Why is it that there can't be a reasonable dialog between Christians and Gays? I have noticed that neither side wants to talk to each other. The Christians don't want to hear about the gay lifestyle and gays don't want to hear about what the Bible says. Yet I think we should be able to sit down in a neutral place and discuss the differences and each explain their position.
2006-09-26 03:09:34 · 21 answers · asked by bro_ken128 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
the best place i ever found out about God was through Salvation Army. the message i got from them was that we have a loving God who cares/loves for ALL of us equally. and i still take that to heart to this day . it is unfortunate that the established christian Church's refuse to acknowledge that fact. i think that if more gay men and women had God in their life it would change our community for the better.
2006-09-26 03:49:53 · answer #1 · answered by jason s 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The Bible does not exclusively condemn homosexuality. The Bible has been incorrectly translated in the first place, take the camel through the eye of a needle, the word for camel can also mean rope. Just the same, the story of Lot is often used, but that story speaks against rape, and says that you should accept people into your home when they are in need. Nothing to do with being gay. Other parts of the Bible can be interpreted wrong as well. Anything that actually says homosexual in the Bible is incorrect, as the word did not really exist when the thing was written. And whenever it speaks against two men laying together or whatever, they are speaking against promiscuity and having lots of sex. This is linked to the condom debate. The Church does not want people using condoms because people should be able to excercise self control and not have sex all the time. Also, if someone has and STD, then you should not have sex because it is not nice to spread disease to others intentionally.
2006-09-26 10:16:09 · answer #2 · answered by sangheilizim 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Seems to me that most US gays/lesbians are born into Christian homes, and a great many go to church regularly and discuss religion as much as anyone else. The thing is, your question is about discussing the "differences" between Christianity and being gay/lesbian/bi/trans when there are none.
The discussion you are seeking is about a dogmatic view of the Bible and Christianity; one that places emphasis on a literal interpretation of words that were most likely mistranslated and one that certainly is a view that disregards the historical context in which the Bible was written. At best, it is a discussion on biblical interpretation. That you want to put it into the context of our sexual orientation suggests that you are not seeking a dialogue about Christianity, but one about our sexuality. It is not a lifestyle or a choice. It simply is who we are. It is natural and not sin. It is the way God put us on the planet to live. When you can accept that, I'm sure you'll see that LGBT people are as religious as anyone else.
2006-09-26 11:18:11 · answer #3 · answered by Alex62 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You have talked about a dialogue between Christianity and gays (gay lifestyle). Being gay is different from a gay "lifestyle". What is a gay "lifestyle? at best, it describes a particular age (in time)in only the West and is confined to a particular segment of homosexual people their. I am gay but I have no gay lifestyle. It would help well wishing people who want to facilitate harmony to first understand the broader picture. Thank you, Sir.
2006-09-26 10:47:26 · answer #4 · answered by reggaeboi 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's been tried:
http://www.bridges-across.org
You're operating from a few faulty assumptions, though--gay isn't a "lifestyle", and some Christians are gay. Also, many LGBTs are quite familiar with what the Bible says.
Personally, I lost interest in neutral dialogue when I married another woman, and the marriage lost its legality through no fault of our own. I no longer feel like I *can* have neutral dialogue with people who profit from demonizing lives like mine or who actively work to make lives like mine difficult or miserable. It may sound militant to you, but there it is.
2006-09-26 11:16:02 · answer #5 · answered by GreenEyedLilo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Dream on, pal. When dogmatic thinking is involved there can be no reasonable dialogue, no matter the group, the religion, the politics, the North/South thing, etc. etc. etc. There are no neutral places for these discussions because there can be no neutrality in the discussion. This is why nations go to war. This is why one person kills another. This is why politicians fail. We know there are no absolutes in any race, creed, color, ethnicity, culture, religion or ones stupid sexual orientation yet those with investment in any of the above are convinced that there are absolutes and they are the lucky recipient of the All Knowing God's benevelence. So, forgittaboutit!
2006-09-26 10:29:03 · answer #6 · answered by ALWAYS GOTTA KNOW 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
There is contructive dialog between christians and gays. In fact many gays are christian. However, we just don't believe in how the bible is translated.
The christians on here come into this room for one reason. To preach right wing intolerance and have no reason to listen, there by forcing us to take a defensive mode as well.
2006-09-26 10:14:41 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
Too many people make the mistake of generalizing, for one. The two groups aren't mutually exclusive. Metropolitan Community Church is one of THE biggest supporters of GLBT rights. The Society of Friends is pretty supportive as well. I can't list them all off, but there's a LOT of groups that are officially supportive of GLBT issues. There's many more individuals (like my mother, actually) who belong to a group that officially may not be supportive, but the individual happens to disagree. Short answer: it's not about "christians" and "gay people".
2006-09-26 20:39:58 · answer #8 · answered by Atropis 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sure Christians push their beliefs, but gays push their beliefs as well.
If you want to talk, then talk, but if you want the other person to shut up because you disagree, then you didn't want them to talk now did you? You don't want to hear what the Bible says? Then what do you expect the Christian to say? The Bible is their ONLY difference with you, there is NOTHING else that keeps them from accepting or rejecting you or your behaviors beyond simple personal taste and preference. Do you want to know what it is like to give birth to a baby? Talk to a mother. If you want to hear an opinion, anyone will do, but the experience is the realm of mothers and mothers are mothers because they have given birth. Do you want to talk to a Christian? Then go back to the beginning of the paragraph.
2006-09-26 11:37:28 · answer #9 · answered by Rabbit 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Look, most (not all) christians simply want to use the Bible to bash gays over the head with. We're tired of being bashed over the head with an ancient book. Especially one which has been translated and retranslated half a million times over, a book that is NOT meant to be taken litterally, a book that has been changed but not kept "up to date."
A book which is only followed by "christians" when it's convenient for them.
I've had it up to here ^ with all the "God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve" BS.
I've had it up to here ^ with all the "It's against God's word" BS.
Christians only say those things when they are attempting to justify their own hatred, when they don't want to admit to their own sinful ways, when it's convenient to disregard what parts of the Bible don't apply to them.
Most Christians, not all, are digusting hypocrites. I don't have time for people so blinded by the planks in their own eyes that the would rather ignore that and worry about the splinter in mine.
Look, I am a person of deep faith, but I don't believe in any God that hates, EVER.
I don't believe in a God that creates an entire group of people JUST to be hated by others of HIS creations.
I don't believe that if you can disregard certain Levitical Laws that it's ok to enforce others on those with whom you simply disagree. Let alone the fact that the Modern Christian faiths do NOT adhere to ANY Levitical Laws/Mosaic Codes, in their religions at all...but they sure as hell will use it to bash the BEGEEUSS out of any gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender simply because it suits them at the time.
WELL CONGRATULATIONS ARE DUE!
You people have so succesfully slapped the Begesses out of gays and lesbian so well that most of us will do anything to avoid being called "christian"
Well played.
2006-09-26 10:29:49 · answer #10 · answered by DEATH 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's a shame that the Church has done so much to push away the LGBT community. I was a Christian long before realizing I was gay, and I remain a gay Christian to this day. Religious zealots should not be allowed to high jack Christianity. It belongs to all Christians. Hating and judging other is not very Christian.
2006-09-26 10:21:25 · answer #11 · answered by Mark 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋