Homosexuality and Religion (ritual, beliefs, creation, America, churches)

[standing_alone]

Yes, as others have already pointed out, homosexuality is not a choice. I would never have chosen to be treated as a second class citizen and have to face words of condemnation and hatred every day. If homosexuality was a choice, I wouldn't have went through all the anxiety trying to not be a homosexual - believe me, it's a hard thing to come to grips with. And all though you can choose to not partake in sexual relations, I think that's rather unfair. Why should someone be made to feel that they shouldn't be allowed to be in relations with someone they love just because some people think it's an abomination? I don't think many heterosexuals (if the tables were turned) would be to cool with that.

[JerryL]

I am coming to the idea that nobody is 100% homosexual or heterosexual. I think of it as a sliding scale with most at one end but never right at the end if you see what I mean. I'd be very surprised if the majority if people who viewed themselves as heterosexual had not had homosexual fantasys at some point in their life and vice versa.

I won't go as far as "nobody". There's a scale (the Kensey scale) which measures how far homosexual or heterosexual someone is. It really should be revised into a wheel (like a color wheel) to include asexuals.

Most people fall half way towads the middle (3 or so out of 10). I believe women tend more towards it than men (I'd have to look).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_orientation

[standing_alone]

Yeah, you're absolutely right about the Kinsey scale. I think it would be far more likely for people to end up more towards the middle than on either of the two "extremes." But, since I'm not an authority on the Kinsey scale, I can't say for sure. The Kinsey scale goes like this for those who aren't familliar:
0 - Exclusively heterosexual experience(s)
1 - Predominantly heterosexual experience(s), only incidentally homosexual
2 - Predominantly heterosexual experience(s), but more than incidentally homosexual
3 - Equally heterosexual and homosexual experience(s)
4 - Predominantly homosexual experience(s), but more than incidentally heterosexual
5 - Predominantly homosexual experience(s), only incidentally heterosexual
6 - Exclusively homosexual experience(s)

[JerryL]

Ahh yes, thanks. I had trouble finding it and my meory on the scale's scale was off.
IIRC, there's a predominance of "2". People who have not even had a fantasy homosexually are very rare... and a strong percentage have at least experiemented.

In my personal experience (anticdote coming): most guys vary from "was curious" to "under the right circumstance", and most women vary from "under the right circumstances" to "would like a girl to play with too".

Truely "don't care", from a relationship standpoint, I don't oft see; though I've seen it from a sexual play standpoint.

[michel]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

I am coming to the idea that nobody is 100% homosexual or heterosexual. I think of it as a sliding scale with most at one end but never right at the end if you see what I mean. I'd be very surprised if the majority if people who viewed themselves as heterosexual had not had homosexual fantasys at some point in their life and vice versa.

There is no doubt about that at all. It is an accepted fact. We are neither 100% male nore are women 100% female; hence the quizzes you can take to assess the amount of both masculinity and femininity in you mind.

Even as a heterosexual, I come out with a large degree of femininity in my midset. Perhaps I am happier knowing that, and accepting it, rather than allow the doubt to creep in my mind that I might be homosexual. I have wondered in the past (but was pretty certain that I wasn't). Hehe now I'm older, I don't even care.......

[Sunstone]

Sometimes I wonder how you can really know your heterosexual if you haven't experimented with homosexual sex.

[Green Gaia]

Homosexuality and Bahá'í
Homosexuality and Buddhism
Homosexuality and Christianity
Homosexuality and Confucianism
Homosexuality and Hinduism
Homosexuality and Islam
Homosexuality and Judaism
Homosexuality and Neopaganism
Homosexuality and Scientology
Homosexuality and Shinto
Homosexuality and Sikhism
Homosexuality and Taoism
Homosexuality and Voodoo
Homosexuality and Zoroastrianism

More info on Welcoming Congregations in the UUA and other denominations

[JerryL]

Sometimes I wonder how you can really know your heterosexual if you haven't experimented with homosexual sex.

General disinterest... much like how I'm not a vegitarian.

[michel]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

I am coming to the idea that nobody is 100% homosexual or heterosexual.

To reinforce the point I made, Fluffy,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbo...add_user.shtml
Some researchers say that men can have 'women's brains' and that women can think more like men.

Find out more about 'brain sex' differences by taking the Sex ID test, a series of visual challenges and questions used by psychologists in the BBC One television series Secrets of the Sexes:

• Get a brain sex profile and find out if you think like a man or a woman.
• See if you can gaze into someone's eyes and know what they're thinking.
• Find out why scientists are interested in the length of your fingers.
• See how your results relate to theories about brain sex.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbo...add_user.shtml

[Ormiston]

Originally Posted by Ernestine

Bottomline is it really doesn't matter what any of us "thinks" about homosexuality. God has spoken and indicates that men who lie with men (or women who lie with women) are something detestable to Him. So if you choose to do it--and it is definitely a choice--be prepared to deal with the consequences. Look up the word "porneia"--it will provide you with a definition of UNNATURAL sex acts that God condemns. If men were meant to be with men, God would not have bothered to create the female or vice-versa. A man's body compliments that of a woman, the primary purpose to pro-create. No matter how one might try to rationalize, deep within they know that homosexuality is wrong, hence your need to ask the question.

This would be a valid point if the consequences doled out by God actually occured while we were alive. Unfortunately, for your argument, they are theoretical consequences that occur after our deaths. And the last part about complimenting body parts is reminiscent of "If God intended us to fly...he'd have given us wings!!" And, finally, that final sentence doesn't even deserve a response, but I can't help myself: the only reason ANYONE thinks homosexuality is WRONG is because they were taught it. A simple concept very similar to racism.