Is the Homosexual my Neighbour?

[Monoxide]

Well, I am curious!

[Paphnutius]

I voted for 1, but please note that helping him to correct this does not always mean cramming Church teaching and Scripture down his throat. We are required out of charity to offer fraternal correction when someone's soul is at stake, but it is just that: charity.

[morostheos]

^ What he said.

[Ora et Labora]

I chose 1 too, because we should try to correct him...but like the first person said...patiently.

Does that mean we have to hang out with them on purpose for that reason?

[Didacus]

The choice is obviously 1, and I agree it should be done in the spirit of charity.

[Nathan]

Like anybody else, we should always treat homosexuals with love and charity -- even if they are practicing homosexuals, even if they have a pro-gay agenda, even if they hate us. Unconditional love and charity is the best witness. Sometimes that means evangelizing, sometimes that means not saying a word about it. Just being there for them.

[avemaria40]

Absolutely! Somebody's sexuality issues don't automatically mean their not a person!

[crazymaine catholic]

i agree with everyone above me.

[OLAM Dad]

I voted NULL because I believe that my responsibility ends at loving him as a neighbor. I may, in charity, choose to help him to amend his ways but it isn't my responsibility to do so...is it?

[Paphnutius]

[quote name='OLAM Dad' date='Mar 2 2006, 01:25 PM']I voted NULL because I believe that my responsibility ends at loving him as a neighbor.  I may, in charity, choose to help him to amend his ways but it isn't my responsibility to do so...is it?
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[/quote]Yes. Charity requires that we give up temporal things (such as time, money, food, etc..) in order to perserve what is everlasting (someone's soul). The amount that you are required to give up or sacrifice is of course correspondent to the need of the person. So if a person is in dire emergency (an unbaptized infant in imminent danger of death) you are bound by charity to do what you can to save that child's soul. Here this might mean baptizing the infant if a priest cannot be found within a reasonable time or dashing into a burning building to baptize the infant although it is very likely you will die in the process. (Note that in the second scenario the probability of being able to reach the baby to baptize in time must be certain)

In this case though, the person is not in imminent danger of death, but there is a real need for action here. So while you are not bound to sacrifice a great deal here, you are bound to sacrifice a little at a time over time so that you fulfill your obligation out of charity. The person is living in mortal sin and so it is indeed your duty, as your brother's keeper, to bear light inconvenience to aid him.

Edited March 2, 2006 by Paphnutius

[Ora et Labora]

What I asked before...that doesn't mean you have to become friends and hang out with them, do you? The freak me out...

[photosynthesis]

[quote name='Paphnutius' date='Mar 2 2006, 02:12 PM']I voted for 1, but please note that helping him to correct this does not always mean cramming Church teaching and Scripture down his throat. We are required out of charity to offer fraternal correction when someone's soul is at stake, but it is just that: charity.
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[/quote]
amen

we have an obligation to share the truth with all people we meet, but if it is not spoken in love then our efforts are worthless.

[Era Might]

Think of the most vile, the most evil, the most morally bankrupt person imaginable.

He, too, is your neighbor.

[Ora et Labora]

I dont hang out with evil people either....

[Ora et Labora]

But you gotta point there, Era Might.

[franciscanheart]

I voted with nineteen others for choice number one.

[Ora et Labora]

wow...everyones choosing the same one.

[Nathan]

[quote name='Ora et Labora' date='Mar 2 2006, 01:55 PM']What I asked before...that doesn't mean you have to become friends and hang out with them, do you? The freak me out...
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[/quote]

I don't go out of my way to hang out with gay people either, but I would never deny my friendship to a person solely because they are gay. The important thing is to not close yourself off to them. Christ certainly didn't.

[Ora et Labora]

I havent been in a situation yet where I had a chance to hang out with a gay person.