All I Ask...

at 08/10/12 9:13AM *
Please. Read what I'm saying, not what you think I say. A lot of questions are answered that way. Put aside bias and think. That's all I want from my audience. Questions are always welcome...but when I'm getting jumped for something I address later in an entry, you lose respect points. Pretty please?

Love God. Love others. Change the world.
(Matt. 22:37-37)

God Bless....America?

at 07/06/12 10:59PM *
There has been some hype in the past few months over homosexuality. Again. You know…North Carolina’s Amendment One, Obama endorsing gay marriage….

I’m not trying to say that I’m for legalizing gay marriage. Or maybe I am. I haven’t quite figured that part out yet.

Or how about those abortion clinics? I’m all for protecting unborn children, honest. But what about those women who die because they try to do it themselves? Or because they go to black-market, gritty clinics?

What would happen if Christians pulled their picket signs out of everyone else’s backs and burnt them?

Sometimes, I think Christians are confused.

In the past 200+ years, America has crowned themselves a nation of God. With this self-applied label, Christians mix up being American with being a Christian. Yes, our nation was founded on religious freedom. Our nation was founded on the right to choose.
If you think about it - that’s EXACTLY how God created us, too.

Ehyeh created a beautiful place, separating it from the darkness and chaos. He put Adam and Eve in an Eden and sighed “It is very good.” In this Eden, however, the idea of choice was planted: the ability to choose Jehovah or to choose ourselves. And with that first decision (of many) to put ourselves on God’s throne, we have brought chaos back into the world.

Throughout the Bible, there is a recurring theme. The Lord of all powers puts us on a track and nudges us in His direction. We’ll get specific: He picked Abraham and his descendants to be His chosen people, the ones who were supposed to show everyone else what it looked like when your Maker was with you always. But they(we) kept veering off that path. Finally, our Father sent his Son to show us exactly how living Him looked. And we still don’t get it right.

But that’s ok. We’re human. He knows, and he knew we’d mess up. Thus Jesus.

Also in the Bible, if you look in the New Testament, Christ tells us not to judge other people, because we are judged by the way we judge! We are told to discern the body’s members, to lovingly keep them on track. I think it’s Paul who goes into further detail, telling the Church that they had no right enforcing the ways of Jesus on those who did not follow Him.

Please read that again. I, as a Christian and follower of my Messiah Jesus Christ, have absolutely no business shoving Biblically ordained teachings on those who do not believe in my Messiah.

Now, back to America. Consider something with me. What accomplishes more in the way of furthering Christ’s mission? To yell at the government that they CAN’T let homosexuals get married, that they CAN’T allow abortion to take place? Or to take their beliefs to the ballots (where allowed), and to stand as an example?

Does it mean anything at all when someone isn’t practicing homosexuality because the law says so? I think us Christians stand out a little more if something is allowed, but we don’t do it. It gives us opportunities to talk about why we live the way we do, opens doors to speak about our Savior, to share our beliefs, our whys.

Jesus says for us to give to “Caesar what is Caesar’s.” I’m going to modernize that a bit: “Give your country what it requires of you.” Also, “do not be conformed. Live in the world now because you can’t help it, but don’t let it rub off on you.”

Conforming America to what we consider Christian practices does not make us better Christians. It does not make America a Christian nation. It makes those on the other side angry, and MUCH less willing to listen. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when he said to “speak the truth in love.”

I love my country. I can worship my Yahweh without fear of my government tearing me down. Yet, some Christians have stepped into the role of tearing down. I am supposed to build others up. It is up to God to break things that need breaking.

I consider myself a Christian first, and an American further down the list. Eventually, America will fall, just like Rome did. Just like the Mongolian Empire did. Just like so many others. I may stop being an American at some point. But I will never stop being a Christian.

Maybe it’s time for us to step away from the picket signs. Maybe it’s time for us to tear down the self-erected fence between us and them. Maybe, just maybe, it’s time for us to fill the Church with the Broken, like it was meant to be.

It’s time for us to bless others, and maybe through that, God will bless America.
  • sirtarin
    While picketing and yelling are not going to much good, what good is it to let them go? If we can convince them that it is wrong, and disgusting, thereby keeping them out of the sin (Though there will always be those who refuse to hear, just as there are those who blatantly break the law because they want what they want.), should we not do it? Yes, we should be examples to those around us, and we ought to vote to uphold what is right, but that is not the only thing we need to do. If we can save them from getting spiritually burned, is that not preferable than saving them after they've permanently damaged themselves? If they are so entrenched that the damage is what is required to save them, so be it.

    "But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, “ In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh." ~ Jude 17-23, emphasis added ~

    "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction." ~ II Timothy 4:2

    We need to preach, not just be an example, whether they like it or not.

    So, in some ways I agreed with you. A lot of those who call themselves Christians are tearing down people. But we should hold them back, for their souls' sake.

    "Deliver those who are being taken away to death,
    And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.
    If you say, “See, we did not know this,”
    Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts?
    And does He not know it who keeps your soul?
    And will He not render to man according to his work?" Proverbs 24:11-12
    by sirtarin at 07/07/12 12:38PM
  • sirtarin
    Those who are seeking to have abortions or committing homosexuality, or any other sin. And, really, it's for the sake of their soul, and ours.

    Quite possible that I misunderstood something. I mainly saw an appeal to stop the anger and vehemence and let them go, so that there would be more opportunities to let our example shine as a stark contrast, with little for keeping them out of sin (Not just because it is a sin, but because it will ruin their lives. That's something that people need to be made aware of.) in the first place, in a less destructive fashion. Because I didn't see that, I decided that it needed to be brought up. :)

    I've had thoughts about not saying that "we saved someone" before, but, since it is used in the Bible in that manner, I decided it is not improper to phrase it that way. Yes, it is ultimately God who saves, but we, being His tool for the purpose, can, in a sense, say we saved them.

    Examples:
    Romans 11:13-14 ~ "But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them."

    I Corinthians 9:22 ~ "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some."
    by sirtarin at 07/07/12 2:42PM
  • pj
    Hold on there. Jesus preached the truth even unto death. Paul preached the truth even unto death. Paul even went before Ceaser and taught the truth. And you are saying that we aren't supposed to try to get the government to change? On countless occasions the Pharisees and Sadducee are called Hypocrites throughout the Bible. These same Pharisees and Sadducee were prominent men and rulers of the Jewish nation. These rulers and leaders were incited to rage against Jesus and his Apostles. And what about in the old testament, where all of the prophets continually went before the kings of Israel, pleading with them to change their ways. And we are not supposed to try to get the government to change their ways? Whatever happened to Paul saying "imitate me as I also imitate Christ." He stood up to the government and said "this is not right." To the contrary, the problem is that not enough Christians are standing up for what is right. They are developing a "You believe your way and I will believe my way and God will accept us the way we are" type of attitude. This just isn't what the Bible says.

    As for not judging others, I do not believe you have a full grasp on that. Jesus says what you say, but Jesus also says in John 7:24 "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” Wait a minute. Did Jesus just contradict himself there? So he just told us not to judge in other verses, but then he tells us to judge. Clearly, there are two types of judgement that Jesus talks about. There is a righteous judgement and another form of judgement. This form usually comes in appearance (the way a person dresses, how much money they have, etc.). We are not supposed to judge by appearance (unless, i.e., they are dressed immodestly because that goes against God's law), but we are to judge by God's Law. God said that performing Gay acts and having gay thoughts are wrong, just as committing adultery and premarital "stuff" is wrong. We judge both of these sins the same way, as being wrong and that they are both equal in God's eyes and are even equal to something as "trivial" as cheating at a card game or lying about not having something. And God says we are to lovingly try to get these people to turn from their ways. So we are supposed to judge a RIGHTEOUS judgement.

    As for gay marriage in America? Marriage was not set up by man. It was set up by God. The same God that was of the Jews. God set it up to be a special arrangement between a MAN and a WOMAN. God did not put another man in the Garden to be a helper to man. He put a woman. Therefore calling two gays that want to live together a marriage defies the definition of marriage.

    Let me ask you a question. So you are saying to just sit by and lead by example, because we don't want to "offend" them and make them "uncomfortable" about the way they are, because it may make it harder for them to believe. Do we stand by and not tell a thief that what he is doing is wrong? Being a thief could be considered an "alternative lifestyle." Are we worried that we might offend him and make it harder for him to believe in Christ? Do we stand by and let a serial killer continue to kill (again, could an alternative lifestyle, although a radical one)? No! we are to stand up for the truth that God has given us. If we let marriage be defined as being between a man or woman and/or another man or woman, then why not bring back polygamy? why not marry your dog (don't kid yourself, we are headed this way. Some dogs are treated better than kids.. Soon people will be saying that they were born with a sexual attraction to animals)? We are so wrapped up in trying to not offend someone else, that we forget something very important. These people are OFFENDING US and don't have a SECOND THOUGHT about it. Why do they have to call it "marriage"? Why can't it just be called a civil union? Oh, because they are trying to force THEIR BELIEFS on US. And for the most part it is working. Has anyone noticed how at first it was a bad thing on t.v. to be gay, and then it began to be joked about, and then a gay guy is introduced that is made fun of and beaten up, and now we are at the stage that a lot of t.v. shows have at least one gay person on there. The U.S. has become desensitized. And the more we just stand by and let it happen and not say anything, the further it will get from God along with all of its people and we will become like Sodom and Gomorrah, whose men were even willing to "know (lay with, etc.)" God's angels. And like Sodom and Gomorrah, this nation will fall (although, obviously not the same way Sodom and Gomorrah did). That is why Christians should take their stand. Because Gays are trying to push on us to NOT believe in what God says and trying to force us to accept them "the way they are", and many Christians are falling by the wayside, because they are jumping on the bandwagon and saying "who are we to judge," without realizing that we are supposed to judge RIGHTEOUS judgement and that any form of sin should not be tolerated. That is why I take a stand. Not because I hate gays, but because it is the biblical thing to do.

    I will leave you with Romans 1:22-32, because these are the people we deal with in this life and who we must stand up against so that others may not fall pray to their teachings and so that we might have a chance to save them:

    22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

    23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

    24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

    25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

    26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

    27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

    28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

    29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

    30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

    31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

    32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
    by pj at 07/18/12 2:53AM
  • pj
    Sorry for all the run-on's and what not. That is why I have a math degree and not an English degree, because writing is not my thing.
    by pj at 07/18/12 3:02AM

Christians Shouldn't Say....

at 05/20/12 10:43PM
1) “It’s all in God’s plan…”

That you lost your baby. That your sister was murdered. That you got cancer. That your life is in shambles.

I really can’t think of a worse thing to say to someone, especially when they’re in pain.

We cannot use God to fill in the gaps between events and the people they effect. We want to give solace, to promise that there is a purpose behind madness, but if there is one thing that the cross shows us definitively, it’s that God takes the pain in the world and makes resurrection.

But we should not think that this means that God makes the world’s pain, or the specific pain in a person’s life. It’s an important distinction.

One of the reasons I left faith for a while was because I had heard too many times that God was flipping switches on people: causing children to die, cancer to spread, poverty to happen, etc.

Not only do I think that saying this to someone is adding hurt to hurt, I think it breaks the second commandment. When we say such things, we use God’s name in vain; we use it “uselessly” as the word is better translated.

So when you’re confronted with the news of your friend’s tragedy or a relative’s pain, stand in solidarity with them and scream, “[censored for sensitive constitutions]!” I’m a reluctant Christian at times because I think that those who call themselves Christian don’t think enough about their words.

Frankly, I wish they’d just curse more.
*********************************************

Very good point. Taken from source, and you should go there and read the rest of it.

Day Two of Honduras coming soon......
  • sirtarin
    While God does not murder people, etc., He does allow it to happen, and does work it into His plan (Romans 8:28). That said, saying "It's all in God's plan..." may not be the most comforting, or tactful, thing to say to a grieving person. And cursing certainly won't do any good.
    by sirtarin at 05/21/12 10:01AM

Spring Break 2012 ~ Honduras, Day One

at 05/18/12 11:44PM

(Yes, I know, long overdue, right?)

*** March 17th ~ Saturday ***

The day of departure was actually Friday, the 16th, but all we did was drive to Atlanta. Although, some fun things took place: 

  • Got to meet the Mayhew's parents
  • Spent the night in their home church's building. And by "spent the night," I actually mean "stayed up much too late"

So on Saturday morning, at about 5AM we left for the airport. Due to my time travelling over the weekend (bounced through three different time zones, forwards and backwards), I was exhausted, and so slept through the majority of the flight from ATL to Miami. I discovered there that tired college students can sleep anywhere -- even an airport floor. What? The layover was long. But finally we got on the plane to take us to Honduras.

Upon our arrival, we went through customs, changed money, then went to Burger King to eat.

And then we met some kids. We drove the bus to an outdoor soccer field in this neighborhood. The field was right by this dropoff, and there were people living right up to it. Within five minutes, there were kids all over the place, and at the end of ten, Deidre had a baby in her arms.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

My friend Caleb had brought a coloring book and crayons, and I don't think the poor thing knew quite what he was getting into. He got swarmed. Kids were running up, wanting to color, and he'd tear out a page and give them a crayon if he had one, or break someone else's in half to try to share them. I'm still not sure if he got all his crayons back.

I stood around, taking pictures, feeling a little bit out of place. Spanish was flowing, and I quickly realized I didn't know as much as I thought I did. Nothing useful, anyway. I followed people around, snapping pics of their interactions, listening to one friend talk in nearly fluent Spanish with a child. I wasn't entirely used to having so many kids around - I didn't know what to do with them. Fortunately, I was saved - by a little girl named Elvia. She came up to me, took my hand, and seemed content to pull me around. She showed me several things, and I'd respond by asking "Que es esto?" She'd then tell me what it was.

On a few occasions, she'd prattle off in an involved Spanish paragraph, and I'd have to call Alex or Michael over. At one point, she had seen my celtic knot ring and asked if I was married. haha!

With Elvia's help, I warmed up to the kids. We went and watched them color, played soccer (meaning I got hit with the ball a lot), climbed on things, and just stood there with each other. Such a quiet, feisty little angel.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Caught me by the heart, she did.

After all this, we loaded up, waving as we all hung out the bus windows, and headed to Casá de Esperanza. There, we played with even MORE kids. The kids at the Casá, in some form, didn't have a home to go to. So of course, we loved on them as much as we could.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

See? We spent a couple hours there, making wonderful memories. Finally we trekked to the mission house to drop our stuff off, then walked to the Iglesia to get food. 

I think all of us went to bed early that night.

Want more pictures? Check out this link for Day One, and this link for the Day of Departure.

Stay tuned for day two!

  • silly_nickel
    They are just gorgeous! Looks like an amazing experience!
    by silly_nickel at 05/19/12 10:20AM
  • sirtarin
    Sounds like an interesting and fun experience. =)
    by sirtarin at 05/19/12 4:46PM

A Call to Love

at 02/24/12 12:12AM
You wouldn’t know by looking that unrest is brewing at Freed. Maybe as you walked around campus listening to conversations around you, you might pick up snippets. Even Christian universities aren’t exempt from current events.

I think it was last year when Harding University’s Queer Press went public. Guess what? The same thing is happening here at Freed-Hardeman. The LGBT community is tired of staying quiet. So now we have Paperclips Press.

Have they done anything other than make themselves known? No. The only reason we know that they’re here is because of Twitter and their Tumblr blog (which was blocked by FHU’s network before it even went live). What were they met with? Judgement. Criticism. Hatred. Scorn. Disgust. Ridicule. Everything except the acknowledgement that they, too, are human, and they, too, are loved by God.

Christians are Homophobic. We can handle divorce - that’s okay, we say. It happens. Christians can deal with premarital sex. Kids do it all the time…there’s a baby? It’s okay. You’re forgiven. Abortion? You poor broken person.

Quick question here: since WHEN did Jesus minister to the unblemished? God’s church is a place for broken people, as Jesus was broken for us to bring us through the veil into the Holy of Holies. Jesus came, healing hearts, loving those who murdered him. The soldier who spat on Jesus’ face? Jesus loved him enough to die. The crowd of people that begged for a convicted criminal to be released over Jesus, the son of their God? Jesus said not a word, but took their crime upon himself, and poured out his love as blood.

I hate to break it to you, but sin is sin. The white lie you told to your mother about where you were spending the night? Sin. Having sex with your boyfriend/girlfriend? Sin. Having sex male/male or female/female? Sin. It’s not any more a different kind of sin than having black skin makes you a different species of human.

Okay, we get it. Homosexuality is a sin just like divorce, adultery, lying, etc. But you want to know something else? Homosexuality is just as much a sin as not loving.

That one command, in Matthew? You know what I’m talking about. “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind,” You also know what comes after: “and love your neighbor as yourself. On these hang the law and the prophets.” (Italics mine.) What that verse tells me is that before we can do anything else, we need to love. Love actively, extending our arms, hearts, and hands to those around us, just as Jesus did. I think of it as an umbrella. The umbrella, the cover from the rain, is love. Love first. Period. Okay, now, under the umbrella: all the “rules,” all the commands, all the laws, all the prophets, all the letters of Paul/Peter/John. Love covers everything.

If you’ve made it this far disagreeing with me, I applaud you. Next point: I am not saying love equals acceptance of sin.

Let me say it again, in case you missed the bolded, italicized letters: Love does not mean being okay with someone’s every action.

I do not have to be okay with homosexuality to recognize that the scorn coming from the majority of the student body is just as wrong as the homosexuality. Paperclips Press is right, God loves them, too. But God also loved the adulterous woman in the Gospels. What did he say to her? “Go and sin no more.” Jesus, our savior, told her accusers that if they had never done wrong, committed sin, that they could go ahead and stone her, as the law required. But you know what? No one could dispute Jesus’ point, no one could say they were perfect.

Those who struggle with homosexuality (and I recognize that not all struggle with it. Some are completely okay being homosexual; that’s not what I’m talking about.) have not come out of their lonely closet before because of the hatred. The broken people, Christian and not, who do not want to be “the way they are” need the support and help of their Brothers and Sisters, and they are not getting it! God placed His Church on this earth to be a haven to the broken. I NEVER want my attitude to keep a friend from coming to me for support in their afflictions. “If you’re gay, why are you at a Christian college?” is not any way to respond.

I recognize variant causes for homosexuality. I recognize sin. I recognize MY SIN. We are called to bear one another’s burdens, and my friends and loved ones, I am here for you as Jesus is here. Let my arms be His, my heart bleed as His does over your burden. We are all broken people, and His church is full of them. Quit pretending. You are not perfect. If you act like you are, you are just like the Pharisees.

I want my entire audience to know that while I do not support homosexuality, I do support my family in Christ. Please, if you need someone to talk to, I am willing to break for you. I will be Jesus to you to the very best of my ability. I don’t want any of my friends to hide who they are from me.

I am calling my fellow Christians to start acting like Jesus. Leave the judgement behind for you will be judged as you judge others. Hold people to God’s standard, but also recognize you are on the same level as everyone else. “There but for the grace of God go I.”

Why are we drawing lines, why are we turning our backs on those Jesus calls to Him? How is ANYONE going to know the love of God if we don’t show it?

*****************

I've posted this on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. Now I get to be brave enough to post it on a much more conservative feed: Pleonast.

Comments are welcome. PMs are welcome. Arguments and scorn are not.

Love is.
  • brianne
    While I do not completely agree with everything you say in this particular post, I have SO much respect for you and for how you lovingly state your point of views. You bring a different perspective that most Christians refuse to consider. It's refreshing--the perspective. :)
    by brianne at 02/24/12 1:22AM
  • sirtarin
    I agree with you to a degree. Yes, we should be loving, and try to bring sinners back from the error of their ways. Scorn, ridicule, and hatred certainly are not how we should treat sinners. But we should be trying to help them correct their lives, and that requires us to judge them so we can discern what they need. Judgement is not wrong. John 7:24 ~ "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” And disgust, to an extent is not wrong either. I'm sometimes rightfully disgusted with myself, when I fall short. And many sins, homosexuality among them (Leviticus 18:22) are referred to, by God, as abominations, things that are so disgusting to God that they are nauseating. Our disgust for what they are doing should help spur us to help them clean their lives up. A healthy disgust is good, contempt for those who defile themselves is not.
    by sirtarin at 02/24/12 10:30AM
  • silly_nickel
    I really, really loved this post. I completely agree that you can love the sinner without loving the sin. While I do think there is room for righteous "disgust", the disgust is still for the sin, NOT for the person. I can't pretend that my angry thoughts or harsh criticism is any less of a sin than their homosexuality...my sin is just easier to hide. We're all broken and in need of Christ's grace and mercy. He had to die just as much because of me as he did because of them.
    by silly_nickel at 02/24/12 11:25AM
  • brianne
    I also agree that our disgust should be towards the sin, not the person. At the same time, if we show a person nothing but love and act as if nothing is wrong with their outright sinful actions (openly gay/lesbian rather than people "not knowing"), then we are telling them that we are okay with their lifestyle. Instead, if we allow them to see, whether through actions, prayer and study, or conversation, that while we still love the person, we are sad for them because they are choosing to gain the whole world but lose their soul for their desires, which is something so abhorring to God. They are choosing to go against God's commands in several verses. While I choose NOT to "Bible beat" as many ultra-conservatives choose, I personally would let someone within that lifestyle know that I'm not comfortable with their actions because of scripture, and that I'd like to study with them about how God, while He loves His children, He will not bless them as He promises those who DO seek to do His will. We do have to judge righteous judgment in the sense that Sirtarin says--so we can discern what they need. Personally, I choose to not get "close" with someone who chooses such a lifestyle. I am cordial, respectful, even nice, but I don't go out of my way to be all buddy-buddy with them because I am uncomfortable. Do I consider myself a "homophobe"? No. Do I think they are in grave danger of losing their soul? Absolutely. Do I want to help them? Yes!! Can I always? No. Usually they are choosing their lifestyle because of influences or other "reasons" (I consider them excuses). Do I believe they were "born" that way? Absolutely NOT! If God abhors something SO much like homosexuality, why would he create someone who was "born" a homosexual? That's contradicting God. Sorry, got off on a rant on that part. I believe that since we need to be Christ-like, we need to remember that they too, have a soul, and an opportunity to learn truth. But at the same time, I believe that God will ultimately judge them for their lifestyle choices, and us if we accept them "as they are", with no intention to teach them the truth about how God feels, according to scripture, about this particular sin.

    I know I've got some AWFUL run-on sentences here, but my mind just kept going and my fingers couldn't type fast enough! HA!
    by brianne at 02/26/12 3:26AM
  • sirtarin
    Here's an interesting bit of an article Dad found recently, on why homosexuality is wrong from a Jewish perspective:

    "We can say "chosen" because the vast majority of gay men have had intercourse with women. As a four-year study of 128 gay men by a UCLA professor of psychology revealed, "More than 92 percent of the gay men had dated a woman at some time, two-thirds had sexual intercourse with a woman." As of now, the one theory we can rule out is that homosexuals are biologically programmed to be homosexual."

    That study's results could be useful in discussions. Just thought I'd share, in case it might be helpful. =)
    by sirtarin at 02/26/12 5:04PM