Gay Tolerant Christian Church Around Chiang Mai

[Unfaithful]

I attended predominantly gay churches back home.I could actually introduce my partner as my lover without being exconnunicated.Or scorned.Here in Chiang Mai I find no church like this.Is there any?

We don't flaunt our sexual preference half as much as some sraight Christians do.I just don't want to lie about it.

[john b good]

I attended predominantly gay churches back home.I could actually introduce my partner as my lover without being exconnunicated.Or scorned.Here in Chiang Mai I find no church like this.Is there any?

We don't flaunt our sexual preference half as much as some sraight Christians do.I just don't want to lie about it.

Personally I cannot help you because one I am not gay (either overtly of covertly) and secondly I do not attend any churches here in Chiang Mai.

I do have some friends (perhaps a surprise to some here on TV) both Thai and expat who are practising christians and I will in the next day or so I shall ask one of the former (a Thai)

I don't know whether you might like to visit one of these churches your self, seek out the pastor / minister and discreetly ask.

Whilst you "don't want to lie about" you don't really need to hang a sign around your neck proclaiming your orientation either do you.

Whilst not of the same orientation as yourself I admire you honesty and openness.

I will see what I can find out and revert.

[PeaceBlondie]

Thanks to john b good, to be so good. Unfaithful said he's not a flaunter.

Please, no bashing of religion in general. Thank you.

[Rasseru]

Please, no bashing of religion in general. Thank you.

Nor of gays in general either, presumably, PeaceBlondie?

[Blinky Bill]

Whilst you "don't want to lie about" you don't really need to hang a sign around your neck proclaiming your orientation either do you.

Whilst not of the same orientation as yourself I admire you honesty and openness.

Well said, sir.

[john b good]

Thanks to john b good, to be so good. Unfaithful said he's not a flaunter.

Please, no bashing of religion in general. Thank you.

Thank you for your kind words PB, I am trying "to be good" as my TV handle keeps reminding me

Like many I do fall down on occasions

Edited August 27, 2009 by john b good

[PeaceBlondie]

I attended Seven Fountains several times, but I expect Catholics to reject known gays. There aren't many elderly blond gay Americans on CBR150's with 6 kids in this town. First Church near Narawat Bridge is, I suspect, filled with fundamentalists, who are not known as gay friendly. What about a local Church of Christ of Thailand?

[Jingthing]

Whilst you "don't want to lie about" you don't really need to hang a sign around your neck proclaiming your orientation either do you.

Whilst not of the same orientation as yourself I admire you honesty and openness.

Well said, sir.

If you are a gay couple and you introduce your partner as your life partner/spouse/lover/husband, you might as well hang a sign around your neck. Do you understand the problem now?

Edited August 27, 2009 by Jingthing

[Loaded]

What I love about Thailand is its tolerance... and then the Christians arrived.

[earlofwindermere]

I know of people (and have attended) church on a regular basis both at Chiang Mai Christian Fellowship and Chiang Mai Community Church. Both churches are full of people from diverse backgrounds and countries. There are certainly people in both who would be more than welcoming to have the gay community join their congregation. However; both churches also have groups who would be less than tolerant. However; I have never heard any sermon at either church that was overt gay bashing.

From my perspective, everyone at church in Chiang Mai has to put up with people/viewpoints that they disagree with. The fundamentalists tolerate the liberals and liberals tolerate the fundamentalists. Personally, I like it. There's unity among much diversity.

If you want a few contacts of people who would welcome you at either church, pm me and I'll connect you.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I don't see the issue; it's considered a sin, but then we are all sinners... Join the queue at the confession booth.

[PeaceBlondie]

I don't see the issue; it's considered a sin, but then we are all sinners... Join the queue at the confession booth.

Winnie, if it were that simple, even a kwai could understand.

[Rasseru]

I don't see the issue; it's considered a sin, but then we are all sinners...

I disagree with you, WinnieTheKhwai. I do not believe we are all sinners. To give you some more perspective, enough perhaps to allow you to dismiss my views, I think it is simply nonsense to regard as sinners adults who have sex with other because they want to.

[wedders]

What I love about Thailand is its tolerance... and then the Christians arrived.

Yes, evangelising movements in particular. Still, certain Thais are not renowned for their respect for the darker-skinned inhabitants of Isaan for example, so I wouldn't put their alleged tolerance on a pedestal...

[uptheos]

This is not religion bashing (I hope), but in my experience all churches have a very small percentage of people that discriminate on the basis of something - race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, your hairstyle, the clothes you wear.... but usually say nothing.

I would say pick a church any church, if you feel comfortable go back if you don't then move on.

[orang37]

... snip ... I think it is simply nonsense to regard as sinners adults who have sex with other because they want to.

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Rasseru,

I agree with you; I think it does make sense not to have sex with people because you don't want to.

best, ~o:37;

[earlofwindermere]

One of my Thai/Karen staff members just told me that his church has several prominent gay people in the congregation. (Apparently, the president of one of the Chiang Mai Gay Associations who is regularly interviewed on local tv). This church used to meet at the YMCA but now meets at the Shangri-La every Sunday morning.

Apparently, the church is half Thai members and half farang.

Hope this helps.

[Rasseru]

... snip ... I think it is simply nonsense to regard as sinners adults who have sex with other because they want to.

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Rasseru,

I agree with you; I think it does make sense not to have sex with people because you don't want to.

best, ~o:37;

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Orang37,

Excellent! We have at least two humans who agree on this point. I feel vastly encouraged by your message of support. Now, I feel certain that once we get all the rapists, child molesters and other sex abusers and exploiters on board, we will have a perfect, warm and fuzzy world.

Almost as good,

Rasseru

[Beacher]

I'm neither gay nor religious, but I find it strange that such a problem would exist in Thailand. I would think that any Catholic church in Thailand would be extremely tolerant. First of all, Thais are very accepting of gays (they even recognize a 3rd gender) and secondly, so many Catholic priests have been shown to be involved in homosexual misconduct that they have to be tolerant.

I truly hope I haven't offended anybody here. What I'm saying is just an honest off-the-cuff impression. I can see that my post may upset devout Catholics (by bringing up the subject of sexual misconduct by priests) but let's face it, it's the reality of the Catholic church.

Edited August 27, 2009 by Beacher

[Dustoff]

~

In reading this thread, I would STRONGLY recommend that each of you get in direct contact with your chosen Mythological Supernatural Being and ask for explicit instructions as to the proper use of your reproductive organs!

If you do not wish to follow these instrucitons to the letter, or MSB doesn't seem to want to talk to you, it may be worthwhile bringing yourself up to date on the care, feeding and protection of these particular organs to forestall that inevitable Fall Into The Depths Of Hades!

But then, on the off chance that there are no actual supernatural beings or some obscure eternal punishment place called Hades, it is especially worthwhile to take appropriate (not those eternally hyped) precautions for both your continued health and welfare.

Other than that, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, with their permission of course, and Rock and Roll... !

Edited August 27, 2009 by Dustoff

[Chunkton]

Personally see a persons sexual orientation as irrelevant for religion, but they don't agree, just a s well you aren't Muslim.

[mnbcm]

First Church near Narawat Bridge is, I suspect, filled with fundamentalists, who are not known as gay friendly.

So much for "not bashing."

[mnbcm]

... and then the Christians arrived.

Inevitably this thread will go downhill quickly with lots of gay and Christian bashing. Why has it not been deleted yet?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Because nobody has actually broken any rules they signed up for?

[brennanstimpy]

I think most of the Christians at the farang churches would just close themselves off to you. I go to one of them and I would not recommend you going there expecting them to accept you with open arms, embarrassingly enough. Not very Christ like, eh? Like Winnie said it is sin just like all of us sin. Unfortunately, Christians have put this giant stigma on this particular sin. If you and your partner are earnestly seeking the Lord though, screw what all the other hypocrites say and how they treat you.

[PeaceBlondie]

First Church near Narawat Bridge is, I suspect, filled with fundamentalists, who are not known as gay friendly.

So much for "not bashing."

I apologize for, and I recant that statement. My visits to First Church indicated to me the presence of homophobic evangelical Protestants similar to those I ministered among in Texas and Oklahoma. Apparently from what posters tell me by PM, First Church is far more gay-tolerant than my "Christian gaydar" thought it felt. I'm sorry that I apparently jumped to the wrong conclusion.

[caf]

I attended Seven Fountains several times, but I expect Catholics to reject known gays. There aren't many elderly blond gay Americans on CBR150's with 6 kids in this town. First Church near Narawat Bridge is, I suspect, filled with fundamentalists, who are not known as gay friendly. What about a local Church of Christ of Thailand?

Can you be reminded of your earlier post?

"Please, no bashing of religion in general. Thank you"

[dvdcm]

Observing that a Christian church with a fundamentalist orientation is likely to be less than gay-friendly is hardly bashing I think. The OP was looking for a recommendation for one that's "gay-tolerant", though, which should broaden the options enough for a few test runs.

[john b good]

I don't see the issue; it's considered a sin, but then we are all sinners...

I disagree with you, WinnieTheKhwai. I do not believe we are all sinners. To give you some more perspective, enough perhaps to allow you to dismiss my views, I think it is simply nonsense to regard as sinners adults who have sex with other because they want to.

As already noted I do not attend church here in CM and whilst I might have an opinion about people who do not share my orientation I try to keep my thoughts to my self (on that particular issue at least)

I do however tend to agree with WinnieTheKhwai in that it is IMHO only new born babies who are without sin.

And I think that the bible might say something to that effect "maybe not in so many words"

[Ulysses G.]

How about "Original Sin"?