tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14485860.post114950126297595981..comments2023-05-14T15:37:49.844+00:00Comments on Living Radical - The Jesus Army Life: Finding freedom - Jesus Army Life, Day 314Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05941432849255530869noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14485860.post-1149610478567556952006-06-06T16:14:00.000+00:002006-06-06T16:14:00.000+00:00Tschaka, I wasn't assuming that at all. I was sim...Tschaka, <BR/><BR/>I wasn't assuming that at all. I was simply pointing out that for someone who is gay they may not find themselves in a fellowship that is free from sexual pressure. I have friends who are gay their thought are no different to mine except in theirs it is focused on men, in mine it's women. I have a friend to only admit he would be attracted to me IF I were gay and another who could only see me as a brother, no attraction at all. I repsect the openess and honesty of both.<BR/><BR/>My second point was highlighting that it is possible to have close male-female friendships without sexual pressure too.<BR/><BR/>Yes I too feel saddened, I feel saddened that close godly friendships between brothers AND sisters are not fostered in the same way as they are promoted with brother-brother & sister-sister relationships. There is an obvious boundary that needs to be kept to avoid over-famility (something which I have always successfully avoided with my female friends) but that should not get in the way of forming friendships with brothers AND sisters alike.<BR/><BR/>Examples I can think of are single schools where segragation has resulted is high levels of underage pregnancy. Talking to pupils of these schools I have witnessed them talk of the opposite sex as something quite different, a lack of understanding that they are humans first and foremost, respecting them as indivdual beings and not strange creatures of fascination. This lack or forming normal friendships in childhood has meant that the opposite sex are unknown at a time when the change to adulthood brings its mix of emotions and urges.<BR/><BR/>I have placed great value in the of freedom of sharing with female friends, having a females point of view has been very helpful at times. Think how wonderful it would be if within the church those types of valueable friendships were encouraged whilst covered by God.<BR/><BR/>'DD'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14485860.post-1149598242937821242006-06-06T12:50:00.000+00:002006-06-06T12:50:00.000+00:00I don't think it's as easy as assuming that someon...I don't think it's as easy as assuming that someone who is gay will have trouble if he spends all his time with members of the same sex. <BR/><BR/>For one thing there is unlikely to be the same mutuality of attraction as there is between men and women, statistically there are less people to reciprocate those romantic feelings! But moreover your response comes from an assumption that homosexual attraction is fundamentally the same thing as heterosexual attraction. I don't know if that's true or not. Admittedly, while having looked at this subject for some time I can't speak authoratitively... but what if the same-sex attraction comes from a lack of true paternal/fraternal relationships in a man's life in the first place? Then brotherhood would provide help for a man in a way that being with women could not. <BR/> <BR/>I feel saddened by the above perspective on female friendships in church. I have some truly wonderful male friends in church life but some of my most precious friendships are with sisters, four quickly come to mind.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05941432849255530869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14485860.post-1149530636747756172006-06-05T18:03:00.000+00:002006-06-05T18:03:00.000+00:00I have found such security and blessing and freedo...I have found such security and blessing and freedom in sisters being with sisters and my sons have been working through the issues of being men having been brought up in a feminised way and have had too sturggle to become men and i am so so so grteful to God that he is showing my younger son and my daughter the path of how to be a man of God in the making and my daughter how to be a woman in God there is such freedom in boundries and i praise God for teh preciousness of zion boundries and realtionships hers to freedomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14485860.post-1149528478880975922006-06-05T17:27:00.000+00:002006-06-05T17:27:00.000+00:00Great so brothers with brothers and sisters with s...Great so brothers with brothers and sisters with sisters. Well that helps the hetrosexual people out, what if your homosexual? a little more complicated then.<BR/><BR/>Having only been around a small part of my life, I have known and continue to have close friendships with Women, married and single, I consider my life to be all the richer for it. Something I find lacking in church life.<BR/><BR/>'DD'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com