Let's say that it is a sin in God's sight...

My daughter recently sent me a link to a post by Benjamin Corey entitled Some Things To Consider If You Think Being Gay Is A Sin. (http://www.patheos.com/blogs/formerlyfundie/some-things-to-consider-if-you-think-being-gay-is-a-sin/) In his post, Mr. Corey acknowledges that the theology of some of his more conservative friends is probably never going to change on this subject. This realization led him to ask something else of those friends - a challenge that I'd like to pass along to my conservative friends.

Mr. Corey points out that there are all kinds of "sinners" that we (the Christian community) do not feel compelled to reject or isolate from our fellowship. He cites obese Christians as a good example of this phenomenon. He points out that over-eating or gluttony is a sin. Mr. Corey points out that this behavior amounts to a type of greed and covetousness and can even morph into idolatry when it becomes obsessive. Nevertheless, we as a community do not isolate or force those among us with this problem out of our midst. We don't force them to form a separate obese congregation. Since we don't do this for our obese brothers and sisters, Mr. Corey asks why do we do it for our gay brothers and sisters?

If you believe that homosexuality is a sin in God's sight, why are you treating gay people different from other sinners? If exclusion of sinners is our standard, shouldn't we also be excluding alcoholics, drug atttics, shopaholics, sportsaholics, adulterers, thieves and folks with anger management issues from our midst? Aren't we all sinners? Aren't Christians sinners that have been forgiven because they have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and continue to rely on him as their Advocate before God? Didn't John write that if we (Christians) say that we don't sin that we are liars and the truth is not in us? (I John 1:8)

Mr. Corey points out that we don't exclude obese people from our midst because the sin of over-eating is culturally acceptable. We acknowledge that the reasons for this phenomenon are complex (sometimes even physiological in nature) and often related to some trauma in the person's background. As such, we are willing to love these folks and refrain from personally judging them. In short, we are willing to leave their sin(s) in God's capable hands and include them in our midst.

Why do we single out homosexuals who are trying to be Christians for different treatment? Is that logical or fair? Didn't Jesus Christ once tell the Pharisees that it was the sick who needed a doctor? (Matthew 9:12) What do you think?