Didn't God put us here with the instructions to Love one another. Did he really put limits on our Loving?

No one is talking about not loving. If that were the case, the we all would be wrong. We are talking about the bound conscience thing and if it will really work. We can do justice and love everyone, but in the ELCA we are not allowed to call sin a sin anymore.

How can I as a pastor in PA tell a hetero couple that they are living in sin when I... See More cannot tell a Homosexual couple the same thing. There is no marriage or anything like that in PA so according the the rule, they are living in sin as much as hetero couple is, but I can not call them out for it.

I also according tot he ELCA can not say that homosexuality itself goes against God's law. In the ELCA we can no anything we want apparently. As long as we can pound it through the system, with as many mulligans as we want, then it is OK. Who is the next oppressed group to step up to the plate. how about we ordain those who are not even believers. it would be a justice issue if we did not at least consider it. Am I Wrong?

Choosing another denomination is difficult when you love your local Lutheran Church family.

I am so grateful for the words and understanding of being "Conscience Bound." for in truth that is what the gospel is about. Whether you perceive it as not being able to call a sin a sin is such a small partl The big picture is that God's grace is sufficient for all of us as we acknowledge that we are all sinners. We seek firgiveness for what we... See More have done and what we have left undone - for sins we recognize and those we do not. As we strive to become more like Christ who is our example for a godly life, we recall that he walked with the outcasts and welcomed them into the family of believers and gave them grace as freely as to the disciples. While I may in my conscience bound humanity might perceive something as sin, it does not absolve me from showing love and mercy as part of the body of Christ.

"There is no marriage or anything like that in PA so according the the rule, they are living in sin as much as hetero couple is, but I can not call them out for it. "

Except that gay couples have no choice. As you say, there is no same-sex marriage in PA, so the best a committed gay couple can do is to tell you that they are committed to a life-long, monogamous relationship. The het couple has a choice, and you can call them out on that choice.

Work for marriage equality in PA and then you can call out the gay couples too. ... See More

And conversations about what the scriptures say about homosexuality are illuminating.