Gays seeking comfort in church?

Is that really so though according to a recent discussion, when it is the same 'church' who condemns us whilst forgetting that Christ came to meet with the outcasts, downtrodden and poor; or it is shame as instilled by the church that persons cannot come to accept themselves as who they are and seek the church or God to address the guilt and shame. 

Here we are again this old familiar place even when in 2016 some fanatics and religious extremists suggested that JFLAG etc should go and deal with our homeless but as I said before the old adage rings true 'liberty comes through carelessness' this latest development comes through even as more tokenism still obtains as meaningful interventions. see: NPTAJ And Anti-Gay Groups Want J-FLAG Kept Out Of Schools & deal with homelessness

Yet these church groups forget or nicely overlook the clerical abuse matters so much so that they are so overbearing now it's now that they are speaking out, talk about hypocrisy.

For many years, Christians in Jamaica have condemned homosexuals and other members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

Their condemnations have left many members of this group feeling confused about their religious beliefs, but policy and advocacy manager of The Jamaica Forum of Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (JFLAG), Glenroy Murray, believes that the condemnation is based on a misinterpretation of the scriptures and the belief that a person cannot be gay and Christian is false.

"The idea that someone cannot be LGBT and be Christian is false because there is nothing in the Bible that speaks to that," Murray said.

He, however, admitted that the Bible does make reference to homosexuality. Leviticus 20 verse 13 states that "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them".

Murray said that "was Mosaic laws, which were created specifically for the Jews."

No longer apply

"It was about strengthening their armies and keeping their civilisation together and because we know that when Jesus came the Mosaic rules no longer applied - not to the Gentiles at least - and since most of us aren't Jews, we can't use Leviticus to say homosexuals can't be Christians."

According to Murray, most homosexuals in Jamaica are Christians, and like other Christians who are committing sins, they have found a way to reconcile what they do with their beliefs. It would be good for Murray to prove that especially in recent years when so many of his colleagues came out as atheists. If the church is so opposed to homosexuality then many would not go to church in the first place, sometimes I wonder if some of us think carefully before we speak to media.

The Reverend Herro Blair Jr, while still declaring that homosexuality is a sin, said that homosexuals should be welcomed in the church and their sins shouldn't be treated differently from other sins.

"I would not stop a gay person from being a part of my church, and I cannot view the lifestyle any differently from how I would view a person who is fornicating or committing adultery," Blair Jr said.

Theological conservatives who believe the Bible forbids same-sex relationships have been opposed to gays being active members or leaders in the church.

Sadly the issue of sexual orientation is still seen as a 'lifestyle' by some clergy and theologians despite the plethora of information out there.

Peace & tolerance

H