Comments for Christocentric

Comment on How to cope with having a gay family member by Carlotta Morrow

Carlotta Morrow — Tue, 21 May 2013 01:12:20 +0000

Well personally Woofles, I don’t view the gay culture as a cult just yet. It is a culture, a way of life for many and for folks that simply want to be accepted for who they are. So I don’t view the LGBT community as cultists. It can be that way with individuals, but as a whole group I don’t consider them as such. I guess it would sound kind of hypocritical from your perspective. But from mine, I just view the LGBT community right now as a people like anyone else who need God in their lives – and that God is Jesus Christ.

Comment on How to cope with having a gay family member by Woofles

Woofles — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:23:40 +0000

I cannot express how hypocritical you sound when you agree with the idea that the gay community is likened to a “cult”…. and then turn around and claim that the most important thing my brother (and apparently I) can do is to become born again and follow in a christlike life. As if to join in on your “cult” for the sake of leaving another. As if your choices and decisions need to be extended to my own. Brilliant.

Comment on How to cope with having a gay family member by Carlotta Morrow

Carlotta Morrow — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:53:41 +0000

Woofles, your aunt may be a little bit judgmental in her assessment of your brother, but she is on point in her belief that there is something immoral about his chosen lifestyle. As a Christian, homosexuality is known as a sin and a choice that one makes to act upon. Your aunt shouldn’t have to accept your brother’s choice, but she can be more accepting of him as a person and especially as her nephew. Hopefully your aunt is speaking more about your brother loving Jesus Christ and that love is shown through obedience. If your brother (or yourself) do not make any claim in believing in Christ, then what’s most important is becoming born-again. Once that happens then what you do with your life from that moment on will dictate how you live the Christlike life. Even if your aunt was more accepting of him, because of her stance on homosexuality it would be doubtful he would be accepting of her. I know because it’s the same in my family. I have a gay nephew and his mother, my sister, I am very close to. We were all very close in his youth but as he got older and becoming more public about his sexual choice, he became more distant from me because of my views on homosexuality. I haven’t treated him any differently. I’ve accepted the fact that when a person takes a biblical stand on anything and it goes against the grain, you will not be held in any favor by those who oppose.

I really like what your aunt said about the “cult” of the gay culture, because cultlike is what exactly the gay culture has become in our country. Sadly but very true. All in all I hope that your aunt will show less condemnation and acceptance of your brother in spite of her beliefs. As far as her going over the line as a “moral enforcer,” many of us appear that way because our family we are closest to and love the most, so it is our family that we are striving to have “saved” from worldliness first.

Comment on How to cope with having a gay family member by Woofles

Woofles — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:04:53 +0000

My younger brother, who is 18, has recently come out to the family stating he is gay. Although this came to a surprise to most in the family, I knew for many, many years that my brother struggled with this part of himself. It was no surprise to me when he finally came out about it. When my brother was 12 years old, for instance, I remember him coming to me crying and explaining how much he was bullied by kids who claimed he was gay, etc. He talked to me a lot back then about how he felt he might be gay. He liked girls, but found no physical interest in them but wasn’t actively dating any guys either. At the time he was young, so I basically told him to not worry so much about it and whatever comes later in life will come. He struggled a lot with his identity in those years. At one point, cutting his wrists that caused marks and gained the attention of his friends and school administration. He was not a happy kid back then, and it showed.
When he finally came out, it has been like a 180 degree turn. He has tons of friends, many of which are straight and all of which are good influences on his life. He’s active in academics, thinking of going into college after graduating later this year. He is animated, optimistic and very level headed. He may still be bullied but his self-esteem is high enough to where he can brush all of it off. He is happy. And I couldn’t be happier for him.

Recently, I got into a huge argument with my aunt over the state of my brother’s life. My aunt is a “born again christian”, and as such, tends to have a strong opinion on such subjects. My aunt has never been particularly close to my brother and I, and has a tendency to concern herself with what she perceives as the “negatives” of other people in the family. She’s extremely judgmental although I’m sure she wouldn’t agree with that statement. She claimed my brother was making “wrong choices”. She claimed that by being gay my brother is putting himself at risk of getting involved in drugs and delinquencies. And by labeling himself as “gay”, my Aunt claims, he puts himself in the “cult-like” gay culture. As if, by being gay, you are held captive in that state by other gays.

That being said, my aunt doesn’t know my brother like I do. Really, she hardly knows a thing about him: his interests, his social life, anything. She never knew half of the struggles I saw in him. She can’t wrap her head around the idea that my brother, perhaps, is not making any choice but is finally understanding and accepting what and who he is. Sure, there are some that may “choose” this life, but I highly disagree with that assumption when it comes to my brother.

Of course I don’t expect someone like my Aunt to accept my brother’s “choice”. Nor does my brother. She is entitled to her beliefs and by no means should she ever be expected to change her opinion. But I seem to find a reoccurring ideology with many practicing Christians that assume the role of “moral enforcer”. It’s one thing to disagree, it’s another to cast judgement and demand change to better fit your own morality. I don’t understand why some feel the need to step so far over this line.

Comment on Transgender craziness: Boy who wants to be a Girl Scout! by Carlotta Morrow

Carlotta Morrow — Fri, 17 May 2013 07:21:43 +0000

Angela, we all struggle with things that cause self-hate and the best advice I can give on that is to recognize what is God’s will for your life. Meaning, if you already recognize that homosexuality is a sin, then God’s will for you is to appreciate the body that God placed you into – that of a woman. You are a wife – then another way of dealing with those torturous thoughts is to concentrate on your husband’s needs and not your own. Marriage is about selflessness, dying to self while concentrating on the other.

God is not going to zap any sinful thoughts or feelings from our lives – we must act against them. I have personally found that if I dwell so much on “me” then all those sinful thoughts just take over. When I’ve busied my thoughts on good things and on helping others, then the things that plague me begin to dwindle an no longer hold my thoughts hostage.

The apostle Paul best summed that up beautifully when he wrote in Philippians: “8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9

Comment on Transgender craziness: Boy who wants to be a Girl Scout! by Angela

Angela — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:47:26 +0000

Hello Carlotta,

I have read a few of your blog posts, and I think you may be able to offer a new insight to my situation.

I am a Roman Catholic business owner, wife and mother, married for 5 years, and proudly raising my daughter to love God.

I also have been secretly struggling with sin for as long as I can remember. I have transgender feelings; that is, I feel as though I was born in the wrong body and should have been born a man. I have also always had strong homosexual feelings, but never act on them. I have confessed these feelings to my priest many times, and prayed that God can help me free myself of them, but that never helps.

I have been struggling with this for many years, and my feelings of self-hate just get worse. I don’t want to feel this way, and I also don’t want to burden my friends and family with the knowledge of my sinful thoughts. I have been severely depressed as a result, and prayer and love for my family is sometimes all that gets me through.

Do you have any recommendations?

Thank you for sharing your views and offering hope that there is a way out of this.

Comment on The Negative Effects of Same-sex Marriages (Updated 4/6/2013) by ET

ET — Tue, 14 May 2013 01:39:42 +0000

not to mention 50% of heterosexual marriages end in divorce… I don’t think thats a good environment for a child…. It will not change the meaning of marriage because you are entitled to your own as am I..

Comment on The Negative Effects of Same-sex Marriages (Updated 4/6/2013) by ET

ET — Tue, 14 May 2013 01:37:15 +0000

I was raised by lesbian parents.. NEVER EVER was i HURT in the process. I HAD 2 parents who loved me unconditionally! I HAVE successful and health relationship with the men in my life and have graduated at the top of my class… all of this is bogus…. If you really think that my family threatens your marriage… you should be in counseling… my family and your family have NEVER met.. we don’t effect you and vice versa.. My parents have been together for 25 years and have raised 3 healthy and happy successful children. If you’re marriage is invalidated by my parents who can now get married ( YAY MN). you obviously didn’t have a strong enough marriage if 2 women you have never met are making you feel threatened. I do not think your love for your partner is any less significant rather that my parents love is just as significant and sacred as yours is.

Comment on Kwanzaa and Christianity – Unequally Yoked! by Carlotta Morrow

Carlotta Morrow — Fri, 03 May 2013 03:07:52 +0000

Good going Maritza! No need to carry any guilt about your past participation…you were just a child. But glad you now have that off your consciousness!

Comment on Kwanzaa and Christianity – Unequally Yoked! by Maritza

Maritza — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:30:04 +0000

Two weeks ago I heard the Holy Spirit tell me to rip a photo that I took in 5th grade. I flatly refused by answering, “I don’t want to make any rash decisions.” In 5th grade, the teacher had asked that every student participate in Kwanzaa. We were taught what it meant and practiced a few lines in order to present this celebration to our parents in the auditorium. I had the lead part. My neighbor at the time, having her son in the school, came and took a picture of me because my mother didn’t have a camera. Today, while trying to remember everything that God didn’t want me to participate in such as Canobie Lake park so that I can ask for forgiveness, I was reminded once more about the picture and was commanded to research Kwanzaa. Even before I researched it, I cut the picture, being unable to rip it due to a plastic covering in the back. I thank God for the courage to do so.