Religion And Sexuality

[Aaya-Tan]

Personally, I am not of any religion, and do not base my sexuality merely because someone might think it's 'right' or 'wrong' or 'unholy.

I'm heterosexual through and through.

But not because "The Bible Told Me So".

I'm that way because I chose to be, and because, well, females may be attractive in some ways to me, and no, I wouldn't mind kissing a girl, but I don't see myself having one as a partner for the rest of my life.

Religion as a whole is one single faith that has been torn apart and basically butchered. Thus creating each type of religion.

I've been to just about every kind of church/mass/communion/sacrament/class of church, and let me tell you this.

Almost every single one of them says the same. Damn. Thing. Has no one else picked this up yet? There are only a few cosmetic differences, or the fact some take the bible more literally than others.

They may focus on some things more than other things in the books, but one thing, I've noticed, has held true for almost every church.

"Homosexuality is wrong."

Why? Because of premarital sex? Or is it because of the whole 'Only fornicate for procreation'.

So, no one's allowed to boink unless they want kids? That doesn't seem fair, there are women who are unable to have kids, and men who are sterile and can't produce seed. Does that mean they're never allowed to have sex ever? Even with their spouse?

The logic behind it just doesn't make sense in that case. I, personally, don't believe in premarital sex to begin with, but that doesn't mean I go around telling every unmarried mother "YOU WHORE" or anything.

God gave us free-agency, or so I've been told, to make our own choices. He knows what will happen, what has happened, and what is to come, right? So, does that mean he's going to hate someone because they were sexually abused by their father and ended up becoming homosexual because of mental trauma?

That doesn't make sense.

Then there's the ones who just realize that, over time, they are homosexual. I don't have anything against them, it's their decision, if it be a choice that just happens, or something that can't just be taken away with medication. I don't need excuses as to why someone is they way they are, or how they became the way they are.

You are who you are. That's all I need to know.

[Chere and Rose]

Wow, Aya-tan posty alots at once.

WEll, I'm okay with your way and I wouldn't hating someone just because they're homosexual .
It's different.....
I can't really put it into words how to describe why I think and why God thinks that homosexuality is wrong.....

[Miyani-chan]

I think God only finds it wrong for homosexuality is because in the beginning, God meant it to be only between man and woman. But, that's what I think. I'm not really sure though.

[SasorizaKitty]

My pet peeve is simply when people pick and choose what verses they want to use out of the Bible and ignore all the others. They tend to favor the Old Testament when they are ranting about hating this group or that group, yet completely ignore the New Testament that states that we should all love one another.

I don't really know if some people really understand the Bible.

Some people tend to swear by the 10 Commandments, but personally I believe more in the lessons Jesus taught, if I had to choose. It doesn't really matter how Christian or non-Christian you are, some lessons are universal. I actually haven't attended a church service in a few years. You may think me terrible, but I went to a Catholic school, where they feircely believe shoving religion down your throat is a good thing. In fact, it pushed me further away. But my point is, almost all religions (not cults) teach tolerance, love, and peace. Perhaps that's because these religions have realized that these values are the most important ones?

[Chere and Rose]

It really depends on your perspective.
There so many ways to interpret it.

Mizu- Yah. Mr C. said is was sybolic as the unity of the church (christian family) to Jesus (God, Trinity)
If it was a homosexual relationship that can't honour God.

[Transcendence]

I myself, am not homosexual. I am straight. I don't agree with this type of life style. But i will not say that anyone can not chose this life if they want. I don't want people telling me how to live my life, so I don't tell people how to life theirs. It is only fair.

I think that when it comes down to it...life is just like it should be. There is no reason to make a big stink about it because people want to be different. If they want to be that way then its ok with me.

[kaishi]

As far as I am concerned, blind faith breeds ignorance.... certainly not acceptance. Religion as a whole is something I'm not comfortable with - its organization and rules kind of scare me, for the reason I listed above. I myself am Pagan, though I consider myself so really in faith only. I celebrate the holidays and such, but I am solitary and I like it that way.

I absolutely cannot, will not, tolerate fundamentalists. My friend actually just sent me this site which is amusing and sad both at once. But it's a rather good demonstration of my point. I don't mean to insult any Christians of course - I think all religions worship the same power, just by different methods, so I have no prejudices against anyone, except those who would use their beliefs for hatred (woo, kind of run-on there but whatev). I was raised a Christian, so it isn't as if I don't understand.

As far as sexuality goes, I cannot but think it is a natural state. I can understand being uncomfortable with it, but not thinking these people have fewer rights just because they don't conform to religious traditions. Like 90% of my friends are homosexual, so I am a little biased I guess. I myself am heterosexual. While I appreciate the female form, women just don't appeal to me sexually and I think that's all it boils down to. That any religion thinks they have domain over that well... isn't that sort of like putting yourself above God? I mean, didn't that same God make the people?

[Usakoneko]

*pauses a moment, trying to get her thoughts together* This is a really touchy and heavy topic, and one I've debated with my friends a lot. I've got a lot of opinions on it and a lot of very firm beliefs that have been shaken in recent years (it happens when you have gay, bisexual, and transgender best friends XD), but I still hold firm.

To set the record straight, I'm a married, heterosexual woman, raised in the church as my husband was too, and we were both still virgins on our wedding day. Something I've been told that is (unfortunately) rare anymore. Now that said, my beliefs about sexuality in regards to my Christianity are as follows;
1. Extra-marital sex is sin.
2. Homosexual acts are a sin.
3. Marriage is defined as a union between one man and one woman.

These sounds really harsh and as if I'm one of the worst extreme Christians that are out there. I'm not. Let me explain a bit.

One thing needs to be said first off. Hate the sin, not the sinner. As I stated earlier, most of my best friends are gay and bisexual. Just because I disagree with their sexual choices does not mean I hate them or that I believe that they're going to hell. They're no more a sinner than I am. They just sin in different ways.

1. Extra-marital sex is a sin.
We are told in both the Old Testament and the new testament that this is true. The 10 commandments tells us that we shall not commit adultery. As defined by Marriam-Webster, adultery is voluntary sexual intercourse between a married man and someone other than his wife or between a married woman and someone other than her husband. Hebrews 13:4 also says "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral."
---For these reasons, I believe this. This does not mean that I will judge anyone who participates extra-marital sex, because that's not my place. If my friends who family are guilty of this, I will still love them, the same as they are surely loved by God.

2. Homosexual acts are a sin.
Once again, we are told this both in the New Testament and the Old Testament. Leviticus twice mentions that a man lying with a man is not acceptable (18:22, 20:13). 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says that the wicked, including the homosexual, shall not inherit the earth. Romans 1:26-27 says "...God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion."
---The words here are very clear. Perversion, shameful, indecent, and unnatural. Detestable. If this is what God thinks of these acts, how can they not be sinful? But once again, remember that this is what God thinks of the acts, not the one who makes them.

3. Marriage is defined as a union between one man and one woman.
Jesus himself tells us in Matthew 19:4-6 '"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."' Saying this, he is not only giving us this information, but re-enforcing what said in Genesis by quoting it to us.
---Combining this with what I've stated above, I have to believe that a godly marriage can only be between a man and a woman.


As to the OP's words, yes. I know that there are many things in the Old Testament that many Christians do not believe today. Much of that is due to Jesus' forgiveness of the Old Testament. The New Testament is often said to be his grace, forgiving and relieving his people of many of the stricter rules of the Old Testament. Beyond that, I believe that the time in which these laws were made and the culture they were made in needs to be taken into account when determining how the Bible translates to today. For example, I do not believe that it is a sin for women to have power over a man, despite what the Bible says. Why? Because I know that the culture of the Jews during the Bible was one in which women and children did not even count as people in census. In relation to today, we have grown past that belief, and our culture has moved forward.

@Aaya-tan- I don't believe that God hates anyone, homosexual or not. Every human being is His child and He loves them all. All He does is ask that we follow His wishes and desires, and live by His laws. Ask that we resist sin. It is no different to ask a homosexual to abide by his laws than asking a murderer or a liar. That may seems offensive, but think about it. I understand that for us as humans that the sins of homosexuality, murder, and lying are sins of different levels, but for God, a sin is a sin.

[BloodletLove]

I know just the extent of touchiness this topic holds, as I am a member of the bisexual community. -prepares to be shunned-

But, in my own defense, women are just as attractive as men, and who has any right to tell me who to be interested in? I can stare at the cute butt of anyone passing through, especially if they don't notice me staring. (Not that I do it, by any means.)

What I say, what my mother says, what my uncle says, and what my father says, is as follows: Let non-straights be non-straights. Let straights be straight. Who gives a frick? It's not like they're harming me in any way by being non-straight unless they try to sexually assault me. Seriously, I don't get the big deal with non-straight people. I mean, seriously, homos are no different from everyone else. Homophobes are, honestly, overreacting just a tad, in my opinion. What is a gay person going to do to them, honestly? Most of us non-straight people aren't perverts, and are rather considerate, enough to not rape the first person of the same sex we see. I mean, really.

Anyway, that's just my opinion. I prepare to be shunned.

[Weaseldale]

[Yazoo]

.. Okay, first of all the first post made me laugh xDD

Now on to my take on it~ <3

Me myself, I'm bi-sexual, to put a name to it, but I am also convinced that "love has no gender".
Why should it have one?
Why does it look that different to see two boys or two girls hug and kiss then to see a boy and a girl hug and kiss? The action doesn't exactly change, just the people doing it.
I also think that the homophobes that exists can stick it where they least want it. Really, if you don't want to see it then look the other way, but don't comment on it.

Which brings me to most serious christians, etc, wtv, seem to be homophobes, but here lies the funny thing.
If their "God" is so great that he/she/it created everything and whatnot, then didn't that "God" create gay as well?
And if it has to be the so-called work of the "Devil" then it was "God's" own fault for being so stupid to put the damned tree up in Heaven in the first place.
Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing against religious people since several of my friends are them. They respect me as bi, I respect them as religious and we're all happy.
I don't smite their God and they don't smite me xD

But yeah!
Also, I have two friends, both gay, one a Christian.
The non religious one said "God burned the town filled with gay people"
The religious one said "I know the entire bible by heart and it doesn't say it"
So, not only is the bible known for saying yes at one page and no at the other, just how many versions are there? Because I think all my Christian friends have a different one then the other v.v;;;

... Yes, I realise I got off-track v.v;;;;;;;
Really sorry v.v;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

[Berlin]

@Usakoneko

I agree completely. You have no idea. I would not be able to get it all out as cleanly as that, but I mean... That's exactly how I feel. I just can't whip out my Bible and find the right verses... ever. XD

@Yazoo

I see where you are coming from. I really do. You just have two mistakes. And to clear this up for you...

God did destroy a city by the name of Sodom. It is mentioned many times in the Bible to explain how powerful God is. Sodom was not destroyed for being "full of gays", but just full of sin in general. The only particular sins they name are adultery, lying, careless living, and "filthy" lifestyles (lasciviousness and wantonness).

The different versions of the Bible are just translations keeping up with the changing English language. To actually change what the Bible says or lie about what it says is a big time lie.

[Yazoo]

@ BerlinHawk

That's probaby where the misunderstanding between them came from, whether or not God burned a town filled with gays. Honestly speaing though, I've never really read a bible because with my friends I don't need to to know the stories, which is why I didn't know.

I'm not sure about the effect of the English language because I'm from Holland Our language doesn't really chance, there are just a lot of dialects here, some of which still has a bit of the older Dutch.

[Rawien]

I know this is a difficult and sensitive topic with lots of different people who are affected by it, but I guess I personally see it in a very black and white sense.

I don't understand how homosexuality hurts anyone? I don't know why anyone would let it bother them who anyone else wants to love, have sexual relations or just interact with. I've never liked discrimination towards anyone. I can understand why murder is a sin, and why adultery is a sin, they're vile acts of hatred and they're horribly hurtful, but being homosexual is fundamentally an act of love.

As for the religion aspect, I really don't see why I'd want to follow any religion that segregates or discriminates. And I certainly wouldn't be following it to the letter.

At the end of the day, make no apologies for who you are.

[Berlin]

The fact is that the Bible was written in Latin. And either way, whatever language you are translating to is going to have multiple ways to translate. XD

I haven't heard it called Holland in ages. :-0

@Rawien

It's not that homosexuals are hurting/bothering me, and I know someone is going to not like me saying this, but we are against homosexuality because it is hurting the person themselves. We care about them. And don't want to see them going down the wrong path.