Is it hard being a homosexual Theist? (Baptist, baptism, Biblical)
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I do think there is some correlation between the devoutness of one's faith (particularly the varieties I was in) and the amount of guilt. After all if you don't take it very seriously, then the guilt isn't very great.
My story and "level of devoutness", if you will, was similar to yours, but I experienced quite a bit less guilt even though from your description the teachings were very similar. So I think another factor is one's own brain chemistry, upbringing and family dynamic. My parents were very non-shaming evangelicals and my wife's parents were very shaming, guilting agnostics. Guess which one of us has more trouble with feelings of guilt and anxiety?
The way I experienced the teachings was basically that the admonishment and shame was for other people, the ones who actually were being naughty. I knew I was a Good Boy (tm) and mostly that was just a matter of fact realization, not a "goody-two-shoes" thing. When I was older and had, say, sexual fantasies, I tended to regard that as apropos of the old saying, "you can't keep the birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair". Others, I know, were tormented at their "failure" to master their thought-life. I tended to feel that one's thoughts don't hurt other people unless they motivate you to act in ways that are actually hurtful.
What it all comes down to is that religious guilt is unhelpful but whether it's a determinative influence in your life depends on factors besides its mere presence.
What it all comes down to is that religious guilt is unhelpful but whether it's a determinative influence in your life depends on factors besides its mere presence.
Absolutely! For me, I already had a tendencey to be a perfectionist. Nature and Nurture combine to give me that. The religious guilt on top of that was, quite frankly, debilitating. For others, they could find ways of rationalizing of offloading some of that guilt. Others just have their faith as a backdrop for their lives. I hate to use the cliched example of the non-observant Catholic, but may of my friends when I lived up north were Catholics who firmly identified as such, were very vocal theists, and who were almost entirely unobservant. Most of the little details of sin and sanctification that plagued me were just totally irrelevant to them.
To get back on topic, the one difference is that for me, I could tell myself that I could work harder, pray harder, be more devoted, and win free of the guilt. For all the areas that plagued me there certain very narrow channels that you could funnel you emotions and desires into that made them acceptable. For sexuality, there was marriage, for anger, you could be angry at sin or at Satan and call it righteous anger, instead of gossip you could be "concerned". There is no such outlet, no rationalization for the homosexual and fundamentalist Christianity. If you are gay, some churches will let you acknowledge your sexuality and then be celibate, but others push for you to be "cured", to be ex-gay. It has to be horrific to feel that because of something you are, not something you do, you cannot be right with God, and this something is so big that even Christ's sacrifice can't cover it. Jesus can get rid of the stain of original sin, but for many Christians, he cannot cover the sin of being gay.
Not to be flippant, but that is why you do not see many out Christians in fundamentalist circles. There are gay Christians, but they tend to be part of groups that are less hostile.
Man was programmed in good intentions to be programmed. Its just a matter of setting everything up. No one can be perfect and everybody likes to think they are doing fantastic no matter what.
If you don't feel like your doing fantastic, then what chance is there, not much. Just like a relationship never call it a day with something nagging. Goofing up is part of life even if its a habit, no big deal Rome wasn't built in a day. There will always be more goof ups to keep you thinking. In time regretting something due to not being perfect, over and over and over and over will do its job programming and slowly, bit by bit by bit by bit it will become less interesting, whatever it is, robbing banks, stealing, cheating , its all just ways of stealing from whatever. The key is to know the stealing thats all. Patience with others can only happen if patience with self is recognized and practiced over and over and over. Nothing to worry about , the programming is built in. Guilt is evil...after the first moment. If the moment isn't tossed right away with the well I goofed as soon as possible and will try to make less, some other negative brainwashing has got you by the short ones and has suggested that the person is not capable of anything more and the misery is either carried around like a shadow without knowing that it is someone else's shadow that they are trying to pass on to another, and it worked. A person can say ok I goofed, but a person can't say I will never goof again...thats the problem, so then the people give up thinking this is crazy. The only thing thats off is saying I will not ever make that or a mistake again. Let the brainwashing work with the system, its part and package. A bank robber can stop or slow down all the bank robbing if he knows its not a goods idea and keeps regretting taking all that money. Roughly speaking and in opinion for now at this moment, things could change, they always seem to. People are programmed to feel good just like work.
Really, when it comes down to it, it depends on who's definition of tolerance we use.
Perhaps we should use the definition that is backed up by facts and reality, instead of ignorant men speaking for their man made god (i.e. themselves)...
Quote:
Tolerance is not shouting down anyone that dares to say someone is wrong. True tolerance is agreeing to have differing opinions. The left isn't very tolerant of anyone else with a differing opinion.
I'd say you really don't know what intolerance means. Or tolerance for that matter.
Being tolerant of ignorance, bigotry and hate is not a virtue. And ridiculing those who regard those as virtues is not intolerance.
Having an opinion is one thing. Using those opinions to denigrate a group of people and deny them equality and civil rights is quite another. Sorry but those types of opinions should never be tolerated in a rational, thinking society.
An extra benefit is not about equality, thats why its called a benefit. The hetro marriage is a symbol, example and means by which the species survives. This surviving value is a benefit to society, so where funds are available the progressive system returns the value in the form of a benefit. Benefit in return for the benefit of the achieved union. If there was equality there would be zero consideration or benefit for the value in the hetro contribution, example and family unit. So there needs to be a unanimously understood real benefit to society in order to justify a benefit unique to the gay commitment. A value into society in the form of progress for being in a gay arrangement is required. The gay people can complain and do whatever they want as far as I'm concerned, but reason is what its is and the plead simply winds up with an ancient thoughtless and contradictory system which denys a benefit to the traditional family unit and valued example of the union achieved by others. The system then says there is no recognition of value in the hetro union which is what is evolving, but at least have the intelligence and courtesy to drop the word benefit...and use-excuse to the popular improper complain word "equality" The end result is a society who removes its shown interest in the hetro union which serves in example in the community both by intention in promise including compliance with the flourishing of the species and, all that it unfolds. Which happens to be the human race, the recognized backbone of any civilization's use of what would be very basic common sense, reason.
Perhaps we should use the definition that is backed up by facts and reality, instead of ignorant men speaking for their man made god (i.e. themselves)...
I'd say you really don't know what intolerance means. Or tolerance for that matter.
Being tolerant of ignorance, bigotry and hate is not a virtue. And ridiculing those who regard those as virtues is not intolerance.
Having an opinion is one thing. Using those opinions to denigrate a group of people and deny them equality and civil rights is quite another. Sorry but those types of opinions should never be tolerated in a rational, thinking society.
An extra benefit is not about equality, thats why its called a benefit. The hetro marriage is a symbol, example and means by which the species survives. This surviving value is a benefit to society, so where funds are available the progressive system returns the value in the form of a benefit. Benefit in return for the benefit of the achieved union. If there was equality there would be zero consideration or benefit for the value in the hetro contribution, example and family unit. So there needs to be a unanimously understood real benefit to society in order to justify a benefit unique to the gay commitment. A value into society in the form of progress for being in a gay arrangement is required. The gay people can complain and do whatever they want as far as I'm concerned, but reason is what its is and the plead simply winds up with an ancient thoughtless and contradictory system which denys a benefit to the traditional family unit and valued example of the union achieved by others. The system then says there is no recognition of value in the hetro union which is what is evolving, but at least have the intelligence and courtesy to drop the word benefit...and use-excuse to the popular improper complain word "equality" The end result is a society who removes its shown interest in the hetro union which serves in example in the community both by intention in promise including compliance with the flourishing of the species and, all that it unfolds. Which happens to be the human race, the recognized backbone of any civilization's use of what would be very basic common sense, reason.
From time to time, I see posts that claim organized religions have rules against homosexual acts.
How do homosexuals deal with this? Do they avoid organized religions, or do they simply ignore the rules of their religion, as many people do on other issues?
Still, it must be tough for them. I'm glad homosexuality is more accepted these days.
They should just go find a religion that condones their behavior instead of twisting the religions of other people. ITS RUDE.
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Have you heard of the "queen James version"? Changing the word of God? Yeah, that will work.
