Mac you are not thirsty enough. I cannot give you what I have found but by living my life in a way that models Christ I can make you question what I have that you have missed. A relationship requires two participants. Look into James 4 and it will show what I am saying. I don't want one person to not be in Heaven someday. God desires that even more. Your mockery of Christ and his followers will not get you there but I have seen several just like you come to repentance. I do believe that when non believers look and comment on a Christian thread that they are looking for answers. I say that because my own life experiences tell me that if I am not interested in something I don't waste time looking. Hope you have a thought filled day and that the Spirit will move on you today in a life changing way in Jesus Name. LLL

I grew up Methodist but hadn't been to a UMC in quite a while until recently.... Donna and I attended with my mother in the Tampa area.
The message was straight from the Word but the average age listening to it that service was > 75 years old.

Mark

You would think that God would accept all people for who they are. God brought these people into the world and yes are different but those people maybe be believers and are followers of Christ. Why shouldn't God and the church not accept them??
I don't agree with their lifestyle and who they are but I don't condemn them for who they are and I would think God and the Christian Church would be the same.

Yes I have. Daily. Everyday I'm tested as to how, what, and why I react to the situations life has when dealing with others as well as myself. Sometimes my old spirit wins and sometimes my new spirit. Paul wrote in Romans 7:19," For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do." Faith in Jesus Christ is not based on feelings, but rather a conscious choice that our inherit Adamic nature leaves us without recourse and in need of a Savior. Humans left only to serve their selves don't do well. This is being played out in front of our very eyes on a daily basis. Histories of other countries that served man rather than God were wanton and destructive even to their own citizens. A life grounded in the Bible, lived with devotion and conviction, with an attitude of servitude towards others and not self, is the life God intended for us. These are choices not based on feelings as our nature is to be self serving, but rather these are choices based on conviction of belief.

My understanding people are born that way it isn't by choice. God created them so now he doesn't accept them for who they are??? I would guess there are millions classified and labeled that but are believers and follow Christ better then the ones that think are saints. I have a hard time believing God doesn't accept these souls.

Snowy, I believe some are and many aren't. Besides ours lives and God's creation,the miracle of birth,is about reproduction. Two same sex individuals simply cannot carry on life or reproduce. Thus meaning,he created Adam, and Eve, to go on and multiply. Everything about same sex couples is wrong. We simply did not start that way. I furthermore believe all life is,is a test. We are given choices and will be judged by our choices when that time arrives.

From the amount of stone throwing going on, I would have to guess that there are many more who are without sin than I would have ever believed.

As a father of three daughters and a grandfather of 7 grandsons, I was and do have to carry out the most unpleasant part of parenting: instruction and punishment. When a child refuses to follow instructions or acts out in a way that isn't respectful to his/her parents, then punishment must be applied whether through loss of privileges or corporeal. We as adults are held by laws that are intended to keep us safe and from harm, such as speed limits, etc. Indifference to these laws result in punishment through fines or imprisonment. This also is to act as a determent for others not to follow in the law breakers conduct. God is not slack as some men are when it comes to His commandments. We all complain when a bad guy slips through the cracks and gets away with doing something bad by using a loophole in the law. Politicians work up the lower income or slackers by pointing out that the rich don't pay enough taxes and are stealing the poor's privileges. They are working on a basic human instinct, we all want justice or fairness as WE see it in relation to what WE perceive. Yet when God's word says that homosexuality or adultery or stealing or lying or other bad behavior is against His law and detrimental to our health (Aids, STDs), our families (drug babies, divorced families, juvenile delinquents), and our society (over crowded prisons, muggings, murders, etc.), then folks start to question why God or "religious zealots" spew hate or discrimination. A good father has no hate or discrimination against his child when correcting bad or wrong behavior. Neither has God. His mandates were written in His word so we'd have a guide to live by. God accepts all that comes unto Him with belief in Jesus Christ. That is His requirement, belief in Jesus, no more, no less. By really believing, you accept His word as infallible and complete. By not believing a person openly and freely rejects God. Their choice. Christ stands at the door and knocks. He doesn't kick it in or demand. He knocks, like a patient visitor, waiting to be allowed in. People are born with many things they can't choose; eye color, facial features, amount of toes or fingers or lack there of. But we have the choice of what direction our lives take if we live long enough to be adults, even in dire situations. The choice of sin (or as the world puts it love, human condition, etc.) is no different than liking F-150s, Chevy Silverado's, Ram 1500s, or a Datsun 620s. They're all trucks. Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry or all three, they're all flavors. But choosing the same sex as a spouse is not natural or something you are born with, its a choice, the same as taking something that is not yours to take.

You strike me as a very kindhearted soul, snowy. I trust you are. From a biblical perspective, every human being that walks or who has ever walked the planet in their natural state is under the condemnation of God. Every human being that walks the planet can also be saved from that condemnation and that includes homosexuals.

I've never been in a church that would shun a homosexual if that person were looking to get right with God.

If one thinks of part of the church's function is to be a sort of hospital for sinners, a church pew may be the perfect place for all sinners. If you believe their behavior is a sin, we should welcome them in any house of worship.
He/she may have to be ok sitting next to a guy who cheats on his taxes, drinks too much, or fools around on his wife though.

Wait until people want to start marrying their pets,animals have more rights now than we do so it is likely a matter of time.

Holy smokes bowhunter, you ain't bin pay no attention to most of the posts on this thread have ya? The post you whine about addresses homosexuality and asks why some can believe themselves in a position to point out the sins of some while believe(pretending) their own sins are to be overlooked.

I did. It made me question about your reading comprehension level. No offence intended but, pointing out that the homosexual sins are no better/worse than the sins any poster may be guilty of himself-be he Methodist, baptist, non-affiliated heathen, etc...

If one practices the pointing out of a speck in the eye of another, he may first want to address the plank in his own eye.

Whatever happened to free speech or the right to say what I believe in America?

I don't agree with the lifestyle. As long as they are that way and it don't affect me, I'm good. Problem is, they aren't. They want to FORCE me to agree with them.

I read an article that the House passed a resolution that could potentially ban Christianity if Christians take a similar stance on the issue.

bowhunter, I am not saying that at all. And, pointing out the hypocrisy of some is doing exactly what the Bible says in the verse you post above.

It's probably best to let the thread go back on course. Your post claiming one of mine is taking things in a different direction has done exactly what you are complaining about.

I wish we never had to hear about what other, consenting adults do in their private lives. But if I was one who felt the need to be a member of an organized religion, I'd stay away from any who I felt ignored the teachings of Christ.

As for banning Christianity, I would doubt there is a better example of "fake news".

I thought the good book taught us not to judge. So, who is the church to say that God will not except or cant go to heaven. Maybe they are born that way or maybe not, it seems there is no science either way. So, now man and or church is playing God.

"Legislation shall be passed which engenders love between men...There will be no compromises.. All churches who condemn us will be closed." Michael Swift, The Gay Manifesto.

The House has passed H.R.5 which the real goal has been stated by Swift some years ago. Churches or religious-based organizations will be FORCED under penalty of law to affirm the gay agenda or be shut down.

Romans 1:1-32 and 2 Timothy 3:1-17. God said all this would come to pass before His return. Seeing an apple tree and calling it that is not judging, its common sense. That which will bring harm or cause strife to our homes and families should make us alarmed. These lifestyles that were frowned upon by and actually thought of as deviant and unbalanced 30 or 40yrs ago are being paraded in our children's faces and taught in schools as normal. Its not. We know that the "Disney" version of animals and how they interact with each other is false, homosexuality is not a natural occurrence. Its a perverted response to lust and deviant minds, as is a lot of what is coming out of Hollyweird, colleges, and liberal agendas. A lack of morals and principles that this country was founded on has allowed teaching that once was taboo to be taught with openness. By allowing an "anything goes" type of freedom, we've been made weaker as a nation. Young men who are sloped shoulder are the norm instead of the broad shouldered, rugged individuals our country was just one generation ago. Young men are afraid of being manly because of ridicule and retaliation from their more hipster counter parts. Young girls are prompted to be less feminine and more bold or brash. My grandmothers were both strong and bold yet knew how to be a lady. My grandfathers were both manly and kind. Yet the homosexual movement wants to stifle our young people by shaming them for not being All inclusive. There's certain things that shouldn't be welcomed in our homes. God's house should welcome the repentive who wants to change his/her life but not the unrepentive who wants only to push an agenda. Because a movie star or "learned" professor says something is normal or great doesn't make it so. A whole host of modern day problems can be traced back to the turning away from the old paths that God plainly laid out for us to walk. Jeremiah 6:16