FINDING HOPE & CONFUSION AT THE SAME TIME – AND IN THE STRANGEST PLACES. THE DEBATE ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE RAGES ON…

there is nothing more contrary to the nature of god than the hatred of love

Hell, love is hard enough to find and it makes no difference to me where someone finds that love.

My belief as well!! I am ever befuddled that so many people put so much angered effort into the love of 2 consenting adults. Why? I dunno, I cannot understand these people...love is love. Yea for all who find and experience it!

Amen to all three of you. Folk seem to be a little obsessed with what their neighbors might be doing behind closed doors.

Hugh,

What did you just say exactly?

You used the words 'deny' and 'insanity' rather oddly.

Do you know what you meant?

I used to teach the Bible to children, youth, and adults too. Explain yourself please.

I want to read it.

I think he meant that if God did not make mistakes, then love isn't a mistake and by extension homosexuality isn't a mistake, yet Christians want to prevent same sex marriage because religously, many of them believe that homosexuality is wrong.

May be wrong on that, but I think that's what he meant.

thanks grisham that is what i meant. and tax 21 maybe you could teach children read, then maybe teach them the bible.

How is deny or insanity used incorrectly? I have heard so many times how god doesn't make mistakes, yet religious ? believers preach how homosexuality is wrong, how could it be wrong if god is responsible for everything? same with evolution, didn't god create evolution? how many ways do you all want it?

there is nothing, absolutely nothing, more contrary to the nature of god than the hatred of love

Hmmm because I'm bored at work, I'm gonna try to field this one Hugh.

I have heard so many times how god doesn't make mistakes, yet religious ? believers preach how homosexuality is wrong, how could it be wrong if god is responsible for everything?

If I were religous, my argument would probably look something like this: God gave you free will and allows man to sin. Homosexuality is a sin, much like murdering and adultery are sins (after all the God of the Old testament turned an entire city to salt because of homosexuality). Therefore, homosexuality is a choice and a sin against God.

*wipes sweat off brow*

It's also a good argument for seperation of Government and Religion. While I think religously you are free to believe homosexuality is a sin and churches shouldn't be forced to marry homosexuals against their beliefs, gay couples should be allowed to marry under the law of the land because religion should play no role on the rights and freedoms of the people, many of which aren't relious and that is their right as well as it is the right of those who believe in God.

tax211, on the same subject what religion is god anyway? christian, muslim, budhist...

it is amazing how man's creation, religion, is responsible for so much hatred, ugliness, and evil

when you teach your christian bible, the parts about love, compassion, brotherhood. do you teach your adults about how the native people of N. America were slaughtered in the name of Jesus? Do you teach about how the KKK would string strange fruit in trees on Saturday night then sing to jesus on sunday? do you teach them about all the evil commited in the name of god?

Do you know 2 million, 2 million, Vietnamese died in a war based on lies, for this "God Blessed America" and how many Iraqis have died in another war based on lies?

I can tell you what to do with your bible teaching.

Grish, i'm not sure about sodom and gomorrah being just about homosexuality,

and if you have free will but that free will is coerced by religious teaching, then is it still free will or is it merely propaganda

religion is, i believe, the manifestation of evil on earth. the conscience is the manisfestation of god in each of us. the louder your conscience the greater the presence of god. religion for reasons of their own promote evil, hatred, and acts of aggression. history proves that

Grish, i'm not sure about sodom and gomorrah being just about homosexuality

That's true. But homosexuality was a big part of it. Homosexuals are also called 'abominations' in the Bible though.

and if you have free will but that free will is coerced by religious teaching, then is it still free will or is it merely propaganda

Interesting question, Hugh. I would say yeah, you'd still have free will. For example, I teach my kid not to lie. I tell him lying is bad and provide examples of why it's wrong, but when he moves out on his own he might become a liar. He has free will. Just because I told him it was wrong doesn't mean he will follow what I say.

religion is, i believe, the manifestation of evil on earth. the conscience is the manisfestation of god in each of us. the louder your conscience the greater the presence of god. religion for reasons of their own promote evil, hatred, and acts of aggression. history proves that

Well, I wouldn't go that far. There are a lot of good religous people who get branded for a few zealots. I think people miscontrue religion to fit their wants. Granted, there has been a lot of bloodshed in the name of religion, but I think that's human nature and religion is the scapegoat used in a lot of cases. If magically there was no religion tomorrow, I think wars would still be fought over other things.

. Homosexuals are also called 'abominations'

So is eating pigs and shrimp, even straight ones.

Grish,

I hold to my statement about religion. The fact that there are good religious people is not the point. It is what religions hold themselves up to be, how they are used, and what is done in its name. I'm spiritual not religious. Though I was brought up with Christian exposure and it is part of my fabric I certainly don't define myself that way.

The lady that questioned my initial statement is a perfect example. I will teach children and adults my interpretation of the bible, but, I'll leave out some very important facts about it. It is not the word of god. It is the interpretations of men, written down after the fact, and colored by their training. I really don't remember Jesus being as hateful as my perception of Christians.

It is the holier than thou attitude. It is the self centered assuredness that they are right to act and believe as they do. It is the encroachment of religion into our government, politics and military.

Governments, laws, regulations, have been developed by man as societies developed to counteract the human nature you speak of, the inclination of man to do harm. It is fine when religious tenets influence these laws and regulations, but when they start defining them that is when evil reveals itself, because now rather than it being secular it becomes orthodox and then you have a religious state which is not good for anyone.

The Vietnam War was fought in part because of the propaganda against "godless communism", the lies put forth much in the same way it was done for our present Iraq War, resulted in 2 million Vietnamese dying. To me that negates any good America is supposed to stand for. Why? Because of the lies, the ulterior motives, and the religions that sanctioned it. That is pure evil, to me it is the work of Satan (as defined by religions) it is camouflaged behind legend, fable, and the goodness of men like Jesus.

Do you think Jesus would for a moment care about homosexuals? But the Satanists, that preach Chritianity use his name for evil. Again, hatred of love is evil.

Homosexuals are also called 'abominations' in the Bible though.

Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

I am an abomination...I wear a men's flannel shirt...I am going to hell.

http://biblebabble.curbjaw.com/laws.htm

I think you'll have plenty of company Hippo.

I am an abomination...I wear a men's flannel shirt...I am going to hell.

If your flannel is of mixed fibers, you are in even more trouble...

If your flannel is of mixed fibers, you are in even more trouble...

Holy crap that made me laugh!

wow, rip, thanks for the education, very interesting

Ditto what Hugh said. Nice post, Rip.

The key is that my religion should not be driving the law.

I wish more people felt that way.

thanks ohio bob, i concur