It's almost as if some can't see how you can genuinely love a homosexual or lesbian in Christ as one you befriend, yet still be solidly against the homosexual/lesbian lifestyle.
Or you can be against your nextdoor neighbors' heterosexual cohabitation arrangement -- if for at least the reason that you want to send a message to your children not to follow suit -- yet still extend love toward them.
Why does opposing homosexuality in personal relationships + opposing homosexual advocacy in the workplace & politically = some sort of "hate" or animosity or a "deal killer" in relating to them?
After all, we oppose the sin in our own lives -- yet don't engage in self-hate -- recognizing the value of self-esteem.
The same is true of cultic "ISMS": We oppose the heresy and falsehood and counterfeit nature of the belief system; yet still embrace/love the person holding to that system. For people adhering to that system, they are at various levels of identification with it. One of our goals is to gradually help them replace falsehoods/deceit with truth; the light expels the darkness.
In the examples that you gave of the homosexual or cohabiting individuals there must be some areas of their lives on which common values can be found. If there weren't some solid commonly shared values, these people would be physically dangerous to be around.
Well....The statement was, “I’m against everything the mormon church stands for, not the people.”
Saying that one is against **everything** in a particular religion but not the person, is like have a doll with a personality chip. A person who would say this is saying they love the lifeless doll but are against the electronic chip that drives everything the doll says and does.
Please note the word “everything”. Uh?...Really? If that were true then everyone in the cited religion would be not only spiritually dangerous but dangerous physically to one’s well being as well.
One’s religious beliefs, if they really believe them, are absolutely the fundamental essence of a person's core personality. Religious belief, (if committed to the religion), influences everything a person values, says, does, works for, promotes, strives for, establishes, etc. In other words religion **is** a person's worldview.
So...If someone is totally against **everything** in a particular religion then they would have to be against **everything** the composes a follower's total worldview and everything that makes the person who he fundamentally is.
For myself, I find enough commonly **shared** values in the religious beliefs of the people in my ordinary life that I get along with them. This is even true for the pagans and Muslims who used my health clinic before I retired.( Please remember that **values** are intimately connected to fervently held religious beliefs. )
By the way, there is a difference between having a person as a friend within one’s close intimate circle, and evangelizing work. There are people engaged in acts that are so evil or so stupid that it is wise to maintain emotional distance , not only to protect one’s physical safety, but also to maintain emotional and spiritual objectivity.
I gave two examples in a previous post: Democrats and government teachers. These two groups are, in my opinion, engage in behavior that is so evil and/or stupid that I no longer have them as friends and will not let them into my intimate circle of relationships. That does not mean that I have abandoned my efforts to bring them to the light.
Remember. We are commanded to love our neighbor. We are not commanded to like him or to be his intimate friend. Love, friend, and like are **not** one and the same.