I don't know if i want to be a christian anymore?

[Monotheist 101]

Not complaining, mind you, but I honestly don't understand. How does it work, neither supporting nor opposing gay marriage?

Its fairly simple. i.e Brazil vs Argentina in the world cup final, Brazilians are for Brazil and against Argentina, Argentinians support Argentina but oppose Brazil. I have nothing at stake so Ill be neutral, doesnt matter which side wins.

 

[Monotheist 101]

This is interesting because in a sense it is true, and in another sense it could never be true because it has always been so.

It is too bad that a DIR is not a good place to discuss this matter. I assume that from a Muslim perspective Atheism and Homosexuality are both undesirable, perhaps mainly because Muslim doctrine places a lot of emphasis on the importance of raising traditional, god-believing families.

The fact of the matter however is that while that such a model for happiness is fine and good for many people, it is also simply unworkable for many others, and it is everyone's duty - everyone's religious duty even, despite Islam and other faiths falling short of acknowledging it - to accept that and refuse to cause trouble for people who are simply not believers or heterosexual or even traditional.

Life is much too short and too lonely for people to afford to create conflict, rejection and other problems out of fear and unfamiliarity where there is no need for any.

Yeh we can never really all be gay..that would be an interesting and unexpected end to the human race..oh never mind they will still have sperm donors so futures not too dim..

 

[LuisDantas]

Its fairly simple. i.e Brazil vs Argentina in the world cup final, Brazilians are for Brazil and against Argentina, Argentinians support Argentina but oppose Brazil. I have nothing at stake so Ill be neutral, doesnt matter which side wins.

But you live in the same world and will at some point interact with people who are or may want to be married homosexuals. Or are you saying that you don't believe it will ever happen?

Let's say you find yourself in a situation where you have to take a stance. Do you know which it would be?

 

[LuisDantas]

Yeh we can never really all be gay..that would be an interesting and unexpected end to the human race..oh never mind they will still have sperm donors so futures not too dim..

Actually, many homosexuals have progeny. And in any case, even if homosexuals had no children whatsoever, it is hardly even conceivable that there will ever be so many homosexuals as to make the number of births too low for confort.

 

[Monotheist 101]

But you live in the same world and will at some point interact with people who are or may want to be married homosexuals. Or are you saying that you don't believe it will ever happen?

I dont know how I implied that, I am also sharing the world with Brazilians and Argentinians..

My room mate is gay, My best mate at work is gay.. I have a simple rule, dont be gay with me it makes me uncomfortable..everyone needs to be happy, IMO gay people are alot nicer than heterosexuals in general, FYI if I ever feel like going out with mates I make sure I hit the gay bar in canberra, has awsome music.

 

[LuisDantas]

I dont know how I implied that, I am also sharing the world with Brazilians and Argentinians..

Good point.

Let's say that there are legal rights and family conceptions pending on the result of that match, then.

My room mate is gay, My best mate at work is gay.. I have a simple rule, dont be gay with me it makes me uncomfortable..everyone needs to be happy, IMO gay people are alot nicer than heterosexuals in general, FYI if I ever feel like going out with mates I make sure I hit the gay bar in canberra, has awsome music.

That is real nice to know.

But what do you mean by "not being gay with you"? Is it just being aware that you are not interested in participating in homosexual activity yourself, or is there more to it?

 

[HonestJoe]

Anyway i'm not sure if not believing in god makes me an atheist?

Sure, but labels like that don't really matter and are usually more trouble than they're worth. I'd focus on being you.

But i don't know if i should 'come out' as an atheist because all my friends and family are christian. I told my best friend that i don't believe in god anymore and he told me that i should still be a christian because if i'm wrong then i will go to hell.

Sorry, but your best friend is an idiot. Almost certainly without knowing it, he's using Pascal's Wager, which is a fundamentally flawed argument for religious belief on a number of grounds. Feel free to look it up.

If your other friends and family are of a similar vein, "coming out" would probably be more hassle. I'm not sure it's worth the trouble anyway. Just get on with living your life and deal with it bit by bit. They come to realise your position over time and probably react to it better than they would a "big bang" (no pun intended).

I am not sure if i should 'become' an atheist or just continue on with my christian lifestyle.

Why can't you do both? What you believe about the existence or not of gods doesn't need to be directly related to how you live your day-to-day life and, in truth, for the vast majority of people, religious or otherwise, it doesn't. It's not as if you're suddenly a different person so there's no reason why you should or would need to act any differently in general.

 

[Monotheist 101]

Good point.

Let's say that there are legal rights and family conceptions pending on the result of that match, then.

I would still be neutral as it doesnt concern me enough. I dont have a strong opinion on the matter and would like to keep it that way. Dont get me wrong though I am all for human rights and equality. I dont see the harm in people being married if they want to. They are going to be together if its the US or Saudi Arabia, from personal experience, I would say 60% of Saudi boys going to public schools in Saudi Arabia have had gay encounters and its actually pretty common there, government pulls a blind eye on it..also whats interesting is that according to the version of Sharia law implemented by the Saudis the punishment/jail sentence for having homosexual relations is half that of having sex with a girl that your not married to, that is if your stupid enough to get caught..(I think reason behind it is that they separate the boys and girls from early childhood and around puberty they are just plain horny), I am not trying to imply I went to a public school in Saudi either ..I went to the American International school in Riyadh. Not a bad place to live, if your not into drinking, gambling, freedom of expression and paying taxes.

That is real nice to know.

But what do you mean by "not being gay with you"? Is it just being aware that you are not interested in participating in homosexual activity yourself, or is there more to it?

Basically dont hit on me, I dont handle it well.

 

[LuisDantas]

Thanks for your answers, Monotheist.

What about, say, having sons of married gays in the same class as your children, for instance? How would you feel about it?

 

[Monotheist 101]

Thanks for your answers, Monotheist.

What about, say, having sons of married gays in the same class as your children, for instance? How would you feel about it?

Hopefully my son and their kids arent gay , doesnt hurt to be optimistic )(

Why would I concern myself with things I have no control over, I can only be patient, pray to Allah and play the cards I am dealt.

In short it does not bother me.

 

[nazz]

If you don't believe in all gods, yes. If you simply don't believe in the Christian conception of God, no.

Or a particular Christian conception of God of which there are many.

 

[nazz]

I support gay marriage and I am a Christian.

me too

 

[LuisDantas]

Hopefully my son and their kids arent gay , doesnt hurt to be optimistic )(

Why would I concern myself with things I have no control over, I can only be patient, pray to Allah and play the cards I am dealt.

In short it does not bother me.

You know, we should probably discuss this specific matter in some other thread.

I will just point out that if you think of lacking close contact with gays as being optimistic, I don't think you are particularly well accepting of homosexuality.

Which, of course, makes me all that more grateful for what acceptance you do show.

 

[Monotheist 101]

You know, we should probably discuss this specific matter in some other thread.

I will just point out that if you think of lacking close contact with gays as being optimistic, I don't think you are particularly well accepting of homosexuality.

Which, of course, makes me all that more grateful for what acceptance you do show.

Your right we hijacked this thread..

I just see heterosexuality as normal..more natural. Not to mention purposeful when it comes to the physical side of things..

Would I rather have my kids have a normal life, have kids the natural way? Yes..is that optimistic..yes..Do I hate gays..no..would I teach my kids gay hate..no..this is all a big if tho, if I ever decide to settle down and get married.

 

[Krill The Unwashed]

So i have grown up in a strict christian home and i go to a private christian school. I recently started watching porn on my laptop but i only watch lesbian porn. Anyway i have always believed that homosexuality is wrong and i disagree with gay marriage. This made me feel hypocritical, that i oppose the right for 2 women to get married but then i go home and get off to 2 women having sex.

After thinking about it for a while i came to realization that i have no right to oppose gay marriage because just because i believe something doesn't mean i should push my beliefs on other people. My support of gay marriage led me to question my faith and i have realized that my trust and belief has been in the church because that is how i have grown up and all i have ever known and i never really believed. It has been more of a lifestyle for me than an actual faith.

Anyway i'm not sure if not believing in god makes me an atheist? But i don't know if i should 'come out' as an atheist because all my friends and family are christian. I told my best friend that i don't believe in god anymore and he told me that i should still be a christian because if i'm wrong then i will go to hell. I am not sure if i should 'become' an atheist or just continue on with my christian lifestyle. I would appreciate any knowledge or advice, thanks.

GOOD! Muahahaha!

Excellent Glenn. Now you're starting to do what they call: "Thinking for yourself," or "questioning things." This is the first step to being an intelligent free thinker.

Now, when you have time: READ THIS. It'll start you off in the right... left... direction

 

[LuisDantas]

Your right we hijacked this thread..

I just see heterosexuality as normal..more natural. Not to mention purposeful when it comes to the physical side of things..

I suppose that to some extent it does come down to how much (if at all) you believe that God meant for all people to breed.

However, then we must deal with the fairly simple and IMO inquestionable perception that things simply do not happen that way for everyone, often due to factors that are no one's fault.

Homosexuality is just one more among many morally neutral reasons why.

Would I rather have my kids have a normal life, have kids the natural way? Yes..is that optimistic..yes..Do I hate gays..no..would I teach my kids gay hate..no..this is all a big if tho, if I ever decide to settle down and get married.

I sympathize. All the same, that is simply not enough far as I am concerned.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

At the risk of further hijacking the thread...I hope my girls are straight. This has nothing t do with my love for them, nor my opinions about gays. I take people as they come.
But my reasoning is kinda twofold;

Gays and lesbians still Cop discrimination. The situation is moving in the right directione but I'd envisage an easier life for them as straight girls encouraging fair treatment for all than lesbians fighting for equality. Added to this is the fact that teenage years are confusing enough without added difficulties.

On my rank of things I worry about, it Comes in at around 10, 046, 324th. But there ya have it.

 

[psychoslice]

Why believe in any religion, just look at all of them and take what resonats for you, I don't have any belief in god, but I still can see beautiful metaphors within religious writings, I see what is called God as life in its total Essence, and in that Essence we are all One, there is no need to make a belief system out of that, because that is what is.