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At Ethical Views of Christian Denominations from ReligionFacts they categorize these issues as: Sexuality: Premarital sex, Adultery, Homosexual Behavior Marriage: Divorce, remarriage, same-sex marriage Gender: Women in Leadership, Gender roles in marriage Life and Death: Abortion, Contraception, Euthanasia, Removal of life support, Suicide, Death Penalty, War, Military Service, Tobacco UseHomosexuality: In the early 21st century the issue of homosexuality has been a hot topic in Churches, Politics and the news.
In particular the ordination of gay ministers has caused significant dissension in the Episcopal, Lutherin and Presbyterian (USA) churches. Over $74 million total was spent on campaigns both for and against California's Proposition 8 ballot initiative in 2008, which banned same-sex marriage and was passed 52% to 48%. It was subsequently overturned in court. Conservative politicians love to use "family values" as a talking point, usually meaning opposition to gay marriage.
Most of us believe that the Bible is clear about homosexuality and adultery being wrong.
The Presbyterian Church in America, a smaller more conservative Presbyterian detonation, does not allow homosexuals or women to serve as clergy, deacons or elders. Churches seem to be ranking three of these issues as: Really bad - Homosexuality "What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person's heart, that evil thoughts come--sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person." [Mark 7:20-23 ] Bad - Adultery Not so bad - Female leadership Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. [1Cor 14:33-35 ] A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. (NIV, 1 Timothy 2:11-12) See What Does the Bible Say About Women in Ministry?Homosexuality and Adultery: Christ had a lot to say about adultery and next to nothing to say about homosexuality. See Levititicus 18:22 and 20:13 lists homosexuality along with incest and adultery as a sin.
Christ had a lot to say about adultery and next to nothing to say about homosexuality. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:9 that homosexuality will keep you from entering the kingdom of God.
Adultery:
What if you view these in terms of harm done? My personal ranking, bad to not so bad, is:
So should you sympathise with these people and show them compassion just like you would to someone who gets cancer? * I suspect there are those who would make a case that if submission of wives, which occurs in several places in the Bible, was instilled in Christian women, then # 1 and 2 above would not be as likely to break up families. I don't know anyone who has. I agree with the exclusion of homosexuals from ordination in mainline churhes because of their promotion of this lifestyle (e.g. Gay pride parades). Adulters may brag about their exploits while watching football with their male friends, but they don't make public displays of it. In 1992 the Presbyterian Church USA Special Committee to Study Human Sexuality published a 200-page report "Keeping Body and Soul Together: Sexuality, Spirituality, and Social Justice". This report which proposed relaxed views of pre-marital sex, homosexuality and other contensious issues and created a lot of controversy within the church getting national media attention. It was ultimately voted down.
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