Quote:
Originally Posted by jay santos
BDB said the only way the church could change would be by changing its doctrine. I disagree. Doctrine is that drinking coffee and homosexual behavior is both a sin. Yet one group feels completely more ostracized.
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... illustrating another reason why it's a poor comparison: to drink or not drink coffee is a choice, whereas the choice of homosexuality is hotly, hotly debated. Maybe if there were some claim that folks were born with an irreversible, un-rehabilitatable (is that a word?) coffee addiction, then we might be getting close.
The primary reason homosexuals feel ostracized in the church is because the church's doctrine explicitly denies them the opportunity to act on those desires--desires some of them claim are God-given and/or that they have no control over. This is the chief complaint about the church's doctrine on gays. And you can see how people unable to think rationally on the issue (read: Mike Waters) react when you suggest trying to "rehab" a gay person.
I think BDB's point is a fair one. We CAN be more compassionate and understanding, but the thorn for gay folks vis-a-vis the church IS the doctrine.