I just wanted to thank you and the other writers of ACM for your thoughtful reflections and authentic, genuine desire to help bring readers closer to Christ. I believe that you and the other writers have been called by God to share your wisdom in your reflections, and I thank you all for saying yes to His call. You have helped me along my spiritual journey, for which I am eternally grateful. Many, many thanks for all of your time and prayers in writing for ACM.

The background for my comments comes not out of nowhere, but from your post from a few years ago. In it, you present your worry about your wife being Jewish and if she’s going to go to heaven, because she’s not Christian. I’m a very liberal Catholic/Christian, so to me, the issue of what someone’s religion is as a determinant of whether or not they get to heaven is a non-issue. I think plenty of non-Christians will make it, and perhaps plenty of Christians won’t make it. Hopefully, I’ll make it, but I can’t be sure.

I remember several commenters assuring you of their belief that your wife will make it to heaven, and stated their reasons for their belief. If she lives a good life, then she’ll make it, regardless of what her religion happens to be. I share in that belief.

My issue came from the fact that in a few reflections, including this one, you have told us anecdotes of how you told people what to believe, what to do or not do, what to be or not be (several commenters joined me in their disapproval of how you treated your cousin who happens to be gay – which, for me, does not preclude him from getting to heaven. I don’t think he’s sinning.). I’m assuming that you have made peace with the fact that your wife is not Christian, and I commend you for it. But I think that requires extending that same acceptance to all people: of all religions, of all sexual orientations, of their stance on contraception. I don’t like this trend of telling people what to do and not do, and what they should or should not believe. How about peaceful coexistence? Like that “coexist” bumper sticker with different religious symbols spelling the word (the Christian cross makes the t, I believe, but I haven’t seen it in a while).

Basically, if people are living peacefully, not harming others, bringing about greater good to their community (I happen to know some lovely families with same-sex parents that are bringing their kids up in an atmosphere of love and acceptance and I completely support them. Yes, I think they’re going to heaven, even though they’re not Christian, and I don’t view their sexual orientation as a sin. It’s who God created them to be, so it’s not a sin. I fully support same-sex marriage and same-sex parent families. I think they reflect God’s love just like heterosexual marriage and heterosexual parents). When people are causing harm to others, then we can speak up, but if they’re living peacefully with others, then why are we judging them? What are we judging them for?

I’ll conclude there. Again, I’m sorry for the offense I have caused. Please forgive me.

I see that the Lord has given me this opportunity to practice what I preach. I have to examine how I judge others, and see what I can do about it.

I am in a particular frame of mind right now, in which my voice/typing carries arrogance and discord. That is not practicing what I preach. I have this opportunity to humble myself, and reflect on what I say. To that end, I’ll refrain from commenting on this site for an indeterminate amount of time. You’re right that this site is supposed to bring people closer to God, and my words have not done that. It’s not Lent, but that doesn’t make it too early to take stock of how I express myself, and how that affects people.

Harsh? No. Offensive. yes. How dare you even consider to correct me for my relationship with my wife?! You don’t know me or my wife or my relationship other than what I have recorded in my posts. I don’t tell anyone what they should do. I give my view and reflections on the readings, as do the rest of us at A Catholic Moment. You can take those views and do with them what you choose. I get the impression you are trying to spark controversy on this site. This is not what ACM is for. If your goal is to corrupt this blog then I suggest you go elsewhere. I have accepted your argumentative responses previously as your right to your opinion. But once you cross the line by offending my wife and our relationship, then you go too far.
BTW. Conversion here refers to drawing closer to God. Are you saying you are not in favor of growing closer to God?

I don’t mean to be harsh, but sometimes I find your rhetoric overbearing and inauthentic at the sane time. E.g. you telling your cousin why he’s sinning, because he’s gay. And yet I doubt that you tell your wife that she’s sinning for refusing to believe the Gospel, the Truth, as you call it here. I don’t think your wife is sinning, but from your overbearing writing style, I wonder what kind of standards you apply to different people.