Will Gays go to Hell?

They say people nowadays are more lenient in terms of sexuality. For me, this idea pertains only to a portion of the vast population especially here in the Philippines, where the party list "Ladlad" has recently been denied of accreditation for the upcoming 2010 elections. One bishop voiced out his support to this decision by clarifying that the church acknowledges the existence of gays, lesbians, and transgenders but totally against their "immoral acts". On the other hand, Danton Remoto, Ateneo de Manila University professor and co-founder of "Ladlad", is still determined to apply a motion for reconsideration in spite of the fact that Comelec has junked their application not only once for grounds I'm really unsure if they have sufficient basis on. Comelec emphasized that they dismissed the group based on "moral grounds", but I don't think they're really getting the main point of this issue. What this group and everyone else in the country or in the world who are members of the so-called "third sex" want is an equal human rights and privileges. I don't know, but many people are still closed-minded in terms of homosexuality. This is the main reason why I'm still terrified to come out of my shell and tell my family and the whole world that I'm gay. If biblical testimonies are purely true, then homosexuals are condemned to go to hell if will not change their ways. No wonder a lot of gays are selfishly indulging in same-sex relationship, oral, and anal sex without any clear concern on the possible outcomes of these "imoral" actions. This brought me back to the conversation I had with a gentleman across the globe about the question I posted on a christian networking site about a year and a half ago. I wondered during that time if there's any hope for homosexuality and the corresponding punishments for those who have sinned sexually. These are the written conversation that took place afterwards:
----- Original Message ----
From: LUISITO BATONGBAKAL
To: davidabc13@yahoo.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 5, 2008 7:56:31 PM
Subject: my answer to the question you posted in christianster advice segment

hi!just to clarify some things about me that you think is unclear. First of all, I would like to thank you for giving sound advice to the ordeal that I've been going through. You sound very willing to help me have a clearer perspective about the things that bother me. I think I'm already saved, as far as I'm concerned, because I have a personal relationship with God and continually growing since I accepted Him as my personal Savior. But I still consider myself a "baby christian" taking "baby steps" for a complete spiritual growth and enlightenment. You know, I'm still at the point of struggling to let go of the past and of the old ways and habits that have been part of my daily life. Spiritual growth cannot be achieved overnight......it takes time and I believe that with proper guidance and training I can finally let go of this sinful feelings and be emancipated from the evil bondage. It's a struggle every time the evil sets some temptations to trap me but I'm willing to change my ways. I'm tired of it already. Like an alcoholic willing to go to a program that will extinguish his cravings for alcohol, I'm willing to go to any 'rehab' whatever to be free from this feelings. I didn't chose to be like this, I think it's there since birth. So, if you are asking that how assured I am that I'm saved, I could say with conviction that I am. But if you are implying that I would not be saved just because I still have some issues regarding my sexuality, then it's up to you.......you don't know what I'm going through, in the first place. Thank you and God bless you!

Full MessageRe: my answer to the question you posted n christianster advice segment,
From: david chan View Contact
To: LUISITO BATONGBAKAL


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

first of all, thank you for clarifying this.



i just want you to know that praying a sinner's prayer and accepting Jesus as a personal savior is NOT how the Bible says a person is saved. i sure hope that you are not relying on a prayer and a decision for your salvation. that is a common tragedy of modern evangelicalism today. a person to be saved will show signs of godly sorrow, counting the cost, and NEW desires. the NEW desires come from a NEW heart which God gives.



yes, sancitification is a process. spiritual growth is a process that is not overnight. that is true. but that spiritual growth is in terms of maturity, character, and priorities. the DESIRES are overnight. i'm glad that you are in church though, receiving guidance and counseling. that is very good. in fact, my advice would be for you to you talk to your pastor about this, or someone in church who you have a personal relationship with, someone you can trust, and someone who will NOT gossip and NOT spread what you would talk about. pray about who it is in your church that you can talk to for counselling because it is very crucial that accountability be taken in your growth regarding your faith.



remember john3:19-21 and ephesians 5:11. be encouraged to take that step to expose this so that the enemy cannot condemn you :)

"Hand-Me-Overs" for Christmas

Gifts shouldn't be that expensive.

Well, for people like me who has a tight budget most of the time, at least this suggestion will be helpful in conserving our limited resources. It's just plain simple:RECYCLE. But when I say 'recycle', that doesn't mean you have to make gifts out of the thrash that will leave your loved ones nothing to be thankful about. Also remember that it's not ideal to send perishable items (e.g. food items) as gifts for the holiday season. You can follow these gift suggestions that I got from a morning show. Remember, you can still make someone else's Christmas merry without compromising your own budget.

1. Unused T-shirts: You can still give shirts that are still not out of the original package perhaps because it's not fit for you or you just don't like the style. These could be shirts that you received as gifts from the previous holiday or birthdays. Make sure the style fits the receiver's gender and/or personality before wrapping up those shirts.

2. Charm bracelets or other accessories: Maybe you have some stored accessories right inside your cabinets.These could either be charm bracelets that you're making for your business or other creative accessories that you've made for your own use. I suggest that this is the best time to take these out and give it to someone else that will surely appreciate these items.



3. Books: If you're like me who treasures books so much that I always see to it that they're protected from the 'wear and tear' factors, then probably you have bundles of books out there that are as good as new and can still be considered as good gift items. You can also put your dedications on those books to make it more personalized and important for the receiver.


4. Unused appliances or storage boxes: Personally, these are the best gift items for me because it will not only save some space in our house but will also serve as a valuable gifts for my loved ones. In our case, there are a lot of duplicate items in our house because my mom is fond of collecting appliances that will consume most of our spaces so I don't have to worry much about it.


5. Wines: Because wines have considerable long shelf-life, these can still be ideal gift items for Christmas.


I hope these gift suggestions will somehow be of help for you this Christmas. Happy Holidays everyone!

Return of the Iron Man

Full Trailer for 'Iron Man 2' Shows Whiplash in Action
When I first watched Iron Man (starring Robert Downey Jr.) in dvd last August, I fell in love with the special effects and the story-telling rendered by the film itself. Unlike other moivies with the same comics-based characters, Iron Man has a different attack in reliving the character as a movie super hero. Light and engaging story complemented by superb special effects and a powerhouse cast that are not new in Oscar nominations and awards, this movie will leave every members of the family dumbstrucked and amazed. A day after the first sneak peek to "Iron Man 2" was released by Entertainment Tonight (ET) on Tuesday, December 15, the full trailer has been debuted by Apple. Making its way out earlier than it was expected, the video gives a look at the movie's villain, Whiplash, who uses his power to attack Tony Stark. Moreover, the trailer also features another Iron Man's enemy, Black Widow, which is the alter-ego of Tony Stark's new assistant, Natasha (played by Scarlett Johansson. Then, toward the end of the clip, Iron Man and War Machine are seen teaming up in their action. Additionally, on Wednesday, December 16, ET has shared the second sneak peek to the "Iron Man" sequel. In "Iron Man 2", Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow return to reprise their roles as Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. Meanwhile, Whiplash/Ivan Vanko is portrayed by Mickey Rourke. The film also has Don Cheadle starring as War Machine/Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. Paramount Pictures plans to drop the movie in U.S. theaters on May 7, 2010.