as such is never recommended or encouraged by Jesus.

@fmf said
Not really. Not to me. I think your view is a conventional Christian belief. You certainly don't need to be courageous to state what your belief is regarding such a matter on a forum like this.

You said this on page one: "I think coming out as a homosexual and speaking out against discrimination can be very courageous stances to take in many situations and contexts".

Would my "stance" be considered "courageous" if I said it in the "context" of a homosexual "coming out" in "a forum like this"?

@fmf said
You are mistaken. Romans1009 was not bullied by Ghost of a Duke or divegeester or me ~ or by anyone for that matter. Indeed, the three of us did not interact with him at all for 3-4 months, and his trolling just continued and even increased. Ghost of a Duke, in many ways, copped the worst/most of it and yet Ghost of a Duke didn't bully him. The same goes for divegeester and me.

You are entitled to your opinion.

@suzianne said
What sins people commit are between them and their Maker.

Are homosexual acts "sins" according to Christian teaching?

-Removed-

You are entitled to try to shape the perception of the past as you like, even to the point of misrepresentation, but I certainly am equally entitled to disagree with you.

@suzianne said
I am told not to judge and to treat them as I would prefer to be treated, and further, to love them as I love myself, as an equal being, no better and no worse, as myself.

I am not asking you to judge homosexuals.

@fmf said
Are homosexual acts "sins" according to Christian teaching?

Don't you mean "traditional" Christian teaching?

@suzianne said
You are entitled to your opinion.

If your opinion is that Romans1009 was bullied by Ghost of a Duke and the rest of us, then you are totally wrong. Your opinion is based on a faulty memory of the events of that year.