I think the thing people need to consider before they can even consider this question is do you even believe in organized religion. A lot of people do and a lot of people don't and I think that changes people's perspectives. I think anyone can be spiritual and express faith in their own way. So when it comes to it, whether you get your teachings from the Bible, Qu'ran (spelling), or anywhere else, it really enters a much more personal level as to how you interpret it.

I think that for those who don't believe in organized religion it's easier to think that God can accept homosexuality. There's isn't a weird third party that you need approval from that exists in organized religion (preachers, other members, etc.). I'm not saying that this is true, this is simply my opinion. But again, for those who do believe in a direct relationship to God, they think they have a closer and deeper understanding, whether or not that's true isn't the question. The question here is if God and gays can "coexist" I guess, and for those who experience faith and spirituality directly, logically, it's easier for them to come to terms with the idea that they do.

Now for those who do believe in organized religion I think it becomes more difficult for this to be true. There's often many confounding variables that enter into a person's thoughts. There's a quotient that is created by the denomination and it's parts as people struggle to meet what is expected from them. In most denominations this becomes hard to do if you're gay because that goes against what is expected. That's not to say that there aren't denominations that exist that accept homosexuality. Despite what the Bible or any other religious text may say, after all each denomination interprets their meanings differently, whose to say that a new group can't arise saying something new and controversial.

Then there are those that don't accept religion either way. Evolutionarily thinking, homosexuality is a perplexing thing. It doesn't truly benefit Darwinism or any theory at that. But either way homosexuality has developed and continues through out the existence of humanity.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that any way you look at it, the answer to the question isn't simple and can't really be made by anyone except an individual themselves. Personally I do believe God and homosexuality can and do mix, for whatever purpose that may be still eludes me.

You said that God says it's wrong to be gay in the bible, that or there a bouts. But there is also a bible passage about a homosexual relationship that isn't looked down on. The homosexual orientation is not what the church views as wrong, but the homosexual acts. Homosexual christians believe they are called to lead a chast life (no sex) by God. I sound like a geek but we've just done about this in school, thats how I know all that

pedofiles, rapists, and murderers can all go to heaven if they accept jesus into their heart.

I think they can, my ex boyfriend is gay and he is a big god fan.

I personally am atheist, not because I'm gay.
I just believe that if there really was a god we wouldn't live in such a messed up world full of rape, murder, disease, poverty, and violence etc.

But that is just my opinion.

em...cnt member if i already replied but im in that kinda mood y'no?

well i personally think so i mean im a devoted christian and go to church every week and i think that if people say that im any less of a christian because im gay then they're talkin out theyre ass because wat gives the lazy so-and-sos that sit on theyre backside every sunday or have a long lie and call themselves christian yet they live by none of the principles the right to say that im less of a christian because i know that i can never hurt any1 never mind kill i love and respect both ma mum and ma dad (even though ma dad is slightly outdated in his ideas) i never think of other gods (apart from in myths y'no cause u know thats allowed) or worship anything innanimate or animate for that matter and i keep sunday holy i would never cheat and in normal basis ive never deliberately stole, would never hold false tesimony and i mean i want things but i dont covet them bby any means to me thats 9/10 goin for me and basically im not personally taking the lords name in vain im just using an expresion that has lost all meaning over the years from when the commandment was written because really when we say "oh my god" it doesnt mean anything dirctly associated with the lord its just and expression so iv kept the cardinal rules

and anyway as people hav said the translations are dodgy and lets face it one of them says "A man shall not lie with another man" so you know screw all those ppl too poor to afford beds and live on the street that huddle for warmth so you realy have to take it in context

so you know after that rant (took 10 minutes u no) i shall say yeah in fact hell yeah course they can

luv ya all

Sparky

xxx

I think it can

If God is real and the whole story is true then God created everything for a reason and in the eyes of him everybody has equal rights.
So yeah homosexuality can go with the church or whatever.
If religious people disagree with this then they are basically disagreeing with what God created.

It's really confusing
the whole God and gays thing
I know in the bible it says
God loves everyone
Sinners and Saints alike
No matter what.
It says a person who sins knowingly is more at fault then someone who doesn't though
and being gay
i guess
is sinning knowingly right?
Like, you know you're doing it.
So, it's hard for me to grasp the idea
that I could get into heaven
and have no problems
because
yeah
i'm human. i make mistakes. i'm gay
but God still loves me
you know?
And I've made a commitment to him.

I believe gays and God can go together because ,how is God going to punish me for somehting I can't control? And I've looked into there verses that some christians say condemn homosexuality, but after going to a lot of other websites I've learned that the bible doesn't really condmn homosexuality like everyone says. Those verses are just a matter of how you understand them you have to think about when the bible was written, who wrote it, and how many times its been translated over the years in to consideration when you read them.

in my religious studies class at school this topic came up and the teacher actually had a pretty good reply. It all depends on the christian group, some christians see homosexuality as an illness and it can be beaten through prayer and other various religious acts, some groups see being homosexual as being OK but the act of homosexual sex as a sin and that anyone who is homosexual is free to be an active memeber of thier religious group as long they take a vow of celebecy, but i think there are a few christian groups out there(however not many) that actually fully accept homosexuality as just part of life and are more than likely responsible for the legalisation of gay marriage XD.

p.s. i dont know why but the last part looks like it say im against gay marriage but just to be clear im not XD

Im no christian but i study the bible.

Clearly, every christian moral decision is based on what it says in the bible. Obvious things like the 10 commandments etc. The teaching on homosexuality is too based on various stories etc, which are these.

Sodom and Gomorrah
Leviticus 18 and 20
1 Corinthians 6
Romans 1

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is discussing the atrocities of homosexual rape, not of homosexual relations and sex.

Two angels arrive and Lot takes them in, the cities men come and ask for the angels to come out so they can rape them. Lot refuses this to be done to his guests and offers his daughters for the rape instead as they have never experienced a man, something that would be wasted on his dear guests.

The position that this story condemns homosexuality ignores the context of rape, and Lot's offering of his daughters. The destruction of Sodom is not because the men are gay, but because they have such little contempt for guests and fellow humanity. Rape is clearly a no-no and as all the cities men come to the door for the flesh of the angels. God destroys the whole city.

It is a story about rape, not homosexuality.

Leviticus ---

And with a man you shall not lie with as a man lies with a woman; it is an abomination.
If a man lies with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

If one reads leviticus it contains a large number of obscure commands - like no tatoos, using mediums, wearing clothes of mixed cloth, eating shellfish and cutting hair in different lengths in different places. all of which are detestable.

this part of leviticus is known to be about ceremonial cleanliness so one can sacrifice in the temple, and be clean for passover. to state homosexuality as wrong in this context is clearly false use of these passages, especially as christians (though not jews) have no need for ritual cleanliness.

also to pick and choose homosexuality as wrong over the other examples above would also show that you are simply using the text to support your views.

also it is not clear that homosexual relations, or homosexual attraction are condemned ritually but just anal sex.


Corinthians -

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor practicing homosexuals nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Romans -

Because of this [idolatry], God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

the word for homosexual used here in the greek is not normal, and is use solely by Paul. it can mean, homosexual rape, heterosexuals engaging in homosexual sex, male prostitutes etc. also it denotes only men, which would be unusual for paul authorship as he specifically condemn female homosexuality in romans.

also remember that Paul was a man of his time - likely to dislike homosexuals in the context of judaism disliking/hating homosexuals.