Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 23 replies, 24 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 10 months ago by
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- I'm gay and have always wondered why gays are judged so negatively by the church. Yes, the 'man shalt not lie with man' line is in the Book of Leviticus, but that book also goes into great (and almost greater) depth when it comes to mold in the house and touching pig skin. Why do religious people pay great attention to the 'man with man' part but not the other parts?
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Name : A.J.B., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 37, City : Melbourne, State : NA Country : Australia, Occupation : Tech Support, Social class : Middle class,I do believe in the Bible and the message that it sends. I also try to follow what it says. including the part about God being the only judge. So if it is not our job to judge in the first place, how can we give stronger conviction to one aspect of the Bible over another? Just remember that God's judgment is the only one that matters, and any issues you have with your sexuality are between you and Him and nobody else.User Detail :
Name : MrsHall, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 23, City : Springfield, State : MO Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,Why are gays singled out by religious people? Serious religious people don't eat pork and are observant of many practices. These people are consistent in what they observe and approve. Otherwise, in my opinion, the conspicuous person will attract attention and/or disapproval. Whether heterosexual or homosexual, these matters don't belong in the public eye. If someone makes it their business to push it into the public eye, then they may elicit disapproval. Sexuality is a strong drive like any other drive that needs to be controlled. Hence, it is an important signal when a person lets their sexuality rule them, rather than rule their sexuality.User Detail :
Name : AU, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 49, City : Edmonton, Alberta, State : NA Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College,I have a Catholic Youth Bible that explains many parts of the bible are writen in an easy to read way. It states that the bible is merely refering to behavior that was done poorly and also states the Catholic church has no peroblem with homosexuals only has problems with sex ouyt of marriage.. I hope that helpedUser Detail :
Name : hey!, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 16, City : hollywood, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,A.J.B., the scripture you quoted was from the book of Leviticus. It is, of course, part of the Old Testament. Being such, it falls under what Christians consider 'the law.' That is, it is part of a set of regulations that were and are followed by Jews, not Christians. Basically, this includes circumcision, no eating of pork, etc. Contained in the law are not only religious and civil practices but also moral rules. The commandments concerning sex usually fall under this area. When Jesus came and performed his multi-faceted ministry, one of the things he did was nullify mankind's need to follow the Old Testament, or 'Mosaic Law.' This law by itself did not change man's heart toward sin or loose him from the addictive grip of sin. That is what is meant in John 1:17: 'For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.' Only this grace given by Jesus could save men from the guilt, cleanse them from the stain and set them free from the bondage of sin. John 8:32-34 says, 'And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant to sin.'Now to the sin of homosexuality. This sin does fall under the pratices that Christians are supposed to avoid. Sex outside of marriage is sin, according to scripture. I Corinthians 7:2 says, 'Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.' Fornication (sex outside of marriage) is sin. So naturally, homosexual sex practices fall outside of this because male-to-male marriage is never taught, supported or condoned anywhere in the Bible.
I don't hate you. Neither should any Christian. I love you and want you in any good church. Yet, as a believer in Jesus I must hate sin.
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Name : Ramon, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/Hispanic, Religion : Pentecostal, Age : 26, City : Savannah, State : GA Country : United States, Occupation : Graduate Student MPA, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower class,As a Christian, I view homosexuality as a sin. We have different consequences for each sin, but sin is sin in God's eyes. So when I tell a white lie, it is just as bad in God's eyes as committing murder. I'm just as far from God either way. Christ came and has created a bridge to God, as long as we accept him as the Son of God and give our lives to him. He loves everyone, be they gay or straight, murderers or preachers. But everyone has sin. Yes, we can repent of it, but after that, it's our job to try and not do it again. After you're saved, it doesn't mean you're perfect (which I think many Christians forget); it just means you are saved. The reason Christians pay great attention to homosexuality is that it is a practice that many do not feel comfortable with, and is something that the Bible specifically points out, even (or especially) in the New Testament. Paul makes several references in his letters about avoiding homosexuality.Homosexuality is a sin, and God does not see sin in degrees. But he does ask us not to keep going in our sin or make excuses for it. And despite the fact that God does not view one sin as worse than the other, there are different consequences for each sin.
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Name : E.K.G., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Southern Baptist, Age : 18, City : Columbia, State : MO Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class,The problem that I have found with this argument is that quite often people with the purest of intentions find that it is simply part of their inborn nature to be a particular way. Obviously, from the argument that we are all sinners separated from God, to be sinful is part of our nature. But I have read of truly faithful Christians who have lived their lives in self-loathing, self-hatred, and states of utter misery and decay because they could not escape their feelings of attraction - and by attraction let us not limit the definition to simply and solely physical, sexual attraction - to members of their same sex. I have read of devoted Christians who have committed suicide because they simply could not reconcile themselves with the idea that God would consign them to Hell because of the nature of their hearts. Let us not trivialize this by saying, 'Well, if they were homosexuals, then they must not have been true Christians in the first place, otherwise they would've stopped being homosexuals,' or saying, 'If they were true Christians, they would not have committed suicide, for God says not to do this.' Ultimately, none of us can tell who is a 'true' Christian and who is not, for only God can see what is really in our hearts. But the thing that many Christians tend to miss (and I'm a Christian, too) is that it's not quite so black and white as we'd like to make it out to be. It is one thing to stand back and cast epitaphs upon those whose experiences we know nothing of; it is another entirely when we go through those experiences, and then consider the perpective we'd like to take. Once upon a time it was considered a sin for women to wear pants, to work, to even look men in the eyes. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake because the men of her time felt threatened by her, and so accused her of devilry. When she refused to capitulate to their domination, they killed her most horrificly. Today, a woman wearing pants doesn't faze anyone. Yet Jean d'Arc was deemed to be headed straight for Hell because men of the cloth interpreted their religion in such and such a way.User Detail :
Name : Jessica, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White and Arab, Religion : Christian, Age : 24, City : San Diego, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : student, lifeguard, swim instructor, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,AJB - Yours is a good and fair question. I wanted to approach the answer from a little different perspective. As others have stated, The Levitical prohibition against homosexuality expired with the founding of the Christian congregtation in the first century. However the Apostle Paul made a clear statement condemning homosexual practices at 1 Corinthians 6:9. In the spirit of helping you to appreciate another viewpoint as to this restriction in harmony with the scripture at Isaiah 48:17 where it describes God as the One 'teaching you to benefit yourself' you might consider this line of reasoning. Down through the centuries many, primarily the supposed religious leaders, have painted the God of the Bible as One who burdens men with restriction after restriction. To them God is a father who holds back things from his children with the explanation 'because I said so'. Conversely, the Scriptures show him as one who tries to use his experience as Man's Creator to protect his children. Far from being prudish on the subject of sexuality, the Bible contains admonition to husbands to let their wives 'own breasts intoxicate you at all times. With her love may you be in ecstasy constantly' (Prov. 5:19). God understands the great value of sex. As the Maker he also understands it's great power, physically and emotionally, so he has defined it's use to benefit His creation. If you look at the biblical standard of a man and woman making a lifelong commitment and then entering into a mutually exclusive sexual relationship, you would have to admit that problems such as STDs, unwanted preganancies and even the emotional pain of a breakup after deep intimacy would be eliminated. Those things would benefit people. As to why homosexuality is not included in this definition you would need to understand the Bible's expanation of mankind's imperfect state and the many manifestations of this imperfection (and God's subsequent promise of support now and eventual elimination of these manifestations). You are not looked on by God as a freak of nature or especially evil as some might suggest, just another person, like all others, dealing with the effects of mankind's temporary imperfect state. I admire someone who asks such an open-minded question. I hope this explanation is useful to you.User Detail :
Name : Kris, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 36, City : Rochester, State : MI Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma,How can anyone justifiably say homosexuality is a 'sin'? Are you thinking for yourself? Or are you simply following the insipid mandates laid down by an archaic and socially dysfunctional culture of 2000 years ago? The Bible is outdated and unusable in todays society WITHOUT extensive and severe interpretations by the people who read it. They force it fit into how our modern society works and it rarely works. That's why the Bible already has MANY diferent versions even today. So again I ask...How can you justifiably say homosexuality is a 'sin'? Think for yourself and answer the question.User Detail :
Name : Vargas, Gender : M, Age : 28, City : Sacramento, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Business Owner, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower class,cause its not natural!!!! thats something your weak ancestors started in rome - you're gay cause you're to weak to stand up and be a man!!User Detail :
Name : Ricky4Real, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 32, City : tampa, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Entertainment, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper class,To explain more about my Christian belief: Paul lists people who will not inherit God's Kingdom. In that list he equates fornicators, thieves, drunkards, revilers, and men who lie with men. As Ramon explained, fornication is fornication - sex between an unmarried man and woman is no more appropriate than sex between two men. However, according to God's priciple's the unmarried man and woman can marry and then their sex is acceptable to God. In God's eyes two men can never make their relationship acceptable (all of this also applies to lesbians). So while there are technically no degrees of sin, that is how male/female fornication is 'seemingly' less offensive than male/male. I do believe that gays can become acceptable to God if they no longer live that life. I understand that may be an extremely difficult choice to make. Some argue that it isn't a choice, but I believe every action we take in life is a choice - from the overweight person continuing to overeat to the alcoholic continuing to get drunk every night. This change takes extreme faith in God and the knowledge that the pain associated with their 'loss' is only temporary. Ultimately God will make us all perfect and remove all our suffering.User Detail :
Name : M22290, City : Atlanta, State : GA Country : United States,in 1corithians or second(I can't remember) It says that if your gay you WILL NOT see the kingdom of heaven(Checking on the internet to quote specifically)can't find it. but it's there. if you eat pork, you can still enter heaven it's just harderUser Detail :
Name : David Rogers, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Nigerian, I don't consider myself black, Religion : Pentecostal, Age : 19, City : Upland, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper class,I attend a religous college and have taken courses in both the new and old testament. If i could just make a few corrections to an earlier statement. Leviticus was written for the tribe of Levi (one of the 12 tribes of Israel). The tribe of Levi were preist. Thus the book is a code of conduct for preists. Now when Jesus came along in the new testament, this code of conduct got replaced with Christ sacrifice. so that verse you quoted doesn't apply to anyone anymore, because of the new covenant of Christ. However, within the new testament homosexuality is address directly. Romans 1:18-32 specifically states that because the people were so inlove with themselves and not of the things of God, He gave them over to their sinful desires. He cursed them with homosexuality because of their rebellion against God. This is why Christians are so unexcepting of homosexuality. I do agree with an earlier statement that it is NO one's place to judge except God's. But it is our job to hold our brothers and sister accountable and help them not stumble.User Detail :
Name : Mandy, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Baptist, City : Sugar Land, State : TX Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,Christians do not pick out homosexuality as something to pick on. I read another comment about a sin being a sin. And homosexuality is just that-a sin. My youth pastor always said 'love the person, but not what they do.' That goes for any sin possible. I have to love a person even if they cheat me or steal from me. God's greatest commandment is to Love as He loved us. (John 13:34: 'A new command I give you, love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.') I guarantee that God loves you, so as a FIRM believer in the ENTIRE Bible, I must say-EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD LOVE EVERYONE. They don't have to agree with behavior but they must love. Besides, I think the Christians that have been mean to you or to people you know were wrong. God is the only person to judge, never should we pass judgement on you. In the Bible it also says that we are not to go after a neighbor to remove a splinter out of their eye, when we have a plank in our own. Nobody is perfect. And for someone to think that your sin is greater than theirs is completely out of line. We, as Christians, need to make sure that our lives are in line before we start going around telling other people what is wrong with their lives.User Detail :
Name : Mel20761, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 21, City : Flint, State : MI Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College,Homosexuality is not a sin. I say that because I'm an athiest, and I don't believe in sin. However, I've always been disgusted with the way Christians view homosexuals. Didn't Jesus preach love and acceptance for all? Also, homosexuality is not a choice. It is 'natural' for a male of a particular species to be attracted to a female for the purpose of procreation. But, this is not always the case because homosexuality obviously exists. The reason I say it is not a choice is that a homosexual male is attracted to other males, NOT females. If it were a choice, homosexual males would be sexually attracted to females, but would choose males. This is not so. Ask any homosexual (not bisexual). Therefore, if homosexuality is not a choice, and you believe in God, doesn't that mean that God makes homosexuals? Does God make homosexuals and doom them to eternity in Hell? I can answer these questions easily because I don't believe in God, but I'd like to know what Christians (or anyone else) may think.User Detail :
Name : Al, City : Benton, State : AR Country : United States,
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