Homosexuality and Religion (beliefs, hell, America, abomination, church)

[robtex]

Originally Posted by Maize

*

For those of us who don't have a problem with homosexuality and may even be homosexual, bisexual, straight-allied or transgendered ourselves, why do we let ourselves get drawn into religious debates on this issue with people not of our religion?

It is funny you say that cause I don't. If I am debating it outside of here ( I don't debate it on RF is you check the threads) I always start off with, "Do you have a secular arguement against sexual idenity ( I never call it sexual preference either cause that implies that it is a choice as opposed to a genetically funded orientation). When they so no, or start with "God...." I let them finish ask them if their God is all-powerful (or omni-potent) and than close with "If your God is all powerful than I am sure he can handle it, however he sees fit, without any assistance from you. I am almost always staring at somebody whose jaw, has just hit the floor with that one.

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by Flappycat

We're everyone's favorite political cannon fodder.

It's true. It was widely accepted during the 2004 Presidential election that Bush used the anti-gay marriage position to rally Christian support from both the right and left (the brainchild of Karl Rove, no doubt). It's what's called a "wedge issue" - A sharply divisive political issue, especially one that is raised by a candidate or party in hopes of attracting or disaffecting a portion of an opponent's customary supporters. In response so as to not to lose a portion of the Democrat vote, Kerry as well came out stating that he did not support same sex marriage.

See who can stomp on the gays more = wins the election.

And what were same sex marriage advocates left with? No viable candidate to vote for.

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by robtex

It is funny you say that cause I don't.

I'm learning not to....

[anders]

During the 60+ years that I was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden, I had no problems with homosexuality or homosexuals. Partly perhaps because I for some 50 years never identified one single person of that inclination in my hometown, so it was a purely theoretical thing, and my church never mentioned it. As long as no other people interfered with my way of living, I didn't bother with other people's views.

At some 45+, I moved to our capital. I soon got a GF, who had several gay friends. Most of them were lovely people. Some of them married later on, and they seem to be very loving and caring and whatever society needs or wants. Would that everybody lived like that! In no case whatsoever, religion or any other negative biases were mentioned, even from my fiancée's very religiously conservative grandparents. Despite my previous long and sometimes rather intense Christian life, I had no preconceived notions about homosexuality. Like inferred, they, like for example Jews or blacks, weren't ever mentioned as such in church. Too few to bother with, perhaps, but there was always the message of caring for your neighbour.

[Ulver]

Originally Posted by anders

During the 60+ years that I was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden, I had no problems with homosexuality or homosexuals. Partly perhaps because I for some 50 years never identified one single person of that inclination in my hometown, so it was a purely theoretical thing, and my church never mentioned it. As long as no other people interfered with my way of living, I didn't bother with other people's views.

At some 45+, I moved to our capital. I soon got a GF, who had several gay friends. Most of them were lovely people. Some of them married later on, and they seem to be very loving and caring and whatever society needs or wants. Would that everybody lived like that! In no case whatsoever, religion or any other negative biases were mentioned, even from my fiancée's very religiously conservative grandparents. Despite my previous long and sometimes rather intense Christian life, I had no preconceived notions about homosexuality. Like inferred, they, like for example Jews or blacks, weren't ever mentioned as such in church. Too few to bother with, perhaps, but there was always the message of caring for your neighbour.

To quote The Producers (in a rather different context), "God bless Sweden".