These are not necessarily "God's" words, as they are interpretations of what God says. Basically, gays are not accepting God, they are rejecting mainstream religion. Regardless of the fact I don't believe in God, I can still appreciate the distinction they make in their decision to believe.

I have never understood this either, why would you fight so hard for acceptance in to an organisation that hates who and what you are, claims you are a crime against nature and twice in its own sacred texts condemns you to painful inhumane execution.

In another group I previously belonged to, I was on speaking terms with a well known human rights and LBGTQ activist, who was knocking himself stupid to get back in to the LDS church, who had excommunicated him for his Homosexuality.
I kept asking him why and he kept saying because he WAS A MORMON, a denomination that by definition despises gays people as one of their major selling points.

I know about cognitive dissonance by some people abuse the privilege.

Curiously, there is no mention in the gospels regarding homosexuality that I am aware of, therefore, from a textual viewpoint, Jesus is silent on the matter. In Corinthians Paul uses the term arsenos koiton translated from Leviticus which refers to shrine prostitution. Bearing in mind that in Romans Paul criticises 'gossips, slanderers, the arrogant and boastful' in the same context as homosexuality declaring "such things are worthy of death", looks like we are probably all off for a stoning! The only voices of dissent that we hear on the issue of homosexuality are from Paul and in the text of 1 Timothy which also uses the expression arsenos koiton. It seems that the problem is not with Jesus but with Paul. Is Paul's zeal and impatient paranoia sufficient to inspire such ire in the name of his 'saviour'? To cut Paul a bit of slack he was speaking in a specific time in a specific location, for a specific mission but I would suggest the ideas are no longer pertinent.

Yep, you are the only one.

Have you seen Jesus up on that cross? Rowwr!

Feel the same way about Republican women

Why are you berating people who i am sure get enough grief anyway?! None of your damned business, either their sexuality Or their religion!!!.

I would argue that Romans isn't "God's word". Romans was a letter written by Saul of Tarsus to a church in Rome. It was his opinion (though he claims to have had hallucinatory conversations with Jesus) on how people should behave and how the church should be run.

You mean religion? Yeah, it's all bullshit. Gay people can believe and justify bullshit just like anybody else.

THey don't seem to be overly concerned about adulterers either. Plenty of preachers have been adulterers. I can understand them not worrying about pedophilia. I believe the bible endorses marriage to minors.

Who else would be priests, though?

No, you are not the only one that thinks so. Your post is absolutely correct. The bible is not reliable for much.

Watch the documentary Religious. Bill interviewed two gay Muslim activists. He also interviewed a Fransiscan preist. The preist said that if you are gay you are gay, and you should be happy. Bill said that's not what the bible said. He said that's what the bible meant to say...

How does religious ideals tie up with paedophile priests? It shows that you can invoke the name of god and still be a vile person. That is what makes religions so laughable. Okay many religious people are good people. No doubt about that. But many, especially in America, make millions in the name of religion. They know how to use the name of god to make money. That is called using the concept of a non-existent being to rip off the poor. Not to different to selling snake oil.

An argument can be made that god created all things to be exactly as they are. If one holds that belief, one can assume that homosexuals were created to be homosexual and that they serve a purpose in the divine plan. In that case, it would be easy for a homosexual believer to come to terms with the idea that his relationship with god is not connected to his relationship with society.

That said... belief requires the suspension of reality. Both concepts of god and concepts of sexuality are man made. If we made it, we can twist in whatever way suits our individual and collective needs.

They were just raised with it, I’d guess.

choices. I support their beliefs even as fucked up as it seems. it’s right for them is all that matters.

Well there is more than one religion, but any that are gay and follow the Abrahamic ones baffle me besides the fact that they can be indoctrinated and cherry pick like the rest of humanity...

Yeah, I don't get it either. It's hard to shake indoctrination..

The "Old Testament" has been given the heave,dwindling church attendance is the reason for homosexuals being welcome with open arms.

That's the whole point of atheism. I don't understand how anyone can believe in fairytales.

I get your point, but I really believe a large number of religious people are only religious by default. They go with the flow, celebrate holidays, and believe only superficially without questioning.

For the record last time I checked Christianity wasn't the only religion on Earth.

Why go to church if you're divorced and remarried. Certainly the Bible states one spouse for life with the exception of adultery.
Organized religion eventually evolve but it's normally too late to fix the lives they broke.
I have seen churches where the LGTBQ community are accepted, loved and welcomed. Ames church in IL comes to mind.

People in general seem to need something to believe in and with the ruling classes regularly screwing everyone else over regardless of country, well... something bigger outside of themselves seems to fit the bill. Giving whatever that is a godly status and persona and creating rules of conduct to honor that "something" generally follows in short order.

I think on some level, some people still realize this and instead of letting someone else tell them what is right or wrong, shifting the religious dialog so they can keep their beliefs seems to be an easier step than just not believing at all. That isn't unusual. Even what we consider the biblical cannon right now was changed many times over the years. Different councils decided on different books to add, subtract or change depending on the ideas of religious authorities of any given time period.

Honestly, I don't believe homosexuality was even addressed in Christianity earlier on. I've seen papers discussing the process of how such things developed and how sexuality advanced through different times and places where Christianity was concerned. I honestly think many of those involved just need acceptance, assurances and support in the idea that they are ok as they are. That's what most religious grouping amounts to, similarities in ideas and belief congregating around the idea of some deity to make it all seem more important, give it more purpose.

Because you're born gay or straight, or bi. No one would choose a life of discrimination. If you're also born into a religious community, you've got double trouble.