Changes

To conclude on a compassionate and pastoral note. All of us can arm ourselves with spiritual weapons to combat the passions that present themselves to us, and at times overtake us and still at other times totally consume us. That is why the struggle against them is a life long journey and we are called to always be on guard and vigilant in this "battle." The Church offers to us the "weapons" to aid all sinners to overcome their passions and temptations. "These spiritual weapons include prayer, worship, reading of Scripture and patristic writings, [[fast]]ing, [[Confession|Holy Confession]], Christian fellowship, as well as [[spiritual father|pastoral]] and psychiatric counseling which should be used by all including those who suffer from homosexual tendencies. ... The Church should do this with the same compassion, love and sensitivity as it does with all others who struggle to overcome their passions and grow in Christ."{{ref|3}} I think the spirit of the Church's outreach (the pastor and the membership at large) and embrace should be as Fr. Harakas stated in the last part of that statement—with the same compassion and love, etc. It takes ''courage'' to do so since at times many "social stigmas" may have to be overcome. One such stigma may even be the use of the term homosexual versus "same-sex attraction" that Fr. Hopko uses in his book of reflections on that subject as well as the Courage movement in the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. "God does not make human beings homosexual ... to live human lives of love through their complementary communion with each other on a physical, emotional, spiritual and sexual level ... because of the fallen state of humanity some are subject to same-sex desires."{{ref|8}} In this way one can understand that we are not born homosexual as we are of born with a particular skin color or gender. The key for us as Orthodox Christians is to embrace and respect one another and as being mutually created in his His love. Then we can join together in our mutual struggle against the passions that beset our fallen world.