Religion for Gays

[Krista]

There are 44 churches in my state that are Gay Friendly.. that's a surprise, but probably a low minority if one thinks about just how many churches are in my state.. lol.. but still that's a bigger number than I thought..

[Trebs]

While its a truism that Reform and Reconstructionist branches of Judaism are most open to gays, followed by the Conservative movement, and the Orthodox are generally unwelcoming, here's an interesting article about an Orthodox rabbi who welcomes gays into his congregation:

 

http://www.tabletmag.com/news-and-politics/13912/unorthodox-position/print/

 

Some terms in the article might be unfamiliar, though most are defined there, at least by context.

One small correction to the article: Ohev Sholom is in the Shepherd Park neighborhood of Washington, DC, (the northernmost part), and not in Dupont Circle.

Just goes to show that you can occasionally find gay-friendly congregations in the most unlikely denominations.

 

--Rigel

 

Great info - thanks Rigel

[NightOwl88]

In reality I don't really have much more to add here then what hasn't already been said I suppose. I was babtized as a Catholic when I was young in accordance to my paternal grandfathers last wish but I was never confirmed and have only rarely set foot in my local Catholic church.

 

I went to the local Nazarene chruch most of my child hood with my maternal Grandmother and I admit I was a good little church boy. There was a time when I considered becoming a Priest and spending my life preaching the *Good word*. I'm glad I grew out of it lol.

 

 

Due to location issues i stopped going to church when I was about 14 and that gave me some real time to think and find myself. I embraced my sexuality and began to explore my interests in the Occult and Mythology at a deeper level. I imerged a Gay Wiccan some two years later and continue to grow. I continue to use the term Wiccan to describe myself but I'm more of a spiritualist with Wicca as my base. I like to study and learn all religious practices. I'm actually begining to look into Celtic and Native American Shamanism.

 

I may be shot for what I am about to say but I don't have a problem with the Christian religion. I have a problem with the people who have twisted and distorted its truth and reality. I have met and count as a friends some very beautiful Christian people, one very nice Christian man; who did not even know my name, said a prayer with me asking that my family be able to accept my homosexuality before I came out of the closet, (its a long story but I'll tell it if anyone whats to hear lol).

 

I guess what I am saying is don't hate the Religion for its *followers*. In my opinion they shouldn't be alowed to call themselves followers if they hate and discriminate, Jesus welcomed all into his congregation, theives, whores, liers and beggers.

 

The good ones may be the minority, but they won't always be. Tirants never stay in power.

 

Best wishes to all.

 

NightOwl88

[Mark Arbour]

In reality I don't really have much more to add here then what hasn't already been said I suppose. I was babtized as a Catholic when I was young in accordance to my paternal grandfathers last wish but I was never confirmed and have only rarely set foot in my local Catholic church.

 

I went to the local Nazarene chruch most of my child hood with my maternal Grandmother and I admit I was a good little church boy. There was a time when I considered becoming a Priest and spending my life preaching the *Good word*. I'm glad I grew out of it lol.

 

 

Due to location issues i stopped going to church when I was about 14 and that gave me some real time to think and find myself. I embraced my sexuality and began to explore my interests in the Occult and Mythology at a deeper level. I imerged a Gay Wiccan some two years later and continue to grow. I continue to use the term Wiccan to describe myself but I'm more of a spiritualist with Wicca as my base. I like to study and learn all religious practices. I'm actually begining to look into Celtic and Native American Shamanism.

 

I may be shot for what I am about to say but I don't have a problem with the Christian religion. I have a problem with the people who have twisted and distorted its truth and reality. I have met and count as a friends some very beautiful Christian people, one very nice Christian man; who did not even know my name, said a prayer with me asking that my family be able to accept my homosexuality before I came out of the closet, (its a long story but I'll tell it if anyone whats to hear lol).

 

I guess what I am saying is don't hate the Religion for its *followers*. In my opinion they shouldn't be alowed to call themselves followers if they hate and discriminate, Jesus welcomed all into his congregation, theives, whores, liers and beggers.

 

The good ones may be the minority, but they won't always be. Tirants never stay in power.

 

Best wishes to all.

 

NightOwl88

 

Those are nice sentiments. My initial reaction was that you were being naive and unrealistic, but I'm going to push them aside and embrace your optimism, at least for the moment.

[Nephylim]

In reality I don't really have much more to add here then what hasn't already been said I suppose. I was babtized as a Catholic when I was young in accordance to my paternal grandfathers last wish but I was never confirmed and have only rarely set foot in my local Catholic church.

 

I went to the local Nazarene chruch most of my child hood with my maternal Grandmother and I admit I was a good little church boy. There was a time when I considered becoming a Priest and spending my life preaching the *Good word*. I'm glad I grew out of it lol.

 

 

Due to location issues i stopped going to church when I was about 14 and that gave me some real time to think and find myself. I embraced my sexuality and began to explore my interests in the Occult and Mythology at a deeper level. I imerged a Gay Wiccan some two years later and continue to grow. I continue to use the term Wiccan to describe myself but I'm more of a spiritualist with Wicca as my base. I like to study and learn all religious practices. I'm actually begining to look into Celtic and Native American Shamanism.

 

I may be shot for what I am about to say but I don't have a problem with the Christian religion. I have a problem with the people who have twisted and distorted its truth and reality. I have met and count as a friends some very beautiful Christian people, one very nice Christian man; who did not even know my name, said a prayer with me asking that my family be able to accept my homosexuality before I came out of the closet, (its a long story but I'll tell it if anyone whats to hear lol).

 

I guess what I am saying is don't hate the Religion for its *followers*. In my opinion they shouldn't be alowed to call themselves followers if they hate and discriminate, Jesus welcomed all into his congregation, theives, whores, liers and beggers.

 

The good ones may be the minority, but they won't always be. Tirants never stay in power.

 

Best wishes to all.

 

NightOwl88

 

 

I have to say I agree entirely... it is not the religion it's the followers. Celtic Chrisitanity... propounded by the early saints was a gentle and encompassing religion and managed perfectly well to co exist side by side with the pagan beliefs of the time, eventually absorbing many of them. I have no problem with the teachings only what was and is being done with them and in their name.

[Mark Arbour]

I have to say I agree entirely... it is not the religion it's the followers. Celtic Chrisitanity... propounded by the early saints was a gentle and encompassing religion and managed perfectly well to co exist side by side with the pagan beliefs of the time, eventually absorbing many of them. I have no problem with the teachings only what was and is being done with them and in their name.

 

But isn't that one of the biggest contradictions? How can, or why would an all powerful god allow people to do such horrible things in his/her/it's name? They say you can judge a person by his/her friends. Ergo, can't you judge a deity by his/her/it's followers?

[Trebs]

As I said earlier, there are changes for the better all of the time - just saw an article about Lutherans moving towards even more gay-inclusiveness

 

 

One quote from the article that well sums it up:

Among those on the other side was Alan Wold of the Northern Illinois Synod. "If according to some I am going to be in err for supporting this... Let me err on the side of mercy, grace, justice, and love of neighbor. Let me err on the side of gospel which makes all things new."

[Nephylim]

But isn't that one of the biggest contradictions? How can, or why would an all powerful god allow people to do such horrible things in his/her/it's name? They say you can judge a person by his/her friends. Ergo, can't you judge a deity by his/her/it's followers?

 

I think there is a difference in saying that you have no problem with a religious ideology and in saying you have no problem with that religion's god or view of god. Much of the spirituality expressed by the early Christians was sound but it was twisted and perverted by those who practiced it. Even now there is a lot of good in the theology but again it's what people do in it.

 

It isn't so much a matter of judging a god by his followers it's about judging the words that someone speaks as opposed to what people then do with them. How many times have sound philosophies, theories etc failed to work in practice when corruption creeps in to those who practice them... for example communism which as an ideal is sound as a practice is too open to corruption, even democracy only truly works when everyone is on the same page.

 

Okay bad definitions. I know what I mean but I am tired and I doubt I am making much sense so I will stop there and come back to it when my brain switches on

[NightOwl88]

But isn't that one of the biggest contradictions? How can, or why would an all powerful god allow people to do such horrible things in his/her/it's name? They say you can judge a person by his/her friends. Ergo, can't you judge a deity by his/her/it's followers?

 

 

Yes it can be considered a contradiction and in a way I agree with you. The only way I can answer is to put it how it was put to me, look at it as a parent and thier child.

 

Parent has child. They teach and raise that child to be their own person. They offer guidance and try to teach them to have good morals but in the end it is the Child who makes their own way and decide what they are going to do and to be.

 

Similerly why would a God/Goddess/Creative Power create a multitude of distinct and different indivduals with the capacity for self realization and awareness to only control there every move or thought. I agree that there have been numerous atrocities commited in the name of Gods or religions all over the world and through out history.

 

But it is the Human who uses the name of the God or Religion to further their own agenda. For man to be truely aware then the God/Goddess/Creative Force cannot be all controling or their would be no point to creation or sentience.

 

Best Wishes

 

NightOwl

[Tiger]

Another thing we must remember is that religion changes over time. I have little doubt that early Christians had the best of intentions and believed strongly in a compassionate god. However, Christianity quickly became a state religion. That changed it forever, because politicians use religion (or in some cases lack thereof) as a means of controlling the masses. The United States started out as a nation of people escaping religious persecution, but there were already many distinct belief systems at the nation's founding. I should stop here before I start talking politics though...

[Jack Frost]

Religion = fiction.

 

I'm *really* an atheist. I had trouble buying all of the shit they taught me during Catholic Sunday schools. In fact, I considered Sunday school a huge interprution to my weekend sleep.

 

Overall... L'

[Graeme]

I think this thread is getting off topic. There are several threads already that discuss religion and christianity in general. This thread is about helping those who want to go to a gay-friendly church, not telling them that they're deluded.

 

I noticed that the list of churches in Australia is very sparse, but I suspect that that is more because there haven't been a lot of people contributing names.

[Mark Arbour]

I think this thread is getting off topic. There are several threads already that discuss religion and christianity in general. This thread is about helping those who want to go to a gay-friendly church, not telling them that they're deluded.

 

I noticed that the list of churches in Australia is very sparse, but I suspect that that is more because there haven't been a lot of people contributing names.

 

Bit of a conflict of interest there, eh Graeme?

[Conner]

What it comes down to for me, the bottom line as it were, is that I just don't trust any church that purports to be gay friendly. To me, it seems nothing more than saying "sinner friendly".

 

Any church, affiliated or not, needs membership to exist. Sinners are the natural target. Sinners want to be accepted, welcomed, understood and, most importantly, forgiven. Churches exist, at least on the surface, to save souls. Churches are sin-focused. Have you ever seen a church represent itself as "rightgeous friendly"?

 

I wonder how well a church would do if it represented itself as "lawyer friendly"?

[Mark Arbour]

What it comes down to for me, the bottom line as it were, is that I just don't trust any church that purports to be gay friendly. To me, it seems nothing more than saying "sinner friendly".

 

Any church, affiliated or not, needs membership to exist. Sinners are the natural target. Sinners want to be accepted, welcomed, understood and, most importantly, forgiven. Churches exist, at least on the surface, to save souls. Churches are sin-focused. Have you ever seen a church represent itself as "rightgeous friendly"?

 

I wonder how well a church would do if it represented itself as "lawyer friendly"?

 

 

What's wrong with sinners? Most of my sexual partners have been sinners.

 

Sigh.

 

Boy were they sinners.

[Conner]

What's wrong with sinners? Most of my sexual partners have been sinners.

 

Sigh.

 

Boy were they sinners.

 

Your propensity for the dens of inequity are none of my business. Mind you, please feel free to PM me the details.

 

In one way or another, we are all sinners. Birds of a feather flock together. So when some church screams out, "We are gay friendly!" we all come a'running. We desire that acceptance. So unless you are totally submerged in naivete, you will quickly realize that no one up there in the pulpit is saying that homosexuality is not a sin.

[David McLeod]

...Today, I don't know what I can be considered as. I believe that there is a God, but I would consider him/her/it an internalized entity of our spirit, an incorporeal form of nature. I think the closest religion would be Quaker tradition for me, who also believe in an internalized God with less emphasis on the practices or traditions.

 

Glad to see someone bring up the Quakers. They have a long tradition of acceptance and openness. I learned, recently, that at a major, national Meeting ("convention"), there were forums for "non-Deist Quakers." This is not to say that the Quakers don't have common practices and traditions; however, they are much less dogmatic than any other religion with which I am familiar.

[Rilbur]

What it comes down to for me, the bottom line as it were, is that I just don't trust any church that purports to be gay friendly. To me, it seems nothing more than saying "sinner friendly".

 

Any church, affiliated or not, needs membership to exist. Sinners are the natural target. Sinners want to be accepted, welcomed, understood and, most importantly, forgiven. Churches exist, at least on the surface, to save souls. Churches are sin-focused. Have you ever seen a church represent itself as "rightgeous friendly"?

 

I wonder how well a church would do if it represented itself as "lawyer friendly"?

 

You're forgetting, not all churches are Christian... and not all religions are 'sin based', like modern Christianity is.

[Nephylim]

I wonder how well a church would do if it represented itself as "lawyer friendly"?

 

 

Well someone has to be Would probably have to be a satanic church though... everyone knows that lawyers are spawn of the devil

[Tiger]

Well someone has to be Would probably have to be a satanic church though... everyone knows that lawyers are spawn of the devil

You wouldn't say that if your ass was in a jam.

[Mark Arbour]

You wouldn't say that if your ass was in a jam.

 

Is your ass jammed?

[Krista]

Tim's ass is completely irrelevant to the conversation.

 

Now let's get back ON topic.

[shadowgod]

But isn't that one of the biggest contradictions? How can, or why would an all powerful god allow people to do such horrible things in his/her/it's name? They say you can judge a person by his/her friends. Ergo, can't you judge a deity by his/her/it's followers?

 

two words

 

FREE WILL

 

However... lets get this back on topic. We know there are a group of you who don't believe in religion. We have read the posts several times in other threads that were for debating religion. This is not, its a resource to let people know that there are gay friendly churches in their area. Lets stay on topic, if we want to debate religion go to the appropriate thread.

[Mark Arbour]

two words

 

FREE WILL

 

So you are saying Free Will is more powerful than God?

 

Kind of makes God look like a big pussy.

[shadowgod]

read the the post above... keep it on topic. If you want to debate religion find the appropriate topic or move it to a new thread.