Mark 9:38-48
          Leading the sheep astray

           38 John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us." 39 But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. 40 For he that is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward.

42 "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

           Many of the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church equate being gay with being a pedophile.  This has been stated time and again even though it is completely false.  At issue, ( beside the fact the church seems to be a haven for, or fosters an atmosphere conducive to pedophiles   )  is the guilt from their own coverups. The coverups are really at the heart of their hypocrisy and lay bare any claim to their own Christian ethics and morals.

            Before this becomes more of a rant than a reflection, because I am capable of both, let us point out some facts. The Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church does not agree with this treatment of gays.  Gays should be respected and loved, it's right there in the catechism.

           Where the church leads the children astray so to speak is in the life they expect gays to live. They expect a level of chastity and celibacy that has never even worked within the clergy of the church itself and is more stringent than what they allow (defacto) in the heterosexual non-clergy believers.  Celibacy or living a life alone will perhaps work for some (if it does, kudo's to them) . However it will never work for almost the entirety of humanity because it is contrary to what God called us to do, how God wishes us to live.  Gen. 2:18 ( It is not good that Man should be alone ). 

           In fostering such an unworkable, neigh, unholy system, it plays specific havoc on the gay community. By insisting that they live within this un-natural system but all the while gays are called like every human to a inter-personal, physical relationship, they doom them to a life of condemnation. To my way of thinking, this is leading the children astray. Many a gay person that lives relationship to relationship is perpetuated by this premise that they cannot enter into a lasting relationship. And again, all the while driven  by our own humanity to interpersonal closeness and bonding. Of course closeness can happen without physicality but sexuality is an equal part of who we are, of how God made all of us. To deny who we are is a true sin for all of us.

            To deny who we are is a true sin for all of us.