doulos,

You said:

"I know a gay man whose father--a minister--completely turned his back on him. There were no open doors. There was no hope for reconciliation. He had simply ceased to exist. Whose fault? Who knows, but his dad was not without guilt."

Are you certain that there was no hope for reconciliation if the son would have repented of his homosexuality and lifestyle? I think not, and I belive the minister would have welcomed back a repentant son with open arms.

My point is that the father may have been exercising the greatest love possible for his son. I am also sure that his abandonment of his son might have been the most difficult decision of his life. I'm also sure that the minister was met with scorn for his decision by all of the "tolerant" and PC people around him.

The idea that the minister might have been exercising true love for his son is probably because he believes what the Scripture says about the matter:

"Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such WERE some of you;" [1 Cor 6:9-11ff]

Just maybe the minister believed that the Word of God is not kidding? And maybe the minister was exercising the only option, aside from prayer, he had left over his son. And maybe this, in hopes the son would not fall so far into his homosexual hell that he would never recover?

Denny

Roms 3:22-24

Denny

Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." [John 6:68]