Comments on: Gay Pride – Church Shame https://orthodoxandgay.com/gay-pride-church-shame Orthodox and gay Mon, 09 Dec 2013 00:52:37 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Lee Bailey https://orthodoxandgay.com/gay-pride-church-shame#comment-33191 Mon, 09 Dec 2013 00:52:37 +0000 http://www.orthodoxandgay.com/?p=711#comment-33191 “And, to say so once for all, we decree that the faith shall stand firm and remain unsullied until the end of the world as well as the writings divinely handed down and the teachings of all those who have beautified and adorned the Church of God and were lights in the world, having embraced the word of life. And we reject and anathematize those whom they rejected and anathematized, as being enemies of the truth, and as insane ragers against God, and as lifters up of iniquity. But if any one at all shall not observe and embrace the aforesaid pious decrees, and teach and preach in accordance therewith, but shall attempt to set himself in opposition thereto, let him be anathema, according to the decree already promulgated by the approved holy and blessed Fathers, and let him be cast out and stricken off as an alien from the number of Christians. For our decrees add nothing to the things previously defined, nor do they take anything away, nor have we any such power.”

Thats the end of Cannon 1 from the council of Trullo – we have no power to change the faith – morals are not relative and changing but in full effect for eternity – God absolutely loves the gays like he loves the blind and he sympathizes sincerely with their condition – however the light of Christ DOES INDEED come to give us sight!

Here is the formal statement from Orthodoxy today – notice we as a church can only quote what we have held forever – http://usa.greekreporter.com/2013/09/20/orthodox-bishops-release-statement-on-sexuality-marriage/

What the church has held is none other than absolute love for homosexuals and all with sinful tendencies – we love them with a practical love – the church is there to show me, a very lustful man, that we are not primarily sexual beings, but primarily relational beings and sexuality is merely one facet of that relational essence – we steward our sexuality, money, prayer life, and everything in accordance with the way of true life – the way of a walk with Christ – this walk is in line with the didache – one of the earliest catachesims (while it does not mention homosexuality, it talks about the fullness of a walk with Christ) – to be Christian is much more than having right stances but is showing full selfless love and submission to God as an offering of our life to Him, no matter our tendencies in our flesh
(didache – http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-roberts.html )

I love you and hope you find joy in “laying aside the cares of this world that we may recieve the king of all” – this may hurt now, but our suffering bonds us with Christ – He has not come to eliminate suffering and make things easy or pleasurable but He comes to change the outcome of suffering – as we suffer to fight our sinful tendencies, we bond with CHRIST HIMSELF – He loves you and me – contact me any time

With love and hope in God for us all.

Lee Bailey

PS I am so sorry that there is so much hypocrisy in the Church (as there always has been) – people not showing love to call our brothers to the fullness of Christ but instead showing hate – I apologize that I too am apart of this hypocrisy at times – live a life of repentance and pray for me that I may always be founded in love – Love for God and all He calls us to and love for all our fellow human beings who struggle beside us

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