Liberated Christians
PO Box 55045, Phoenix Az 85078-5045
Promoting Intimacy and Other-Centered Sexuality
COPYRIGHTED 1997 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - MAY BE REPRINTED OR QUOTED
FROM ONLY IF CREDIT IS GIVEN LIBERATED CHRISTIANS, MAILING ADDRESS IS SHOWN AND
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Note: Liberated Christians is a primarily about heterosexual relationships.
While we are supportive of all sexual orientations, the leaders do not have the
resources to assist them in their special issues. Thus, our Fellowship groups are
not appropriate for gays/lesbians. However, individually Dave (an extreme heterosexual
- Kinsey Scale= 0) has done extensive biblical research and has been active supporting
biblical homosexuality for many years. However, there is no "official"
stand as an organization on homosexuality other than general support.
Catholic Supportive Views: What the Pope Still Needs To Learn
The Silly Unnatural Idea Of Celibacy
Most Christian denominations, including now Catholics, now recognize the false traditional
religious teachings about homosexuality. Many serious theologians agree that the
scripture never says a word about homosexuality as we know it today, only the pederasty.
Even Catholic bishops are now recognizing the false teachings. For example, Bishop
J. Terry Steib, svd has officially welcomed the group GRACE (Gays Rejoicing &
Affirmed in a Catholic Environment). In Memphis GRACE has a chaplain appointed from
the chancery office who lovingly accepts and has an outreach to gays in the Diocese
of Memphis.
GRACE is not a political group. They simply wanted a supportive place to worship
and grow in love through a deeper knowledge of God. Through the power of the Holy
Spirit they grow in numbers and fervor in their Christian faith.
Another gay Catholic group is Dignity. Dignity has 71 listings in the GAYELLOW PAGES
The National Edition, and 7 more chapters listed with the Catholic Dignitry group
in combination with Integrity, the Episcopalian gay group. Here is the listing of
the national office of Dignity: Dignity USA 1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW #11 Washington,
DC 200005 (202) 861-0017 Fax 429-9808 Dignity publishes a newsletter called "Gay,
Lesbian & Bisexual Catholics & their friends."
Prodigy member Gary Salles (SHBC91A) writes a column in their gay paper entitled
The Burning Bush which deals with being Lesbian/Gay and Christian. Gary is a Cantor
and finds it a wonderful experience of feeling love and acceptance within the Catholic
Church.
Catholic Reaction To Pope s Gay Attack
I can only take so much. Homophobia has been part of the Catholic Church for eons.
But the Bishop of Rome (henceforth, that is how I address him) went too far in Vatican
City when he viciously attacked Gay people who mean no harm to anyone. I'm tired
of being treated like trash by the Catholic Church. It will be heart-wrenching to
leave, but I now realize that the Catholic Church hates me and will never love me.
I shall write the Bishop of Rome (he is no longer my Pope) today although I know
my letter will never, ever, be read by anyone in Vatican City of any importance,
at least I will have had the satisfaction of explaining to hi Holiness that his
vicious attack yesterday on gay people while saying Mass was the straw that broke
the camel s back. I am no longer a Roman Catholic as of TODAY. And I am shocked
seeing the sentence I have just written. I will go where I am loved and accepted
and treated with human dignity at all times. - Xavier Salinger Public Prodigy post
Reply by John Bernardi:
I sympathize with you completely. When I heard the Pope s address, I became very
angry and very hurt. I was raised and educated in the Church and I finally realized
how hypocritical the Church is after all. How can A church consider itself to be
the heritage of Christ and proclaim a policy of social discrimination and hatred?
I guess I cannot understand the outright hypocrisy of the whole matter. After all,
the Church has idolized what can be considered a completely unnatural form of sexuality
for centuries - celibacy. Yet, at the same time, it is now quick to condemn those
individuals who seek to form healthy loving and long-term gay relationships (in
marriage). But, then, Xavier, what can we really expect from a Church that only
recently admitted that after all Galileo was right. In recent years, I have come
to understand the difference between a relationship with a loving and always-present
God and a relationship with a bureaucratic and dispassionate ecclesiastical organization.
Congratulations! Perhaps now you can join me and many others who could no longer
accept an organization trapped by its own homophobia and discrimination. Perhaps
you will come to agree with me that this was an organization that has lost Christ
s message of compassion and love. Instead, it has become a Church guilty of blatant
idolatry and ignorance.
Even the Pope Agrees Not A Choice
Catholics at least now recognize that homosexuals have no choice
in their sexual orientation (a fact now proven psychologically and now finding genetic
support) but consider their condition is aberrant behavior which is against the
natural order. Wow does that lack any logical Congruence!
Lets see, God creates homosexuals giving them strong sexual desires and then forces
them to live a life of misery, artificially repressing the natural sexual desire
God gave them. That s quite a mean God, certainly not the one I know.
First of all homosexuality is not a behavior, therefore it can not be aberrant.
Homosexuality is an inborn/innate orientation not a behavior choice.
Heterosexuals never have to be forced into celibacy. Why would God single out the
persons created homosexual to live a life of forced celibacy, and then permit them
to be so ostracized and abused by the heterosexual and religious community! This
is a loving God?
God created homosexuals to be homosexuals, responsible homosexuals, just as God
created heterosexuals to be heterosexuals and to act as heterosexuals, responsible
heterosexuals! It is wrong for either to act irresponsibly. Misuse or abuse of our
sexuality, regardless of which variety, is wrong because THAT is against Gods will.
Celibacy Is Unnatural
The vast number of "conversions" of natural homosexuals, result not in
a heterosexual desire but a life of celibacy out of fear of God due to false teachings
that somehow homosexuality is sinful.
If a man is born with only one leg, we provide an artificial leg, we don't pray
that God will grow him a new one. But in essence, the homosexual is told to pray
a lot and hop on one leg for all of life by being celibate.
This call to celibacy is like saying "you can be a bird, but don't fly."
Why would celibacy bring the homosexual into God's ideal of an integrated life of
love? Does a lifetime of denial of true natural self and the refusal of the gift
of loving human sexuality be more Christ's will? I think not, especially when no
where in scripture is homosexuality as we know it today even mentioned it as sinful.
Only the bigots and those that are perhaps so insecure with their own sexuality
teach lies of hate rather than what is biblical - Christs love for all that God
created whether they were born left handed, right handed, heterosexual, homosexual
or bisexual, it makes no difference. That s simply how God created them - no matter
how insecure you are that doesn't change the facts.
Liberated Christians