Homosexuality

[Paddington]

That's interesting at least he is not as anti gay as many popes have been in the past.I personlay think that homosexuality is alright. They cant help being gay as much as someone with dyspraxia can help having terrible handwriting. I really don't get this idea that it is bad. There was a study of Zebra finches ( http://carinbondar.com/2011/08/the-asto ... not-apply/) and when there weren't enough females they became gay. I know this might sound completely un related but since I believe in evolution then a common ancestor could have developed this idea. Also as it happens in other species why is it so wrong in humans?

[nathanw-j]

and homophobia is caused by something else.

homophobia is caused by ignorance and people who don't think for themselves and believe the word of a mistranslated, self-contradicting piece of rubbish such as the bible

[Paddington]

homophobia is caused by ignorance and people who don't think for themselves and believe the word of a mistranslated, self-contradicting piece of rubbish such as the bible

Please do not talk about the bible in this way. All of my family and close friends are Christians. You may believe that.That may be your opinion. However do not call one of the bestselling books and one of the largest religions in the worlds holy book rubbish.

The bible teaches us good examples of how to live life and a lot of stuff like love thy nabour still makes a lot of sense today. Your not supposed to follow everything strictly. Just use the bible as a guideline.And yes it might contradict bits of its self but there is either a moral in the story or it is because people in that age simply didn't understand the world as much as we do and so looking back about 2000 years later it seems weird or wrong.

The fact is the bible didn't cause homophobia. It was the many Christians who have influenced Christianity over the years for instance the earliest Christian church gave a woman a most important task Christianising Rome however st Augustus decided he didn't like women and that they weren't important. And now certain branches of the Christian church refuses women bishops. It is the rules of just war not the bible that contradicts the bible on the idea of violence.And those were made by a monk in the 13th century.

Also it wasn't necessarily Christians but a multitude of factors that caused homophobia. They may have largely influenced it but there not the solely to blame just like we cant blame all islamists for being terrorists. The large majority are judged on the actions of the minority.

[nathanw-j]

ok 1) double post

and 2) this the debate forum and is says The topics discussed and their content may on occassion offend some, so if it offends you i am not really bothered as it is my opinion and this forum is supposed to be about sharing them

[wadey]

Nathan ~ you shouldn't be calling the bible rubbish. Even though this is a debate forum you still need to consider other people feelings and comparing homophobic people with the bible is wrong the bible is there for those who believe in it & they nothing wrong in that, while homophobic people in general society it is now mostly deemed wrong.

[nataliekirkland]

I think homophobia is wrong, and people should be accepting of people no matter what their race/ gender sexuality etc. However, I was bought up as a Catholic, so I can understand that point of view, even though I don't agree with it and people should also be more accepting of religion.

[Paddington]

Nathan it doesn't offend me since I do not believe in Christianity although being brought up in a Christian family it is not a generally accepted idea to call a religious text . You also don't back up your point if it is a "self contradicting book" please tell me where it is. Its no good to say something is self contradicting with out sufficient evidence to back it up. Of Couse the bible is going to be a bit strange to various people it was written by load of humans.

However some Christians are accepting of homo sexuality and follow the bible at the same time. As I said I was brought up with Christians but I have also been brought up with two very good friends of my parents who are gay and married. There really nice. But then some people are going to find the concept of homosexuality than some other people. If you have been brought up all your life believing homosexuality is wrong then it is highly likely you are going to think it is wrong.

[nathanw-j]

1)It is self contradicting because it says do not kill and it also says stone (ie kill) and men who lay with men or women who lay with women

2)you put cal a religiuos text and didn't finish the sentence

3)it is difficult to take religion seriously when groups such as the so called "church" of scientology and the westborough baptist "church" (read hate group) exist

and 4) i just did call it a load of rubbish

[Paddington]

-1) yes but Jesus and the new testament ( which separates them from Jewish text) only has stoning of Christians. One of the most famous quotes was when Jesus Christ says "let those without sin cast the first stone" this basically says you shouldn't be judgemental and a hypocrite and call someone a sinner unless you have sinned yourself. As this is one of the Christians main teachings and is made by our messiah then surely this is the most important part of the bible and the bit Christians should not question. You may call the old testament hypocritical but then surely you could call the torah hypocritical to which you haven't. what makes the bible different from the torah is the new testament and that is firmly against judgement and so the bible as a whole cant be judged to be hypocritical. The bible was also written over 100 years or more. times and views change.

2) sorry about that I have problems with tracking skills and so I have a tendency to believe I have finished sentences when I haven't as I do the research required for my argument. I also apologise for spelling which is tricky for me.

3) The Christian church which follows the teachings of the bible. scientology doesn't and the Christian church dose not condone it. It is the same with wesboro Baptist church it has been expelled from the reputable Baptist scocoeties if it can be counted at all it is the black sheep of the Christian family. none of the rest of the various Christian churches like it.

4) but it is not treating everyone justly that's in the bible and is followed loving people that is in the bible and is followed sharing is in the bible and is followed its like reading Shakespeare for the first time gradually you understand the meaning and it makes a lot of sense it just takes time. I didn't understand the book of ester or Ruth when I first read them. Now they make a lot of sense and have taught me a lot of valuable life lessons. if you say the bible is rubbish then surely everything in it including looking after the poor and week is also rubbish.

[nathanw-j]

actualy the old testament laws are supoosedly still in effect as it says in Matthew 5:17-19 and MANY other verses say that the old law (ie the old testament) is forever binding

[Paddington]

That might be so but I a never said the old testament laws were not followed.Of the verses I can see may say it is wrong but there is now law in the bible to say it is wrong.

[nathanw-j]

there is now law in the bible to say it is wrong.

this doesn't makes sense, i am not sure what you are saying here

[Paddington]

Sorry if I am wrong but this is the way I was taught it for 8 years in a protestant church that this is how it goes
lets put it this way the bible has the 10 commandments which are in the old testament they say things like do not steal or want anyone possessions love thy nabour as thy self and other stuff however no where in those 10 laws dose it say anything about homosexuality. Then there are the teachings these are from basically every chapter in the bible that tell you morals of stories and stories these teach you and your church teaches you what you should do for instance a teacher might say to us that we can learn from the story of Ruth that hard work pays off. However most people don't follow the bible word to word they use the bible and the 10 commandments as how they should live their lives. SAnd even then you generally follow the stories from the most important chapters which are generally considered to be the gospels genesis exodus and psalms.