I agree with jake098 being gay is not a choice. End of. Being out is, but then if people are openly straight why cant I express my orientation too? You know the greeks (Well the athenians) believed that homosexual love was the only pure love? So its certainly not a modern thing...

So in a round a bout way Mr BillyBudd your saying that we should not be ourselves? And that we should live lies? Nice message this religion gives ...

Now, lets see, I take it your christian mr BillyBudd? Which is superb, faith is a wonderful thing. Where you have to draw the line however is when you begin to force this on other people. I would never force atheism, or paganism(A while back ) on anyone else. Your 'god' gave us free will, it is written as such, thusly in your eyes it must be true. So, the bible in effect contradicts itself? Here's a free will, but if you DARE use it....
But then its all contradictions in the end, isnt it... brainwashing and contradictions.
Now, to the actual question. Currently, I would say No, homosexuality does not go with religion. Mainly becuase religious people tend to be slightly more ignorant than normal people. But in a few years, I am sure this scripture will be made to say other things... it almost always is.

OK, we will have to agree to disagree on the fact that being gay is a choice. But I am not forcing this on anyone... I do not look down on a homosexual and I am not going to tell them that they have to believe what I say, Im just putting my opinion out there. As far as the Bible contradicting itself, I would disagree with your example. Think about it: The United States gives us a freedom to do what we want (a free will) but they also set up rules and standards to be followed. Is that a contradiction? I think thats exactly what God does... he doesnt want us all to just be mindless drones, so he created us with free will to chose. However, he set up guidelines for us to follow. But, we can chose to ignore those guidelines if we want to. That is still up to us. Thanks for discussing it with me rather then just getting mad like the other guy. O, and if you're reading this, Jake098, I just wanna say, next time please try to relax when you're gonna make comments. In the gay community there are a few ppl like you who freak out over the little things, and that gives all gays a bad name man. Its like a black person pulling the racism card over something trivial, it just gives a bad name to everyone in that group just by one person's comments. So next time just take a breath and take a minute, then write a comment back... just a suggestion.

Very well. But I can tell you for a fact, I would not have chosen to be gay. I wouldnt change it now, but I dont think anyone would WILLINGLY subject themselves to the ridicule that being gay at this point in time entails. I you disagree with this, fine.

Government is ever so slightly different than 'God' Billy. As far as I have seen, the Government have the same basic ideals as this deity, but they do not attempt to influence peoples social lives. At least not to the extent that your 'god' appears to. I shall use my own metaphor if I may. Its like being on a huge, open plain, that stretches for miles and miles and then being shoved in a chickenwire fence so you can still see it but can't get to it. What your suggesting is flopping down into the obliqueness of this 'chickenwire' forgeting about free will and just doing what we're told, when we're told it. When there is this wide open plain out there... which we can see, but can never touch. Thats certainly not how I wish to live my life, I am sure you would agree its not how you wish to live yours.

And as for the discussing thing, no probs. I like a good argument Good for the blood

Well, the chickenwire is a good analogy, however I disagree with one aspect of it. In the Christian life, we have the fenced in area with the chickenwire. But, inside of that chickenwire is where the plush grass and abundant food are. Outside is weeds and dirt. The difference is that we are not trapped in that fence however. There is an always-open gate; we can leave whenever we want, and God will let us back in whenever we ask. But why would we want to leave? The rest is just junk. I will be the first to admit, I "leave the fence" all the time. I screw up and sin constantly, but I do not want to make it a lifestyle, so am constantly working on it. And sometimes I wander way away from the fence before I realize how disgusting it is out there, but God always lets me back in. However, it also makes Him sad when we leave, so we should want to stay just for that fact. But, that is my major difference in your analogy, is that we are able to get to the outside whenever we want, but once you're on the inside you realize how crappy the outside is honestly. But you never realize until you are on the inside of the fence, or really living for the Lord as a Christian and submitting to his rules. Let me know your thoughts. And I agree, its always good to have a good argument, it helps you realize where you stand and why so you dont just go with whatever you hear to be true.

I'm a gay Christian, so I guess my answer is yes

Are you honestly saying you would rather live a lie Billy? I am sorry, but I think living as someone you are not is an awful, awful thing. Shouldnt everyone have the right to be who and what they are without fear of ridicule? I am sorry to say that I refuse to accept any religion that would try to alter this.

I was brought up in Church of England style, hyms and all. And I would sya, that underneath it all, christianity and therefore christians = good. But, this talk of forcing people to be something other than themselves its strangely similar to a dictatorship, hitler for example... Now I wont get into that fully.

Just a quick example Mr Billy, say I were to marry a girl. Have kids, etc etc. Isnt it just the tiniest bit unfair on this woman, that I would have apsolutely no sexual feeling towards her at all? All the emotional attachment I could ever achieve would be that of a good friend, it wouldnt be fair, on either of us.

Thatll do for now

You are right, if you were to marry a girl just for the sake of marrying, it would be completely unfair to that woman. However, this is where our agreement to disagree comes in. I feel that God does not make people gay. And I know I am not the best person to know because I have never been there. However, if what I am saying is true, that homosexuality is a sinful tendency that is extremely tempting to those it affects (I do believe it is very tempting, I dont put that down at all)... I have been there then, just with a different tendency. I will be the first to admit that I give in to temptation every day when I drive. My biggest temptation in life is to drive illegally. I am a very good driver and I like to push my limits as much as I can because it would be awesome to actually race someday when I have enough money... however, this doesnt make it right to drive the way I drive now on the roads. It is something that I have to work through, and honestly I am not doing a very good job at it, and for a while I gave up and basically called it a lifestyle saying "its the way I am, I am a naturally fast driver and I like to try crazy stuff and it makes me feel good." But in my mind this is my equivalent to your homosexuality. However, when Im truly going deep in my relationship with Jesus I am able to overcome that so much easier. Granted it is still extremely tough, and it takes a lot of effort and hurt, but it is worth it in the end. My dad had a christian friend when he was younger who turned out to be gay. The man had resigned his life to being gay and was ok with that. But over time the man realized he was living a sinful life, and over a period of years of counseling and a lot of effort, the man changed his ways. I honestly dont know if the man ever married a woman or not, but God never says that you must marry a woman. He has blessed some people with singleness, and He can use that in big ways as well if you really do not have any feelings towards women. ok, well thats enough for now, Ive gotta go to work.

Billy, thats one of the worst things I have ever heard, its almost sickening. This is no illness, this is nothing to be cured Billy. I think the fellow whom sought counsiling due to the fact he was homosexual was not 'cured'. He probably just repressed it all, he's probably now convinced himself its wrong. Can you imagine what it would be like to have to repress your barest emotion!? To live in shame because some outdated mandate says he must?

Now, I thinks its my turn to get a little cruel. Your 'fast driving' and my own Homosexuality are infinately different things. You speak about a hobby, and I speak about a way of life. I Cannot and WOULD not change who I am and live in saddness just for some outdated scripture.
This is a religion that celebrates the cosumtion of their deity, a religion that hangs effigies of dying men in their homes. Now, can you honestly believe that a book, which also says we should kill our 'disloyal' servants, gives accurate guidance for a modern way of life?

The Roman catholic church does not condemn gay people at all, it condemns physical gay acts which is ever so slightly different, therefore it is possible to be gay and religious! haha! not for me though im afraid!