My thoughts on homosexuality, heterosexuality and same-sex marriage.

My thoughts on homosexuality, heterosexuality, and same-sex marriage.

I am 62 years old.  I had a fairly strict upbringing and was taught certain basics, which have been reinforced for more than half a century.

I have spent time in many places in this world and don’t have a closed mind to anything.  I don’t have a closed mind to anyone’s relationship; otherwise, I would not be able to accept the relationships of most people.  However, it is important you understand that I only accepted anyone’s relationships because I love them and I want them to be happy.  If I could invent a little pink pill to change everyone to think as I do, I surely would.

When I was 19 years old and about to be married, the preacher told both my soon to be wife and me, for whatever reason, that what went on behind closed doors in our home, was our business and no one else’s.  I have carried that thought with me for years and believe that, to the point of any form of abuse.  Because of this belief, I don't get involved in anyone’s sexual life.  It’s frankly none of my business.

However social media is so openly shared with everyone, and because many feel the necessity to share their personal beliefs with everyone else and because of  highly publicized politics and national news coverage, I have chosen to join the crowd and share my thoughts on homosexuality, heterosexuality and same-sex marriage on my blog.

Homosexuality in general, I believe to be unnatural and unhealthy.  I have studied homosexuality and religion, and almost everything I read is confusing.  There are and can be so many interpretations of Genesis 19; regardless of whether you are conservative or liberal.

Conservative Christian theologians generally believe that the Bible was written by authors that were directly inspired by God.  Thus their writings are seen as completely free of error as originally written.  The Bible is regarded as the actual Word of God.  Thus whenever the Bible and science disagree, then the Bible must be right. Most interpret the Garden of Eden story in Genesis as indicating the fall of humanity into sin.  They view homosexual behavior as evidence of that sin.  When they then study the Bible for guidance on homosexuality, they generally look for proof texts passages that clearly and directly deal with the topic.

Liberal Christian theologians on the other hand interpret the Bible as having been written by authors who were intent on promoting their own religious and spiritual beliefs. The writers lived in a pre-scientific age, which treated slavery, genocide, mass murder, and the oppression of women as acceptable.  Since the scientific study of sexual orientation didn’t begin until around 1950, biblical authors had no awareness of the topic. When the Bible and science disagree, we have to give greater weight to the recent findings of human sexuality researchers.  Most rely heavily on the findings of human sexuality researchers to help them interpret biblical passages.  When theologians study the Bible for guidance on homosexuality, they generally look for applicable biblical themes, like those advocating justice, love, monogamy, caring, etc.  Some religious liberals promote homosexual ordinations, same-sex marriage, civil union ceremonies in the church, equal protection under hate-crime legislation, protection against discrimination in employment, etc. as fundamental human rights issues. 

Whereas some religious conservatives feel that the Bible teaches that homosexual behavior is always a serious sin. Allowing sexually active gays and lesbians to be ordained, or to have their committed relationships recognized by the church would involve a drastic and unacceptable lowering of church standards. They also oppose including sexual orientation in hate-crime and anti-discrimination legislation.

If you are still reading this, I am probably not telling you anything that you don’t already know.  In fact, suspect that many have studied this subject in much more detail than I have.

Although I am more conservative than I liberal, I am not a Conservative Christian theologian by any means.   I sort of straddle the fence on a lot of issues.  I do believe that each person’s journey through life is unique. Some will make it alone, others in loving relationships, whether in marriage or some other form of commitment. We need to ponder our own choices and try to understand the choices of others. Love has many shapes and colors and is not finite. It can not be measured or defined in terms of sexual orientation.  This was sort of a quote I read somewhere.

I believe marriage is a basic human right and an individual personal choice and I do not support either the State or Federal Government interfering with same-gender couples who choose to marry.

I do fear for their mortality, however, but no more than I would if a person married to the opposite gender and committing adultery, or living together out of wedlock.  There are just some things humans do that are sinful.  I believe that all homosexual activity is inherently sinful, irrespective of the relationship and love felt between two people. Most heterosexual activity is not sinful however if it is done within a marriage.

It was only after the civil war that blacks were allowed to marry in all areas of the United States.  What happens to their mortality?  They lived in sin as they were not married.  Were their children bastards and were they condemned to burn in hell?  This is where a lot of confusion exists with me   It was only after a Supreme Court decision in 1967 that mixed-race couples could marry anywhere in the U.S.  But, until recently, same-sex couples could not marry anywhere in the world.

I do believe that gays and lesbians should be free of persecution and have protection from hate crimes based on their sexual orientation.  Believing anything else would mean that one would believe that homosexuals were something other than human.  I don’t believe homosexuals should be discriminated in any fashion towards employment.  I don’t believe that homosexuals should have the right to enter into a traditional marriage, but I do believe in what I would call a Common Law civil union, and that the union should be recognized by our governments the same as common-law marriages of the opposite sex.  I do believe that the right of same-sex marriage will exist in most states in the near future, regardless of what some of our elected officials fight for or against.  And although this right may exists, there will still be bashing and persecution of homosexuals.  I don’t believe that homosexuality should be flaunted and carried proudly anymore than the flaunting of heterosexual activity, as it promotes promiscuity in our youth.

I don’t believe homosexuality is a disease that can be cured, but I do believe that the human mind has powers that have never been touched and that inside of ourselves we have the ability to do whatever we choose to do.  I believe if it is more natural and easier to choose to be homosexual, then they will choose to be just that, but if they choose to wish to be heterosexual, they have the ability and power to do so.