Alexandra,
Your comments and ideas are so outrageous that it would be futile to debate you as you are not serious. I highlight only one of YOUR ideas from our comments for our readers: “Scientists that have studied sexual behaviors whether being attracted to same gender or the opposite gender it is a learned behavior. It is called prostitution, and prostitution is against God’s Law. It isn’t your fault that you were exposed to such a behavior.”
No reputable scientists have concluded that same-sex attraction is a learned behavior, and has nothing to do with prostitution, and I was never exposed to such.
I can only bid you God’s grace of His mercy and love.
Andriy

What transpires after the baby is born depends on the type of environment they are exposed, including aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, cousins, and acquaintances. If a baby of one year old and older has been molested by a homosexual relative or family member that baby has been conditioned to except such behavior as normal, whether being homosexual or heterosexual.
The question isn’t whether they are right or wrong in their mind, it is whether once they realize that such behavior is not acceptable, what do they do about it? Do they abstain from prostituting themselves or they say, I can’t suppress my feelings, therefore it’s in my nature, God made me like this and can’t stop being who I am. It is within my God given calling to love and marry someone of the same gender.

If that was God’s plan, He would have created two men and two women, and would have left them to choose whom they wished to love. But that wasn’t within God’s plan. He said, “be fruitful and multiply,” and that can only happen between a man and a woman.

Scientists have found that sexual orientation is a learned behavior not a natural manifestation. Not a God given orientation. When prostitution is considered a wrongful act it is because it violates the law of God. “The husband and wife become one flesh.” Matt:19:4 Jesus answered the Pharisees, “Have you not read that He who made them from the beginning ‘ made them male and female,’ and said, ‘ For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’
“So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

In Babylon and other ancient societies, prostitution was prevalent in both genders as well as sodomy. It was abominable to God. He sent prophets to tell them to change their ways but they refused. In our day God sends us Saints to guide us to the truth but we refuse to listen.
When we acquire the spirit of humility through prayer, fasting, reading the Holy Scriptures and abstinence, we ask Jesus to help us through this difficult journey, He will respond. He will transform your soul into a Heaven on earth. You will be surrounded by His presence and His Saints. Don’t give up on Him. Seek Him on His terms, a total abandonment on His will. You will never desire your former lifestyle ever again. “Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” To always strive to abide by His will. That is Heaven on earth. Amen❤️

Dear Sara,
Christ is Risen!
I can only admire you for being able to follow all of the 613 commands of God to His people found in the Old Testament and all more than 1,000 in the New Testament. I will rely on the mercy, grace, and forgiveness of Christ and attempt to follow Matthew 7:1 to the very best of my abilities.
Andriy

We will have to rely on the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Matthew 7:1

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,”
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I assume by lavender marriages, you mean same-sex marriages. There are several variants that I know of. Church-sanctioned marriages, blessings conducted by a priest, I believe, are quite rare. But since there are no official statistics, it is very difficult to say. There are also couples that are very loyal to each other and have decided that their marriage be Christ-centric, whether or not both parties are orthodox. There are also marriages where only one partner is Orthodox and faithful to the Church, and the other is not. They may or may not have a civil marriage, where the government allows such unions.

Sorry to be so vague, but that is all that I can offer. On my website is the wedding that the husband and I used, adapted from the “rite of brotherhood’. It is under the resources tab. We were blessed to be married by an Orthodox priest.

Astro,
Please email me privately about the online group. Orthodoxandgay@yahoo.com

Hi Astro,
Thank you for your comments. For many of us, although it is difficult to be Orthodox at times, we love Christ and His Church. You are very blessed to have a supportive and affirming family. Please pray for those LGBTQIA+ who do not have such a blessing. The Finnish Orthodox Church has indeed made a positive step in affirming God’s magnificent creation. For those interested here is the exact quote from the Council: “Item 24 (church council initiative on recognizing and safeguarding the rights of sexual and gender minorities and other minorities in the church)
The church council decided to approve the initiative.

Reasoning:

The Church Council initiative on recognizing and safeguarding the rights of sexual and gender minorities and other minorities in the church states: “ The church is the body of Christ. Excluding some parts of the body – denying their identity – not only hurts these individuals, but also cripples the community itself, wounds the church and makes it less of a church, weaker. In the church, everyone – absolutely everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, skin color, health challenges, social status, etc., must feel safe and be genuinely heard and encountered. ”

The Synod considers that the goals of the initiative – strengthening the security, dignity and equal encounter of church membership – are in harmony with the pastoral tradition and educational mission of the Orthodox Church.

The Church Council considers it necessary for the Church to develop education, guidance and communication that support the comprehensive encounter and inclusion of all members belonging to minorities.

The Church Council does not take a position on doctrinal issues, but emphasizes that the Church’s policies must be in harmony with Finnish legislation and that the Church’s educational and pastoral work requires clear practices that support equality. The Church must walk alongside every person and support them in all situations of life until the end.” It is Item 24 https://ort.fi/news/kirkolliskokous-2025-viidennessa-taysistunnossa-yksi-poydallepano-viiden-asian-kasittely-paatokseen/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOehchleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFhdkZwU2F4M2YxN0VPN2J3c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHgcFDWzUmsv11KpvCYQiFkNNZ9YODYWZr5RxTfAEYUSORstsuU7WY9Raxq9n_aem_WmyqrqK0_EvwuVEV0peuzw