• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Homosexuality and religion

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
Yes even then, even though I don't think any of the opinions I expressed in this thread are hurtful to others. I'm pretty sure god will forgive me if I've offended a rapist...
Wonderful. What if you did think they were hurtful to others?
 

Gjallarhorn

N'yog-Sothep
If they have sex with other men then wouldn't they either be bisexual or gay?

Men having sex with men because they want to have sex with men would be bisexual or gay. Men having sex with men because they just want release would be...being a desperate soul? :shrug: Something like that.
 

I.S.L.A.M617

Illuminatus
Men having sex with men because they want to have sex with men would be bisexual or gay. Men having sex with men because they just want release would be...being a desperate soul? :shrug: Something like that.

How is "just wanting release" with a man different than wanting to have sex with a man? In both cases you want a sexual release, and in both cases, the recipient of said release is a man. I honestly don't think it's more complex than that.
 

Gjallarhorn

N'yog-Sothep
How is "just wanting release" with a man different than wanting to have sex with a man? In both cases you want a sexual release, and in both cases, the recipient of said release is a man. I honestly don't think it's more complex than that.

One is a means to an end, and one is an end in itself. It's the difference between taking morphine to alleviate pain, and taking morphine because you love morphine.
 

Ingledsva

HEATHEN ALASKAN
dgirl said:
There is a massive difference between the act of sex and sexuality.

Yes, you are right, there is. Having temptations towards people of the same sex is not a sin. It is when one acts on that temptation that it becomes a sin.

If I'm not mistaken - I believe she means -

A heterosexual can perform any sex act including with men, animals etc, with it just being sex - for a thrill - or rape - or prison need - or a show of dominance, etc, and they are still heterosexuals. They haven't suddenly decided they like men instead of women.

Whereas "homosexual" means sexual orientation and attraction toward the same sex, NOT the opposite sex.

People are confusing heterosexual men having anal sex with men for "some reason," with actual homosexuality which is sexual orientation, and exclusive attraction to the same sex.

It is also distressing to see the outdated bull in posts above, equating homosexuality with pedophilia. They are obviously not the same, nor does being homosexual make you rape children. The stats show across the board that the majority of pedophiles are HETEROSEXUAL.

*
 

I.S.L.A.M617

Illuminatus




If I'm not mistaken - I believe she means -

A heterosexual can perform any sex act including with men, animals etc, with it just being sex - for a thrill - or rape - or prison need - or a show of dominance, etc, and they are still heterosexuals. They haven't suddenly decided they like men instead of women.

Whereas "homosexual" means sexual orientation and attraction toward the same sex, NOT the opposite sex.

People are confusing heterosexual men having anal sex with men for "some reason," with actual homosexuality which is sexual orientation, and exclusive attraction to the same sex.

It is also distressing to see the outdated bull in posts above, equating homosexuality with pedophilia. They are obviously not the same, nor does being homosexual make you rape children. The stats show across the board that the majority of pedophiles are HETEROSEXUAL.

*

Nobody was saying homosexuality is the CAUSE of rape or pedophilia... I've made myself pretty clear on that subject. And I love how "some reason" is in quotes like it's unreasonable to think men that have sex with men might be gay... I also never said they were exclusively attracted to men, just that they are indeed attracted to men if they make the conscious decision to have sex with one.
 

MysticSang'ha

Big Squishy Hugger
Premium Member
Nobody was saying homosexuality is the CAUSE of rape or pedophilia... I've made myself pretty clear on that subject. And I love how "some reason" is in quotes like it's unreasonable to think men that have sex with men might be gay... I also never said they were exclusively attracted to men, just that they are indeed attracted to men if they make the conscious decision to have sex with one.

Having an attraction to men does not necessarily mean they're gay. For some men who are intrigued, and who haven't been able to explore affection with other men (which unfortunately are a lot in our culture), they resort to either fantasizing about various forms of intimacy, explore with other men on the sly, or actively repressing their attractions to the point of self-loathing and hatred that manifests itself into a hostile type of homophobia.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
Yes, you are right, there is. Having temptations towards people of the same sex is not a sin. It is when one acts on that temptation that it becomes a sin.

That, however, is only true if we take as a premise that homosexual sex is inherently sinful for some reason.

Sure, there are religious authorities (not only in Catholicism) who hold just such a view. However, I can't help but feel that it is a terrible mistake to even consider such a notion. It betrays some combination of serious ignorance of what homosexuality truly is and serious disrespect for the inherent rights of homosexuals as full-fledged human beings.

It isn't even well supported by a literal Biblical reading.

I have no doubt whatsoever that such a view will eventually be abandoned, say in 20 years from now. And none too soon, either.
 

I.S.L.A.M617

Illuminatus
Having an attraction to men does not necessarily mean they're gay. For some men who are intrigued, and who haven't been able to explore affection with other men (which unfortunately are a lot in our culture), they resort to either fantasizing about various forms of intimacy, explore with other men on the sly, or actively repressing their attractions to the point of self-loathing and hatred that manifests itself into a hostile type of homophobia.

All of those examples sound like a gay man to me, rather someone that doesn't want to admit they're gay.
 

MysticSang'ha

Big Squishy Hugger
Premium Member
All of those examples sound like a gay man to me, rather someone that doesn't want to admit they're gay.

Not necessarily. There are men who after exploration discovered that their attractions were merely a deep platonic love that was rarely, if ever, examined. They could never hold hands with another boy when they were young children, never express the words "I love you" to another boy, or never kiss another boy on the cheek as an expression of platonic adoration.

These behaviors are highly discouraged by our culture by suggesting that such affections between boys are sexualized or homo-erotic. And, again, such behaviors aren't necessarily sexual affections.

It is these types of cultural hang-ups where I believe boys are at a terrible disadvantage compared to girls. Girls can hug, kiss each other's hands and cheeks, and freely show adoration and affection freely without much in the way of shame. But because of the cultural disgust we have toward male-on-male sweet affection, there's a lot that is missed.

One of the dance videos I often share with people still rather new to dance is a 6 minute montage of many different people of all ages describing why they love dance. One of the groups that is featured is all males over 50, dancing contemporary dance together. In the video interview, one of the men said so simply while placing a supportive, soft, and loving hand on another male dancer's shoulder:

"I love this class because here I can touch another man. And it's just me touching him."

There's a lot of truth there.
 

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
Then those people have every right to ignore me
Once its out there in the public arena, it can't be ignored. Your apparent level of entitlement is astounding -- that is, of course, unless you're just yanking my chain for your own jollies.
 
Top