Batting for the other team

[RickD]

I think we all should be free to love whomever we choose. What's wrong if I want to marry a man...or 5 women...or a dog...or a blowup doll...

Hey, as long as there's love involved, who gives a crap about what's natural, or what's sinful about it. If it feels good, do it! YOLO!!!!

[Kurieuo]

Can I marry this board? I mean love is love right?

[RickD]

Can I marry this board? I mean love is love right?

K,

I think you're confusing addiction with love.

[PaulSacramento]

PaulS wrote:
Biblically speaking, while homosexual desire is a sin ( as is the desire to steal or to be self- destructive or to be violent, etc) in need of redemtion, it is the ACT of homosexuality that is a far greater sin ( just as the act of stealing is far worse than the desire to cheat).

I tend to disagree with the underlined. I don't think same sex attraction in itself is a sin. Unless by "desire" you mean lust. But the desire, or attraction itself, I don't think is a sin.

Here's an interesting article on the subject:
http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/is- ... attraction

I guess it depends on if you view a sin as something DONE as opposed to even if just thinking about it is a sin.
Is it a sin to desire another woman if you are married? ( adultery) or is it only a sin if you actually DO play "hide the salami" with her?
Guess it depends on how you interpret Our Lords comment on that in Matthew 5:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

[RickD]

PaulS wrote:
Biblically speaking, while homosexual desire is a sin ( as is the desire to steal or to be self- destructive or to be violent, etc) in need of redemtion, it is the ACT of homosexuality that is a far greater sin ( just as the act of stealing is far worse than the desire to cheat).

I tend to disagree with the underlined. I don't think same sex attraction in itself is a sin. Unless by "desire" you mean lust. But the desire, or attraction itself, I don't think is a sin.

Here's an interesting article on the subject:
http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/is- ... attraction

I guess it depends on if you view a sin as something DONE as opposed to even if just thinking about it is a sin.
Is it a sin to desire another woman if you are married? ( adultery) or is it only a sin if you actually DO play "hide the salami" with her?
Guess it depends on how you interpret Our Lords comment on that in Matthew 5:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Ok. I think you're talking about lust. And I agree with you in that case.

[Jac3510]

Homosexual desire is certainly disordered. Whether or not it rises to the level of sin is another matter. Probably safer to say it is sin when it becomes lust. Otherwise, it's just a disordered desire and, therefore, a desire not to be gratified.

[Nessa]

what exactly is hiding the salami?..and more importantly..do i want to know


um...maybe its just an italian thing?

[RickD]

what exactly is hiding the salami?..and more importantly..do i want to know


um...maybe its just an italian thing?

Nevermind. No, you don't want to know. And, no, it's not just an Italian thing.

And, not for one moment do I believe that you are that naive, that you don't know what that means. Shame on you!

[Nessa]

i honestly dont know...but i could guess....

here we hide the sheep and eat the salami

[Nessa]

what makes you think i should know every vulgar term out there?

[Nessa]

well i did say i came here to learn

[neo-x]

does anyone here think homosexuality and christianity can be in harmony with each other? Do you use scripture to back this up?

No I don't think they can.

I find it a very cold logic to advocate that its alright to have an attraction to same sex as long as these parties do not engage in physical acts. Like if the former is any better than the latter. Its not, that is biblically speaking. This position though, is cruel and heartless, but academically right and that is why it has always rubbed me the wrong way.

I think gay people should be allowed to marry, why not. But that is just me, its against my faith, but then not everyone lives under or according to my faith. So I don't mind that. The same way people get divorce and are happy with it and we are happy with them and go along just fine.

Bottomline, its either all or none. If gay attraction is alright then so is gay sex, or both are equally wrong. And that just complicates everything up.

[RickD]

But Neo,

Isn't there a difference between having desires and acting on those desires?

I think that's all I'm saying. While attraction to the same sex is unnatural, I don't think it's necessarily a sin.

I know it's not exactly the same, because male to female attraction is natural, but what about this example:
I'm a married man. Is it a sin for me to find another woman attractive? I think it becomes a sin when I dwell on her, and start thinking lustful thoughts. And then, if I commit a sexual act with another woman, then obviously I'm sinning.

I kinda see same sex attraction in the same way. Lustful thoughts and sexual acts outside the bounds of marriage is a sin. Whether it's between two people of the opposite sex, or two people of the same sex.

[PaulSacramento]

Nessa wrote:
does anyone here think homosexuality and christianity can be in harmony with each other? Do you use scripture to back this up?

Christianity is about accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, that He is the Son of God, that He died and was resuurected and will come again.
It has nothing to do with sexual orientation at all.
What you are asking is if we can harmonize homosexuality with the MORAL CODE that is PART of Christianity.
And the answer is that Yes, I believe we can harmonize homosexuality BUT NOT homosexual ACTIVITY.
IF a person is born a homosexual, much like a person is born with desires to steal or to be sexual promiscuous or violent tendencies, then they must ( if they chose to be a Christian) ask the Lord to strengthen them against ACTING on these urges or even having them.
Like a person that is sexually promiscuous ( since we are on the subject of sexual activity) they must deal with their urges and with the Lord's help, they can overcome them.

Scripture wise we have condemnation of homosexual ACTIVITY BUT we also have condemnation of stealing, adultery ( even more so than homosexuality by the way) and so forth.
Not condemnation of people that have these problems but condemnation of people with these problem that ACT on them.

[PaulSacramento]

But Neo,

Isn't there a difference between having desires and acting on those desires?

I think that's all I'm saying. While attraction to the same sex is unnatural, I don't think it's necessarily a sin.

I know it's not exactly the same, because male to female attraction is natural, but what about this example:
I'm a married man. Is it a sin for me to find another woman attractive? I think it becomes a sin when I dwell on her, and start thinking lustful thoughts. And then, if I commit a sexual act with another woman, then obviously I'm sinning.

I kinda see same sex attraction in the same way. Lustful thoughts and sexual acts outside the bounds of marriage is a sin. Whether it's between two people of the opposite sex, or two people of the same sex.

It comes down to how strict we are with the definition of sin, is it just the ACT or is it the DESIRE to commit the act?