pigfarmer said:
Yes. If you believe there is a God, then you must believe the bible was devinely inspired by God.
So not true. First off only christianity believes in the Bible; other religions have their own Scriptures. Secondly there is a big divide in the Church as to the relevance of the Bible and how inspired it really is. There are quite a few divisions within Christianity that believe there are contradictions in the Bible, and while they may believe in God, they certainly do not believe in the divine inspiration of the Scriptures.
pigfarmer said:
Persuit of physical perfection w/o seeking spiritual perfection is Vanity. I'm not saying it is a sin - just that it is wrong.
How wrong is it, really? While we are taught the golden rule, about the emphasis on others above ourselves, we are also taught that our body is the "temple of God", and as such we are to treat it as such. If gluttany is a sin, then it would be a contradiction to imply that physical conditioning is at all sinful, or wrong. The very analogy of physical exercise is used to demonstrate how our relationship with our God should be -- to realize short-term "discipline" will yield long-term benefits, reap what you sow, etc. While what you assert is in some ways true (physical w/o spiritual emphasis is hypocritical), the Scriptures are replete with examples of physical rewards for following Old and New Testament laws (on finances, health, cleanliness, prosperity, etc.). If I remember correctly, the bubonic plague, which nearly wiped out an entire continent, had an entire race of people who survived it -- they were Jews, who followed the Old Testament (or Torah, to be more specific) laws of cleanliness, by washing their hands and feet when they entered and left a city. It is ironic that the Jews were then perceived as evil in the sight of the people who didn't die, who then proceeded to systematically slaughter the Jews because they didn't understand the plague could be prevented by cleanliness practices.
pigfarmer said:
It is also wrong to have the belief that it is ok to use his God's name to persicute a minority. I see the parrallels. You've drawn them as eloquently as so many who sought to opress the gays in our society have for generations. I don't see homosexuality as some sort of lustful indulgence in one's dark sexual fantacies.
I'm confused... who's persecuting whom? you use you r argument to emphasixe that one ought to be able to discriminate against those damned christians, because we are all a bunch of short-sighted, simple-minded, discriminating homophobes who have it out for those gay people. All you can do is spout the typical liberal arguing techniques, that is "tear down your enemy to discredit him, and them throw in some emotionally-charged drivel with no real basis". Where are the benefits for a homosexual marriage? Give us some substance, some reason that benefits society, not just rhetoric and hype. And don't spew on about how marriage is so watered down and compromised anyway, what's one more exception going to hurt?
pigfarmer said:
I'm attatching a link for a very good read about the subject of homosexuality in our society. Jesus said "Love thy neighbor as yourself" What harm is it to you that people born Gay are allowed to do what is natural to them?
I already addressed the appropriate meaning for loving your neighbor in my previous thread, but I could write a book about letting someone do what they are naturally inclined to do. But I understand your context, so I will not address the obvious moral implications in letting someone pursue an underhanded agenda.
What is wrong with 2 minors expressing their love in the form of marriage? What about a 30 year old female teacher with a 10 year old student? What's wrong with it if both groups love each other? I have a natural tendency to go up and ask your wife and other beautiful, talented sexy women, to make love to me, and if they don't to do it forcefully, because I'm a horny bastard, but I learn, unlike some, to keep in check what does not benefit society in a positive way, as that action will not. BTW, I love my woman, and as such will leave yours alone, but the natural tendency is still there (AS IT IS FOR 95+% OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD); JUST BECAUSE IT IS A NATURAL TENDENCY DOES NOT MAKE IT A JUSTIFIABLE ACTION.
There is also a significant part of the gay community where this is a learnde lifestyle. Let me explain how this happens. While some studies show undisputedly that the gay lifestyle is not a choice, other studies are not so definitive on this subject. The psychological composition of the brain is such that it is generally agreed that we have two hemispheres operating independently, yet in congunction with one another. While the actual number is in dispute it is generally accepted that most men are left-brained (I.E. "logic" and generality), but a few are right-brained (I.E. creativity and detail). For the most part, individuals with a right-brained tendency also are more emotional, influenced, and have a greater number of left-hand dominant people. Right-brained people are also targeted as being different from early childhood, and are singled out in schools as being different. They are taught through persecution that they are not normal; they do not desire the masculine arts (seen as trivial and barbaric), but instead prefer more artistic and creative actions and vocations, as they have a gift in this area.
These right-brained individuals have a much greater tendancy to develop gay tendencies IMO (as I am right-brained), because they are conditioned from near-birth that they are different anyway and like the girlie stuff.
pigfarmer said:
you and I get to do the heterosexual thing all we want. We can kiss our wives,hold thier hand in church, and make the bell ring anytime she'll let us. What concern is of ours that two people of the same sex choose to do the same?
One other point - Homosexuals are not criminals, pedifiles, or rapists, any more than any other demographic group of our society.
Don't you think that this may be time for us to "Live, and let live"
This statement has no facts to back it up; in fact, homosexual are grouped within the most high-risk demographic lifestyles, because the behavior that often goes with it is utterly grotesque and harmful to society. This includes nearly everything you just stated -- criminality, pedophilia, rape, sodomy, beastiality, STD's, etc., and this by the admission of more free-living gay people. Now while not the norm as far as lifestyle goes, it does remain much higher than society's norm. They are definitely a more expensive group to insure, and I do not want another group to raise the already high premiums I pay. This is beside the point, however.