Baha'i and homosexuality?

[Booko]

I wasn't sure. *blushes* I'm not very good at telling between very calm debate and lively discussion.

Nah...I consider this just lively discussion. Lunamoth is asking some difficult, but very fair, questions.

 

[lunamoth]

Uh yeah...which makes it a problem for you? At least in the sense that you couldn't reconcile a belief in Baha'u'llah and the teachings on the subject. Really, lunamoth, I think you may be reading a subtext into "problem" that isn't there on my end.


Is sanctioning a couple who married w/o parental permission, when there is no issue of image, justifiable?

How would you suggest we choose which of the ordinances we're going to pay attention to, and which we just ignore? We can't excuse away what it says on the grounds that it's an ancient text and meant something different in another culture. Christians can do that -- we can't.


They too have confidentialty rules they have to follow.


I figured.


There's nothing incongruous in recognizing that same-sex relationships with children lack protections the children should have. There's nothing incongruous in demanding that simple human decency should be accorded same-sex couples on matters like hospital visits and disposition of property.


I make the rounds doing deepenings on the subject whenever I can, because there's a lot in that statement from the House that goes ignored. And I assume when the House takes the time to write something, they probably thought it was important for us to know.

Thank you for the clarification Booko.

lunamoth

 

[Booko]

so can a seme-sex couple be in a relationship if there's no sexual contact involved?

Hey, if there's no sex, there's no issue.

Seriously, if two people of the same gender were living in the same place and their affection was not publically paraded, how would anyone know they weren't just roommates?

There is no such thing as the Baha'i Sex Police, and the guidelines specifically forbid Spiritual Assemblies from snooping into people's business.

 

[Booko]

Thank you for the clarification Booko.

No problem. And now that it's 1am...I should get some sleep! :sleep:

 

[Katzpur]

Greetings, Sun!

Briefly, the Baha'i position can be summed up in two statements:

First, as in the teachings of ALL the great religions (with only a few nonconformist groups differing), sex is to be restricted to heterosexual marriage ONLY. All non-marital sex, heterosexual or homosexual, is thus prohibited.

But second, that said, in every other respect homosexuals have the same rights and prerogatives as anyone else and so must not be discriminated against. (And indeed, there are Baha'i homosexuals.)

Regards,

Bruce

That would be virtually identical to the LDS perspective.

 

[Booko]

That would be virtually identical to the LDS perspective.

I can't say I'm surprised. We do seem to have a number of things in common.