Morgan wrote:Alpha,
A nice fable. Written, I'm sure, for the express purpose of convincing people that they would, in fact, "reap what they sowed" - even if they thought they were powerful enough or clever enough to get away with it. If a king can't manage to escape divine justice, <I>you</I> certainly can't!
Effective enough to be preserved to this day -- and you're even using it for its intended purpose. Amazing.
An alcoholic will reap a lot of bad fruit, broken homes, beaten spouses, abused children, ruined health; these are the fruits of alcoholism.
Gal 6:8-9
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. NAS
Morgan wrote:
Chrysoprasus wrote:It has also been largely seen as morally reprehensible throughout history, as going against nature.
Not really. Not unless you mean "Judeo-Christian history."
More Greek city states found homosexual behavior reprehensible than acceptable and although it was tolerated was not promoted. Sparta artificially seperated the sexes as age 7 when boys started their training as soilders, so homosexuality became an acceptable form of male bonding. However, Spartan men were required to marry and produce children at age 30.
According to Roman law any Roman citizen who was anal receptive could be prosecuted. One Roman Emperor who did practice exclusive homosexuality was so hated by his citizens he had his lover assassinated and then retired to Capri. So you see history did find homosexual behavior reprehensible.
Chrys wrote:It is becoming socially acceptable, and not seen as sin anymore. I find this harmful to my children. It will be much harder for them to take God's word seriously when even basic words are ignored by the majority and sin is seen as good and normal.
I know ever straights get a bit tired of reading that heterosexuals do the same thing, but the fact is divorce, child abuse (most abuse is home based), single parents, etc. are just as harmful as homosexuality. Our society has more single and promiscuous parents than there are gays and lesbians.
If your God's word cannot stand up to critical thought, it is not the fault of those who lead others to think.
Oh, it can stand up to critical thought and has throughout its history. C.S. Lewis and Josh McDowell both subjected the Bible to very critical thought and study and both converted to Christianity. C.S. Lewis and Josh McDowell have both authored some powerful books in support and defense of Christianity.
Morgan wrote:
Chrys wrote:If I own my own business, I am now legally required not to take into consideration that a person is openly defiant to God's word, ie must not discriminate based on sexual orientation. If I were to hire somebody I would want them to have similar values and be morally upright.
Personally, I wouldn't want to work for you, either. And I'm ambivalent about anti-discrimination laws... I wouldn't want to have to <I>hire</I> you, <I>either.</I>
Incidentally, my employer is Jewish. Needless to say, he's following a lot more of "God's word" than you are... and the fact that I'm gay is exactly as much of an issue for him as, say, the fact that I might eat a cheeseburger on my lunch break.
He's also a great boss, but that's neither here nor there.
My last employers were Jewish and as long as I worked 70 hours a week I was a "valued employee". But when my doctor wrote them a letter that required my hours be cut to 40 hours a week they forced me out. My status went from "valued" to "increased expense"; amazing how perspectives change when money is involved.
Morgan wrote:Chrys wrote:A practicing homosexaul is acting immorally.
It rips apart the family structure, something I find sacred, and something I try to instill in my children as precious. It is not ok and it is not normal for a family to consist of mom and mom plus children or dad and dad plus children.
And you would, therefore, rip apart <I>our</I> family structure -- when all we want is to <I>coexist</I> with yours. FYI, there's an ever-growing body of research that indicates that children raised by gay parents turn out to be just as "okay" and "normal" as those raised by straight parents. In light of that, I see no reason why people like you should be able to dictate whether or not people like me get to have families.
I will again mention that divorce, which is rampant in our society even among Christians is doing more damage to America's youth than the comparatively few gay parents.
I know gay couples who have raised children and their children are not anymore dysfunctional than children raised in heterosexual families. What affects a child is their home environment and what they are taught. Prejudice is taught at home, as is "love your neighbor". Have you read of any children of gay parents shooting up their schools, or forcing their peers to eat fesces while breaking their bones?
Morgan wrote:
Chrys wrote:Plus, it's just really sucks to think that the more acceptable and widespread this is the more I have to wonder who's looking at me sexually in the changing/shower room at the Y! We have separate changing rooms for a reason! Dealing with one half of the population is hard enough, don't make me deal with both.
In other words: You make me uncomfortable. Stay in the closet so I don't have to know you exist.
I don't know how much you're joking, and how much you're serious. Regardless, I think it sucks. <I>Really</I> sucks
I find it uncomfortable to be cruised by women. So maybe ever-straights will now think twice about cruising the opposite sex and making lewd comments about "hooter" and "butts", and "packages".
The Bible labels all sexual immorality as sin, and the consequences of all sexual immorality are the same; eternal separation from God.
Morgan, you may think this
sucks but so do a lot of heterosexuals who would live in rebellion to a righteous God.