Moralizing.

When it comes to sex and homosexuality the oldest generations still moralize out of fear.

They still have a strong image of God as a moral arbiter.

And their fear makes them violent.
They punish sex out of fear.

Fear of hell and damnation.

A fear that was drummed into them as children.

This is not God's doing.
But it happens in the Church.

This is the source of the violence experienced by Jesus in the Temple.

Jesus told The Parable of The Wicked Tenants who beat and killed God's messengers.
This was their fear acting.
They were so afraid of God and damnation that they crucified Jesus in order to maintain their position of privilege and their righteousness before God.
Because if they lost their righteousness they thought they would lose their blessing, their grace under God.

Their fear made them test Jesus.
And eventually their fear made them kill him.

So, rather than attacking them or threatening them - which would trigger their fears - we should be comforting them, helping them to see that if you engage in sex or homosexual activity you will not lose God's blessing.

This also applies to their good works.

Their fear makes them defend their good works even when they have been shown to be harmful to others.

This is their fear of losing God's blessing which would mean hell forever.

So, despite what they may say, unconsciously they are ruled by fears.

Pray for them to overcome their fears and open their hearts.


Photo Credit: Simone Lovati via Compfight cc