Friends of gAyCU now on Facebook! (2 Viewers)

[GAYCU]

Friends of gAyCU is a group for Australian Catholic University (ACU) students, staff, and alumni who are supportive of people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) in our community. Whether you're a friend or ally, queer, questioning, curious or same-sex attracted, you are welcome here

The group was set up to decrease the sense of isolation that may be felt by ACU students who are same-sex attracted or identify as GLBT and also provide a way for other people to affirm their support of these students.

ACU is a public university open to all

A gAyCU social group also exists for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or same-sex attracted ACU students, staff and alumni to network and make new friends (email or msg "Gay Cu" for an invite)

Facebook: "Friends of gAyCU" group, friend "Gay Cu" in AU Catholic network
Email: gayacu@hotmail.com

 

[taykid]

I'm completing my HSC this year and I do not identify as catholic personally, but I have attended Catholic schools my entire education and I cannot express how much this post has made my day

I'm so glad to see a Catholic Institution supporting (proudly) the gay community. Seriously, that is so, so awesome. Massive kudos to you

 

[GAYCU]

I'm so glad to see a Catholic Institution supporting (proudly) the gay community. Seriously, that is so, so awesome. Massive kudos to you

Well more accurately, students supporting students. It's not an official group or club of the university, I'm not in a position to attempt to make it one and I'm sure if we did we'd meet resistance.

Direct and indirect discrimination exists throughout society and throughout the Catholic community but we can stand together in "solidarity" and support what we believe in - the dignity of all people.

 

[farmer123]

what a great idea, the next club should be for catholics who accept adultery.

 

[breaking]

what a great idea, the next club should be for catholics who accept adultery.

lol

 

[GAYCU]

what a great idea, the next club should be for catholics who accept adultery.

Catholic Social Teaching does not reject people that are gay, only the so called acts.

Many Catholics disagree with this teaching. ACU is a public university open to ALL, regardless of faith, or lack thereof, and regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.

Gay Catholic or Gay Christian is not an oxymoron, the two identities exist peacefully.

 

[GAYCU]

the Cardinals, the Bishops and all the Clergy are instructed to disbelieve in/turn away homosexuals (including females-lesbians).

So you're wrong.

As much as I'd love to pull apart your post, seeing as you're already banned, I'll just direct any who is reading this to some recent news stories and the Catholic Church's actual teaching (as so many assume what the Church teaches with never actually reading anything).

Recent statement from a Vatican spokesman: CNS STORY: Homosexuals deserve respect, compassion, says Vatican spokesman

The Catholic Catechism calls for compassion for homosexuals: "Section 2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition."


Now while some/many find issues with many words/sentences in that section, there are a few things that are clear:
1) The number of people with "homosexual tendencies" is far from small.
2) accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity
3) "unjust discrimination" should be avoided
4) called to fulfill God's will in their lives


Granted, many gay people have been forcibly excluded and experienced emotional and spiritual violence at the hands of the Church and many of its members, that does not negate the fact that as Catholics - gay, straight, inbetween or otherwise - we are called by God to treat each other with respect and compassion.


gAyCU does not attempt to judge anyone, that is for God and God alone. Instead gAyCU is about fostering compassion and inclusion, not exclusion.

GAYCU might also cause anti-gays to spam your inbox. Not such a smart idea, after all, perhaps?

Sorry I must have missed the lesson in life where it said don't do what you think is right because you might get some spam. Remind me not to sign up for any newsletters or competitions anytime soon

For your information, I have completely separate accounts for gAyCU. We have been operating for a year, with over 280 members in the public group. Not once have I received anything that remotely resembles hate mail. Not once. Not one wall post, not one discussion comment, not one email. I have received a lot of support and encouragement from all kinds of people from all over the world. Guess you view people a lot more negatively than I do

Despite the ah incredible peril of anti-gay spam, I strongly believe in what we are doing. For anyone reading this, some insight into why I am doing this can be gained from a Facebook Note I wrote recently entitled "'You know they won't listen to me'... So why do I do it?":

I often feel challenged in my personal life and in running these groups. There is so much hate and hostility and... indifference.

I am often asked what makes me so passionate, not just about GLBT but "activism" in general. Why do I care? Why don't I just take the "easier" road?"
​

You can read the answer and the rest of the note here (hint: God is involved): Login | Facebook

 

[SSRabbitohs2009]

i'm so glad to see a catholic institution supporting (proudly) the gay community. Seriously, that is so, so awesome. Massive kudos to you :d

+1.

 

[mcflystargirl]

as a gay person who says they are a christian what do you make of the parts of the bible that clearly say that homosexuality is a sin?

 

[GAYCU]

as a gay person who says they are a christian what do you make of the parts of the bible that clearly say that homosexuality is a sin?

What the Bible Says - And Doesn't Say - About Homosexuality

 

[mcflystargirl]

Some problems with that web page is that they are saying what they want the bible to say, rather then what it actually says.

The whole thing with the creation story for example. God did create men and women, and put adam and eve together, in marriage. The website completely ignores this part of the creation story and simply says it is all about God's power in creation. Yes this is what it is about, but it also outlines human relationships right from the very beggining.

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. He made marriage to be between a man and a women. The website you gave me suggest's that what is 'natural' and 'unnatural' is only talking about reproduction, but it is also talking about marriage and human relationships.

Now let's get to romans 1
26For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

this website you gave me had just tried to go back to the history and find another sin that they are committing and simply saying, it is actually talking about something else. If paul was writing about other strange sexual practice's it is logical to assume he would of written about them and made himself more clear.

the website you gave me also suggest that it is unnatural for gay people to engage in heterosexual sex. Genesis 2 clearly shows that God created sex to unite a husband and wife and to reproduce.

however it is important to know that myself and most christians i know to not judge homosexuals as people i have gay friends just disapprove of their lifestyle

 

[GAYCU]

I don't want to disrail this thread into a discussion on "homosexuality". There are other threads for that. This thread is an announcement thread about a group of students that accept and don't judge or discriminate against people that are gay.

That said, I think its important that I address your statements here but kindly ask that we continue this discussion elsewhere.

My reading of the link I posted is that it is very much about looking closely at what the Bible says but obviously our understanding of what the Bible says is different.


1) Genesis - Adam and Eve

I agree with you. It is about God the Creator and about human relationships.

In the first account of Creation, God creates humankind:

Genesis 1:27 (NRSV) "So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them"
​

What do we find out: God created all of humankind. Humans can be male or female. People can multiply. Fantastic. Thank you. Praise to God. Nothing condemning homosexuality.

In "Another account of Creation", Genesis 2:18

"It is not good that the man should be alone; I shall make him a helper as his partner."
​

God doesn't want the man [Adam] to be alone. So God creates animals.

2:20 "but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner"
​

So God creates "Woman".

Fantastic. First human relationship. First the man had a relationship with God then God created animals to be his partner, that didn't work so then he created the Woman to be his helper. Brilliant. Fantastic for them both.

Then:

Gen 2: 24"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."
​

This one I find interesting because Adam had no father and mother as such, he was made "out of dust" but I digress.

There's no talk of same-sex relationships. There's no talk of "marriage".

Even if there was it doesn't necessarily fit that "He made marriage to be between a man and a women [sic]". God made both the man and the woman, that does not make same-sex relationships "unnatural".

Cain magically finds a wife in 4:17. In 4:19, Lamech takes two wives (the 7th generation according to 4:19 but the 9th in the different genealogy given in 5). If you want an interesting summary of how the Bible talks about marriage, watch: YouTube - Betty Bowers Explains Traditional Marriage to Everyone Else

As Alan Segal puts it, marriage in the Bible is "one man and as many women as he could pay for."

Genesis 2 does not "clearly show that God created sex to unite a husband and wife and to reproduce". "And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed" does not talk about "sex", nor does it talk about "reproduction". It certainly doesn't follow that naked = "sex" = husband and wife = reproduction. That is reading what you want to read. There is nothing about same-sex relationships, there is nothing about "unnatural". How does "unnatural"= bad (eg polyester)? How can something God creates be "unnatural"?


2) Romans 1:26-27 (and the one you did not quote, Romans 2:1)

I've been quoting the NRSV so I will post those:

For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error - Romans 1:26-27
​

Romans 1:28-31 lists more behaviour eg murder, gossip, slanderers etc.

You dismiss the context that the soulforce readings puts on the passage so maybe you'll listen more closely to the Bible. To read in context, if you go back and read Romans 1:18-25, Paul is talking about those who worship false Gods and do not honor God:

21 for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him...
23 they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.
​

The reason that God gave them up in Romans 1:26, the bit you quoted, is in the preceding passage:

25 because they exchanged the truth for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever.
​

Ok so now that the Bible has told you that people weren't honoring God and were worshiping false idols and the soulforce reading has told you about people worshiping false gods in other temples through orgies and prostitution, let's look at Romans 1:26.

"women exchanging natural intercourse for unnatural" - it doesn't necessarily follow that "natural intercourse" = penis in vagina sex and "unnatural" = everything else.

Men "consumed for passion with one another" and committing "shameless acts" does not mean the "shameless acts" were about being gay or about gay sex. Just because two men commit a "shameless act" does not automatically make the shameless or unnatural bit the gay bit. In the same way, a man and a woman can commit 'shameless" or "unnatural" acts together, that does not mean opposite sex relationships are blanketly bad. God is not condemning them because of their sexuality, He is condemning them because they are obsessed with pleasure and not honoring Him.

The people in Romans 1 were rejecting God. I and many other same-sex attracted people do not reject God. We love Him and honor Him. God has not abandoned us. Our sexuality is not some kind of punishment.

I have not given up heterosexuality for homosexuality because I was never heterosexual.

I am not any more "lustful" than heterosexuals. I am in a long-term committed relationship with my partner. It is as fulfilling and natural as any heterosexual relationship. To compare my relationship to some mass orgy in a temple is offensive and downright wrong.

To sum up, I'll quote from the next verse in the Bible:

Therefore, you have no excuse, who ever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself - Romans 2:1

​

This thread is about students accepting and not judging others. Anything else in this thread is a derail. Feel free to continue this discussion in the other homosexuality thread. I will post this there for you to continue if you so wish.

You can continue this here: http://community.boredofstudies.org...litics/95808/homosexuality-australia/374.html