What is your view on homosexual rights and why?

[Dusk_Kittens]

Who would it hurt if the LGBT crowd were given rights to marry any other consenting adult(s), to adopt children, to be free of discrimination in housing and employment (etc), to be protected from hate crimes?

Nobody?

Oh, wait. The religious Reich would get their panties in a bunch and feel all butthurt because they've been told to mind their own business and stop trying to shove their idiocy down everyone else's throats, and the greedy insurance companies would have to pay out benefits to spouses, cover the expenses of male-to-female and female-to-male transition (Transsexuality, it should be pointed out, is considerably more than "merely" a psychological or cosmetic matter, but as long as the insurance companies can keep appealing to government-sanctioned discrimination, they don't have to admit this, and can continue to pretend that it's all psychological and cosmetic, and therefore can refuse to cover the costs).

So, yeah, who that MATTERS would it hurt? Nobody? Right, nobody.

So give human rights to humans, regardless of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

[Ecans]

I do not understand what the controversy is all about. Gays are born that way. It's not a choice. Homosexuality exists in the animal world too. Just accept that that's the way it is.

As a straight male who has occasionally been hit on by a few gay men, I have tried to view it as a compliment. Yes, at first I felt somewhat uncomfortable, but that's a consequence of my early upbringing. I wasn't exposed to gay culture until, in my early 30's, I entered the hospitality industry which for some reason seems to have a reasonably high percentage of gay men in it.

When I got to know some of these people I was amazed to see how many intelligent, witty, talented and accepting people existed in the gay world. I came away richer in many ways from these encounters. I was never tempted by these offers of intimacy because that's the way I was born. But no one ever tried to "convert" me or attempted to force themselves on me. They just accepted that's the way I was and I went on to form some fine and rewarding friendships.

As far as gay marriage and adoption is concerned, if a gay couple is willing to take on such responsibility then good on them! Stability should always be applauded.

[Kakushi Densetsu]

Homosexuals should have the exact same rights as straight people. Why should there be any difference? What happened to "all men are created equal"?

They are no different from others. In fact, most of the time, you wouldn't be able to tell someone's gay unless they told you or they started hitting on someone. Their value is the same as the straight person standing next to them.

[Tekania]

Who would it hurt if the LGBT crowd were given rights to marry any other consenting adult(s), to adopt children, to be free of discrimination in housing and employment (etc), to be protected from hate crimes?

Nobody?

Oh, wait. The religious Reich would get their panties in a bunch and feel all butthurt because they've been told to mind their own business and stop trying to shove their idiocy down everyone else's throats, and the greedy insurance companies would have to pay out benefits to spouses, cover the expenses of male-to-female and female-to-male transition (Transsexuality, it should be pointed out, is considerably more than "merely" a psychological or cosmetic matter, but as long as the insurance companies can keep appealing to government-sanctioned discrimination, they don't have to admit this, and can continue to pretend that it's all psychological and cosmetic, and therefore can refuse to cover the costs).

So, yeah, who that MATTERS would it hurt? Nobody? Right, nobody.

So give human rights to humans, regardless of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

It's a violation of the Religious Right's fundamental right to dictate religious belief upon others, their fundamental right to use the power of civil law to enforce their views upon religious discipline upon the masses, and their fundamental right to indoctrinate everyone else's children into the Religious Right's religious viewpoints. In short, as far as the Religious Right is concerned the only people who have rights, are those of the Religious Right.

[New Rogernomics]

It's a violation of the Religious Right's fundamental right to dictate religious belief upon others, their fundamental right to use the power of civil law to enforce their views upon religious discipline upon the masses, and their fundamental right to indoctrinate everyone else's children into the Religious Right's religious viewpoints. In short, as far as the Religious Right is concerned the only people who have rights, are those of the Religious Right.

Yep, and since human rights are generally put to democratic vote they lose out in nations with different religious views and cultural values; but since this thread isn't going to change a thing I might as well go the extra mile and suggest we should be able to marry whoever we want, whether its a cat or human (within reason and SPCA guidelines).

PS: The haters will always hate, so leave them in their hate pit to hate homosexuals and people with a religion other than Christianity, if they want prayer in schools there should be a Muslim prayer alongside it, take that Christians.

[Flameswroth]

It's a violation of the Religious Right's fundamental right to dictate religious belief upon others, their fundamental right to use the power of civil law to enforce their views upon religious discipline upon the masses, and their fundamental right to indoctrinate everyone else's children into the Religious Right's religious viewpoints. In short, as far as the Religious Right is concerned the only people who have rights, are those of the Religious Right.

When I was little, I remember my older brother having a very interesting mentality. If we ever got treats, or toys, or anything for whatever reason, his had to be unique. We couldn't ALL get sour apple Blowpops, even if we all wanted them. Somehow us having the same candy as him made his candy less awesome. Similarly, we could never all get the same shoes, or same bike, or whatever...and he usually got to choose what he wanted first. Now obviously he wasn't Lord of the Manor, and sometimes he had to suck it up and deal with the fact that he didn't get to have everything special his way all the time.

I think in general people want to be thought of as unique and special. On some internal level, giving the rights they enjoy to different people makes those rights less special or meaningful to them...in their heads. Not in reality, of course, but it removes one of the justifications they have to 'feel special'. Like my brother (who grew into an adult and out of that mentality of course ), they'll throw a fit when they have to share or have the same color sleeping bag or the same type of soda, because then they feel like they're the same. But they gotta accept that...well, yeah, you ARE the same.

It's no secret to the people here that I've a passive aggresive opposition to teh gheyz, but even I don't pretend that the heterosexual marriage should be particularly special in the gubmint's eyes. It seems like an effective enough way to hinder the progression of teh ghey, and so in a way I'm okay that it exists, but I won't hop on the bandwagon and try to pretend it's right.

[EnragedMaldivians]

Ideally, they should have the same rights as anyone else - but in my country it would currently be futile to fight on their behalf. And the forces that could do so at a later date, are hurt by association with those that advocate it presently.

[Draconian Races]

The Bible doesn't condemn homosexuality.
God doesn't approve or disapprove.

Incorrect. It does condemn it, and He doesnt approve.

[SpectacularSpectacular]

The Bible doesn't condemn homosexuality.
God doesn't approve or disapprove.

Incorrect. It does condemn it, and He doesnt approve.

I just spoke with him last week, he said he does not really care...Actually he had not checked his Earth App in weeks, been addicted to that Crazy Birds game I guess.

[EnragedMaldivians]

The Bible doesn't condemn homosexuality.
God doesn't approve or disapprove.

Incorrect. It does condemn it, and He doesnt approve.

The Bible - possible. I know no Hebrew or Aramaic.

As for the underlined - prove it.

[Draconian Races]

Incorrect. It does condemn it, and He doesnt approve.

The Bible - possible. I know no Hebrew or Aramaic.

As for the underlined - prove it.

Well seeing as He listed it as a death penalty crime in the OT...

and, in the face of mot of the Greek and Roman empires, said in the NT it was sinful.. that those who practice homosexuality would not enter His Kingdom...

Id say its pretty easy to prove

[Samuraikoku]

Homosexual people have a right to be treated with the same common decency that everyone has a right to. Gay marriage should be legal because it is a step toward a less sexist way of thinking.

This. I agree completely.

[SpectacularSpectacular]

The Bible - possible. I know no Hebrew or Aramaic.

As for the underlined - prove it.

Well seeing as He listed it as a death penalty crime in the OT...

and, in the face of mot of the Greek and Roman empires, said in the NT it was sinful.. that those who practice homosexuality would not enter His Kingdom...

Id say its pretty easy to prove

God wrote the Bible? Really; people actually believe that?

[EnragedMaldivians]

The Bible - possible. I know no Hebrew or Aramaic.

As for the underlined - prove it.

Well seeing as He listed it as a death penalty crime in the OT...

and, in the face of mot of the Greek and Roman empires, said in the NT it was sinful.. that those who practice homosexuality would not enter His Kingdom...

Id say its pretty easy to prove

I'll assume that a God exists for the purposes of this discussion.

I was raised Muslim. Why should I think beleive that the Bibles conception of God is the correct one?

Seeing as that I am an atheist now, what is the criteria for beleiving in any religions conceptions of God. The literature only asserts that what it says is true - it does not prove it.

So I ask you again - do you have any proof that God dissaproves of homosexuality?

[Dusk_Kittens]

The Bible doesn't condemn homosexuality.
God doesn't approve or disapprove.

Incorrect. It does condemn it, and He doesnt approve.

Who cares? Judaeo-Christian beliefs cannot be forced on others by legislation in a nation whose Constitution reads as follows:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ..."

If your basis for opposing equal rights for, and non-discrimination against, the LGBT folk is your religious beliefs, then you are opposing the First Amendment clause against non-establishment and the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of religion, since plenty of other people have different religious beliefs on the matter. Your religion (or maybe better to say: "your brand of a particular religion") doesn't get to impose its beliefs on others.

[Draconian Races]

Well seeing as He listed it as a death penalty crime in the OT...

and, in the face of mot of the Greek and Roman empires, said in the NT it was sinful.. that those who practice homosexuality would not enter His Kingdom...

Id say its pretty easy to prove

I'll assume that a God exists for the purposes of this discussion.

I was raised Muslim. Why should I think beleive that the Bibles conception of God is the correct one?

Seeing as that I am an atheist now, what is the criteria for beleiving in any religions conceptions of God. The literature only asserts that what it says is true - it does not prove it.

So I ask you again - do you have any proof that God dissaproves of homosexuality?

Well if you are atheist, then the question is pointless, as no matter what I say, you will try to disprove it with "God does not exist"

And as I believe the only True God is the one of the Bible... yes, I can prove it via that.

[Samuraikoku]

I think he was expecting you to prove it...

[EnragedMaldivians]

I'll assume that a God exists for the purposes of this discussion.

I was raised Muslim. Why should I think beleive that the Bibles conception of God is the correct one?

Seeing as that I am an atheist now, what is the criteria for beleiving in any religions conceptions of God. The literature only asserts that what it says is true - it does not prove it.

So I ask you again - do you have any proof that God dissaproves of homosexuality?

Well if you are atheist, then the question is pointless, as no matter what I say, you will try to disprove it with "God does not exist"

And as I believe the only True God is the one of the Bible... yes, I can prove it via that.

But I have already said that for the purposes of this discussion - that God exists. Where is the proof that the God of the bible is the correct one?

[Dusk_Kittens]

And as I believe the only True God is the one of the Bible... yes, I can prove it via that.

Your appeal to authority is fallacious when those with whom you are discussing a topic don't accept the authority of the source.

But I'm curious: why do you believe that the only True God is the one of the Bible?

[Draconian Races]

Well if you are atheist, then the question is pointless, as no matter what I say, you will try to disprove it with "God does not exist"

And as I believe the only True God is the one of the Bible... yes, I can prove it via that.

But I have already said that for the purposes of this discussion - that God exists. Where is the proof that the God of the bible is the correct one?

His seems to be the best plan.
I can go pull up some of the Apologetics arguments when I have time XD

[SpectacularSpectacular]

I'll assume that a God exists for the purposes of this discussion.

I was raised Muslim. Why should I think beleive that the Bibles conception of God is the correct one?

Seeing as that I am an atheist now, what is the criteria for beleiving in any religions conceptions of God. The literature only asserts that what it says is true - it does not prove it.

So I ask you again - do you have any proof that God dissaproves of homosexuality?

Well if you are atheist, then the question is pointless, as no matter what I say, you will try to disprove it with "God does not exist"

And as I believe the only True God is the one of the Bible... yes, I can prove it via that.

So you can only prove it to people that already believe it?

[EnragedMaldivians]

But I have already said that for the purposes of this discussion - that God exists. Where is the proof that the God of the bible is the correct one?

His seems to be the best plan.
I can go pull up some of the Apologetics arguments when I have time XD

His plan?

According the Qur'an, Allah can just say Qun Fayaqun - (be and it is).

Why can't god just snap his fingers and forgive us for the original sin - what is the point of such an elaborate "plan"? It's hardly proof, in any case.

[Tekania]

The Great Flying Spaghetti Monster has decreed through His Most Holy Prophet, that Homosexuality is okay.

Now that we've settled appeal to authority, we can move on.

[EnragedMaldivians]

(Image)

The Great Flying Spaghetti Monster has decreed through His Most Holy Prophet, that Homosexuality is okay.

Now that we've settled appeal to authority, we can move on.

Did you have the artists consent to post that picture?

[Dusk_Kittens]

(Image)

The Great Flying Spaghetti Monster has decreed through His Most Holy Prophet, that Homosexuality is okay.

Now that we've settled appeal to authority, we can move on.

Yes, let's move on to get Draconian to answer why he/she believes that the God of the Bible is the only True God. I really would like to know his/her answer to that.