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A Cork City Presbyterian Minister has denounced a carol service that the LGBT community has planned for today (Thursday) at St Anne's Church in Shandon, condemning the "promotion of the homosexual lifestyle" as "crossing the line".
The comments by Rev John Faris of the Trinity Presbyterian Church were originally posted on his Facebook page this week.
"A Cork church is to have a LGTB carol service. I long for everyone, whatever their sexual orientation, to have a joyful and peaceful Christmas, but there can be no true joy or peace in actively practising and celebrating a lifestyle, which does not please God," it read.
"Maybe a church leader shouldn't be criticising other churches, but with something like this, a line is crossed," he continued.
However, Rev Faris told the Cork Independent that while he is sorry his comments have caused offence, he does not believe that the homosexual "lifestyle" is in keeping with the bible's teachings and the traditional view held by his Church.
"Male to male, or female to female, sexual encounters are not pleasing to God."
He said he was not "qualified" to discuss the matter of bisexual or transgender people, but said he would not close the door of the Church on anyone.
He said that he did not accept that homosexuality was acceptable to God and was no more than a "behaviour pattern" which should not be chosen.
Rev Faris added that homosexuals who would not be happy in a heterosexual relationship would be better off remaining celibate.
His comments enraged the LGBT organiser Liam McDaide, a Blackpool member of the Cork lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender group and a practising Christian, who said the service was a refuge for LGBT community "who so often feel left out of the message of love at Christmas".
"This is the problem us Christian LGBTs face - decent men and women who simply misunderstand. He clearly judges LGBT on an image he has of their "lifestyle" rather than understanding that sexuality is an unchangeable gift from the Almighty," Liam said.
He implored people planning to attend the carol service, and those who aren't to "join with us in praying that God opens the mind of good men and women throughout the Church universal to an understanding of what we really are - decent, hard working people whose only demand is to be considered equal to out heterosexual brothers and sisters".
Liam told the Cork Independent this week that the minister's "backward" opinion has upset the community but said that this is the third LGBT Church service this year.
"Being gay is not a lifestyle. It is the way God made us," Liam said. "Nobody chooses to be gay."
"I feel sorry for his congregation and especially any gay members. Gay Christians have a bad time of it," he said, adding that Rev Faris has invited him to discuss the issue after Christmas.
The service is also being supported Rev Brian O'Rourke of St Anne's and Changing Attitude, a Northern Irish organisation that works to move the Church of Ireland to be more accepting of diversity.
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