Homosexuality

[stephendcml]

I’ve asked God to make me straight. I’ve asked God to take it away. Why won’t it go away? Everyday, I’m told I’m evil, or that I’m not evil but the way I am is evil. I’m told that all my other Catholic brothers and sisters don’t hate me but hate my sin. I’m told that I can’t love someone. I don’t understand why I was even born. I don’t understand why I should stay alive if my only purpose is to be gay, have others hate me and even hate myself. My parents were amazing. I love sports. My dad was an amazing figure. But I’m still gay. I tell myself that I can be straight if I wanted to, and it doesn’t work. I’m also told I should be celibate and I also don’t understand the fact that I’ll never love someone, romantically that is. I’ll always be alone, but I guess I’ll have God. I just want to die, and me living any longer is just in vain.

I’m editing this! Keep reading on, I’m sorry I sounded so suicidal!

 

[Newbie2]

I’ve asked God to make me straight. I’ve asked God to take it away. Why won’t it go away? Everyday, I’m told I’m evil, or that I’m not evil but the way I am is evil. I’m told that all my other Catholic brothers and sisters don’t hate me but hate my sin. I’m told that I can’t love someone. I don’t understand why I was even born. I don’t understand why I should stay alive if my only purpose is to be gay, have others hate me and even hate myself. My parents were amazing. I love sports. My dad was an amazing figure. But I’m still gay. I tell myself that I can be straight if I wanted to, and it doesn’t work. I’m also told I should be celibate and I also don’t understand the fact that I’ll never love someone, romantically that is. I’ll always be alone, but I guess I’ll have God. I just want to die, and me living any longer is just in vain.

I don’t want to sound flippant, but you’re gay. So what?

God loves you just the same. I’m presuming that your parents and friends love you just the same.

The key I see in your post is " I don’t understand why I should stay alive if my only purpose is to be gay, have others hate me and even hate myself."

Your only purpose is not to be gay. Your sexual orientation or SSA is not the core of your being. That’s society talking. That’s society telling you that sex is the most important thing, and defining what love is.

I’m a Catholic Christian. People who I don’t even know hate me. That’s their problem, not mine. People may hate you because you’re gay. That’s their problem, not yours.

Hate yourself? Why? There’s no reason to do so. Why were you born? Why was I born? Why were the rest of us born? Dunno. But I have faith that the Almighty has some sort of plan for us, and we’ll figure it out as time goes along. I have a feeling that you know this too.

I think that you would be wise to seek the council of your priest and a good Catholic counselor. Not to “change” you, but to help you sort out your feelings and thoughts on the matter. You’re worth it!

 

[stephendcml]

Now that I think about it, my post did sound kind of suicidal, didn’t it? Well…I honestly don’t want to have sex. I know what society says that sex is love, and I hate that. I wonder if it’s a sin to be in a same sex relationship and not have sex. I’m only a teenager, I don’t know everything about being Catholic. What’s the church teaching about being in a gay relationship without having sex? Is sex the sin or is love the sin?

 

[Newbie2]

Now that I think about it, my post did sound kind of suicidal, didn’t it? Well…I honestly don’t want to have sex. I know what society says that sex is love, and I hate that. I wonder if it’s a sin to be in a same sex relationship and not have sex. I’m only a teenager, I don’t know everything about being Catholic. What’s the church teaching about being in a gay relationship without having sex? Is sex the sin or is love the sin?

It’s the sex that’s sinful, and yes…you’re post did sound sort of suicidal. Yikes.

The concept of having a gay relationship without sex is sort of like a girl and guy living together without ever having sex. Difficult to imagine that sort of thing being platonic, eh? Same thing, gay or hetero. The temptation and opportunity for sin is really too great for such a romantic thing not to turn sexual.

Love is never sinful. I think we are at a disadvantage in the English language in that we don’t really have words to describe the different kind of love that the greek has words to describe; the love between family and friends, the love between God and man, the love between a husband and wife that is associated with their sexual relations.

Particularly being a teenager, with an overabundance of hormones (I’ve been there…but was interested in girls ) it’s perhaps tempting to assume that one can be in control of one’s actions, especially when it comes to relationships and sex. It’s tough. It seems nearly impossible to be chaste in today’s society. In fact, to be chaste is to be looked upon as weird, a loser, etc. whether one is hetero or homosexual.

That’s the challenge. It’s a bigger one, I think, for those with SSA. Pray. Get good advice. We’ll pray for you here too, for understanding of your purpose.

 

[kall]

Listen, as a Catholic all I could ask is you live your life as who you are. There are people here who would rather see you die this instant than live a life with your boyfriend (or girlfriend), depending on which gender you’re attracted to.

I personally see nothing wrong with homosexuality in terms of effecting anyone else, let God be the judge, not a bunch of people pretending to have the answers.

 

[masterjedi747]

In all seriousness, I think you should definitely get involved with:

couragerc.net/Listservs.html

 

[passus]

We all have crosses to bear in life and this would seem to be yours; you share it with many, many fellow Catholics who live chaste and pure lives devoted to Jesus Christ.

You need to know that you’re not evil and you’re not hated by anyone who matters. God has called you, particularly, to live a holy life and to consecrate yourself to Him in a most profound way by respecting the gift of sexuality He has given you.

And you can love. If nobody else, love God, who loves you enough to have died for you.

God bless.

 

[elvisman]

Listen, as a Catholic all I could ask is you live your life as who you are. There are people here who would rather see you die this instant than live a life with your boyfriend (or girlfriend), depending on which gender you’re attracted to.

I personally see nothing wrong with homosexuality in terms of effecting anyone else, let God be the judge, not a bunch of people pretending to have the answers.

Excuse me - but who are you to tell this person to live a life of sin?
This is the absolute WORST advice you could give.

**The OP came here with a heavy heart - looking for advice about a real problem **and you tell him to forsake his beliefs and to embark on a life of mortal sin.

Your problem is that you call yourself a Catholic but you think it’s a giant cafeteria where you can pick and choose what you want to believe in.
This is the Catholic Church. The cafeteria is closed!

To stephendcml, I say - I will keep you in my prayers that you live a chaste life dedicated to the Lord.
I know it’s easy for me to say, but we are only on this earth for a short speck of time compared to the eternity that awaits us.
Stay strong, my friend.

 

[Pax]

I’ve asked God to make me straight. I’ve asked God to take it away. Why won’t it go away? Everyday, I’m told I’m evil, or that I’m not evil but the way I am is evil. I’m told that all my other Catholic brothers and sisters don’t hate me but hate my sin. I’m told that I can’t love someone. I don’t understand why I was even born. I don’t understand why I should stay alive if my only purpose is to be gay, have others hate me and even hate myself. My parents were amazing. I love sports. My dad was an amazing figure. But I’m still gay. I tell myself that I can be straight if I wanted to, and it doesn’t work. I’m also told I should be celibate and I also don’t understand the fact that I’ll never love someone, romantically that is. I’ll always be alone, but I guess I’ll have God. I just want to die, and me living any longer is just in vain.

I’m editing this! Keep reading on, I’m sorry I sounded so suicidal!

Dear brother in Christ,

Your suffering from SSA is, in and of itself, not sinful. Know that God loves you and that you have love and support within the Church. The Church will not compromise and tell you that homosexual acts are permissible anymore than the Church will say that heterosexual acts outside of marriage are permissible. You carry a huge cross and the anguish comes through loud and clear in your post.

Please do not give up hope in your struggle to deal with SSA. Another poster made a recommendation for you concerning “couragerc.net.” I concur and would suggest that you be more optimistic about receiving help and support in your struggle. Yes, there are people who will mistreat you, but they are on both sides of this very difficult issue. Those that point out the importance of following the Church’s teachings have your best interests at heart and love you without qualification as a brother in Christ. Those, inside and outside of the Church, that would merely condemn you and call you names are gravely mistreating you. Those that promote the gay life style are gravely mistreating you as well in that they do not have your best interests at heart. Some may be very sincere in their sympathies, but they are giving you the wrong information which can only hurt you rather than help you.

We all have struggles and the great saints sometimes had great struggles. Your cross and struggle is a heavy burden. I admire you for resisting the temptations. Your moral compass is intact and you seem to know what God is asking of you should you be unable to overcome SSA. You are a tremendous example to all who struggle with serious temptations. You can through your struggle, prayer, and sacrifice do much more in and for the kingdom of God than those that have few if any struggles.

Know this…you are in my prayers and in the prayers of many others.

God bless.

 

[stephendcml]

Excuse me - but who are you to tell this person to live a life of sin?
This is the absolute WORST advice you could give.

**The OP came here with a heavy heart - looking for advice about a real problem ****and you **tell him to forsake his beliefs and to embark on a life of mortal sin.

Your problem is that you call yourself a Catholic but you think it’s a giant cafeteria where you can pick and choose what you want to believe in.
This is the Catholic Church. The cafeteria is closed!

To stephendcml, I say - I will keep you in my prayers that you live a chaste life dedicated to the Lord.
I know it’s easy for me to say, but we are only on this earth for a short speck of time compared to the eternity that awaits us.
Stay strong, my friend.

Not to be rude, but you were being a little harsh, mostly every Christian picks and choose everything. I mean everything about Christianity is pick and choose. That’s why we have so many denominations. And who are you to tell me what my beliefs are? I guess everyone will always have different opinions and beliefs about things, but as Christians we should love one another as we love ourselves. Here I am telling people what to do, LOL. Well, to love is what Jesus told me to do. I love you all and thank-you for responding to my post.

 

[wxboss]

Romans 5:20 says:

The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.

Granted, this can be a rather dubious verse if taken out of context so as to justify the continuation of sin, but I thought it might help to mention it here with the understanding that those of us who are still alive are not beyond hope or grace.

I’ve seen several threads started on this site that deal with very personal and sometimes troubling sin. My first reaction is to cringe, but then I come to a realization that these people have more guts than I do. They are earnestly seeking for help and they don’t care so much about being stigmatized as much as they care about becoming right with God. I wish I had their (and your) bravery!

You’re asking for help, and the Church will not abandon or forsake you in this matter. Don’t make the grave mistake of thinking it is too late or you can’t be helped - that is a myth.

May I suggest a prayer to St. Jude in the meantime. Never lose hope because hope does not have a successor.

 

[brittrossiter]

Stephen,

My heart goes out to you. I have been a bit further down the SSA path - you can read all about it if you like: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=180347

I know from my own walk that it’s not easy to trust in the Church’s teaching on this issue, not when it seems like your own body and most of society is pulling you in the other direction. Pulling very hard. It’s a heavy cross to bear, almost unbearable at times. But there are *many *others (myself included) who are walking this difficult road with you. I have found tremendous comfort in them, seeking them out, hearing and reading their stories, people who understand just how *difficult * it is to be in our shoes and be faithful to the Church’s teaching. Courage (couragerc.net) is a great place to find them.

I have also found wonderful solace and peace spending time before the Blessed Sacrament, praying before a Crucifix, praying the Rosary. Attending Daily Mass when I can. Confessing often. For me this type of participation in the works of the Church has made a tremendous difference in my life, and I feel it has made me grow in leaps and bounds as a Christian. Almost without fail, the temptations and detours that I’ve faced nearly always arise when I haven’t made the time (for whatever reason) for Christ in my life.

Please don’t be afraid to put your trust in the Church’s guidance and wisdom. I see no need to pray for God to “change” you. I too did that for years, and here I am. If He wants to change you, He will. When I pray, I ask for the Holy Spirit to keep me on God’s path, and to open my mind and heart to God’s will and direction in my life.

You are who you are, but most important of all, you are loved by Christ beyond measure. Never, ever forget that. I will remember you in my prayers. :hug1:

 

[elvisman]

Not to be rude, but you were being a little harsh, mostly every Christian picks and choose everything. I mean everything about Christianity is pick and choose. That’s why we have so many denominations. And who are you to tell me what my beliefs are? I guess everyone will always have different opinions and beliefs about things, but as Christians we should love one another as we love ourselves. Here I am telling people what to do, LOL. Well, to love is what Jesus told me to do. I love you all and thank-you for responding to my post.

Sorry, my friend but that is precisely what is wrong with denominations.
Christianity isn’t “pick and choose”. That’s cafeteria faith and that’s the tragedy of Protestantism.

**The mere fact that I told a person that it is wrong for them to give you dangerous advice doesn’t meant that I am being harsh. It simply means that they shouldn’**t tell you to live a life of sin.

 

[stephendcml]

Actually, society and other people pull me away from wanting to be gay. They make gays seem like perverts and say that they are dysfunctional or mentally ill. With my sport buddies people are always making homophobic jokes. I got told I’m a fagott like everyday. Almost everyone who knows I’m gay shuns me. I hear what the Phelps say on TV about how I’m going to hell. My parents can’t even look at me. My church condemns it. People say that I can change, when I know I can’t. I get gay bashed (beaten up, stabbed). Alot of movies talk about how gay people are killed or only show them as old pedophiles (I am not a pedophile). So, please tell me again that society tells me it’s okay to be gay. Look at the forums, only one out of one thousand people aren’t agreeing with those who say it’s okay to be yourself.

 

[Tom]

My church condemns it.

No, the Church condemns the sexual act, both heterosexual and homosexual, outside of marriage. Sex is not love, love is not sex.
scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

 

[BobObob]

I also have SSA, so I feel for you. I, as a 20 year old guy attending a Catholic college, try to keep my SSA a secret for the most part.

The Catholic Church’s official teaching on sexuality can be found at scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c2a6.htm.

The Church’s official teaching on sexual acts between persons of the same sex is the following:

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,141 tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

I would highly recommend tthat you look into a local courage group. At these meetings you can find supportive people who also have SSA but are striving to live chaste lives.
(www.couragerc.net).

You might also want to watch this youtube.com/watch?v=kN9IIJUWkA0.

By the way, as far as a relationship with someone of the same sex goes, sex with that person is the sin. Having some sort of romantic relationship is not nessesarily immoral as long as it is not a near occasion of sin (or in other words, it does not lead to sin such as illicit sex).

Having a good, chaste, friendship with other guys is I think really important for someone with SSA.

By the way, you might not find this relevant to you (some do, some don’t), but I would recommend checking out the theory “exotic becomes erotic” by Dr. Daryl Bem, a psychology professor at Cornell University. It can be seen at dbem.ws/Exotic%20Becomes%20Erotic.pdf.

 

[PrincessKatrina]

Sorry, my friend but that is precisely what is wrong with denominations.
Christianity isn’t “pick and choose”. That’s cafeteria faith and that’s the tragedy of Protestantism.

The mere fact that I told a person that it is wrong for them to give you dangerous advice doesn’t meant that I am being harsh. It simply means that they shouldn’t tell you to live a life of sin.

And you honestly believe that the Catholic Church doesn’t pick and choose? Was that not a catholic priest I saw at Red Lobster eating shellfish?

Seriously, the entirety of the Bible is important, but not the entirety of it is 100% applicable to all people at all times. There is one key fundamental in the Bible that is the requisite for Christianity and that is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross and rose three days later, cleansing all who accept the gift of salvation of their sins, granting us our only path into Heaven.

I am a lesbian. I’ve known I was attracted to girls since I was a little girl myself. I accepted God’s gift of salvation at age 7. I’ve spent the entirety of my life since (I’m now 25, almost 26) studying the Bible searching for answers about my orientation, praying to God for guidance.

I even, for a time, begged God to give me a man that I could fall in love with, to teach me how to love a man, to satisfy my father (a minister) and my mother (a bible scholar), family, and fellow Christians and what they insisted God wanted of me. I so strongly wanted God to “straighten” me out that I became blind, so blind that I fell into Satan’s trap. A man came into my life. A man as beautiful as any woman I’d ever desired. He was kind, caring, wonderful, everything a woman could want in a man. He was the answer to my prayers…or so I had thought. We had been together for 3 years. We didn’t get to see much of each other in person because he attends UCLA and I attend Texas State. We were engaged to be married, though we were waiting 'til we both graduated. If not for college keeping us so far apart, we would have been married already…

As such, when we got together over spring break, he convinced me that, in God’s eyes, we were already married, we had already committed ourselves wholly to each other. He convinced me that it would be permissible to start having sex. Being a lesbian trying so hard to be straight, I wanted so to please my fiance, to prove I was a devoted straight woman for him. We’d barely got started, hadn’t even reached intercourse when I realized something crucial. I could not do it. I could not have sex with him. Not because of some moral code telling me sex outside of marriage was wrong, but because I could not have sex with a man. I am a lesbian. I am attracted to women. I am not even remotely attracted to men. At that moment, a peace came over me, a peace I know is from God, and I could see clearly again. God loves me. God is love. Where Love is, God is.

Satan, of course, could not abide such peace in my heart, for what my fiance did next could only be of Satan. I told my boyfriend to stop, that I couldn’t do it. He kept on. I begged him to stop. He wouldn’t. He did not take no for an answer and took something precious from me that day…

I had a more specific point to telling this, but the difficulty of writing about what happened to me is making it hard to remember the main point I was trying to make. Let me just say, asking God for guidance is the most important thing you can do, but do not let the will of other humans blind you to God’s guidance. In trying to please the human interpretations of the Bible, I got raped and beaten. I have nearly killed myself half a dozen times since. My roommate has thrown out every knife in our apartment to make it harder for me to injure myself. I am on medication for the Depression. All of this from trying to satisfy human expectations rather than listening to God’s answer to my questions.

 

[elvisman]

And you honestly believe that the Catholic Church doesn’t pick and choose? Was that not a catholic priest I saw at Red Lobster eating shellfish?

Seriously, the entirety of the Bible is important, but not the entirety of it is 100% applicable to all people at all times. There is one key fundamental in the Bible that is the requisite for Christianity and that is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross and rose three days later, cleansing all who accept the gift of salvation of their sins, granting us our only path into Heaven.

I am a lesbian. I’ve known I was attracted to girls since I was a little girl myself. I accepted God’s gift of salvation at age 7. I’ve spent the entirety of my life since (I’m now 25, almost 26) studying the Bible searching for answers about my orientation, praying to God for guidance.

I even, for a time, begged God to give me a man that I could fall in love with, to teach me how to love a man, to satisfy my father (a minister) and my mother (a bible scholar), family, and fellow Christians and what they insisted God wanted of me. I so strongly wanted God to “straighten” me out that I became blind, so blind that I fell into Satan’s trap. A man came into my life. A man as beautiful as any woman I’d ever desired. He was kind, caring, wonderful, everything a woman could want in a man. He was the answer to my prayers…or so I had thought. We had been together for 3 years. We didn’t get to see much of each other in person because he attends UCLA and I attend Texas State. We were engaged to be married, though we were waiting 'til we both graduated. If not for college keeping us so far apart, we would have been married already…

As such, when we got together over spring break, he convinced me that, in God’s eyes, we were already married, we had already committed ourselves wholly to each other. He convinced me that it would be permissible to start having sex. Being a lesbian trying so hard to be straight, I wanted so to please my fiance, to prove I was a devoted straight woman for him. We’d barely got started, hadn’t even reached intercourse when I realized something crucial. I could not do it. I could not have sex with him. Not because of some moral code telling me sex outside of marriage was wrong, but because I could not have sex with a man. I am a lesbian. I am attracted to women. I am not even remotely attracted to men. At that moment, a peace came over me, a peace I know is from God, and I could see clearly again. God loves me. God is love. Where Love is, God is.

Satan, of course, could not abide such peace in my heart, for what my fiance did next could only be of Satan. I told my boyfriend to stop, that I couldn’t do it. He kept on. I begged him to stop. He wouldn’t. He did not take no for an answer and took something precious from me that day…

I had a more specific point to telling this, but the difficulty of writing about what happened to me is making it hard to remember the main point I was trying to make. Let me just say, asking God for guidance is the most important thing you can do, but do not let the will of other humans blind you to God’s guidance. In trying to please the human interpretations of the Bible, I got raped and beaten. I have nearly killed myself half a dozen times since. My roommate has thrown out every knife in our apartment to make it harder for me to injure myself. I am on medication for the Depression. All of this from trying to satisfy human expectations rather than listening to God’s answer to my questions.

Excuse me but what does a priest eating shellfish have to do with anything? We are not under the Mosaic dietary laws (Acts 10:11-15).

The Catholic Church doesn’t pick and choose. The Catholic Churcvh is the one and only Church set up - established by our Lord Jesus christ (Matt. 16:15-19).

She is the only Church that he gave full authority to bind and loose in heaven and earth (Matt. 1815-18, John 16:13-15, John 20:21-13).

The New Testament was written, compiled and finally declared canon by the Catholic Church. Anything less - is cafeteria-styled Christianity.

As for your situation - I feel for you and pray for anybody with that affliction. I pray for my afflictions - none of us is perfect.

You are right - God DOES love you as he loves us all and you should continue to lean on him and seek his guidance because it is there - in Him - that you will find peace.

God bless.

 

[Pax]

And you honestly believe that the Catholic Church doesn’t pick and choose? Was that not a catholic priest I saw at Red Lobster eating shellfish?

Seriously, the entirety of the Bible is important, but not the entirety of it is 100% applicable to all people at all times. There is one key fundamental in the Bible that is the requisite for Christianity and that is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross and rose three days later, cleansing all who accept the gift of salvation of their sins, granting us our only path into Heaven.

I am a lesbian. I’ve known I was attracted to girls since I was a little girl myself. I accepted God’s gift of salvation at age 7. I’ve spent the entirety of my life since (I’m now 25, almost 26) studying the Bible searching for answers about my orientation, praying to God for guidance.

I even, for a time, begged God to give me a man that I could fall in love with, to teach me how to love a man, to satisfy my father (a minister) and my mother (a bible scholar), family, and fellow Christians and what they insisted God wanted of me. I so strongly wanted God to “straighten” me out that I became blind, so blind that I fell into Satan’s trap. A man came into my life. A man as beautiful as any woman I’d ever desired. He was kind, caring, wonderful, everything a woman could want in a man. He was the answer to my prayers…or so I had thought. We had been together for 3 years. We didn’t get to see much of each other in person because he attends UCLA and I attend Texas State. We were engaged to be married, though we were waiting 'til we both graduated. If not for college keeping us so far apart, we would have been married already…

As such, when we got together over spring break, he convinced me that, in God’s eyes, we were already married, we had already committed ourselves wholly to each other. He convinced me that it would be permissible to start having sex. Being a lesbian trying so hard to be straight, I wanted so to please my fiance, to prove I was a devoted straight woman for him. We’d barely got started, hadn’t even reached intercourse when I realized something crucial. I could not do it. I could not have sex with him. Not because of some moral code telling me sex outside of marriage was wrong, but because I could not have sex with a man. I am a lesbian. I am attracted to women. I am not even remotely attracted to men. At that moment, a peace came over me, a peace I know is from God, and I could see clearly again. God loves me. God is love. Where Love is, God is.

Satan, of course, could not abide such peace in my heart, for what my fiance did next could only be of Satan. I told my boyfriend to stop, that I couldn’t do it. He kept on. I begged him to stop. He wouldn’t. He did not take no for an answer and took something precious from me that day…

I had a more specific point to telling this, but the difficulty of writing about what happened to me is making it hard to remember the main point I was trying to make. Let me just say, asking God for guidance is the most important thing you can do, but do not let the will of other humans blind you to God’s guidance. In trying to please the human interpretations of the Bible, I got raped and beaten. I have nearly killed myself half a dozen times since. My roommate has thrown out every knife in our apartment to make it harder for me to injure myself. I am on medication for the Depression. All of this from trying to satisfy human expectations rather than listening to God’s answer to my questions.

I sympathize and will pray for you, but I cannot agree with you. All that you stated is based on feelings rather than an objective view of the truth. Do not let your feelings deceive you.

Please know that I am sorry about the terrible things that have happened to you especially at the hands of your boy friend.

 

[PrincessKatrina]

Excuse me but what does a priest eating shellfish have to do with anything? We are not under the Mosaic dietary laws (Acts 10:11-15).

Okay, bad example. That’s what I get for writing at 2:30am when I haven’t gotten much sleep.

How about this one, then? The Catholic Church uses John 20:19-23 to explain why one must ask a Priest for forgiveness, yet ignores the Lord’s Prayer itself, in which we are taught how to pray, including asking God directly for forgiveness.

As for your situation - I feel for you and pray for anybody with that affliction. I pray for my afflictions - none of us is perfect.

Due to the ambiguity of you saying “that affliction,” I find I must ask you to clarify which thing you are referring to.

I sympathize and will pray for you . . . Please know that I am sorry about the terrible things that have happened to you especially at the hands of your boy friend.

Thank you.

I cannot agree with you. All that you stated is based on feelings rather than an objective view of the truth. Do not let your feelings deceive you.

Peace from God is a feeling, not an “objective view of the truth.” I trust in God to guide me and protect me from deception. I have been, throughout my life, blessed with the Spiritual Gift of Discernment. I only lost the use of that gift when I turned my back on the truth and attempted to be in the kind of relationship that can never hold real, Godly love and conviction for me, a heterosexual relationship. The pain and suffering I experienced at the hands of my ex-boyfriend opened my eyes and heart to the blessing of God’s Gift of Discernment, letting me see the truth I had blinded myself to.