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Pope endorses same sex civil unions

I was expecting you to answer like that. "Cherry picking the Bible". But if we are to honestly read the Bible, and use proper discernment, parts of the Bible will just not make sense.
Nobody ever said it would all make sense all at once. God lets us understand what we need to understand when we need it. Every time I read or listen to Scripture I learn something new.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 NKJV
 
I think God is a pretty good source.
And that makes you feel secure. Put all your eggs in one basket. No need to question anymore. Your salvation is taken care of. The Bible is your ticket to Heaven. Sit back, relax and wait for the train to arrive.
False complacency.
None of us have any guarantees.
 
And that makes you feel secure. Put all your eggs in one basket. No need to question anymore. Your salvation is taken care of. The Bible is your ticket to Heaven. Sit back, relax and wait for the train to arrive.
False complacency.
None of us have any guarantees.
cynical much .
 
And that makes you feel secure. Put all your eggs in one basket. No need to question anymore. Your salvation is taken care of. The Bible is your ticket to Heaven. Sit back, relax and wait for the train to arrive.
False complacency.
None of us have any guarantees.
No, the Bible is not my ticket to salvation. Salvation can only be found through the Christ, Jesus, for He Himself has told us He is THE way, THE truth, and THE life and no one comes to the Father except through Him.

Yes, you can be assured of your place in heaven through Jesus.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
John 3:16-18 NKJV

"For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."
John 5:22-24 NKJV

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”
John 10:27-30 NKJV

John (the Baptist) answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life;"
John 3:27-36 NKJV

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
1 John 5:1-13 NKJV
 
But a book like the Book of Job, is written by some unverified source. Even we are not sure who the writers are, we have to have faith that God is speaking. That is a big leap of faith for me. Not that I don't like the book. It's one of my faves. So God made a story about himself making a deal with the Devil?
God did not make a deal with the Devil, but to show Satan that he could not steal Jobs faith in God no matter what he did to him. Satan will always try and steal our faith, but it is God who gives us the strength to endure such attacks by Satan.
 
I was expecting you to answer like that. "Cherry picking the Bible". But if we are to honestly read the Bible, and use proper discernment, parts of the Bible will just not make sense.
See your approach is "all or nothing". Which I think is more dangerous than "cherry picking". Because you have decided to stop questioning. You have switched off part of your brain and decided "just pray and obey". It has some merit of course but a fundamentalist view of the Bible leads to clear dismissal of gays for example. It's inflexible and close minded. The opposite of the Pope's approach.
I will never stop questioning the parts that make no sense to me, but strive to understand those parts as I pray and ask the Holy Spirit for understanding. Will I ever know all that is written, no, as no one can exhaust all the teachings in the Bible, but to know my salvation is secure in the Lord.
 
Are you sure about that?
I am sure as the Holy Spirit gives me confirmation of all truths as all understanding comes by God's Holy Spirit. Do I understand all things, no, but I believe by faith that all scripture is inspired by God as He gave the prophets and Apostles what to write.
 

The author of this article is unaffirming, as indicated in the first quote, btw.

Quotes from the article:
"I belong to the tiny community of LGBT Catholics who accept the church’s sexual ethic. Our obedience requires sacrifice, and often deep spiritual struggle, but we believe this is the way God has given us to serve him with our bodies. Alongside some heterosexual Christians, we are rediscovering forms of non-sexual love. Anything the pope says on this topic is of great importance to us, and it’s especially important to understand it in context."


"A generation of gay kids grew up in Catholic churches where gay people were defined as political enemies, not family members and fellow Christians. They heard only condemnation from the church, without the humility which might have allowed the church to guide them. And many Catholic priests and other leaders still assume that gay people’s biggest spiritual problem is lust, when in my experience the most common and deadly spiritual problem for gay Christians is despair."
 
AN Important difference. In the U.S. Homosexuals ALREADY HAD "civil unions", but wouldn't rest until they could have Church recognized "Marriages". I took a little while but now they have 'em.
Not in every state, which is why they took their cause to the Supreme court. Had those states allowed civil unions between same sex couples we would not have same sex marriages.

I personally do not oppose same sex unions. Give to Cesar what is Cesars. In other words, don’t deny committed same sex couples the basic rights that married couples receive under US law.
 
I was expecting you to answer like that. "Cherry picking the Bible". But if we are to honestly read the Bible, and use proper discernment, parts of the Bible will just not make sense.
Then show us in the Bible where same sex unions are approved by God.
See your approach is "all or nothing". Which I think is more dangerous than "cherry picking". Because you have decided to stop questioning. You have switched off part of your brain and decided "just pray and obey".
I think you are reading her remarks wrong.
You have switched off part of your brain and decided "just pray and obey". It has some merit of course but a fundamentalist view of the Bible leads to clear dismissal of gays for example. It's inflexible and close minded. The opposite of the Pope's approach.
I don’t think that is true either.
 
And that makes you feel secure. Put all your eggs in one basket. No need to question anymore. Your salvation is taken care of. The Bible is your ticket to Heaven. Sit back, relax and wait for the train to arrive.
False complacency.
None of us have any guarantees.
IN which case Jesus is a liar. SImplifies things considerably.
 
Not in every state, which is why they took their cause to the Supreme court. Had those states allowed civil unions between same sex couples we would not have same sex marriages.

I personally do not oppose same sex unions. Give to Cesar what is Cesars. In other words, don’t deny committed same sex couples the basic rights that married couples receive under US law.
states must acknowledge other state laws on licensing and so forth .

that said California trains all water and sewer licenses holders .
 
Obviously I respect the sacred messages of the Bible which clearly communicate "love". The messages in regard to homosexuality seem to represent a dismissive God who has lost his patience. Therefore I can't help but doubt their authenticity.
Love is not the only message in the bible.
God is also a just God.

How do you pick and choose which verses of the bible you like and which you discard?

Pope Francis is a disgrace to the Catholic denomination which has held tight to its moral values
UNTIL NOW.

It is the dream of many that he step down and allow the Catholic faith to return to its previous
doctrine --- which HAVE been changed, whether or not one wishes to accept this.

Many priests dismiss him and have little guidance even from their Bishops.
These are tough times for all of us.....
 
And that makes you feel secure. Put all your eggs in one basket. No need to question anymore. Your salvation is taken care of. The Bible is your ticket to Heaven. Sit back, relax and wait for the train to arrive.
False complacency.
None of us have any guarantees.
The bible tells us HOW to be saved.

How do YOU think one is saved?
I've asked you this before and you never answer.
Maybe you don't know the answer?

Happily, most on this forum DO KNOW the answer to that question.
 
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