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Talk:Mystery:Why do people choose homosexuality? (view source)
Revision as of 23:30, November 20, 2011
, 23:30, November 20, 2011no edit summary
::And again I'll remind you the 90/10 rule. If you want to continue editing here you better add substance. - [[User:Markman|Markman]] 16:58, 19 November 2011 (EST)
::And again I'll remind you the 90/10 rule. If you want to continue editing here you better add substance. - [[User:Markman|Markman]] 16:58, 19 November 2011 (EST)
:::In all honesty, I have already tried with exponential effort to get rid of my once unwanted feelings. These "ex-gays" famous for "being cleansed of their sexuality" as they say are deceitful and full of a heap of self-denial, regardless of what you say. Please, I urge you to read with impartiality through this ex-"ex-gay" man's website. He claimed that he was cured after countless sessions of dozens of strategies to remove his homosexual desires, to no avail. http://www.billprickett.com/ex-gay-movement.html And sure, you could just say that this is something we just have to live with for the rest of our lives, always praying for forgiveness of it, but that life is dangerous to my well-being, and everyone else who tries it. It causes suicide and bitterness toward our God, which He does not deserve. He deserves love and worship, and reconciling my faith with my sexuality allows me to do such. Some of these ex-gays appear happy, and I know some of them may sincerely be in a great state of mind, but either their homosexuality truly was a phase, they were bisexual, or they just lied about being gay in the first place. Being gay is a healthy way of living; pretending to be straight is NOT. I applaud all people who choose to remain abstinent, though, whether gay or straight. Cheers for their strength.
::: "1) Not acting on my urges is uncomfortable to me. 2) God does not wish to me to feel discomfort. 3) Ergo, God wants me to have sex with members of my own gender."
:: 1) It's not only uncomfortable for me. It's dangerous to my livelihood.
:: 2) This is primarily true. Although at times God puts us through trials to make us stronger and more humble as human beings. Trying to not be gay is NOT one of these struggles.
:: 3) Er, I plan to only have sex with only one member of my own gender, thank you. A single husband is all I need. God said likewise before, yes, but look at the facts: the laws of Leviticus were temporary, and only required of the Jews. There was more powerful message behind that. It's funny how being gay is an abomination to you, but you and a lot of other Christians feel no guilt when you eat a slice of bacon. That scripture in Corinthians being used to condemn homosexuals is laughable. Read this:
"The Jewish law was created by God to help regulate human behavior. To remind the churches in Corinth and Ephesus how God wants us to treat one another, Paul recites examples from the Jewish law first. Don't kill one another. Don't sleep with a person who is married to someone else. Don't lie or cheat or steal. The list goes on to include admonitions against fornication, idolatry, whoremongering, perjury, drunkenness, revelry, and extortion. He also includes "malokois" and "arsenokoitai."
Here's where the confusion begins. What's a malokois? What's an arsenokoitai? Actually, those two Greek words have confused scholars to this very day. We'll say more about them later, when we ask what the texts say about sex. But first let's see what the texts say about God.
After quoting from the Jewish law, Paul reminds the Christians in Corinth that they are under a new law: the law of Jesus, a law of love that requires us to do more than just avoid murder, adultery, lying, cheating, and stealing. Paul tells them what God wants is not strict adherence to a list of laws, but a pure heart, a good conscience, and a faith that isn't phony.
That's the lesson we all need to learn from these texts. God doesn't want us squabbling over who is "in" and who is "out." God wants us to love one another. It's God's task to judge us. It is NOT our task to judge one another.
So what do these two texts say about homosexuality? Are gays and lesbians on that list of sinners in the Jewish law that Paul quotes to make an entirely different point?
Greek scholars say that in first century the Greek word malaokois probably meant "effeminate call boys." The New Revised Standard Version says "male prostitutes."
As for arsenokoitai, Greek scholars don't know exactly what it means -- and the fact that we don't know is a big part of this tragic debate. Some scholars believe Paul was coining a name to refer to the customers of "the effeminate call boys." We might call them "dirty old men." Others translate the word as "sodomites," but never explain what that means.
In 1958, for the first time in history, a person translating that mysterious Greek word into English decided it meant homosexuals, even though there is, in fact, no such word in Greek or Hebrew. But that translator made the decision for all of us that placed the word homosexual in the English-language Bible for the very first time.
In the past, people used Paul's writings to support slavery, segregation, and apartheid. People still use Paul's writings to oppress women and limit their role in the home, in church, and in society.
Now we have to ask ourselves, "Is it happening again?" Is a word in Greek that has no clear definition being used to reflect society's prejudice and condemn God's gay children?
We all need to look more closely at that mysterious Greek word arsenokoitai in its original context. I find most convincing the argument from history that Paul is condemning the married men who hired hairless young boys (malakois) for sexual pleasure just as they hired smooth-skinned young girls for that purpose.
Responsible homosexuals would join Paul in condemning anyone who uses children for sex, just as we would join anyone else in condemning the threatened gang rape in Sodom or the behavior of the sex-crazed priests and priestesses in Rome. So, once again, I am convinced that this passage says a lot about God, but nothing about homosexuality as we understand it today."
::The scripture in Romans uses the word "unnatural". Unnatural isn't necessarily sinful. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah doesn't compare to homosexuals, but more to male prostitutes and prideful men raping other men as a sign of ultimate dominance.
::I said it once, and I'll say it again. The Bible has been used to condemn so many things, like: Sexism, slavery, murder of alternate religions, and racism. It also condones behaviors that are condemned today like polygamy. I doubt it's possible to ever change your typical opinion, sadly. Just try to open your mind up to these things I am showing you. If you dare say anything like, "God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve," I will no longer respect your opinion. God also calls us to find a suitable partner. Eve was a suitable partner to Adam. Steve may be a suitable to a different Adam, and Anna a suitable partner to a different Eve, etc. --[[User:Bocaj910|Bocaj910]] 18:30, 20 November 2011 (EST)