If someone wants to do change their life for religion and happens to be gay. Could they live a decent life not getting involved with someone of the same sex again? Is anyone doing that? If so, how are you dealing with the day-to-day?
2006-07-16 03:35:08 · 16 answers · asked by CuriouslySpeaking 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes, it's possible. If your religion dictates it is wrong to be gay and also wrong to be married to the same gender and also wrong to have sex outside of marriage, then it looks like you're gonna have to be celibate. Just like if I were single and my religion said all the above, I would be celibate till I could get married. For a hetero, that would mean just waiting till marriage, but for a homosexual, the wait would I guess be for the rest of your life, unless you decided to marry someone from the opposite gender and be physically intimate with that person even though your main preference would be for your same gender. I think some people do that too, though I don't know of any personally.
2006-07-16 03:41:53 · answer #1 · answered by stacey 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It would be an extremely lonely life for anyone either heterosexual or homosexual and unnecessary... it is not required of lay people to give up physical expression of love & affection, it's only suitable if you decided to be a nun or a priest and were going for celibacy for that reason, they find it hard enough...are you planning to be a priest?.
homosexuality is a natural human variation like height or IQ, it is not a choice and it is not a sin despite the interpretations some idiots place on scripture.
2006-07-16 04:23:46 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
CuriouslySpeaking,
Yes, in a sense that you are acting to refrain. But Jesus said that even the thought to God is as bad as the deed. There is guilt in doing implied, and there is guilt in lusting implied; That's without even acting upon that desire.
Here's the rub; That your goal as a Christian in life is to serve the Lord, keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the Author and Finisher of Faith ( Hebrews 12:2 ), and He will place His life in you to counter all the things of sin.
It is written in scripture " By faith we are saved through Grace, not of works, lest any man should boast. " Your task is not to be sinless, that is; by keeping your eyes on yourself and beating yourself down daily, or upon others you think are winning the battle against whatever sin it is you are trying to overcome, but on Jesus, who was the sacrifice for those sins.
If you keep your eyes upon Chirst, repentance that is genuine will come, that is called " conviction of the Spirit. " The Holy Spirit's influence upon that person changes them from the heart and mind.
Another key in this new relationship is that God might not want to work on the Homosexual person at any given time. There might be some other issue that God has in mind with that person. So while everyone seems to want to stampede towards the whole gay thing, God's work is manifesting in some other part of that persons life.
I hope that I made that clear. I'm really not sure if I did.
2006-07-16 03:57:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course it's physically possible to not have sex with a member of the same sex for the rest of your life - but it's psychologically damaging.
For your whole life you will feel like you are leading a lie, that you can't be your true self with your family, that you've never had real intimacy with a person, and you will feel bad every time you look at a guy.
It's hard, but be true to yourself. Your life will be much more fulfilling.
2006-07-16 03:38:54 · answer #4 · answered by kayleigh w 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have quite a few gay & religious friends of both sexes. What they have done is find a more forgiving, for lack of a better word, parish, temple, etc. One might not engage in homosexual behavior, much like quitting smoking, giving up sugar, but are you being true to yourself. This probably does not help, but, your question touched something in me. Good luck & be proud.
2006-07-16 03:42:43 · answer #5 · answered by shearnerve 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on what religion and how devout you want to be. However if you are having homosexual feelings and don't have the self control you think you have over it, then your flesh is more likely to overcome your spirit. You should really talk to your spiritual leader.
2006-07-16 03:45:17 · answer #6 · answered by rgamarra 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is better to find a church that will allow you to be who you are and worship. God made you who you are with the desires you have. It is not ugly to love someone. It is not a sin to love someone. You are a good person with a good heart and honest desires, as evidenced in your question. You need to stop changing who you are to satisfy someone else's need to be right.
2006-07-16 03:40:49 · answer #7 · answered by nik named mom 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
(Yes, I know it's long, but it's a topic I'm very passionate about)
Yes, just as much as it is for a hetrosexual to abstain from sex. Sex outside of marriage is considered a grave sin, regardless of whether it is homosexual or hetrosexual. The difference is that the homosexual act is considered a heinous act. But, going beyond this and just focussing on abstinance and celibacy...
There have been successful re-orientations for homosexuals to hetrosexuality. Also, I have met homosexuals that choose not to participate in the homosexual lifestyle and have remained celibate - and they're very happy. They live very devoted and prayer filled lives and seek to find God in others and to do His will. They are very beautiful people and positively glow with His love because they have chosen this path.
Sexuality should not run your life, but your relationship with God should be the centrepoint. In society today, we are constantly bombared with sex everywhere, it has become the norm to be practicing some form of sex. Those who choose to abstain are considered 'abnormal' or 'deluded', but, it is through abstinance that we are able to see others without the blinders that sex, as a method of using another human being to satiate lust, that will allow you to find out who they are as a full individual. We are deluded that it is our sexuality that makes us who we are, but it's not true, there is much, much more to each of us.
Strength in prayer and focussing on others would help to keep one from sexual encounters. Focus on helping those in need and changing your perspective, there are more important things in this world than having sex - much more important things. By remaining celibate and abstaining - keeping yourself from focussing on sex and 'getting some', how much more time would you have to help at a soup kitchen? to teach someone to read? to speak English? to help spend time with the elderly that are neglected and forgotten in the homes? Abstinance, I believe, opens you up to so much more in life and creates a world of love that you can participate in. If you meet Catholic Brothers and Sisters who are vowed to abstain and remain chaste, you'd be amazed at how happy they are - the Sisters I know have said it allows you to truly love people because you no longer can see them as sexual objects, but you see them as children of God.
I will pray for strength for you and may God bless you for your question that it may inspire others to go down the path of life.
God bless you.
2006-07-16 03:58:23 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Answering your first question.
Yes, it is possible. Just like it is possible to be a non-practicing heterosexual.
Celibacy. Some choose it independently of their sexuality.
2006-07-16 03:40:22 · answer #9 · answered by iikozen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could, but homosexuality is not a sin, it is another form of love. God doesn't hate love.
2006-07-16 03:38:35 · answer #10 · answered by alibababbb 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋