Should Christianity reach out to the LGBT community?

[Faithdancer]

…but as I said, not all people think they need outreach and many take offence at the notion that their behaviour can be equated with sin. Especially since they, in many/most cases, claim to be born that way. (Naturalistic fallacy)

And therein lies the futility of outreach to those who will only accept outreach that approves of their particular sin. But if the outreach in this case.is clear that chastity is the only acceptable goal, then perhaps it’s worthwhile.

 

[Rau]

And therein lies the futility of outreach to those who will only accept outreach that approves of their particular sin. But if the outreach in this case.is clear that chastity is the only acceptable goal, then perhaps it’s worthwhile.

Outreach could be neutral on the question of sin. Of course, such would more likely be in form of counselling (if desired). Another group the subject of outreach (by a Catholic organisation) are kids without homes. A blend of charity, counselling, assistance towards employment and so on. And there might be an optional spiritual element for those so inclined.

What form of program is amenable to LGB inclined persons?

 

[Rau]

I don’t know about LGBT in general, but I definitely think the Church should get more involved with Catholics living with disordered attractions. If they are already a strong believer, they can find that information themselves. However, there are many of these people wavering in their faith because of the difficulty of living with this problem. Those people need the support of the Church. At the local level a start would be education and support programs in parishes for Catholics with same-sex attraction. Because of the low number of these people, it might require several parishes to work together.

The content of the programs would be a combination of education in how gay Catholics should be living and support for this difficult life. Because of the potential difficulty of loneliness and chastity in single life, part of the this would involve fellow Catholics providing encouragement for the effort made and congratulations for successful change. This would also require Catholic volunteers to help in these programs. Because of past history in the Church, parishes would probably have a hard time getting volunteers. Right now, there is almost no ministry to these people, so it wouldn’t take much to make a difference.

Ministry directed at persons already inclined to the moral course is sensible. Eg. Courage. Is this what “outreach” means?

 

[Faithdancer]

What form of program is amenable to LGB inclined persons?

Unfortunately for many, probably not one that teaches chastity as the only acceptable practice.
I don’t see how it’s outreach in this case, unless it’s also about change. And if the behavior isn’t sinful, why change?
“Homosexual activity is gravely sinful” must be part of the message.

 

[Rau]

Unfortunately for many, probably not one that teaches chastity as the only acceptable practice.
I don’t see how it’s outreach in this case, unless it’s also about change. And if the behavior isn’t sinful, why change?
“Homosexual activity is gravely sinful” must be part of the message.

The OP might usefully outline what he intends/means by the terms “reach out” and/or “outreach”.

 

[Faithdancer]

The OP might usefully outline what he intends/means by the terms “reach out” and/or “outreach”.

Yes. If it isn’t about support for positive change in the direction of holiness, then I can’t see why any such outreach would exist.

 

[o_mlly]

Should Christianity reach out to sinners? Of course. If not then Christianity reaches out to no one.

However, if sinners organize into a community in order to celebrate their particular sin in an effort to normalize their sinful behavior within the larger community as morally acceptable then Christianity should militate against that community.

The Church militant have a duty to fight the good fight. Fighting the false ideology of the LGBT community is such a fight.

 

[Faithdancer]

Should Christianity reach out to sinners? Of course. If not then Christianity reaches out to no one.

However, if sinners organize into a community in order to celebrate their particular sin in an effort to normalize their sinful behavior within the larger community as morally acceptable then Christianity should militate against that community.

The Church militant have a duty to fight the good fight. Fighting the false ideology of the LGBT community is such a fight.

 

[BornInMarch]

Jesus would eat with them, but would have the same words for them as he did for the woman caught in adultery.

Scientists generally agree that sexual orientation is determined by birth, which would mean that homosexuals can’t help being attracted to people of the same gender or unattracted to people of the opposite gender. If this is the case, then Jesus’s would probably handle this situation similar to how he handled the paralyzed man.

 

[Rau]

Scientists generally agree that sexual orientation is determined by birth, which would mean that homosexuals can’t help being attracted to people of the same gender or unattracted to people of the opposite gender. If this is the case, then Jesus’s would probably handle this situation similar to how he handled the paralyzed man.

The precise cause(s) of the inclination is not really central to whether or not persons can or cannot “help” their attractions - it is accepted that the attractions “arise” somehow.

Jesus healed the paralyzed man recognizing the man’s faith and the faith of those who brought him to Jesus.

 

[Barricade]

I don’t see how such outreach can really be that successful if such people are told that homosexual acts and even lustful thoughts will send them to Hell. People don’t want to be told that or be faced with the prospect of living their entire lives alone and without a companion like heterosexual people are able to have in the Church.

 

[Rau]

I don’t see how such outreach can really be that successful if such people are told that homosexual acts and even lustful thoughts will send them to Hell. People don’t want to be told that or be faced with the prospect of living their entire lives alone and without a companion like heterosexual people are able to have in the Church.

Not everyone experiencing SSA is ok with it and engaged in homosexual acts. There are those who are struggling with the very fears you mention and may benefit from some form of support.

While “outreach” would hardly involve threats of hell, at the end of the day the Church encourages people to walk a righteous path.

 

[edwest2]

Not everyone experiencing SSA is ok with it and engaged in homosexual acts. There are those who are struggling with the very fears you mention and may benefit from some form of support.

While “outreach” would hardly involve threats of hell, at the end of the day the Church encourages people to walk a righteous path.

That’s the point for heterosexuals as well. No one is perfect. I have and had beautiful female friends, but if they’re married or not, I can’t have sex with them. Marriage is a vocation. I don’t know what God has planned for me but chastity is a good thing for a single person.

Ed

 

[drac16]

Absolutely. We can do so with love and reverence. However, that doesn’t mean we have to accept homosexuality/bisexuality/transgenderism as acceptable practices. An LGBT person has just as much a need for salvation as anyone else.

 

[Peter_J]

If so, how?

I guess there are a myriad of points that could be made concerning the how, but here are two that I think cover a lot of ground: when someone tells you that he or she is homosexual, first try to “hear” your response from his or her pov; and second don’t make assumptions that you don’t know to be true (for example, that they are sexually active and/or need a program like Sexaholics Anonymous, or that they must have been sexually abused at a young age).

 

[edwest2]

I guess there are a myriad of points that could be made concerning the how, but here are two that I think cover a lot of ground: when someone tells you that he or she is homosexual, first try to “hear” your response from his or her pov; and second don’t make assumptions that you don’t know to be true (for example, that they are sexually active and/or need a program like Sexaholics Anonymous, or that they must have been sexually abused at a young age).

I go to LGBT sites. The reasoning for homosexual living is repeated and repeated again, with great detail. “This is what we want. This is what we’re doing.” Yes, there are some homosexual persons who follow Church teaching. But the goals of the LGBTQI groups are consistent, on a global scale.

I’ve never assumed anything about the gay people I knew. They were nice people and that’s how I remember them. I dated a bisexual young lady, who, on her own, told me she used to sleep around with a lot of men and a lot of women. But that was behind her now. We kept on dating. I felt no need for further information. We went to Church together.

Ed

 

[chloride]

Of course, just as the Churches should reach out to all communities, particularly those that are hurting. Some may be too scared, too hurt, or too prideful to accept the good word, but that doesn’t mean we should stop trying. Sometimes, it is enough to remind folks that they are children of God, made in his likeness and loved. You may find, in time, that they come to understand this and turn to a more spiritual life. I did.
Mark 16:15:

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."

 

[Daniel_Lysinger]

The fact that this is even a question here is pretty sad.

 

[Peter_J]

The fact that this is even a question here is pretty sad.

How about the thread that used the phrase “the mythical homosexual person” over and over and over and over and over and over?

 

[Peter_J]

That’s the point for heterosexuals as well. No one is perfect. I have and had beautiful female friends, but if they’re married or not, I can’t have sex with them. Marriage is a vocation. I don’t know what God has planned for me but chastity is a good thing for a single person.

Ed

Yes. I think a good beginning is to keep in mind that “gay sex” is a sexual sin but not the only one.