Ex-Gay Watch

Australia, really? The whole country?
I thought they were more conservative than the US.

Any Diggers to comment on this?

From the Getting the Whole Story Out on Christians and Homosexuality link:

“Also hoping to clear up misperceptions and get the “whole story” across, [Bob] Stith of the SBC said…”:

-gay marriage is bad
-bad for homosexuals
-Our motive should not be simply to deny gay marriage
-the culture continually argues for the acceptance of homosexual acts
-an inordinate amount of time is given to promotion of homosexuality

Finally! So what should we do now that we know the “whole story” ?

Every time I hear that the Religious Right opposes equality for gay people because they love us, I am reminded of an episode of Oprah I saw. Her guest was a woman who was physically abused by her husband. She told Oprah that she’s thought about leaving him, but doesn’t, because she realizes how much he loves her. Oprah’s response was right on the money: “A person who hits you doesn’t love you.”

The same is true here. Regardless of the Religious Right’s claims, no act that causes so much pain and suffering comes from a position of love.

I must agree Robis. Beating up strangers is twice as bad. I also think the Christian view of God is as warped as the bigots who hurl negs at gays. The men who channelled “the invisible man in the sky” simply got it wrong. Hey, every psychic has a bad day.

Reading the above link, provided by Emproph, concerned me just a tad… Here is a quote that struck out at me: “if we really believe God has something different in mind for them.” She is talking about why marrage is bad for the Gay community.

How dare anyone, Christian or otherwise, assume to believe what God wants! In truth, no one knows what He wants for us, and we humans cannot bring ourselves up to His level. This is a very dangerous thing and only leads to our own failure later on.

I believe in every single 10 Commandment. They were written by the hand of God. These are his laws to be obeyed by us. If infact God had issues w/ Homosexuality, I do believe He would have made them the 11 Commandments.

How dare anyone, Christian or otherwise, assume to believe what God wants In truth, no one knows what He wants for us, and we humans cannot bring ourselves up to His level. This is a very dangerous thing and only leads to our own failure later on.

I believe in every single 10 Commandment. They were written by the hand of God. These are his laws to be obeyed by us. If infact God had issues w/ Homosexuality, I do believe He would have made them the 11 Commandments.

Wait a minute. You say that you don’t think anyone can know what God wants for us, but then you turn around and say that God wants us to follow the 10 Commandments. Don’t you see that this is a contradiction?

And, to play devil’s advocate, there is no commandment against slavery. It is nowhere condemned in the Bible. Does that mean God does not have issues with slavery?

BTW, I’m an agnostic.

I think everyone is agnostic in some regards. I am a Christian, but do I really believe I have a “clear enough” grasp on who God is to start telling other people what God wants for them. Hell NO

Sure, I can understand, I do not know what God wants for me.. or anyone else for that matter. I can just be myself, and respect the dignity of every human being…

Wait a minute. You say that you don’t think anyone can know what God wants for us, but then you turn around and say that God wants us to follow the 10 Commandments. Don’t you see that this is a contradiction?

Not if it is written by God, himself, there is no doubt. If something is written by man, in the Bible, and declared God wanted it, then yes, I have my doubts. Man ends up corrupting anything and everything he touches in the Bible. God is perfect, man is far from it. We can only ask for guidence and direction. Hence so many different religions, but only one Bible and probably not any of them true either.

Slavery? I’m not going to dispute everything in the Bible, I am merely making a point from a so called Chrisitan group from a Chrisitian themself.

I am not agnostic. I believe God has a reason for everything, we must wait to find out the reasons and cannot doubt Him, question Him, or assume what He wants.

Not if it is written by God, himself, there is no doubt.

Daena, if “we humans cannot bring ourselves up to His level,” then how can we know for certain what is written by Him?

So Agnostic means you believe there is something (someone) out there but you cannot say for sure what/who it is. I believe that to be God, not necessarily who the church says is God, but an objective divine Truth, Love itself, . But we do not have any way of knowing God … the only way (in the Christian mind) is through Jesus, Holy Spirit and the Bible…. Jesus. Yes I can see, He was both God and Man, and he knew Father God. But the Bible and Holy Spirit …. those are both devices that require human interpretation, so I don’t think we can trust those things.
I think just like the Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness Bibles originated from the original, human interpreatation, human agenda, has changed it.

Ok last post on this topic..this was my response to the article..not an argument on religion and my beliefs.

Daena, if “we humans cannot bring ourselves up to His level,” then how can we know for certain what is written by Him?

If we could bring ourselves to God’s level, wouldn’t that make us equals and gods? Never will happen.

I do believe in the Bible. However, not 100%. Granted the Bible is divinely inspired, but due to man’s imperfection, agenda (Per Dan-I agree), perspective and pride it has been the biggest convoluted book passed down to us today. With faith we can only BELIEVE in what says and hope we are all correct in the end.

Just for fun, go to Skeptics bible, google it, as it really is informative and a great cross reference. No it’s not mine and I have nothing to do with it.. I just like to browse and learn. Note: This is merely a reference and ideas…you must take what you read and decide for yourself what to be true. No one can tell you what to believe and never should.

As an agnostic atheist (“There almost certainly is no God”) from a religious background (Jehovah’s Witnesses), I find The Skeptics’ Annotated Bible to be interesting, but at times a little silly. There exists somewhere a reply to the Skeptics’ Bible. There’s also the Skeptics’ Annotated Koran.

Anyway, that’s good news from Australia. There are moves afoot here in Ireland, but nothing concrete yet.

TRiG.

Timothy that is a big mix of schtuff. Athiest, Agnostic, ex JW. Gay positive!

There “ALMOST” “CERTAINLY” is no God. LOL.. that is a funny statement. But I get it!

I don’t think we are really arguing religious points of view. At least I just get the feeling we are voicing.

All in all. Exciting and Fantastic News in Australia! Birlliant!!!!!

I bet God is smiling down on them! LOL.. just kidding

Guys, just wanted to let you know that Nancy Alcorn’s Mercy Ministries, which is suspected of doing exorcisms on both gay and mentally ill individuals, had their exorcism manual leaked to the Australian press. See
http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/11/26/Hillsong_Exorcism_in_the_suburbs

and
http://www.livenews.com.au/articles/2008/11/26/EXCLUSIVE_Mercy_Ministry_exorcism_books_leaked

Sorry if links don’t post. There’s also actual photocopies of the manual on these sites.

John Weaver