Homosexuality

@vivify said
I'm so glad someone had the courage to start a discussion on homosexuality on this forum. We never talk about it here.

Well, it took no courage on my part. Now, Pete Buttigieg is a different matter. I feel he is a courageous Christian and I suspect he may have been elected mayor despite being homosexual. [By contrast, as a politician, Mike Pence seems to me, since he teamed up with Mr Trump, exhibit no courage whatsoever.]

Can a gay Christian like Pete Buttigieg be elected president by a predominantly Christian U.S. electorate?

@fmf said
Do you mean "no", i.e. your answer is not "no"?

Or, "no", non-practising homosexual JWs are not open about it at their Kingdom Halls and not encouraged to be open about it?

"no", non-practising homosexual JWs are not open about it at their Kingdom Halls and not encouraged to be open about it"

Correct. According to this scripture the "practicing" of homosexuality is in the same group of sins as this:

“Do not be misled. Those who are sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, men who submit to homosexual acts, men who practice homosexuality, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners will not inherit God’s Kingdom.”​—1 Corinthians 6:​9, 10.

So you ask if one who practices homosexuality should be open and let others know what they are and show who they are, is probably fine with you and wrong for the Witnesses to not let one be who they are regardless of what God's view is?
As you can see they are in the same group of ones mentioned in this scripture. Would you think it would be OK for one who "practices" stealing or one who is a "drunkard" or one who is an "extortionist" or one who is a " adulterer" to go around to all in the Kingdom Halls and let them know what they do when knowing that what they are doing is wrong and would no doubt get themselves disfellowshipped or if they insist on being open with it and possibly causing disturbances or just upsetting others, would be OK? We should accept their way of life and feel good about that knowing how Jehovah views it and just go ahead and be buddies with them? No, not at all on any level....

@galveston75 said
So you ask if one who practices homosexuality should be open and let others know what they are and show who they are

I am not asking you about practising homosexual JWs. I am asking you about non-practising homosexual JWs.

@fmf said
I am not asking you about practising homosexual JWs. I am asking you about non-practising homosexual JWs.

Are non-practising homosexual JWs open about it at their Kingdom Halls and encouraged to be open about it?

I did answer you. I said no....

@galveston75 said
Are non-practising homosexual JWs open about it at their Kingdom Halls and encouraged to be open about it?

I did answer you. I said no....

Why not? Shouldn't members of your group be honest about themselves and/or be encouraged to feel safe and secure enough to be honest about themselves rather than secretive?

@fmf said
Why not? Shouldn't members of your group be honest about themselves and/or be encouraged to feel safe and secure enough to be honest about themselves rather than secretive?

Clearly you haven't been paying attention how those in marginalized groups are treated by those in more mainstream groups.

@suzianne said
Clearly you haven't been paying attention how those in marginalized groups are treated by those in more mainstream groups.

I have been paying attention. Hence my challenge to galveston75 in the form of a reasonable question.

@fmf said
Why not? Shouldn't members of your group be honest about themselves and/or be encouraged to feel safe and secure enough to be honest about themselves rather than secretive?

The brother I spoke of I knew for years. I never saw him abused as you say but was treated like any other brother for as long as I knew him. He was a very active person in the congregation and from what I noticed or with his actions he seemed to be very happy.
Now I'm sure and had no doubt it was hard for him to feel what he felt inside. I couldn't imagine how difficult it must be for anyone to be in his shoes. But he was a Witness because he wanted to be one. He could have left the congregation at anytime he wanted. But he loved Jehovah and chose to serve him. No one forced him into that decision....

@suzianne said
Clearly you haven't been paying attention how those in marginalized groups are treated by those in more mainstream groups.

If you are talking about the JW's you are wrong. If one is not "practicing" a sin that the bible clearly describes, they are a welcomed member at the meetings.

@galveston75 said
"no", non-practising homosexual JWs are not open about it at their Kingdom Halls and not encouraged to be open about it"

Correct. According to this scripture the "practicing" of homosexuality is in the same group of sins as this:

“Do not be misled. Those who are sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, men who submit to homosexual acts, men who practice homosexual ...[text shortened]... ing how Jehovah views it and just go ahead and be buddies with them? No, not at all on any level....

I thought a religious group would want to try and understand 'why' a drunkard among their group, was a drunkard, and perhaps find ways to help them. (As opposed to disfellowship).

@galveston75 said
The brother I spoke of I knew for years. I never saw him abused as you say but was treated like any other brother for as long as I knew him. He was a very active person in the congregation and from what I noticed or with his actions he seemed to be very happy.
Now I'm sure and had no doubt it was hard for him to feel what he felt inside. I couldn't imagine how difficult ...[text shortened]... ime he wanted. But he loved Jehovah and chose to serve him. No one forced him into that decision....

So do you, then, agree that non-practising homosexual members of your group should be honest about themselves with their fellow members and be encouraged to feel safe and secure enough to be open and honest about their homosexuality in front of the group rather than be secretive?

@ghost-of-a-duke said
I thought a religious group would want to try and understand 'why' a drunkard among their group, was a drunkard, and perhaps find ways to help them. (As opposed to disfellowship).

Again what does the bible say? It says if one is "practicing" one of these problems. That means if one is actually doing that and is refusing to stop and not seeking the help in fighting this from any source they can find. As long as the person is trying as hard as they can believe me they will get help from the brothers.
For some reason so many out there think we are looking to "kick" our brothers and sisters out on the curb. How wrong that view is. Yes there are many who were once a part of the congregation but for what ever reason were eventually disfellowshipped for actions unbecoming a Christian and a danger to the congregation. And they have turned their anger back onto the congregation.
Believe me there is no way that person was disfellowshiped at the first time they may have slipped and made a serious mistake. There can be many meetings with them to try and help by scriptures. All efforts are made to help them by the bible and by praying to Jehovah. Only after all efforts fail would they eventually see the need to protect the congregation and would have to disfellowship them. None of us ever want to hear that one of our brothers or sisters has been disfellowshipped.
I have seen many in the congregations cry in their seats when it is being announced that this has happened to someone they know and love. But in return when that person is eventually reinstated, every time more will cry with happiness then wept at the start.

@galveston75 said
Again what does the bible say? It says if one is "practicing" one of these problems.

What about "non-practising" homosexual JWs?

@fmf said
So do you, then, agree that non-practising homosexual members of your group should be honest about themselves with their fellow members and be encouraged to feel safe and secure enough to be open and honest about their homosexuality in front of the group rather than be secretive?

So we are going this way again? I answered you. I will not repeat it again.