This is a really fun read, the thoughts are presented very well in here. Although, I am not myself a religious man, it is undoubtedly fascinating to see the banter back and forth. Personally, I'm more along the fence of - I believe being gay is a choice, but not one that makes you good or bad. I know some people do -choose- to be gay, as I've had a couple "homosexual" friends of mine say a certain experience led them down the current path they are on. I also think the bible is full of nonsense, such as not tattooing yourself, eating selfish, and other extravagant claims.
So do you also support slavery and killing disobedient children? Every eat a pepperoni pizza? Do you deserve death for that? If you believe in the bible in its entirety you believe those things. Do you also believe the sun stood still? Does the sun travel around the earth? That's in the bible. And you didn't answer my question. If sexual orientation is a choice, when and why and how did you choose to be straight? At what time in your life did you assess the relative advantages of being gay, straight, bi, and choose being straight?
For me it was May 13th 1992. I was in the kitchen, Gerald was in the hot tub and Janet was in my bed. Both were tempting but I really didn't feel like getting all wet, so I decided to be strait. JK, I love who I love and there aint no choosing.
Blessed with special powers! That's marvelous and convenient. I tried to read more about Buddhism but they have no Book that you could call the, word of god. There are some pithy writings by some monks but apparently you need to learn the religion directly from the monks. But now we have you! Perhaps you can share your gift and enlighten us with your knowledge of Buddha and the blessings of Buddhism. The floor is yours.
I don't believe sexual orientation is a choice, but I do believe acts of homosexuality are unnatural and wrong. IMO, you can be gay and Christian, unfortunately you must choose to abstain/stray from from sexual acts and desires towards your fellow gender. Not easy, but neither is being married and fully faithful to one woman your whole life.
Based on what? Since homosexuality exists in every animal species studied and in every human civilization known, how can it be unnatural? And while it may be possible to abstain from sexual acts, how does a sexual species abstain from sexual desire? I could be married and faithful to one woman my entire life, however, if I find the right one.
Yes it exists in the animal kingdom and in all civilizations of the world, but that does not make it right. While we have monkey like instincts for survival, humans are in-fact infinitely more evolved, with spiritual and moral minds that no non-human being possess. It might be a natural tendency, but we as humans must be held to a higher standard than the animal kingdom for the sake of the entire world. Not easily, especially with the vast pressures from our morally degraded society. However, with the properly aligned spiritual vertical any inflection of the flesh can be overcome. Our bodies are without a doubt, our own worst enemies.
Humbleness, truthfulness, and harmlessness, Patience and honour, reverence for the wise. Purity, constancy, control of self, Contempt of sense-delights, self-sacrifice, Perception of the certitude of ill In birth, death, age, disease, suffering, and sin; Detachment, lightly holding unto home, Children, and wife, and all that bindeth men; An ever-tranquil heart in fortunes good And fortunes evil, with a will set firm To worship Me--Me only! ceasing not; Loving all solitudes, and shunning noise Of foolish crowds; endeavours resolute To reach perception of the Utmost Soul, And grace to understand what gain it were So to attain,--this is true Wisdom, Prince! And what is otherwise is ignorance! From the Hindu religion. Islam and the Koran only mention men and women in the context of Married. Matthew in the Bible make it very clear that men and women marry. Live with a women if you will but calling it Married is sticking a thumb in the eye of every person of all religions. That seems like an odd thing to make lawful.
My parents are religious and believe marriage should be available to all loving couples, and they are very far from alone. Many many people of every major religion would disagree with your assertion that getting married is "sticking a thumb in the eye of every person of all religions" But even as such, there is no pressure for your church to marry. Does it affect you if a Hindu man and a woman get married? What about a Hindu gay couple? Neither couple would be accepted by your church, If you belong to a Catholic church, they care about Catholics getting married, not Hindus. Same with Protestant, Jewish, and so on. But if instead of being Hindu they are simply nothing, or Unitarian or some branch that does recognize them, then you claim this matters. How? How are you affected?
You are contradicting yourself, a common habit in bigotry since there is no logic. First you say homosexuality is unnatural. When challenged you say well it's natural but not "right" with no definition of what is "right" except, I guess, what you say. You also don't answer my question; we may be able to abstain from sex but how do we abstain from feeling desire? Sexual desire is hard wired in our evolution (although you probably reject evolution). We cannot escape from feelings. Not sure what an "inflection" of the flesh is and absolutely disagree our bodies are our worst enemies. I guess that's why men have to put so much effort into controlling women's bodies. Because you really find us icky.
Right now i do kind of feel like my body is my own worst enemy. Trying to lose weight but all I want is fatty salty food. I guess your talking something different. Oh, I could go for a slice of cheesecake right now.
That's actually a perfect example. Our bodies are made up of appetites; for food, sex, pleasure, power, information, entertainment, etc. The more we feed on something, the more our body craves that something to the point of instinctual rhythm, second nature, damaging habit etc. Homosexual acts are un-natural (anal sex being the most glaring example), but they stem from a totally natural need for love/affection. My source for what's right comes from the most infallible book on human design in the history of man, the bible. Sure you cannot escape feelings, but you do have the free will to accept or reject them. That is life in a nutshell, reject your selfish feelings for the betterment of your fellow man. Death to Self. Infliction* of the flesh is what I describe above, letting your bodies feelings, emotions, and desires run the show. Icky? Women to men are like glorious mirages that we encounter in our walk through the desert of life. We try to control their bodies because they hold a tremendous power over us that you cannot understand as a woman.
