Homosexuality - Rebel Priests defy Pope on Blessing Same-Sex Unions

[Gem]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

For me,
not much of an issue.

People have been doing whatever they want for a long time.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

Contrary to what some want to claim, I do not think there has ever been a bedroom Police force. LOL!

I think some people put too much emphasize on the subject.

Yes. they have been emphasizing for a long time. The first emphasis was a religious view on evil, but they have aways had hangups around sex, then a psychiatric view on perversion, all linked to a criminal view in law, and now days a big upheaval to overturn all of that, which is understandable, but I think what we failed to learn as a society is the non-issue it presents in the first place.

We have these sorts of sexualities in our family along with the hetero kind and there's been no problems with that. Well my grand uncle Jim had a big problem so no one 'came out' while he was alive, but when he died they were coming out the closet left right and centre.

[Altair]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

What are your thoughts on this very sensitive issue that is creating major divisions in the spiritual communities?

I have no issues with people having same-sex relationships. Having said that, I also think priests are entitled to not marry a gay couple because of their own beliefs. I think same-sex couples should not demand the church to change, but support or build new churches that accommodate them. There's lots of denominations so I don't see the issue.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

Contrary to what some want to claim, I do not think there has ever been a bedroom Police force. LOL!

I think some people put too much emphasize on the subject.

Originally Posted by Gem

Yes. they have been emphasizing for a long time. The first emphasis was a religious view on evil, but they have aways had hangups around sex, then a psychiatric view on perversion, all linked to a criminal view in law, and now days a big upheaval to overturn all of that, which is understandable, but I think what we failed to learn as a society is the non-issue it presents in the first place.

We have these sorts of sexualities in our family along with the hetero kind and there's been no problems with that. Well my grand uncle Jim had a big problem so no one 'came out' while he was alive, but when he died they were coming out the closet left right and centre.

I just do not see there being a Bedroom Police nor do I believe a Bedroom Police ever existed. I suspect the Bedroom Police were 'created' to make Christianity look bad.

For example, in my sister's community, the Police were called when a man was being hurt by a dog *Deleted*
If the Bedroom Police existed, the Bedroom Police would have known ahead of time what he had been doing.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Altair

I have no issues with people having same-sex relationships. Having said that, I also think priests are entitled to not marry a gay couple because of their own beliefs. I think same-sex couples should not demand the church to change, but support or build new churches that accommodate them. There's lots of denominations so I don't see the issue.

I go one step further then you do...... I don't go around and look into people's bedrooms to see what they are doing. But then, if they want me to look in, that is another situation.

When it comes to marriage...... I tell people I think Jesus wants us to be merry with everybody. When I say 'merry' with my accent, it sounds like 'marry' so I have to inform the listener that what I said was 'merry', like Robin Hood and his 'merry' men. I also mention 'Merry' Christmas.

For me, this whole issue of same sex stuff is no big deal and I assume it has been going on for a very long time.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by inavalan

Dictionary:anomaly:something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected.
"there are a number of anomalies in the present system"

Thank you for that! I guess anomaly is the word then! My hair is an anomaly today, for sure...it is not normal or expected.

[Altair]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

I just do not see there being a Bedroom Police nor do I believe a Bedroom Police ever existed. I suspect the Bedroom Police were 'created' to make Christianity look bad.

For example, in my sister's community, the Police were called when a man was being hurt by a dog the man was having sex with. If the Bedroom Police existed, the Bedroom Police would have known ahead of time what he had been doing.

Would you force a priest to marry a gay couple? And if not, would you see him removed from his job?

I don't. I think there should be freedom of (and from) religion. If you are a Christian and you don't like one church, you look for another. There are so many churches and many of them are pro-gay. And even if there aren't, then IMO the state can allow the marriage in a secular setting. *problem fixed*

It's only an ''issue'' because some powers that be have an intrinsic desire to transform religion into something entirely secular and equate religious beliefs with down-to-earth humanism. Be mindful of that, I would say. Try to place yourself in the mind of a progressive atheist... they want the churches to marry gay couple for totally different purposes in mind. They don't want to befriend you, they want to destroy you.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Altair

I have no issues with people having same-sex relationships. Having said that,
I also think priests are entitled to not marry a gay couple because of their own beliefs.
I think same-sex couples should not demand the church to change, but support or build new churches that accommodate them.
There's lots of denominations so I don't see the issue.

You are correct. A church is like any club...it has it's rules -
you have to wear a shirt in restaurants, also! (You don't follow them you are asked to leave, period.)

A club can make it's own 'rules', imo. I think if a private club wants blonde's only they should be able
to keep it 'Blonde's Only', without protesters.
Brunette's can create their own 'club'.
But, that's just me. I don't think that is a popular opinion tho.* Oh, well. *shrug*

I think gays are just disappointed, (that's the 'issue'), because of the message it sends...that they are not 'Ok'. :(

A national figure has the right to be against same-sex marriage, also...but when they announce it publicly ---
it has a lot of influence on how people think...just as this 'decree' from the Pope does.

When/if Brad Pitt says he thinks blueberries are bad - it actually influences people...you could watch the market
and the sale of blueberries would go down.
That's the issue I see.


*An aside, 35 years ago looking for an apartment, the landlord on the same street asked if I was Christian.
He could tell by my face - I probably wasn't.... exactly... Lol.
I still think ---If he wants a Christian in there with no motorcycle or non drinker or whatever - he has a right -
it's his property. BUT, it's against the Law now.
My views are not popular.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Altair

Would you force a priest to marry a gay couple? And if not, would you see him removed from his job?

I don't. I think there should be freedom of (and from) religion. If you are a Christian and you don't like one church, you look for another. There are so many churches and many of them are pro-gay. And even if there aren't, then IMO the state can allow the marriage in a secular setting. *problem fixed*

It's only an ''issue'' because some powers that be have an intrinsic desire to transform religion into something entirely secular and equate religious beliefs with down-to-earth humanism. Be mindful of that, I would say. Try to place yourself in the mind of a progressive atheist... they want the churches to marry gay couple for totally different purposes in mind. They don't want to befriend you, they want to destroy you.

I agree with what you say especially the part of a Progressive Atheist.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

You are correct. A church is like any club...it has it's rules -
you have to wear a shirt in restaurants, also!
A club can make it's own 'rules', imo. I think if a private club wants blonde's only they should be able
to keep it 'Blonde's Only', without protesters.
Brunette's can create their own 'club'.
But, that's just me. I don't think that is a popular opinion tho.

I think gays are just disappointed, (that's the 'issue'), because of the message it sends...that they are not 'Ok'. :(

A national figure has the right to be against same-sex marriage, also...but when they announce it publicly ---
it has a lot of influence on how people think...just as this 'decree' from the Pope does.

When/if Brad Pitt says he thinks blueberries are bad - it actually influences people...you could watch the market
and the sale of blueberries would go down.
That's the issue I see.

Where I live, they have signs on doors that say:

NO SHOES
NO SHIRT
NO SERVICE!

I sometimes ask them inside, if I wear shoes and a shirt, what service can I expect?

So far, nobody will answer my simple question.

One shop, took down the sign after I asked them about it. LOL!