Below are some thoughts from a man named Andrew. He wrote them in the comments section under this article.
". . . As a homosexual member of the LCMS. . . (t)he last thing I need is a pastor telling me it’s ok to act on my temptations or, God forbid, a pastor who flaunts a gay relationship. It is hard, lonely and frustrating enough to overcome this temptation and I certainly don’t need a pastor to be throwing gasoline on the fire for me.
No, what I need is to be able to stand before God every Sunday and confess 'I am by nature sinful and unclean.' I need to know that I stand among others who, even if they might reject me for the temptation I face, are, at least that moment, connected to me through our mutual struggle with our own sinful natures. With the sinners and lepers of the past, I need to be able to say 'Lord have mercy upon me.' And with the angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, I need to look forward to a future glory and fellowship when I will no longer face this struggle. I need a pastor who will point me back to the Word of God instead of his own limited reasoning and feed me on the Means of Grace instead of poisoning me with permission to sin. . . (M)ay God preserve us from such shepherds. . . who not only allow the lost sheep to wander but hasten their departure from the flock.
Perhaps (they) should recall Christ’s words in Matthew 18:6 'But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.'”
". . . As a homosexual member of the LCMS. . . (t)he last thing I need is a pastor telling me it’s ok to act on my temptations or, God forbid, a pastor who flaunts a gay relationship. It is hard, lonely and frustrating enough to overcome this temptation and I certainly don’t need a pastor to be throwing gasoline on the fire for me.
No, what I need is to be able to stand before God every Sunday and confess 'I am by nature sinful and unclean.' I need to know that I stand among others who, even if they might reject me for the temptation I face, are, at least that moment, connected to me through our mutual struggle with our own sinful natures. With the sinners and lepers of the past, I need to be able to say 'Lord have mercy upon me.' And with the angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, I need to look forward to a future glory and fellowship when I will no longer face this struggle. I need a pastor who will point me back to the Word of God instead of his own limited reasoning and feed me on the Means of Grace instead of poisoning me with permission to sin. . . (M)ay God preserve us from such shepherds. . . who not only allow the lost sheep to wander but hasten their departure from the flock.
Perhaps (they) should recall Christ’s words in Matthew 18:6 'But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.'”
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