religion + homosexuality = possible?

It's threads like this which make me relieved that I was certain I was an atheist before I was certain that I'm gay!

 

its threads liek this that makes me wonder humanity more than usual why do we live by how a book tells us how did it get so weird

 

I get that some people are religious. I just think that you can be much freer and at ease with yourself without God. I certainly am. I get that people take comfort in God. Heck, I did once too.

I don't mean to be rude. I just want everyone who is battling with their religion to know that you don't have to combine your sexuality with the bible/koran/whatever. You don't have to cave in to comfort and blissful ignorance. You can just say, "Screw religion! I'm going to live my life."

It is my opinion that all those struggling with religion should rethink their views of God. And I believe it's a valid opinion to express in this thread.

 

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Same here. For me, religion doesn't seem possible period, but...ehh.

 

I haven't seen one condescending comment on this thread. I completely get that some people are religious. I mentioned in the other religious-themed thread that I used to be a hardcore evangelical Christian.

What I did see were a couple of brave souls advocating that people actually THINK about their beliefs instead of just blindly accepting them and trying to mold themselves and their beliefs to fit each other, which is exactly what far too many Christians and religious-type people do. They never THINK about what they're being taught. They just accept it, and then they bitch when someone even slightly suggests that there might be alternatives and it might be worth using a brain cell or two to consider them.

There, NOW there's some condescending comments, and I ain't done yet.

Ultimately, if you want to be a Christian or a Muslim or a Pastafarian or a member of Second Our Lady of St. Bob Fundamentalist Evangelical Free Reformed Temple of Latter-Day Thursdays or believe some other crazy shit entirely, then have a ball. But, if you haven't actually THOUGHT about and CONSIDERED what it is you actually believe, I would assert that you have no belief at all and you're not much more than a spiritual meat-puppet being manipulated by some pastor/priest/rabbi/pirate captain/pope/Vice Director of Creation Management/whatever into opening your wallet and closing your mind.

Like I said, THINK. THINK about what you believe. My personal beliefs aren't really relevant to this conversation because although I've found some combination that works for me, it's a personal prescription. I considered and thought and prayed and read and researched long and hard to figure out what I actually believe. I KNOW what I believe, and my beliefs are actual beliefs, not a set of craptacular doctines spoon-fed to me by someone who's salary and housing are paid for by my monetary droppings into the offering plate.

THINK about what you believe and believe what you ACTUALLY believe, not what someone TELLS you to believe. Find what ACTUALLY fits you and makes sense for you, instead of just trying to shove yourself into something that isn't a good fit. If Christianity works out to be that good fit, hey, good for you! I've seen it happen before, with amazing results.

 

I myself am a church-going agnostic homosexual. I don't know if there is a God, and that is probably irrelevant, but my church is a fairly liberal one (by US standards, a ridiculously liberal one). We have close links to a group called Affirmation Scotland, a Christian group whose mission is to have homosexuality accepted by the church. I think the two can mix perfectly well. It is not Christ's teachings that condemn homosexuality, it is Christianity's. I think that Jesus would be ashamed of what is done 'in his name'. I think it would make him deeply sorry to be the figurehead of such a hateful group as many so-called Christian groups are.

 

Pastafarian+Transsexuality+homosexuality=Al

 

For me, reconciling God with my sexuality was something that I struggled with. Then I started to go to a church that was accepting of LGBT people and realised that God created us lovingly. I feel that the bible is often misquoted as verses are taken out of context in order to form a homophobic opinion.

Overall, churches are going in the right direction and becoming more accepting of however there will always be denominations and religions that will never accept LGBT people.

So, I think that it is possible to be LGBT and religious.

 

I'm a Christian. I like the same sex. It doesn't matter if I'm dating a man because I'll always be attracted to women.

I think its important to feel loved by God and in your community... Otherwise we are bankrupt. Love is the greatest commandment dear... It's true.

Many people criticized who Jesus spent time with. Most "religious" people wouldn't get near them because they were "beneath" them. And they were called Pharisees. Jesus wasnt cruel to anyone the way he was to the Pharisees. Why? They had no humility or love. Everything had to be by the book. The "rules" became more important than the people. Unfortunately those people will exist but it doesnt have to end your relationship with God.

 

It's absolutely possible. Check out the hashtag #faithfullyLGBT on Twitter.

Also, Kevin Garcia is a gay man who runs a blog about faith from an LGBT perspective. His stuff is usually well worth reading: theKevinGarcia.com - just another guy wading through a quarter life crisis

 

Wow, reading through this thread, I have to say that I'm impressed to see how you've come full circle in a few short years. I'm in the same boat as you really, and it's difficult to say whether or not it feels more liberating to be out of the closet, or free of my faith...

Congrats man,

-The Seeker

 

i dont know... i guess so..... and vid is kapput

 

Believe it or not, the bible doesn't really say anything about homosexuality. That was a western interpretation. The word that was being translated to mean that was actually very ambiguous, and it appeared to mean a demeaning, hostile relationship rather than a homosexual one.

 

This is all so terribly relatable. It reminds me a lot of how I used to be and how I've went a full circle myself. I still feel bad for all the stupid things I said when I was younger, that hurt so many people. I can't even remember what I said, or who I said it to...

All I know is I live in a hyper religious area, so very few people are out of the closet. When I was younger, there was maybe one gay guy out in the entire school... Everybody was a complete asshole to him. Back when I was still religious, I did the very same thing thinking it was somehow helping... boy, was I wrong.