I have a question that both gays and religious people are welcome to answer?

Question

I am a lesbian and I am having some serious issues with the religious aspect of it. I do believe in God, and I don't know what to do. So here are my questions:

I know I was born this way. I would not choose this lifestyle purposely because it is so hard. So why would God create us in his image like this if he hated it? Could the Bible's translations have been mixed up? Why are some people gay and not others?

I also wanted to know the exact passages where the Bible condemns Homosexuality.

Thanks, guys.

Answer 1

Genesis 19 is the Sodom and Gomorah story. The link is to a King James version: http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Gen/Gen019.html#19

If you hit the K button on the left of Gen 19.5, you'll get a bunch of other related passages: http://www.blueletterbible.org/tsk_b/Gen/19/5.html

The story of Sodom and Gomorah is Old Testament and it isn't about homosexuality, its about the evils of cohersion, greed, depraved indifference... 19.5 reads to me as being about gang bang rape. You might find the best answer to this question interesting: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkDEPydDfo.nFRufB2Fwblfsy6IX?qid=20061026221124AAAryKs

I've been on a similar quest, and so far have yet to see any Bible passage that specifically says that two people of the same sex in a committed relationship are committing sin or are an abomination. There are many passages that speak to rampant promiscuity that highlight same sex prostitution, rape, and perhaps orgies, but it doesn't take a genius to figure those situations have nothing to do with being gay. Admittedly, there also passages that say to have sex with another man is wrong, but given the other stories, I have a hard time reading being gay is a sin into them. I also suspect that there is a problem with some of the interpretations and the changing nature of language. Idk, I think this is more obvious when you read history of the time in which the Bible was compiled - lot's of political reasons for the Catholic church to seek converts and to call it's enemies' practices vile.

Personally, I believe that the Bible is strongly influenced by the very human qualities of those who wrote the Book, by the the Pope who first compiled the writings, those who translated it, and those who have since edited it. But hey, the book lives because so many interpretations can be read into it. And well, a great many of its followers probably haven't actually read it, or at least not with an open mind unimpeded by the interpretation of other religious humans who indoctrinated them from the time they were old enough to learn.

A God that hates it's own creation just does not make any sense to me! Prejudice people, however, does make sense since we deal with them every day.

Answer 2

Yes, many of us go through that when we first come out because of the bullshit we have been fed our whole lives about how god hates us and what not.

You were born gay, you were created in the image of God, God hates no one, (thou shalt not hate), yes, the bible is misinterpreted constantly, especially the new test, and some are gay and others not because God made us that way.

Dont let this messed up world and the crazy christian haters make you feel that you are less than normal or that you shouldnt be who u are. Be proud. Maybe join a church, or synagogue, whatever religion u are, that are gay friendly. There are many of them out there. Go to book stores and find good text on this very subject, they can be very comforting.Reach into your own self and talk to God, you need to feel good with yourself and your sexuality before you can be good for any one else. Good luck and God bless u.

Answer 3

I feel the exact same way as you. I believe in God also but I had to leave the church as I didn't feel comfortable there. I think the thing that most helped me understand what was happening came from The L Word. When Bette was asked by her father what she was going to say on judgement day she said 'I am your creation'.

I think that is what it comes down to. You are how God made you and if that isn't perfect then so be it. No one is perfect and I find that religious people can be all high and mighty but the worst offenders at it.

There is not one person in this world who isn't a sinner. Everyone has lied etc. I guess they just take it from a larger level of things. I think that we are who we are. Animals are homosexual so why did God make them that way - seems to be a character trait he made.

Answer 4

Sweetheart, the Bible was written by man not God. The last time I checked man is not perfect. I am sure there are things in there that man put there on his own or in error. I am not saying that all the contents of the Bible are untrue but I am saying that I am sure there is stuff in there that man put in there for his own benefit. It is impossible for every word, story, passage to be a correct representation of God's word and/or the events that occurred back then.

I can't and won't believe that a loving God would send a kind, loving, caring, compassionate, helpful and law-abiding person to hell because she happens to like women instead of men. I just can't see that.

I am a mother just as God is a father and I can tell you this, if my girls came to me and told me they were gay I would love them every bit as much as I do now. I can't imagine that God has less compassion and love for His children than I do.

I have a feeling that you will be just fine and just as most parents, He will not look only at your faults (or what the Bible says is a fault, not me) but He will look at what you do in your life and what is in your heart. All parents want to see the best in their children, trust me, I am sure the same goes for Him.

Good Luck and God Bless

I hope I helped.

Answer 5

Hi - welcome house! You are absolutely Jewish. You've received "citizenship" via your mother, who not ever changed out so there is not any query. In Judaism, you have not left till you begin worshipping one more God inspiration. You'll be pleasantly amazed as you seem into Judaism, how a lot of the elemental values & procedure to reside you instinctively found out out of your mothers and fathers. I desire you discover a few well categories or movements on the synagouge to get worried it -- so you'll be able to assess it out for your self. That complete leaving & assimilating, then coming again is a truly fashion that is occurred. You would possibly not be on my own in feeling new. All the branches are accepting of homosexuality besides the Orthodox (have hallaic problems with it), so Reform, Reconstructionist, & Conversative (on a extra quiet degree) could all be an handy adequate have compatibility for that facet of your self. There are a few very knowledgable Jewish persons who hand around in YA. Also, a few first-rate hyperlinks & studying ideas we've got shared with every different. So, suppose unfastened to hang around, ask questions - & first rule of Judaism in train - no query is simply too small or too foolish. All may end up in strangely considerate solutions!

Answer 6

Anyone who's ever taken a foreign language course knows that errors happen in translation. Now, multiply that by linguistic shifts and births and deaths of languages and the flowing of one dialect into another. Think about how "foreign" English from a few hundred years ago seems. We're dealing with a piece of text that has been translated hundreds of times by hundreds of people each with their own interpretation of the meaning of the words.

If you can find any solace with that, just know that the message (love) was all that mattered, not the perverted translations and misinterpretations (hate).

Answer 7

Leviticus condemns male homosexuality, there is no mention, anywhere, of the ban applying to women. St. Paul condemned all sexuality except for purposes of procreation, and you weren't supposed to enjoy that. All mainstream Christian churches decry the gay lifestyle, as a lesbian woman you are expected to reject that part of yourself and hate it, and, by implication, yourself for wanting it. What you must remember is that the Church is not the God, the Church was founded by humans and humans can make mistakes. As a Pagan I do not believe the Goddess can hate Her children, we are all as She made us, and many much worse. The world is here to be lived in and enjoyed, not rejected. The same is true about the life She gave you.

Answer 8

If you are Christian, the passages that supposedly condemn homosexuality do NOT apply!

These passages are all found in the OLD TESTIMENT. As a Christian you have been released from Levitical/Mosaic Laws!

Here's a site that might help:
http://www.whosoever.org/bible/index.html

Answer 9

We are talking about this in my bible study right now. The idea that gayness was bad came out of the idea that men had a finite ammount of sperm and that wasting it was wasting your chances of having children. This also excluded men touching themselves. I don't see how it relates to lesbianism though. I do not believe being gay or being a lesbian is wrong. One of my favorite quotes though is from Robin Hood
Azeem: Salaam, little one.
Small Girl: Did God paint you?
Azeem: Did God paint me?
[laughs]
Azeem: For certain.
Small Girl: Why?
Azeem: Because Allah loves wondrous varieties.

Answer 10

I am not gay, however I am so understanding, GOD gives us things to overcome in life, but I don't understand this at all. It does say in the Bible, that man is not to "know" another man, that being said, everything else we do seems to be unacceptable as well, for instance Honor thy mother, which I cannot seem to do with the mother I was given, people just need to justify hate towards someone, and they don't understand people being gay.
I know that everyone can find things in the Bible that applies to them as well, Love yourself and accept yourself, don't try to defend yourself, GOD knows who you are inside. By the way, if it is not your sexuality, they will find another excuse, such as race, religion, beauty, or lack of...you know, it's always gonna be
something, pay it no mind...