Religion & Spirituality - 6 August 2007

I'm Christian, and I try to worship God in all things. One thing that I clash with a lot of my Christian friends over is that I have gay and bi friends. They say I'm wrong for being friends with people who are blatantly disobeying God's commandments, but I don't think it's wrong, because God calls us to love all people, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or sexual preferences.

I don't believe that being gay (or bi) is right, but I also don't judge people if they are, because I believe that it is something that is between that person and God. My view is that, regardless of how wrong a person may be, God didn't put us here to judge, but to love.

How else can we reach out to them, and bring them to Christ, if we won't associate with them because they're 'messed up' or 'lost'? It's not like Christians are perfect either, so like Jesus said, in John 8:7, '...Let he who is without sin among you, cast the first stone...'

Am I wrong for believing this? Am I wrong for having gay friends?

2007-08-06 12:57:09 · 39 answers · asked by Tamberlinn 2

2007-08-06 12:56:34 · 32 answers · asked by Maurice H 6

Orthodox members of the Israeli parliament have now drafted a bill to amend an existing law that regulates behaviour at holy places, to include a PRISON SENTENCE for women wearing a prayer shawl or reading ALOUD from the Torah near the Wailing Wall.

They originally proposed a 7 YEAR jail sentence, but this has now been changed to 3 YEARS.

In their campaign to pray aloud at the wall the women say they are rejecting only convention because there is no prohibition in Jewish law.

"Some of the Orthodox men spat on us, beat us, threw rocks," said Ms Cidor, who was born into an Orthodox Jewish family but has since moved to the reformist wing of her faith.

"Many many women we meet there hush us when we start to pray out loud, because they believe it is forbidden by religious law. When we said the men couldn't hear us from their part of the wall, one of the rabbis answered: 'The wall hears you and it is offended'."

Last April the supreme court reaffirmed the women's right to pray aloud at the wall, but said that because it upset the Orthodox community they should not be allowed to do so in front of the Wailing Wall. Instead, the court told the government to prepare a separate place for the women next to an archaeological site, away from the main wall.

"The court has rewarded the bullies," said Ms Cidor. "They are offering us a place to pray in an archaeological site where rocks from the destruction of the temple by the Romans have been in place for 2,000 years. We want to be a part of the larger public. Why should we be hidden?"

"Women of the Wall is considered a very very radical group because we say we don't need men to represent us before God and I can think of a lot of men who don't like that idea," said Ms Cidor. "We are a very serious threat to them and they understand it."

CLICK BELOW TO SEE THE FULL ARTICLE

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,1116048,00.html

2007-08-06 12:54:44 · 11 answers · asked by kloneme 3

2007-08-06 12:51:30 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous

It seems to me that with the advent of modern science, and in particular the Theory of Evolution, it is no longer possible to intellectually justify religious belief. Religions only survive by ignorance of, or outright rejection of, rational thought - i.e. by 'faith'.

Agreed?

2007-08-06 12:50:45 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous

As a Christian, I don't believe in the concepts of Buddhism or Jehovah's Witnesses but I don't go around dogging them out because of their beliefs. Could it be that most atheists really are believers and they are afraid of the truth?

2007-08-06 12:47:52 · 32 answers · asked by cave man 6

Before answering this question, please state if you are a Christian, Muslim, Jew, or from any other faith, and please read the verse also.

Deut. 18:10-14
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritists or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the Lord you God.

2007-08-06 12:47:09 · 29 answers · asked by TheMissingLink 2

I don't get it everyone talks about it all the time, but no one says what it is...

2007-08-06 12:46:16 · 10 answers · asked by JoJo23 1

According to your understanding...who gets to go to heaven and why?

Give us (i.e. born again Christians) your best answer! After several responses, I'll post what we think!!

2007-08-06 12:43:06 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-08-06 12:42:01 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous

I recently put an answer up for the question "I'm 14. how do i know if i'm gay?" I put "pray to God for help". How is that a violation? it's called freedom of religion. i know what all the atheists will say "well every day Christians tell us we're going to hell, we have freedom for what we think" well yes you do. that's not what i'm looking for.

2007-08-06 12:40:48 · 8 answers · asked by Jonas 6

2007-08-06 12:39:53 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous

i dont believe in God. but i want to.
help me believe. please.
its just that when i think of the facts, it seems like made up stories to me. and that the bible is ficticious. it was written 70 years after jesus died... i mean it was basicly a game of telephone......so many people are christian and i am tired of people thinking atheists are ''weird'' and things like that.
so.. please.. try to help me believe.

2007-08-06 12:39:01 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-08-06 12:37:54 · 3 answers · asked by Me<3JB 2

how do you know that God is there? Since there is no proof?
also, the bible was written 70 YEARS AFTER jesus died. how do you know that it all isnt made up? i mean, they told the stories of jesus for 70 years, it was basicly a game of telephone.. so how do you know that that is what happened??


when a group of 10 people play this game the story gets alternated completely. could you imagine telling this story for 70 years.. it would change drasticly.

2007-08-06 12:35:35 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous

"In science, a theory is a mathematical or logical explanation, or a testable model of the manner of interaction of a set of natural phenomena, capable of predicting future occurrences or observations of the same kind, and capable of being tested through experiment or otherwise falsified through empirical observation."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory

In what ways is ID logical, testable or falsifiable, and could proponents identify some actual future occurrences of the same kind this "theory" has predicted, or is even capable of predicting?

2007-08-06 12:35:05 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous

I have to ask, where would the Palestinians go if it all belongs to Israel? Do you really think they will just leave?

They really can't live under occupation anymore, either.

2007-08-06 12:34:28 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous

Would you blame a' bad 'experience at a local church for your lack of observance or even your lack of faith.

2007-08-06 12:33:28 · 10 answers · asked by Bemo 5

more about the 20,000 nuclear weapons spread throughout the world and a little less about religious differences?

2007-08-06 12:31:16 · 11 answers · asked by WillRogerswannabe 7

2007-08-06 12:31:01 · 33 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-08-06 12:27:40 · 15 answers · asked by kloneme 3

Matthew 5:13 says, "Ye are the salt of the eart: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."

Lets see what salt is used for,

1) Flavoring, we are to bring flavor to the world with Christ. For in Christ we not only live life, we live it to the fullest.

2) Preservation, we are to preserve the message of the Gospel, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone that believes.

3) It melts coldness, we as believers are to melt the coldness of the world, and the unbelievers heart, with the love of the Father.

So are you salty enough? Also can you think of anything else that salt is used for? Thank you all and God Bless.

2007-08-06 12:24:38 · 17 answers · asked by Joel 2 5

Please provide chapter and verse.

Please do not reference any qoutes that may interpret that we are all sons and daughters of god.

Please do not reference the term messiah. Messiah does not mean God.

Messiah
1.the promised and expected deliverer of the Jewish people.
2.Jesus Christ, regarded by Christians as fulfilling this promise and expectation. John 4:25, 26.
3.(usually lowercase) any expected deliverer.
4.(usually lowercase) a zealous leader of some cause or project.
5.(italics) an oratorio (1742) by George Frideric Handel.


Thank you for your help.

2007-08-06 12:24:29 · 18 answers · asked by kj 3

i realize that this could get awfully involved, and i don't want anyone to get carpal tunnel syndrome from typing the story out, so if you could just give me the basics, that would be great. thanks.

2007-08-06 12:21:49 · 10 answers · asked by That Guy Drew 6

You keep posting that your not the bad guys many think you are. What, if anything are you doing to stop the terror your religion is causing? I lost a good friend in the london attacks and I want to know if any of the people of islam are stopping terrorisim, or are you just on the internet saying it's a religion of peace?

2007-08-06 12:21:38 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous

instead of prophesizing to others about it?

What about sexuality? Do you think the whole "keep your beliefs to yourself" model should also work on the basis of sexual orientation as well?

I post this question after see other posts on other relevant topics. R U offended by public religious spectacles, or for that matter straight or gay couples engaged in P.D.A. (public displays of affection).

What's your input?

2007-08-06 12:20:50 · 41 answers · asked by Crazy H 2

Many people around the world mourn Princess Diana's death. How would Brits have felt if she had gone through with her plans to marry a muslim? If she had converted for marriage, she would have been the first Muslim royal in British History. THe mother of the future King and leader of the Church of England, would have been a muslim. Do you think she was intentionally trying to offend her former husband and mother in law? She could have had almost any man in the world. Would her conversion have changed your opinion of her?

2007-08-06 12:19:22 · 16 answers · asked by A Plague on your houses 5

But I don't have a son. I only have a cat. What should I do?

2007-08-06 12:18:50 · 19 answers · asked by jesussalvation 3

especially on Y/As

2007-08-06 12:15:35 · 5 answers · asked by Prof Fruitcake 6

Or leaves Islam. She should be applied Islamic shariah insha Allah. I hope this doesn't happen. For thoise who disagree check the Sharia legislation, also you must know from the time of sheikh Ibn Taymiyah and Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab peace be with them both did this because they followed the Salaf ect.

2007-08-06 12:14:47 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous