you know, religion annoys me because people pick and choose the bits they like and then ignore the bits they dont. Straight people do it and gay people do it, and i think its wrong.
I personally, think that God and gays can go together.
Christianity and gays cant.
I believe in God, but im not christian. And i dont think the two are the same thing. I believe in God simply because i dont think science explains everything. That said, i dont think science and god neccesarily have to be seperate. But anyway, the bible makes it clear that the 'correct' way is man and woman, the bible also makes it clear the bit about sodomy being wrong. THese extremist christians arent making up their beliefs. So, basically, yeah, i think god and gays can go together, if you leave out the religious aspect.

The Offical Catholic Church teaching is that it is OK to have homosexual thoughts as long as there is no action.

As for other Christians:
Evangelical Protestants condemn every part of it as sinful.
Liberal Protestants find it all acceptable.

That's what they say and I know this for a fact because I'm studying it now.

do they? i mean do us?? lol i really am not that catholic as mam wants me to be... i dont care. hehehe i think there's a god, course! but, we picture that god so human! maybe, our understanding goes just to our limits, when its needed far beyond them to really understand.... if ur okay with you and not doing anything wrong then, and feeling really good... why has that to be bad?? arent we supposed to live happy ??

What is a sin?…. according to the Maquarie Concise Dictionary, Revised Third Edition, Sydney 2004, sin is “1. transgression of divine law. 2. an act regarded as such transgression, or any violation, especially a willful or deliberate one, of some religious or moral principle . 3. any serious transgression or offence. –v.i. sinned, sinning. 4. to do a sinful act. 5. …” (underlining added by me) Sinning is an act, a deliberate act against religious/ moral teaching. I never went, “oh I think I might choose to like boys today” no, I never deliberately chose to like boys. I have had a somewhat natural sexual attraction to boys that started from when I was old enough to have a sexuality, at a time that, living in a country town/small city, I was never exposed to homosexuality, I had heard about it from my friends but never took any notice, I never had seen a homosexual on tv, in movies, or any of the like, yet, from the time I hit puberty, I developed sexual attraction for boys AS WELL AS girls, however, my attraction for boys was always stronger. Also, the references to homosexuality in the Bible are used in the context of describing rape, incest, ritual pagan temple orgies, child molestation etc. all these things are sinful for a heterosexual as well.

Basically, in Christianity, to be homosexual is not sinful, because it is not a chosen deliberate action, but does that mean the act of having sex with the same gender is a sin? Again, homosexuality is described in the Bible with non-consentual, group or pagan ritual sex. So therefore does that mean that if a “no-sex-before-marriage” mentality is applied, i.e. a committed relationship instead of a one night stand, then it is not sinful? Well I believe that if one is in a committed relationship or a relationship that there is an affectionate connection with, then it is not sinful. This sort of relationship is not mentioned as sinful in the bible. In fact, it is mentioned as acceptable.

The story of David and Jonathan in the bible I believe, and so do many others, is about a homosexual relationship. Here are a few extracts from the bible. "And it came to pass, when he [David] had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." (1 Sam. 18:1).

That same day, "Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul" (1 Sam. 18:3). (The word for this “covenent” in the original Hebrew is the same word used when a man and a woman are married, it is often translated as the verb “to cleave”)

Jonathan removes and offers David the rich garments he is wearing, and shares with him his worldly possessions: "And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle." (1 Sam. 18:4) (i.e. He stripped naked in front of David).

Many Christians condemn homosexuals and treat them badly etc. but is it not a sin in Christianity to judge another and to treat them badly because of their decisions in life? After all, Jesus did sit with thieves, murderers, prostitutes and sinners of all kinds, but you never hear of him sitting down with homosexuals and trying to save them lol.

yes they do i have been to a gay church in london (i cannot name it coz some closet celebs go there) basically a group was set up by the CofE to help gay people get rid of the mental disease they had it was called post gay or something i cant remember. the Cof E would send there vicars and congrigation members and leaders there to "be cured". of course they wernt because its not a disease one of the people who was on the board who ran this org. was one of the first to be put through the program and he realised he was still gay after having "the treatment" some underwent horrible procedures where they were excercised and there demons removed he was one of them, he decided to leave the church of england and set up this gay church they read into the scripture that gives christians the belief that gay is wrong basically there is a misinterpretation the word gay means rapists homosexuals were actually reffered to as eunachs you may say aaah but eunachs had there nuts removed (thisis another definition of eunach which originates in europe its actually related to the baroque period of music but i wont go into detail over that - young boys had there testicles crushed so that they could still hit high pitched notes after puberty) eunachs were intrusted by ancient kings to look after there hareems because the kings knew that they would not be interested in having sex with there women, anyway the story as to why gay ppl are stigmatized by the church: there was a small town near jerusalem a group of rapists (gay by ancient definition) were wandering the streets, some angels visited the small town and asked for somwhere to stay on there journey to jerusalem the rapists took advantage of this and raped them the group of angels escaped with there lives but god was displeased with the whole event and he "cast a rain of fire onto the town of getsemini in the valley of kidron" this led to the belief that he punished the town of getsemini for having a large population of eunachs (gay ppl) but this wasnt the case it was because of the way the town treated strangers. the tale of getsemini is the only real basis for the belief that being gay is wrong according to god. Thou shalt not bed another man or something like that wotever the commandment is refers to affairs not other men at all. oh and in a previous post someone claimed that jesus was born on the 25th of december although his birthday is celebrated on this day the date was decided many hundreds of years later by the pope of the time, along with easter. this is due to the fact that jesuses birthday was never mentioned in the bible the only faiths that claims to know the true date of his birth are the jehovas witnesses (during the first half of october) and islam who claimed he was born in april. (just thought i would rectify that) for more info refer to the 2nd series of Q.I (the xmas special). thats what i have been taught to believew anyway

Theres only one thing to say. and iv said it a million times to a million different people... THE BIBLE DOESNT CONDEM HOMOSEXUALITY. Anything used as evidence to say that it does has been misinterpreted by homophobic scollars.. Why would God condem his own creation. Any homosexual would swear by the fact that their own sexuality has not been a concious decision. Just as any ignorant heterosexual would HAVE to swear the exact same thing. Anyways im sure im probly just repeating what everyone else has said since i didnt bother to read any of the other posts... but i have read some very interesting articals interpreting the Bible as it was ment to be interpreted. Just read my tag... it says it all...

I am Roman Catholic
I was born Catholic
I was raised Catholic
I had my first comunion as a Catholic
And I consider myself to Still be Catholic
I go to Christian Camps, and Youth Group, and Young Life and such
I love god, and I am happily actively Bisexual leaning more on Gay though =]
Ok so here it goes....

(please excuse me spelling lol =D)

God knows the future, he knows EVERYTHING
H did give us free will even though he already knows the outcome of everything, god knew I was going to be be Bisexual (Gay)
And because god knew this was going to happen and he made me this way, how on earth could he "hate me", I know God loves me, and I love him, I am always thanking him for everything he has given me and everything he will give me, and yes I like most people do get angry and pissed off at God, also because I was Raised Catholic all my life, I am now 16, how can I just stop beleiving??? Really now c'mon ....
And I dont want to stop beleiving =]
I am proud to beleive, but I am also very very respectufll of everyone no matter what religion they are of what they beleive, I may not agree on the same things as them but hey thats life, no one agree's with everyone or everything, so you just have to be respectfull =]
I also LOVE learning about different religions, I am currently taking a class on Asian Religions, and I LOVE it, I find it fascinating
I love philosophy and just hearing everyone else's ideas and thoughts and question becuase it gives me different ways of looking or thinking of/about the same thing =]

So in the end....

I have been raised me whole life being taught that God is all-loving
and I do very much beleive that Gays and God can go together =]

Honestly, I think, God dose accept gays. God made us the way we are. It is not our falt, or anyones, for a person being gay. In fact, it is not even a falt. God planned out our lives, and knows what we will become, and what we will do for scociety. He knows who we will love, who we will hate, and who we will fallow. And if your calling homosexuallity wrong, then your calling God wrong.
Just Remeber - From birth all men are created equal, so if someone is born gay they are still born equal.

IN my OWN opinion! and not saying im right, but its just what I think,

The bible is a book of contridiction, where it says the great lord shall forgive all, so to me that means if I go out and shoot someone,then i can repent and I will be forgiven regardless of what I have done to anyone.

But then somewhere it says that being gay! is wrong.. Maybe it is to those in the 18nth and 19nth century but it shouldnt be nows!

mmph...

And another opinion of mine is that if you want to go with god, then no one else should have a say about it, even though being gay/lesbian/bi or straight, is a large part of you, it shouldnt mean that you have to go around with a badge stating what you are, and even if it was obvious! then it still shouldnt matter either way!

I really hope this makes some sort of sense, ive only had 2 cups of coffee

lol If i was still an atheist I would be currently screaming to everyone here that organized religion is a disease that needs to be removed from society before it removes us! But life is funny and now I am a gay bible thumper christian. {King James to be exact}. I mentioned this already on another forum in regards to christianity and homosexuality, but if you take the time to study the entire bible {King James perferrably since it is the ONLY bible where verses have not been omitted} and study the biblical time period, and of course the greek,latin, and hebrew manuscripts you will come to the VERY surprising conclusion that homosexuality is not condemned. I know you are going to point to Exodus and say that I am wrong, but Exodus also contained many other laws that were just as important but now are disregarded. Just look around on the internet and you will find out why homosexuality is not condemned anymore. { Hint Israelites was an non-dominant tribe in the middle-east, survival was dependent on having children, each child believed to be a great blessing. } lol I stayed up all night so I am waay to tired to go into detail just look it up on the internet damn it!