Are Homosexuals going to Hell?

[questfortruth]

As many homosexual men and women, as well as those who are transsexual, bisexual, have relations with animals and plants, it is entirely possible, even likely that many of them maintain a personal belief in God. They may even form a devout connection to their divine gods, though it may not necessarily involve the same acceptance or repugnance you feel at learning of such lifestyles.

How one conducts himself/herself in life would therefore follow some kind of path to salvation, whether it be an Abrahamic God, Hindu pantheon, Buddhist spirit, etc. It would follow for those believers who are not living gods, that the rules were designed by others and we can not rewrite them to suit our own subject experience of judgment of ourselves. Being good and chaste and procreating as we are told the god(s) of our faith want can and will clash against what many consider to be impure, disgusting, abominable and a sin against nature. While we hope and expect we have kind and merciless deities to at least partially absolve us when mental derangement is a mitigating factor, what is the effect upon our immortal souls and/or spiritual afterlife when we consciously make deviant choices that are offensive to the faiths?

He's with the angels now?

Please know that what one religion may consider foul and sin-worthy can be quite different than what another may consider tolerable. I am not looking for any rants explaining why one religion's worldview is superior to all others, or how unreasonable or immoral you may personally consider the habits of heathens to be. It's always complicated. Myself, I believe this is a question left up to God to judge who shall be rewarded with bliss and who is damned. To pass judgment on others for what happens in the afterlife, is to speak for God, and is a sin. But we can of course keep asking questions and try to live well, free from chaos.

Is it a sin to deny the sexual act that perpetuates the species, and instead live a life where sexual hedonism is openly embraced for pure enjoyment? And to what extent are the machinations of demons (if you believe in their influence) to be blamed or mitigated against?

According to Bible, the sinners are going to hell. They are going to hell, but might not arrive there, if they repent before pass over.

 

[Skwim]

God has no official spokesperson.

Not "official" by god's appointment perhaps---although I do question how you know this to be a fact---but a whole lot of self-appointed "official" spokespeople, which is fascinating in of itself.

.

 

[Skwim]

How exactly does one go about sodomizing a tree?

.....................First preparation....................................................then commitment.

.

.​

 

[Grumpuss]

How exactly does one go about sodomizing a tree?

Rule 34. NSFW, but do a Google search for it... if you dare

 

[Grumpuss]

Not "official" by god's appointment perhaps---although I do question how you know this to be a fact---but a whole lot of self-appointed "official" spokespeople, which is fascinatingly in of itself.

.

Are you going for a record of how many contradictions-in-terms you can have in a single sentence?

 

[Skwim]

Are you going for a record of how many contradictions-in-terms you can have in a single sentence?

I'm sorry. Here:

.​

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

Where do you get this idea that I invented this whole concept?

Here's an article from the illustrious Huffington post: here.

Now, I didn't write the article, I didn't edit it or act as the source, and that man definitely isn't my husband. All I'm doing is relaying information. If you want to pretend to be superior by jumping down my throat when legitimate news outlets are regularly using such language, then that's a pretty sad existence.

Here's the thing: You INVITED grammar criticism when you criticized someone else's grammar.

And I don't give a fork what HuffPo's silly (and often untrained) staff says.

The whole "intercourse" part of "sexual intercourse" requires two or more participants.

That's kinda how it works: you cannot have "sex with inanimate objects" no matter how twisted your underwear becomes.

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

Jesus said all have sinned, therefore we're all sinners.

"Jesus"? Who's that? Because he sounds like a bigot or something. In any case? Your god---your sin.

I do not accept that this "Jesus" ever was a real person, let alone a god. So I couldn't care what he allegedly said.

You forget: "Jesus" is your CLAIM. And as I pointed out, he sounds horrible.

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

Oh, so it's anger at God. Okay, I get it. I don't agree with it, but I hope the two of you can work it out.

LMAO! I'm not angry at your bigoted and inept god, silly! I don't believe in your ugly little god. "

Are YOU angry at Set, the god of the Underworld? No? Why not? According to Egyptian Lore, YOU are not going to a happy place when you die!

 

[SomeRandom]

It's established fact that there are homosexual Hindus, homosexual Muslims, homosexual Christians, homosexual Buddhists, etc. Presumably, there are bisexual and transsexual populations in each faith, as well as those who engage in bestiality, pedophilia, paraphilia, and perhaps other things unconsidered. The question was whether such people believe in their salvation, even as they commit large portions of their lives towards sexual self-gratification.

Well, "salvation" is thought of in totally different ways between Christians, Buddhists and Hindus etc, so it would depend on a lot of factors. But as far as I'm aware, the Dharmics generally don't tend to think being gay or bi in and of itself excludes one from attaining "salvation." Hell, there are even specific deities for gay people to pray to in order to gain more protection. Probably because it's not really specifically spoken of in any scriptures at least not in the sense that it specifically forbids it and sometimes even praises "hijras." A little harder to condemn, but still happens. At least culturally. Also gender fluidity might be more accepted by Dharmics in general, because of the way they view sex and gender. (That's not to say that there aren't Christians or Muslims or whoever who don't. I'm just generalizing.)
Some Abrahamic denominations do think that being gay/bi etc specifically cuts one off from salvation. (The action, I mean.) And that one needs to repent. Not all, but some. Paraphilias might be a bit more tenuous though.
Not sure about other faiths.
Same can be said about sexual gratification. Christian denominations (again, not all) have a weird hang up about gratification. So do some flavours of the Dharmics. But sexual gratification is also seen as a necessary part of one's duty to one's partner. So........ If you ain't being sexually gratified in your committed relationship (with another consenting adult, obviously) then you and your partner are technically "sinning" according to some sects.

I guess it's up to the individual and how they interpret their own specific brand of salvation. Personally, I think unless a sexual act is hurting or taking advantage of someone/something (bestiality and pedophilia for example) then it's a little.........weird for an all powerful deity to be so hung up on it that said sex act condemns one to an eternity in hell. Which is not really a wholly accepted concept even among Christians, let alone other faiths. A bit inane really.

Although I'll also add to the list of people confused as to why pedophilia, zoophilia and other sexual paraphilias are included in a conversation about sexual orientations. I mean it is sort of a known tactic by anti gay groups.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

How exactly does one go about sodomizing a tree?

Carefully?

 

[lewisnotmiller]

As many homosexual men and women, as well as those who are transsexual, bisexual, have relations with animals and plants, it is entirely possible, even likely that many of them maintain a personal belief in God. They may even form a devout connection to their divine gods, though it may not necessarily involve the same acceptance or repugnance you feel at learning of such lifestyles.

How one conducts himself/herself in life would therefore follow some kind of path to salvation, whether it be an Abrahamic God, Hindu pantheon, Buddhist spirit, etc. It would follow for those believers who are not living gods, that the rules were designed by others and we can not rewrite them to suit our own subject experience of judgment of ourselves. Being good and chaste and procreating as we are told the god(s) of our faith want can and will clash against what many consider to be impure, disgusting, abominable and a sin against nature. While we hope and expect we have kind and merciless deities to at least partially absolve us when mental derangement is a mitigating factor, what is the effect upon our immortal souls and/or spiritual afterlife when we consciously make deviant choices that are offensive to the faiths?

He's with the angels now?

Please know that what one religion may consider foul and sin-worthy can be quite different than what another may consider tolerable. I am not looking for any rants explaining why one religion's worldview is superior to all others, or how unreasonable or immoral you may personally consider the habits of heathens to be. It's always complicated. Myself, I believe this is a question left up to God to judge who shall be rewarded with bliss and who is damned. To pass judgment on others for what happens in the afterlife, is to speak for God, and is a sin. But we can of course keep asking questions and try to live well, free from chaos.

Is it a sin to deny the sexual act that perpetuates the species, and instead live a life where sexual hedonism is openly embraced for pure enjoyment? And to what extent are the machinations of demons (if you believe in their influence) to be blamed or mitigated against?

Your OP makes sense to me up until the last paragraph.
I took it as you asking about people who take actions which run contrary to the rules of their particular faith. It's an interesting topic, and I think the logical answer runs in liberal interpretations of various dogma, or even of simply ignoring some edicts in favour of others. This seems to be common enough, if to varying degrees.

But then your last paragraph focuses on homosexuality, assumes it's a sin (thus bringing a very Abrahamaic flavour to the discussion) and further includes discussions on demons. Whilst they are (broadly) more common, it again seems value laden.

So colour me confused.
But if my assessment of the bulk of your OP is right, then it's an interesting question. Just not one I'm in a position to answer.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

How exactly does one go about sodomizing a tree?

Not sure how someone sodomizes a tree, but Family Guy shows us how (I think it was poison ivy) can sodomize an unsuspecting baby.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Perhaps its because, to me, the very idea of "salvation" is 100% meaningless.

No doubt. Can you at least rationalize that it has some meaning to others?

Yes, I am aware of that. I am aware, at the same time, that mutilating children's genitals "has some meaning to others." Others find deep meaning in letting their children die in agony rather than provide a simple transfusion. Lots of perfect nonsense has meaning to all sorts of people -- and you would take just as careful aim at some of those as I do at this one.

A rather tangential argument. The concept of an immortal soul doesn't exclude having a limited lifetime on this plane of existence.

What, I wonder, do you mean by "immortal soul?" Has it existed eternally? Or is a fresh one created every time a child is conceived, never to be extinguished? I wonder, too, whether that soul is created at the moment of conception, or some time (perhaps a long time) afterward, since I would have to assume God would be perfectly aware that an huge number of conceptions fail before a birth ever happens.

But still, I will accept your assertion -- so long as you can show me one -- only one -- "immortal soul" that once had a living body surrounding it, but now does not.

(And you can make your claims of "this plane of existence" all you want, but with precisely zero evidence that there is another, I am equally justified in supposing that it is nothing but fantasy.

Meditation and prayer is pretty much exclusively about self-examination. One doesn't even need to be religious to do it.

And one does not need to meditate or pray to self-examine. One needs only to observe oneself, and then be honest about what that observation reveals. And if you don't like it, you fix it.

 

[Father Heathen]

God has no official spokesperson.

So then you admit that all of the religions, their churches and temples, their priests and prophets, their holy texts, etc. are all merely the workings of flawed, fallible mortals?

 

[SpaceAgeLove]

The way I see it, even if Christianity ends up being right and LGBT go to hell, that's not a god I'd want to worship anyway. Sometimes I fall in love with men, sometimes with other women. I'd sooner burn with the people I relate to than stuck in heaven with a bunch of repressed judgmental jerks for an eternity. It'd just be a different form of torture.

 

[pearl]

It would follow for those believers who are not living gods, that the rules were designed by others and we can not rewrite them to suit our own subject experience of judgment of ourselves. Being good and chaste and procreating as we are told the god(s) of our faith want can and will clash against what many consider to be impure, disgusting, abominable and a sin against nature.

That is to depict God having been as ill informed on homosexuality as we have been until the 20th cent.

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

The way I see it, even if Christianity ends up being right and LGBT go to hell, that's not a god I'd want to worship anyway. Sometimes I fall in love with men, sometimes with other women. I'd sooner burn with the people I relate to than stuck in heaven with a bunch of repressed judgmental jerks for an eternity. It'd just be a different form of torture.

Two Thumbs Up. I agree to 100%-- what sort of depraved individual would be content to be in "heaven", while fully knowing that most of the world is being tortured forever?

And what sort of depraved being would even create such a place?

 

[Grumpuss]

That is to depict God having been as ill informed on homosexuality as we have been until the 20th cent.

The belief is though, that God always knew about it. Opinion about sexual freedom allowing people to declare themselves whatever gender they want and the ability to fornicate with trees or small animals becoming popular, doesn't invalidate God's plan, does it?

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

The belief is though, that God always knew about it. Opinion about sexual freedom allowing people to declare themselves whatever gender they want and the ability to fornicate with trees or small animals becoming popular, doesn't invalidate God's plan, does it?

Well--- if this god of yours has an unbreakable plan? Then there cannot be any free will-- and all people's behaviors are all according to plan.

Including fornicating with ... trees.

Of course, the fact that your god will punish 9 of 10 folk on earth-- for being as they were meant to be-- with infinite torture?

Makes your god evil.