-> kobymischa:. "If it doen't 'conform' to your 'beliefs' why are you listening to it?" The problem is that this is not a matter of opinion, where there is no right or wrong answer (and if there *is* no objectively moral answer, then it's just as arbitrary to condemn homophobia as it is to condemn homosexuality), but that this is a pair of opposing assertion of fact. One side says that homosexuality is wrong, and the other says that it is normal and natural. Both sides can't be right, which is why this debate exists. On a side note, I'm tired of people acting or talking like sexual attraction and "love" are the same thing. That doesn't form strong relationships for straights, and it won't form them for gays, either.

-> Besticanbe:. The thing of it is, though, is that saying that something is "objectively" (inarguably, overridingly) right or wrong for everyone, is that such a statement isn't an "opinion," where it doesn't matter what someone thinks ("my favorite color is blue" "my favorite color is green"), but rather an assertion of fact ("doing [x] is morally wrong because ..."). If Group A is saying that "being gay is morally wrong because ..." while Group Be is saying that "being gay is morally right / being opposed to homosexuality is morally wrong because ...," clearly both of these ideas can't coexist at the same time, regardless of whichever of the two is right.

-> ichibong:. Since you asked, I would love to try to help. It is wonderful that you have been trying to communicate openly and deeply with your wife, to really get "synchronized" again, so to speak. That was the first thing I was going to suggest before I saw that you were doing this already. If the lady you had an affair with has already started a new relationship, I don't think she was being with you for *you*, per se. (Does your wife know about this, by the way? If not, I think you should be open and honest about this as well, so she doesn't find out "the hard way.") To be honest, it doesn't sound to me like your wife is doing all this just to keep you from complaining; I think she really is trying to make things right. Remember how things were when you thought that nothing could come between you and your wife, and keep on doing those things that don't just make you yourself happy, but things that show your wife that she is truly unique and special to you. I will be praying for the best, God bless:-)

:- I was trying to find the person's comment who said that she felt like she was born a lesbian and was meant to be a lesbian, because every time she dated guys, they would use her or otherwise take advantage of her. But I can't find the comment. I can say and be thankful that not all of us guys are like that, but I can definitely see how this would be frustrating. I have my own frustrations to deal with right now, and oftentimes I too have trouble "opening up" to my guy friends, for not-too-dissimilar reasons. Whoever you are, if only I could remember, I wish you the very best, because no one deserves to be cheated or hurt in this way. Take care!

-> tyronewarriner:. "when you go to the gas station, you don't put the filler in the tail pipe" The problem with that analogy is that it can also be easily applied to heterosexual couples, perhaps with merit (if such practices really do facilitate the spread of disease and so on). On another note, regardless of what God designed, I don't think He's pleased just because people engage in heterosexual relationships, if everything else about those relationships is irresponsible.

-> doctorxbarbie:. Ultimately I think a common false dichotomy (an assumption that there are only two solutions to a dilemma when in reality there are many more) is to assume that you either have to be completely accepting of homosexuality, or you have to be bitter, rude, and hateful. Regardless of what is ultimately "right" about the issue, I have met people (not all of them religious, to boot) who have proven themselves capable of skepticism without resorting to hatred. And really, I think that is a twofold lesson we can all benefit from learning: 1) ~*Ask questions*~, especially from us Christians about what we and others believe and where the facts really lie, and 2) Our attitudes matter as much as our doctrines do (Colossians 4: 5-6, Ephesians 4: 29), and in the end I've concluded that the two are linked together, that right beliefs and right faith will result in right attitudes and, hence, right living. I've met plenty of people who haven't proven this for themselves, but this does remind me all too well of people who seem to think that being skeptical of things others say, believe, or do automatically makes one hateful, even if one's attitude hasn't justified such an accusation.

-> doctorxbarbie:. It was also Jesus who said, "Go and ~*sin no more*~." (John 8: 11) If you really loved someone, would you be able to bear seeing them do things that weren't good for them or others (i. E., sinful), such as stealing or holding grudges or what have you? Love doesn't always mean, "I don't agree with what you do, but it's not my place to do anything about it." Sometimes 'love' does take an interventionist approach. 'Love, ' if that term implies that we want the absolute best for others, doesn't mean, for example, accepting others' ideas as inherently valid as our own if such a conclusion cannot be logically defended (and likewise, we can also be wrong in our own ideas; how "loving" would it be for others to not try to help us?).

Oh, and as for persecution and ridicule, and anyone being proud of having to deal with it -- speaking not to any one person but in general -- it only has value if you are being insulted expressly because you adhere to God's truth. If people criticize you because of your own cold-hearted attitude or other wrongdoings, rather than because your actions have shown them ~their~ own shame*, then you've created your own problem (1 Peter 2: 19-20). * (If I may paraphrase Oscar Wilde).

Regarding the below, I simply wish to share this:. "Live wisely among those who are ~~not believers~~~, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and [seasoned with salt, in the Greek], so that you will have the right response for everyone." ~ Colossians 4: 5-6, New Living Translation; emphasis added. For those who might be thinking that the "seasoning with salt" comes out of nowhere, this makes me think of Christ's own words in Matthew 5: 13 (Nlt) -- "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless." This analogy tells us to adhere to God's truth and God's ways without becoming. "diluted" and flavorless, so to speak, living without a purpose and direction. --- The point is that we have to strike a balance between treating other people as *humans*, not just "bundles of sin" to be condemned and tossed aside (1 Corinthians 13: 1-3) ; and treating them with the Gospel's truth, not changing something just because people don't like it. Whether or not someone "likes" something doesn't make it true, and vice versa. And yet oftentimes I'm convinced that some Christians' belligerent attitudes do no more good for the Gospel than even watering it down and diluting it would do. Objective truth is highly important, as it's never a matter of "you believe what you believe, and I'll believe what I'll believe." Eventually, somehow, someone's going to end up being wrong, whether that is the Christian or the skeptic or both. By the way, for anyone trying to use threats of Hell in order to convince people to follow God, first you have to convince them that God and Hell are real in the first place and not fabrications of men. No matter how harsh a threat is, it is pointless if people view it as empty words with no power or reality behind them.

-> allisond95:. With respect, regardless of whether homosexuality is normal or moral or not, I'm not sure it makes sense to say that "it's okay for a person not to believe in something" just because he or she doesn't like it, or to believe in something just because he or she does like it. Whether something is pleasant and whether it is true or factual are two completely different things. -> sprinkles2011:. Indeed, I think a lot of people have forgotten that in order to be forgiven of sin (any sin, regardless of its nature), one has to repent, or choose to turn away from that sin first. It would be kind of pointless to say that someone was cleansed from a wrong behavior that they weren't ready to give up. {Exodus 9: 27-34, 2 Kings 22: 19-20, Luke 3: 8}.

-> proudbychoice:. With respect, my point wasn't that gays can or cannot "choose" to be g**. That was pretty much irrelevant to everything I tried to write. My point is that I've seen several statements made in these comments, by Christians and non-Christians alike (hence why I was addressing multiple people at once), where the underlying arguments don't make sense. In other words, to the people I was talking to, I'm not asking "why don't you believe the same things I do," but "why don't your arguments stand up to examination" -- sorry if it came across otherwise. Thanks for interpreting my counter-arguments and my attempts at bringing actual clarity as nothing more than blanket-statement generalizations ("as a lesbian, I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't speak on behalf of the gay community" *) and "preaching," though, as I really appreciate that. * Just so we're on the same page. If you took offense to something in particular that I said, or if you thought I was making 'generalizations' other than the one I mentioned and dealt with above, I would be happy to try to present it in a more sensible manner.