OK These crazy asses on here are saying how being gay is an abomination and god hates them, look at how they sound. they act like the biggest christians ever, christians dont say "gay people suck" and "god hates gays" AM I RIGHT?\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Agq7LIPQNaYKOl34umwpnkLsy6IX?qid=1006042525545\n\nLook through it, and find the few who are "too godly" to support gay marriage.
215417
Well I am Christian and also bisexual, I dont hate gays straights bis or whatever. I do believe the Bible shows homosexuality as a sin but I also realise there are 613 other sins and no one can live sinlessly. So, I just get on day by day, dont let either ruin my life or the lives of others.
667554
I haven't read other responses yet, but I don't want to forget anything, so I'm gonna rush into my response.\nYou brought up some great points.  I think the main fact that you brought up is that our (when I say "our" I'm speaking for Christian conservatives b/c I can) beliefs have progressed for the better.  When you grow from being a child to an adult, your views of the world change.  The same thing can be said for collective thought.  I think that's a GOOD thing though.  It shows that we're changing for the better in many ways.  Thanks for letting your readers see how far we've come.\nOUR opinions aren't the last word.  You've just shown that.  However, from a Christian perspective, God's word IS the last word.  It (and HE) doesn't change.  Of course you can say that the God of the OT was a big meanie and the God of the NT was way nicer, but that's another discussion altogether.  In this respect, it's not wrong to say that the rules haven't changed.  Our UNDERSTANDING of the rules have.  The more you learn, the more you realize you don't know.  Cliched, but oh so true.  \nThe people who used (some still do) the Bible as an excuse to hate and abuse people of different color were NOT actually Biblically based.  They misunderstood (or intentionally so) the whole tribes thing & took that to mean different races.  Again, they weren't actually Biblically based.  People who say homosexuality is wrong and use the Bible to support that belief aren't taking the Bible out of context (in my opinion).  \n\nI can't speak for the bigoted stuff you mentioned like wearing sheets & crusading.  That's not a part of Christianity.  It's a part of retardation (no offense to mentally challenged people).  \n\nLike I said, your point is a valid one.  Opinions have changed, and they probably will again.  That doesn't mean we should just all not have opinions for fear that they will change.  There ARE fundamental truths, so it's important to hold fast to them.
487511
Be thankful we don't judge all non-believers but your ignorance.  You are a bigot who spews hostility and hatred. If you ever want to quiet that beast, just ask a Christian how :-)
27092
OK, it's time to tackle some of the tough questions!\n\nFirst of all, to qualify my answer , I am not gay, liberal  or aetheist.\n\nSecondly , while your question has provoked much comment, it's not really the right question\n\nThe "United States" is not scared of Homesexuality. The right wing religious zealots that live predominantly in the "red" states ARE scared. Not necessarily of Homosexuality, but of the fact that they may be wrong, wrong about lots of things. Scared that others may be more righteous than them.  A small percentage  may truly believe that in being "Christian", it is their responsibility to help others who in their minds Haved "sinned." To some extent, they can ALMOST be forgiven, since despite their small minded views , at least their intentions are not hateful. Most of course do not even fall into this category. They are "sinners", just like the rest of us. they may or may not call themselves religious, but this does not change their nature. Their hatered of gays is no different than the post civil war hatred against former slaves. It was simply about the need to be able to feel superior.\n\nMind you, if you are truly an excellent Human Being, you do not have this need ! You are happpy with your own life and let others live theirs. You Honor God by following Golden Rule "do unto Others as you want others to do unto you"\n\nEven their "Lord Jesus" knows  this and states it in the bible which they usually manage to misquote so often.\n\nIn Matthew 19:19 he replies to man who has asked about getting into heaven that he must obey the commandments and when asked to specify, Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF' "\n\nENOUGH SAID, I THINK!\n\nNow as to same sex marriage, that's another story. In my opinion, the PROBLEM is that the government has No Business being involved in marriage AT ALL. Marriage is a religious institution and should be left to the "church"\n\nOf course, there are reasons such as inheritance, insurance, health care proxy etc. etc. that marriage is convenient. for these reasons, there should be some kind of civil registration which can apply EQUALLY to any two people in a committed relationship and cohabitate, and should NEVER EVER be confused with religious marriage performed by a priest, minister , rabbi, imam, guru, or any other religious represenatative. \n\nBTW, Any preferential tax treatment should never be conferred on the basis of this registration, and instead only be available to Parent(s) of Children as properly caring for a child is clearly expensive but has great value to the community as a whole.
270497
they sure seem to think so, don't they.\n\ni think one of the reasons they do is because it violates some of their own basic, christian tenets not to judge others.  you see:  they enjoy violating their own rules and sinning like crazy.  they don't care!  they're "forgiven" so they sin all they like.  they also, unfortunately, enjoy hating people.  gays are a great target, and this way, they can try to force gays to follow the very same bible-laws that they violate multiple times every day.\n\npretty neat system they've worked out for themselves, isn't it?
395346
People hate because they are afraid of things they don't know much about. The Church goes against its own preachings by hating gays. Christianity says to love others, even if they are "sinners." You can argue about the nature of sin, but nowhere in the bible does it say "Good Christians bully gays." In fact, Jesus defends sinners as being only human and by saying,"He who throws the first stone..." Some Christians argue that gays are sinful, but few know what sodomy traditionally means. In biblical times, any sex that was done for just pleasure and not to make babies was viewed as a distraction to pleasing God and worshipping Him. So, naturally, gays were sinful for "having sex for fun." Nowadays, though, healthy relationships are driven by "fun sex", not the urge to make babies. Sexual attraction and a healthy sex life with your lover, not the need to make babies, is what primarily drives a healthy relationship of any kind! So in essence, what causes religiously-rooted homophobia is a misinterpretation of the bible. The other kind of homophobia is driven by people insecure in their own sexuality, and therefore need to bully others in order to feel powerful.\nEither way. I think your friend is just trying to find himself, so give him time.
541378
Joanna,\nYou ask a genuinely thoughtful and, I think, respectful question.  You deserve a likewise, respectful answer.  I don't know your age, so I can't determine how much experience you may have talking about or hearing different views on the subject of   people's sexual orientation.  I've had many years of listening to the rantings of religious conservatives (granted, usually through the media) who have at various times claimed that: gays deserved AIDS as it is God's punishment for immoral behavior; gays and lesbians should not be allowed to teach school, providing a negative role model for kids; homosexuality is sinfully perverted, no different than pedophilia, or any number of other criminal behaviors; public signs of affection between same sex partners is somehow more disgusting and socially aberrant than straight PDA's; etc, etc, etc, etc, ad nauseum.\n\nIf gay people and those who know, love and support them and their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness have a hard time having a "talk" with religious conservatives (Christian or otherwise) it may be because there often seems to be a condescending, 'holier than thou' attitude to these discussions.  We're told that "I love homosexuals, but hate their lifestyle", or "God made us all equal, but we must overcome our urges to sin"!  Ugh, it's depressing, frustrating and frankly insulting coming from someone who isn't gay and hasn't lived through the threats, intimidation and sometimes physical violence perpetrated on gay people.\n\nWe sometimes feel like the 'last acceptable minority' to single out to disparage and scapegoat.  Sorry, Joanna, but you asked the question, and I want you to know the answer from my perspective.  I'm a spiritual person, who believes deeply in my connection to God, the divine, and it's awfully offensive to have to hear people with no greater moral compass than I, and often I think, much less, offer pronouncements on my soul's fate.\n\nThat you've "never heard anyone say 'I HATE gays'...", doesn't sound very convincing to me, I'm afraid.  It does speak volumes about 'how' we hear what we hear, and what we 'want' to hear at times.  Trust me, it's being said, in many ways subtle, sometimes with sweet, sweet kind tones.....but make no mistake about it, the intention IS there.\n\nI wish we could have had this discussion in person; I certainly don't mean to offend you, and I hope I don't come across that way, but I do emphatically want to stress that when you, or anyone talks to a gay person about their life, lifestyle, etc. you are treading on something so fundamental, so private, and so much about who they are as a person, that you can't help but stir their deepest feelings.
650045
Many voters and politicians are being bigots.  I have listened to radio talk shows and read tons of stuff on the Internet, and I have yet to see or hear an argument for banning gay marriage that makes sense to me.  I am a Christian.  I am against persecuting others and I expect to be persecuted.  Gay people being allowed to get married is not going to affect my heterosexual marriage one bit.  It is not going to affect my childrens' world views, but thinking that HATE is OK because it's officially sanctioned by the government might.  Let the church do as it will, but the state needs to allow minorities their basic civil rights.
348734
I think there are a lot of Christians who have been taught to hate themselves and their God given sexual orientation, and it hurts not only them, but their families.  I pray constantly that God will free people from the bondage of lies that keep them closeted.  Someday, homphobia will seem as outdated as racism, and probably take twice as long to shake off.
589330
You seem to be asking two questions, then hint at a third. The first, "Why do they (some people who have a solid faith), insist on pushing it onto others?"\n\nWhen I see "faith" I immediately think "religious faith," and when some of those who have a solid religious faith insist on pushing it onto others, they are likely to be evangelical, which charges them with spreading the Word. For others, their faith has so changed their lives that, evangelical or not, they cannot contain their happiness and must share with others.\n\nAs you elaborate your question you ask a second and hint at a third: "We don't judge them for their beliefs - so why do they judge others?" What you see as "judging" to them may be seen as having accepted the Truth. That Truth is so obvious it can be blinding in its clarity and all the more mystifying that others can't, don't or refuse to see it. That in turn, couples with a sense of urgency to save the rest of us.\n\nAnd then, "While I am not gay, it seems to be the gay community that recieve the most 'telling offs'." This seems to go into a different territory. The gay community receiving the most 'telling offs' may be from those who are anti-gay and/or homophobic; or simply ignorant and/or immature.
211495
I think the site is very interesting. Conservative Christians believe the bible is the word of god, which is obviously not true, as people here have said, there is a difference between the old and new testiment... therefore they ignore parts of the bible, so people DO ignore some of gods words! I have always wondered how people decided what parts of the bible they to ignore and what parts they follow... and have posted a lot of questions about that.. no one has an answer, they say you feel it in your heart or through god... all this explains why in the past Christians were so racist and destroyed so many cultures... and why they are homophobic now. They are affraid to even question the bible, but by ignoring things (like the old testiment) they not only question, they judge and reject. The site is worth a read... as it comes to the conclusion.. lets just reject the lot!\nChristianity is like this weight dragged along by humanity, reinforcing old out dating philosophies. We drag them along.. and say to them... slavery is bad.. they argue its in the bible, its ok... then after time the accept, because its from society where they get their beliefs not the bible.
136311
Well, if you feel that way, then you're a bigot. I'm gay, and I can advocate for the fact that it IS natural, because I'm gay, and I WOULD know, unlike you. The issue with homophobia, is that straight people try to make stupid assumptions (It's a choice, it's not natural) when in reality, they have no CLUE because they're not gay themselves. We were born this way, we're PEOPLE like everyone else, and we too, do get offended. So please, save your bible-thumping bigotry for someone who cares. I would also like to point out that for every homophobic person answering this question is a gay/lesbian teenager commiting suicide right now because of the CRAP and TORTURE you put them through. Those of you calling yourselves adults/christians should be ASHAMED. GOOD DAY.
358265
siamsalem007: are you serious or are just that dumb? it is by leaps and bound easier to follow the herd so you don't have to formulate original thoughts or have an individual opinion.  i don't mean to bash or berate, but come on! jeewhiz! <---hehe that rhymes with jesus. HA!\n\nand for all of you christians supposedly being supportive and caring, you sure are a bunch of ravenous close-minded religion-mongers. what makes you think you deserve eternal paradise? because some book written by the hands and fingers of men tells you so? at the very LEAST, practice what you freaking preach! so few of you do.
476097
Some people place an inordinate focus on a handful of passages from the Bible (which, as far as literature goes, is terribly overrated) that condemn homosexual behavior as an "abomination."\n\nBecause the Bible is full of contradictory nonsense, what people often do is they pick and choose which parts they will listen to. Like the part about stoning one's children to death if they talk back to you - no one really pays attention to that, or to the passage about how eating shrimp and lobster is an abomination. That would just be too inconvenient.\n\nSo when people already don't like gay people - which is what they pick up from this wonderfully homophobic culture of ours - all they have to do is flip open the Bible and find the passage in Leviticus that agrees with them, and then they can feel perfectly justified in their bigotry. Indeed, they often begin to force this hatred upon others, such as with that awful Fred Phelps and his grotesque little cult in Kansas.\n\nHere's the thing, though: if people do not choose to be gay, but in fact are born that way, what would that say about God? And what would that say about the Bible?\n\nReligious people will either plug their ears or run fleeing from anything that threatens their dearly-head beliefs. It's how they organize their entire thought process about the world and the other people in it, after all. So there is no way they could ever acknowledge that the Bible is mistaken, because God doesn't make mistakes. And if being gay is a mistake, then it must be because people choose to be that way.\n\nBut I look at it like this: those who take the Bible as the inerrant and literal word of God are choosing to be ignorant. Which is also why they continue to think the Earth is only 6,000 years old, was created in six days, and Adam rode a pterodactyl to work.\n\nGive me gay over stupid any day. Cheers!
585141
I'm sorry, but your use of the word thinking is far too liberal (sorry, I can't find a thesaurus to come up with a less tasteless word and I really don't feel like firing up Microsoft word right now.)\n\nAnd if someone is "alright" with gays, as in they believe that gays deserve to be treated equally, then why are they attempting to use the word as an insult? Is that hypocrisy or irony? Or is it just sheer stupidity?\n\n\nAnd I see yet another S.B.S.N. has struck. I'm going to start counting now as I browse your questions.
651444
I feel that we are all created by God to be what we will be. God made homos just as he did heteros. And for those who don't believe that... me and my queens will be waiting to make you over at the pearly gates. I mean really , heaven without gays, I can't even imagine it. But I have a very liberal, lovey, touchy-feely, kind of view of God and Jesus. I don't buy the hell fire and brimstone talk. God is love. Jesus is love. (not gay love, not straight love, just love) I guess a lot of people out there say I can't be christian because I don't believe gays are going to hell. Well, I have a limited amount of space to argue that suffice it to say I disagree.
49852
I am a straight man.  I have had many gay friends due to my involvement in theatre.  I do not hate homosexuals.  I am also a Christian and I know lots of people who hate homosexuality.  I don't understand why it is singled out as THE sin to hate.  I have told Fat christians that I think gluttony is a sin.  I have told rich Christians that greed is a sin.  I have then asked them why their sin is less of a sin then a homsexual's sin.  I have asked these questions many times in many adult Sunday School classes.  Needless to say it doesn't make me real popular.  So now to your question.  I think a lot of people hate homosexuals simply because they are told they should.  The Christian right is constantly bombarding us with the message that homosexuality is the number one threat to the family unit.  Of cours this is stupid.  Divorce, infidelity and not spending time together are the biggest threats to the family units I know about.  When a Christian tells me that homosexuality is a sin.  I always agree that the Bible does say that a man shouldn't lay with another man.  So by the letter of the law it is a sin.  But then I ask them if they have had to fight off strong urges to sleep with members of the same sex?  They always respond NO!  Then I say isn't it odd that most of the other sins in the Bible hold some temptation for us, but this one, if we are heterosexual holds none?  I then ask them if gay marriage was legal and the gay couples got the same tax breaks and property rights as straight couples would you be tempted to turn homosexual?  Of course they say NO!  Then I zing them with "So why do you suppose that of all the sins listed in the Bible we straight Christians spend so much time and energy focusing on the one that doesn't tempt us and never will?  Isn't it possible it's a convenient way to not deal with issues that DO effect us?  Isn't it possible that it's just a way to feel superior and holy without ever having to do anything but look down on others who are different than us?  100% of the time they then answer: "The Bible says homosexuality is a sin."  This one issue is truly one of the reasons it is hard to stay active in church.  When you KNOW people are judging and being blind and feeling so secure and right about it, it can drive you crazy.  Even when I tell them that I have watched gay friends die horrible deaths of AIDS without adequate medical care because their life partner of many years could not get them on a "family" insurance plan, it makes no impact.  Now having said all of that I would like to share with you some things about the current attitude in our society that makes me dislike the Gay Rights movement.  As a heterosexual Christian male, I am judged and hated before I even have an opportunity to share who I am.  As a straight male, I get sick of being told by effeminate men what is style.  I resent being almost always portrayed in the media as not as smart as gay men, not as in touch with our feeling, not as capable of expressing emotion.  I think on any given night on television there is a lot more straight male bashing then there ever was gay bashing.  There I got it off of my chest.  This is the longest answer I've ever written.  I wonder if anyone will actually read it all the way through?