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To: NormB
Is that true? Does God really love gay people? Maybe he doesn't. Maybe when he calls it an abomination he means, "I don't love you anymore"
On the contrary, It is said (Wisdom 11:25): "Thou lovest all things that are, and hatest none of the things which Thou hast made."

I answer that, God loves all existing things. For all existing things, in so far as they exist, are good, since the existence of a thing is itself a good; and likewise, whatever perfection it possesses. Now it has been shown above (19, 4) that God's will is the cause of all things. It must needs be, therefore, that a thing has existence, or any kind of good, only inasmuch as it is willed by God. To every existing thing, then, God wills some good. Hence, since to love anything is nothing else than to will good to that thing, it is manifest that God loves everything that exists. Yet not as we love. Because since our will is not the cause of the goodness of things, but is moved by it as by its object, our love, whereby we will good to anything, is not the cause of its goodness; but conversely its goodness, whether real or imaginary, calls forth our love, by which we will that it should preserve the good it has, and receive besides the good it has not, and to this end we direct our actions: whereas the love of God infuses and creates goodness. ...

Reply to Objection 4. Nothing prevents one and the same thing being loved under one aspect, while it is hated under another. God loves sinners in so far as they are existing natures; for they have existence and have it from Him. In so far as they are sinners, they have not existence at all, but fall short of it; and this in them is not from God. Hence under this aspect, they are hated by Him.

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, Prima Pars q. 20 a. 2.

72 posted on 09/30/2005 12:21:48 PM PDT by gbcdoj (Let us ask the Lord with tears, that according to his will so he would shew his mercy to us Jud 8:17)
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To: gbcdoj

he hated esau...


74 posted on 09/30/2005 12:28:54 PM PDT by NormB (Yes, but watch your cookies!!)
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To: gbcdoj

IMHO, great responses, intelligent and eloquent.


85 posted on 09/30/2005 12:53:50 PM PDT by khnyny (all glory is fleeting)
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