Think We're Wrong?

Blowing another person's light out won't make yours shine brighter.
- Bob Gass of The Vine

Let love be your only debt! If you love others, you have done all that the Law demands. In the Law there are many commands, such as, "Be faithful in marriage. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not want what belongs to others." But all of these are summed up in the command that says," Love others as much as you love yourself." No one who loves others will harm them. So love is all that the Law demands.    Rom 12:8-10

Thank you for coming to this page. I commend you for investigating further, and I believe that you have come here with an open mind. I pray that these articles may inspire in you, a deeper desire to inquire into the truth of God's Holy Word.

We are commanded by God to love UNCONDITIONALLY, one God and our fellow man/woman. We (gays) often hear from people within the church that they love us, but not our sin. That clears their minds sufficiently to believe that they are doing as God commanded, but when we are made to feel unwelcome in your churches, when we are treated with disdain, that is not unconditional love. That is VERY conditional love!

I must emphasize here that I believe with all my heart that the Bible is God's Holy, Divinely-inspired, inerrant Word. It is the foundation of our faith and we must strive to understand it in its fullest, so that we may live the life that God would have us to live, to bring honour and glory to Him!

There was a time when I thought it was blasphemous to question the "truths" of the Church, but II Tim 3:16 tells us that

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, reproof and instruction in righteousness."

This tells me that God WANTS us to examine the Scriptures with an open mind, a mind that will question, a mind that will seek the answers of what it really means to live a holy life. We have an OBLIGATION to challenge what we have been taught when it doesn't fit with other parts of Scripture. Well prejudice against anyone is contrary to Christ's example of inclusiveness, acceptance and love for all, so to me, there is no corroberation for an attitude of prejudice.

I'm not suggesting for a minute that Jesus was tolerant of sin. He was not! I am not! But when you investigate further, you will find that homosexuality is not about sin. Homosexuality is merely an orientation, and orientation carries no implication of morality or immorality. It is simply the direction in which a person's tendencies lie. There is no action associated with orientation, whereas morality is a matter of actions or thoughts.

It is important to make this distinction, since the Bible only addresses immoral behavaviour, not sexual orientation. In each case where homosexuality is mentioned, in reality, correct interpretation of Scripture is not referring to homosexual orientation, but to immoral homosexual acts - in most cases, perpetrated by heterosexuals! If you can grasp this vital difference, please read these articles with an open heart, and may God richly bless you for stepping out in faith, and in the cause of love.

I know that it's a radical concept to even consider that what we have been taught so strictly, for so long, by people we respect, could be wrong, but it has happened before, and it will probably happen again.

Thank God we have the example of the apostles Peter and Paul, clarifying the wrong teachings of the early Church. Yes, wrong teachings have been around since the beginning. Thank God that He gave Martin Luther the courage to challenge the Roman Catholic Church's teachings about selling indulgances (i.e. buying our own salvation). Thank God that He has given YOU the desire to question the validity of some of the teachings that have been accepted for so many years.

There are explanations for each scripture verse which SEEMS to condemn homosexuals. You will find that in actual fact, they do NOT!
See The "Clobber Verses" Explained.

"It is inevitable that stumbling blocks should come, but woe to him through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble."    Luke 17: 1-2

Anyone who makes a gay person feel less than a straight person, any church which does not accept us wholly and without reservation, is a stumbling block in our path. Thank you for reading the things on this website and desiring not to be a stumbling block. God will surely reward you for sincerely wanting to know how you can love His gay children unreservedly.

The apostle Paul said it this way:

"If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."    1 Cor 13:1-2

And Jesus said, 

"All people will know that you are my disciples if you love one another."
John 13:35.

Love is not just words that you love us but hate our sin. Love is action. Please truly love your gay children, brothers, sisters, friends, parents, neighbours (and those who are sitting secretly in the pews of your churches) with Christ's love by reading the following articles.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to research this subject beyond the traditional beliefs, and may God richly bless you for reaching out to us this way, in TRUE love!

If you wish to email a "straight" pastor with questions, please read (my very dear friend) Rev. Bruce Lowe's article, "Some Simple Facts About The Bible And Homosexuality, which covers briefly each of the "clobber verses" that are used against us, and then continues on with solid arguments for the full inclusion of all gays and lesbians within the church and society.

Bruce originally wrote "A Letter to Louise - Biblical Affirmation For God's Homosexual Children". This is a long discourse, complete with references and footnotes. If you are sincere about trying to understand how scripture has been misinterpreted regarding homosexuality, please also read this article.

Once you have read one or both of his articles, you may have questions for Bruce. Please feel free to write to him. He will be delighted to respond.

Another person you may wish to write to is Mary Lou Wallner, a "straight" Christ-follower, and totally GLBT supportive. Mary Lou says,

"My lesbian Christian daughter committed suicide 10 years ago.

After being totally NON-accepting of her, because at that time I was a fundamentalist, I went on a journey after her death, of reading everything I could get my hands on about homosexuality, praying and talking with people on both sides of the issue. The result has been a 180 degree transformation of our beliefs.

We now go to a wonderful church in North Little Rock, AR, and my husband and I are just 2 out of 4 people who are heterosexual. Everyone else is gay.

I've counseled many GLBT folks over the past 6 years. I am also a psychiatric RN and work at a private psychiatric hospital. I do a lot of speaking all over the country.

See my website, TEACH Ministries which we started in 2002.
TEACH is an acronym for To Educate About the Consequences of Homophobia."

Mary Lou's book, The Slow Miracle of Transformation is available from the ChristianGays.com Store. Click here to read about it.

Gandhi Rejected - "I'd be a Christian if it weren't for the Christians."
- by Rev. Frederick L. Pattison

Jesus Loves Me. This I Know, For The Bible Tells Me So - General Overview
- by Mary Pearson

15 Reasons Why I Have Changed My Mind
- by Roberta Showalter Kreider, posted Jan 28, 2006

"In August of 1984, my youngest brother, who had been my childhood playmate, died with AIDS. Just two weeks earlier, while visiting him in the hospital, he told my husband and I his lifelong secret. He was gay and had always been gay.

I have wished many times since that brief encounter with the person he really was that we could have been granted more time so that he could help me understand this complex reality. But for some reason (possibly my own pious and judgmental attitude that kept him from sharing this secret with me), our time of unmasked openness with each other was limited to a few short hours. . . . . . . "

Family Acceptance - What do you do if your child is gay?
- a "must visit" excellent website for all parents of gay children.

Crossing Lines - A "straight" Pastor shares his personal experience with gays.
- by Rev. Lowell E. Grisham

Is Homosexuality a Sin?
- by Rev. Dr. Kathlyn James. A "straight" Pastor shares her personal story. - An excellent read and a lesson for "straights".

Bible Translation Errors
- by Mary Pearson

A Letter To Louise - A Biblical Affirmation of Homosexuality
- by Rev.Bruce W. Lowe (retired "straight" Baptist Minister)

The Sin of Sodom Was NOT Homosexuality!
- by Mary Pearson

The "Clobber Verses" Explained
- by Anita

What Does The Bible Really Say About Homosexuality?
- by C. Ann Shepherd

Do Homosexuals Need to be Healed of their Homosexuality?
- by Joseph Adam Pearson, Ph.D.

Christianity and Homosexuality Reconciled
- by Joseph Adam Pearson, Ph.D.

A full 225 page book complete with Bibliography which you can download from this website to print up and read. Many thanks to Dr. Pearson for allowing us to share this book with you at no charge.

Chapters include: The Seeming Dilemma, Sodom Revisited, Levital Law and Grace, Christian Ethics and the Homosexual. Appendixes include: Examples of Intersex Categories, Question Assignments, Fast Facts for Distribution Purposes.

I encourage you to download this book and spend time investigating it.

What Did Jesus Say About Homosexuality?

Some Talking Points on Christianity and Homosexuality
- by Rev Jerry S. Maneker

Jesus Never Mentioned Gays
- by Rev. Thomas E. Sagendorf

14 Responses To 14 Fundamentalist Christian Myths
- by Edrick - www.epistle.us

A Letter To Christians Who Don't Like Us
- by Edrick - www.epistle.us

TEACH Ministries - To Educate About The Consequences Of Homophobia

After the suicide of her daughter in Feb. 1997, Mary Lou Wallner found herself faced with a spiritual journey to try to comprehend the events of their stormy mother-daughter relationship and the implications of her refusal to accept Anna's homosexuality.

The Hard Lesson of Suicide
- by Mary Lou Wallner

Wine and Wafer as Weapons? - The Politics of Holy Communion
- by Rev Troy Perry

Let No One Be Turned Away
- by The Right Rev. Peter Short - Moderator of the United Church of Canada

Ten Reasons To Accept LGBTQ Clergy
- by Vaughn Roste

This paper was written to the ELCIC (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada) but is applicable to all of Christendom.

Biblical Marriage: A Bad Source For Debate
- by Vaughn Roste, Jan 23, 2004

Straight Teacher Asked To Step Down Because She Will Not Condemn Gays!
- by Mary Pearson

Fear of Same-Sex Marriage
- by Mary Pearson

And God Loves Each One (booklet by Ann Thompson Cook) - is more than just a book; it's a catalyst for a new dialogue about sexual orientation in churches and communities. It offers a path for people who wonder about sexual orientation, who wonder about the religious view that it's wrong to be gay. It's about lighting a spark of learning in your church and community. It's about growing and bringing gay and straight people together - united by their profound faith that God indeed loves each one. It addresses questions of sexuality within the context of faith. It's a booklet that people of any denomination can use to explore sexual orientation and God's love.

Ann Thompson Cook is a Methodist who has been educating people about sexuality, reproductive health, and gender for 25 years. She has written extensively, and her publications include Made in God's Image and PFLAG's Respect All Youth series. She and her husband of 35 years have two adult sons.

Other Books and Booklets are also available from this website.

If you would like to discuss these topics, glbtchristians - is a Yahoo Group newly created by Pastor John on July 20, 2004 to discuss the Bible and homosexuality. It has been specifically created for those on all sides of the issue.

    1. For GLBT Christians (i.e. gay, lesbian, bi and transgendered)
    2. For Anti GLBT Christians
    3. For those who are curious, Christian or not.

Debates and discussions can be frank and at times heated but, hopefully, always sincere. Flaming is discouraged, however members are encouraged to speak their minds openly and honestly.

This list is not for those with thin skin! If you are a GLBT Christian and want to find a nice supportive group to join, contact Pastor John privately, we have a great one for you elsewhere!

If you hold a sincere position on this subject, or are simply curious about what the Bible really teaches, you are welcome in this group regardless of your take on the subject.

The list owner is a GLBT positive Christian minister who believes the Light of the Word overpowers the Darkness of prejudice every time.