Not much sleep.

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I slept well and deeply but for only about 4 or 5 hours. I will try very hard to make it to town tomorrow. I want sleep so badly I can almost taste it.

While up and at it, I cruised the web, visited blogs, reviewed news stories, and then goofed for a bit. What I saw at one blog started a line of thoughts.

There was something about the percentage of gays in England, I think. The tally showed that there was about 1% of the population which is gay, another portion of half that who are bisexual. Whatever and all. Then there were comments by the proprietor of the site. And then further there were comments a-plenty. I think the comments sort of steered toward whether gays will be punished any more than any other sinner. I have a simple answer. Yes, of course, though no it is not necessary.

Why is it not necessary? Well, it is not necessary because any sin can and will be forgiven. Gluttony, sloth, rage, and the rest, even to murder and many murders, can be born by Christ through His sacrifice as easily as I carry a coin in my pocket. There are requirements, however. If a murder or glutton truly sees he is sinning and brings this to the Lord (in confession as I believe it), the sin will be cleansed. That may not at all leave him free of secular punishment, but even if he faces the death penalty and that is carried out, he will have paid here and been forgiven, if he honestly understood what he did was wrong and then was forgiven. Gays, lesbians, bisexuals, masturbators, and adulterers can all be forgiven, even if they continue to fail.

What cannot be forgiven is refusing see the sin that these things are and seeking forgiveness. Most gays simply will not see what they choose to do sexually as a sin. They refuse to know it is immoral either. I cannot speak for every sexual deviant in existence. Some, I am quite sure, even if they lapse, understand the weight of their sin and seek forgiveness with all their heart. These will, barring other considerations, be saved. Many of those may well and happily be ahead of me in their placement in heaven. It is my sincere belief, however, that most gays are not among that number.

So, why all this about that? Well, the originating commenter suggested that the only problem with homosexuality is that it is a hard life. No doubt, but what is missed is that beyond being a hard life, it produces a hard afterlife. To fail, as Christians, to note this to those who are living in mortal sin is itself a sin. So you have friends that are gay, fine. And not that I am suggesting you, whoever you are, bash your friend(s) over the head with your morality every time you see them. But I do suggest, that if the topic arises, you steer them right. Further, I recommend that you not steer them wrong with general notions of secular thought, that all things are just fine with whatever they do. Same, of course, goes for all sinners. But for those who believe their sins are not sins, the impetus to teach and guide is much stronger. Going along to get along will do no good, it will harm.

I do not discuss hell lightly, generally, here or there. I do not suggest that people condemn anyone, but true compassion means being strong enough to tell the hard truths and not merely accept whatever is presented by whomever is presenting. I do not discuss hell so as to punish, but to save and to uplift. If people are headed to hell right now in life, they are both leading retched lives and can be saved. Once they are dead they are beyond the aid of choice. And they only get one life, unless they have a back pocket full of cat lives, as I do. Hehe! If I did not survive to now, I am pretty sure where I would be. Take heed. Your time is much shorter than you think, even should you live a thousand years, that last millisecond is a bad place to be in alone, sinful, and about to enter the dark.

Anyway, that is, sort of, my point. I cannot seem to get right in to what I mean lately. Still, trying as I may. Back to bed, and sleep I hope.