::Perhaps I was overstating that. I have no doubt that an adulterer's love for his mistress is real love. I also have no doubt that a person's love for their same-sex partner is real love. My point was that if an action is immoral than we must recognize that there may be what would otherwise be called virtuous aspects of that action. Those who consider the action immoral might have a hard time calling such love a virtue, but we must recognize it's there. I know you were considering a homosexual relationship as immoral only for the sake of argument, but I thought that was gist of your point. I apologize if I misrepresented it.
I suppose your point indicates that it is, in the end, impossible to completely grant the immorality of homosexuality for the sake of this particular argument.
It could be argued that the example of cousins is applicable as a love which does not include the breaking of a former trust, but is nonetheless immoral.
Of course there are still problems with the comparison, but for the sake of my point here, it is fair to say that what is important is that the church stop treating homosexual relationships as outlets for perverted lust, ignoring the real good that is found within and the real needs that it meets.
Of course, one of my past "immorality granted for the sake of argument" positions is that, much as Judaism understands sin as communal, so homosexuality, if it is immoral, is the symptom of the poverty of Christian friendships and the poor example of Christian fathers. Ultimately, if homosexuality is immoral, it is not so much itself an individual sin (is there such a thing?) as it is the symptom of a great number of sins, committed and ommitted.
::Okay, if you use the words judgment and counsel, I completely agree. You had used the word "discipline" which to me had a connotation of some sort of punishment.
That is fair. I suppose, in my theological understanding, punishment really has no place, except that chaos is the result of justice forsaking the unjust.
This is to say, that to discipline someone else is to love them, to run beside them so that, in order that they may keep up with you, they will drop everything that they hold which slows them down. This is love, and love is a purifying fire. "Punishment" cannot compare to the cost of failing to keep up, and watching your great love outpace you.
