An Experiment in Xian Perception

[Happy_Is_Good]

Want to see something even crazier? Check out this news bit from Dallas, Texas: http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-texas-santa-massacre,0,3623246.story

So...a man dressed in a Santa Suite kills the entire family and himself during Christmas!  It could be that the man is Pathological....or it could be that he was Muslim - and this is was not Texas News WILL NOT DISCUSS!

Religion strikes again!

[Whitney]

Want to see something even crazier? Check out this news bit from Dallas, Texas: http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-texas-santa-massacre,0,3623246.story

So...a man dressed in a Santa Suite kills the entire family and himself during Christmas!  It could be that the man is Pathological....or it could be that he was Muslim - and this is was not Texas News WILL NOT DISCUSS!

Religion strikes again!

I don't think we can assume that he wasn't Christian...the family was practicing Christmas; they all has Muslim names...so it could have been a Muslim Christian family and just a psychotic ex husband.

[AnimatedDirt]

Point taken.  Homosexual acts is sin.

Don't knock it 'till you've tried it.

The statement is not to convey whether I've tried, not tried, liked, or disliked...I've tried lots of acts of sin in my life.  Some I've liked (and still like) and some don't appeal to me personally.

[Happy_Is_Good]

Want to see something even crazier? Check out this news bit from Dallas, Texas: http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-texas-santa-massacre,0,3623246.story

So...a man dressed in a Santa Suite kills the entire family and himself during Christmas!  It could be that the man is Pathological....or it could be that he was Muslim - and this is was not Texas News WILL NOT DISCUSS!

Religion strikes again!

I don't think we can assume that he wasn't Christian...the family was practicing Christmas; they all has Muslim names...so it could have been a Muslim Christian family and just a psychotic ex husband.

No..No one will discuss what happened.  This News will go into George Orwell's "Memory Hole" and be forgotten.  It is too much of a liability.  Oceania has always been at war with EastAsia!

[MadBomr101]

My perception of this article is simply, It is what it is.

A Christian should understand that this world is heading in a direction that if we Christians believe in God and His word, we cannot stop.  In fact, the faster it it happens, the sooner He returns.  I don't care a whole lot whether the society I live in allows Gay Marriage or not.  I happen to stand more on the side of allowing it, while I also stand on the side that says homosexual ACTS are an abomination.

The part I don't get is why Xians care who someone else chooses to love or screw.  There's no emotional investment at work here.  These people are strangers who, for whatever reason, aren't attratcted to the opposite sex.  I don't understand that but it's also no concern of mine as it doesn't impact my life in any meaningful way.  In what way does this impact the lives of Xians that they're so offended and/or threatened by it?

I guess I was just trying to give MadBomr101 what he/she wants.

He/she thanks you.  

[Ali]

The part I don't get is why Xians care who someone else chooses to love or screw.  There's no emotional interestment at work here.  These people are strangers who, for whatever reason, aren't attratcted to the opposite sex.  I don't understand that but it's also no concern of mine as it doesn't impact my life in any meaningful way.  In what way does this impact the lives of Xians that they're so offended and/or threatened by it?

I agree with this.  I can completely understand a Christian saying "In my religion, only heterosexual couples can marry/have sex/whatever, so I personally would never engage in a homosexual relationship."  That's reasonable.  But I don't get why they have to add "And if I can prevent it, people I have never met and otherwise care nothing about won't be able to either!"  I just think it's so bizarre that they think that they (or weirder yet, the government)should have a say in the love lives of consenting adults.  Also weird - typically the people who are most against gay marriage are Conservatives, who claim to be in favor of "small government."  I can't imagine a bigger government intrusion than a government that tries to legislate interpersonal relationships. 

[MadBomr101]

The part I don't get is why Xians care who someone else chooses to love or screw.  There's no emotional interestment at work here.  These people are strangers who, for whatever reason, aren't attratcted to the opposite sex.  I don't understand that but it's also no concern of mine as it doesn't impact my life in any meaningful way.  In what way does this impact the lives of Xians that they're so offended and/or threatened by it?

I agree with this.  I can completely understand a Christian saying "In my religion, only heterosexual couples can marry/have sex/whatever, so I personally would never engage in a homosexual relationship."  That's reasonable.  But I don't get why they have to add "And if I can prevent it, people I have never met and otherwise care nothing about won't be able to either!"  I just think it's so bizarre that they think that they (or weirder yet, the government)should have a say in the love lives of consenting adults.  Also weird - typically the people who are most against gay marriage are Conservatives, who claim to be in favor of "small government."  I can't imagine a bigger government intrusion than a government that tries to legislate interpersonal relationships. 

Couldn't have said it better myself.  Thanks for the assist.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

I think that most theists don't care or actually support same sex marriage...it's only the older, deep southern, and evangelical groups that complain about it.  As these groups age out of existence and newer generations find less and less appeal in fire and brimstone beliefs I think we'll see the backlash against gay marriage disappear. 

This. The gay marriage issue will cease to be important, even for most Christians, in the future.  It didn't even register on Jesus' radar, and Paul only briefly spoke of homosexuality, and mostly in the context of flagrant promiscuity, not committed relationships.  Homosexuality didn't even make it into the 10 Commandments, but adultery did, something that even Christian ministers have problems with. 

[Happy_Is_Good]

If two people want to legally accept responsibility for each other, then what business of it is mine other than to say: I agree!  This is marriage, I guess...in its most fundamental terms!

I am for it 100%! 

[Sweetdeath]

Point taken.  Homosexual acts is sin.

Don't knock it 'till you've tried it.

The statement is not to convey whether I've tried, not tried, liked, or disliked...I've tried lots of acts of sin in my life.  Some I've liked (and still like) and some don't appeal to me personally.

I'm going to refrain from saying many things right now, so I won't break rules or get kicked off this amazing forum...
But good sir, you cannot state your opinions as facts. It's what I dislike THE MOST of religious people.
My love is wonderful, joyful, sad, complicated, sometimes stressful and everything a human being is allowed to feel, but my love is NOT A SIN.

[AnimatedDirt]

I'm going to refrain from saying many things right now, so I won't break rules or get kicked off this amazing forum...
But good sir, you cannot state your opinions as facts. It's what I dislike THE MOST of religious people.
My love is wonderful, joyful, sad, complicated, sometimes stressful and everything a human being is allowed to feel, but my love is NOT A SIN.

I'm sorry for offending you.  It was not my intention.  We are in the religion section of this forum and within a thread about a "Xtian Perception" and I'm giving my opinion.  In context of "Xtian" AND the OP citing a commonly known position of this religious book, saying, "Homosexual acts is sin" is quite spot on, factual...in context.  You may disagree.  We're not specifically discussing our position on the that subject, rather what it means that more and more are accepting.  I would humbly ask you go back and read from the start.  MAYBE you will see my position different or simply ask my position.

Again, I apologize for offending you.

[Sweetdeath]

I'm fine, seriously.
In a three year commited relationship, and planning to get married in a few years.

Just curious, do you really think everything written in the bible is to be taken as a literal fact? I have read it and jesus never says hate the gays, but okay.  Human love is adult human, consensual love.

[AnimatedDirt]

I'm fine, seriously.
In a three year commited relationship, and planning to get married in a few years.

I am really happy for your happiness.  Really.

Just curious, do you really think everything written in the bible is to be taken as a literal fact? I have read it and jesus never says hate the gays, but okay.  Human love is adult human, consensual love.

Like what...for the most part, I do hold that the bible is factual at least as best humans saw or knew what they were writing about.  Much like two different people writing about a battle, each has their own perspective and just because they differ of some things, doesn't mean one or the other is wrong.

Edit: Modified the quote...missed the name.

[Sandra Craft]

I'd like to see some theist response as well.  I'm curious why same sex unions are considered to be such a dire threat.

I know I'm coming very late to this discussion, but the reasons I've heard all boil down to "because God says so".  I knew a woman once who said that she personally couldn't see anything wrong with homosexuality, or why anyone would find it upsetting for any reason, but since her god was against it (according to the bible) she had to be too.  It didn't matter than she didn't understand her god's reasons for being against it, it only mattered that he was against it and as his follower she had to accept that there was therefore some mysterious thing wrong with it and treat it accordingly.  That's all there was to it.  

Altho I consider such reasons and such beliefs silly, they do make sense if you accept that some people honestly believe a) that there is an invisible, immortal superman that's in control of everything, b) if they please this being it will make them invisible and immortal too one day (not sure about also becoming supermen, that might be reserved) and c) the bible is the guidebook to what pleases this being.  And altho there's a lot of contradiction in the bible about what god is and is not pleased by, god's displeasure with homosexuality seems unambiguous.

I have read it and jesus never says hate the gays, but okay.

I don't recall where he ever said it was OK either, I don't think he ever mentioned homosexuality at all.  As much as I'd like to claim that as a point for our side, Jesus (or his ghost writer, or whoever) didn't have any trouble speaking up and correcting the rules of the OT he thought were wrong -- the ones about divorce, for instance.  I think it more reasonable to guess that he didn't say anything about homosexuality because he had no problem with the OT view of it.

[MadBomr101]

I know I'm coming very late to this discussion, but the reasons I've heard all boil down to "because God says so".  I knew a woman once who said that she personally couldn't see anything wrong with homosexuality, or why anyone would find it upsetting for any reason, but since her god was against it (according to the bible) she had to be too.  It didn't matter than she didn't understand her god's reasons for being against it, it only mattered that he was against it and as his follower she had to accept that there was therefore some mysterious thing wrong with it and treat it accordingly.  That's all there was to it.

Yup and that's one of the single most infuriating aspects of religious faith, blind and unquestioning obedience whether you understand it or not.  This is not a good thing yet Xians will proudly claim it as a demonstration of the strength of their faith.  It's like being proud of being ignorant and irrational.

I guess you can spin anything if you want to.