Is homosexuality an important religious issue?

[HairOfTheDog]

That was a really low blow HoTD to play the Joel card.

Okay, so you are affiliated with and deeply admire a Christian who views homosexuality as a sin and does not support gay marriage, despite all of your recent condescension towards "those kinds" of Christians. You love him and that's that. Honesty; that I get.

As for Mr. Osteen, I already told you a long time ago that I have nothing against a good business person developing a product and making a fortune in the process. I'm a capitalist.

There's what seems to be a never-ending demand for self-help products and services. While I'm not in the market for what Joel Osteen and his partners or his competitors are selling, there's no doubt that he's one of the leading and most successful suppliers. Oprah, Joel, and Dr. Phil...all pumping it out and maintaining huge repeat customer bases; credit where due.


And, Maggot -

I'm working on getting you a ticket to the taping next time Joel Osteen appears on his friend Oprah's show; back stage pass even.



He probably is a nice enough guy all right, but don't turn your back on the wife!!


(yeah, I know I've posted this pic of Mrs. Osteen before, it just never gets old for me. Haha.)

[HairOfTheDog]

Are you religious?

If so is homosexuality an important religious issue?

I'm not religious.

As I mentioned upthread, from what I've seen, homosexuality is indeed an important issue to some religious people, but many religious organizations have become more accepting of homosexuality in response to changing social views and norms.

IMO, a growing number of religious leaders and organizations are either skirting the issue altogether or officially backing off of their previous condemnation of homosexuality because they'd continue losing a lot of followers otherwise (some of them may also be sincere in having changed their perspectives over the last decade or so).

Survey says...
Came across some interesting new research/survey results this morning about how organized religions have seen their followers dwindle in direct correlation to the religion's intolerance of homosexuality.

Specifically regarding religiosity and changing views towards same-sex marriage:


Ref:
http://publicreligion.org/newsroom/2014/...bt-survey/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/26...gay-voices

[Blindgreed1]

Isn't anyone going to ask me about the bill that Brewer vetoed?

[Maggot]

Isn't anyone going to ask me about the bill that Brewer vetoed?

Nope.

[Blindgreed1]

Isn't anyone going to ask me about the bill that Brewer vetoed?

Nope.

Cool. I don't want to discuss it any further.

[Maggot]

Thats mighty hetro of ya.

[Blindgreed1]

Thats mighty anti-govt. of ya.

Fixed.

[Duchess]

Isn't anyone going to ask me about the bill that Brewer vetoed?

Not unless I can push a button and get you to type a 3 or 4 paragraph post detailing why it's either a good thing or a bad thing that the bill was vetoed. Whatever you choose, I'll be sure to argue just the opposite.

[Blindgreed1]

Isn't anyone going to ask me about the bill that Brewer vetoed?

Not unless I can push a button and get you to type a 3 or 4 paragraph post detailing why it's either a good thing or a bad thing that the bill was vetoed. Whatever you choose, I'll be sure to argue just the opposite.

You know me better than that. Fact is, there's good and bad in everything. I just don't think we need the govt. to be any deeper in our arses than they already are.

[Duchess]

You know me better than that. Fact is, there's good and bad in everything. I just don't think we need the govt. to be any deeper in our arses than they already are.

I was sorta being sarcastic. I don't believe in big government & wonder where the line will be drawn. Will a surgeon be able to decline operating on someone who is hemorrhaging because he doesn't like the bleeder's lifestyle? Will the gas company refuse propane to the lesbian couple? Stuff like that.

[aussiefriend]

When I was working in the Middle East I nearly got arrested for being at my boyfriends place which is not allowed. They let me off with a warning. It was pretty scary, there was all these police cars outside and they were ready to arrest me. If I had been from a third world country I think I would have been a gonner.

So if you let the government interfere in any aspect of your personal life, there is no stopping where that can lead to. I know it seems unbelievable, but if you have a boyfriend in these Sharia countries you are seen as a prostitute. No government has the right to interfere in anyone's personal business.

[Duchess]

I agree that privately run businesses should be able to do business with only those they want to. Your business, your rules and I don't think they should be able to be sued by those they choose not to do business with. I don't know what the answer is. Personally, I don't have to like or respect you in order to take your money, I do however like & respect money.

[Blindgreed1]

I agree that privately run businesses should be able to do business with only those they want to. Your business, your rules and I don't think they should be able to be sued by those they choose not to do business with. I don't know what the answer is. Personally, I don't have to like or respect you in order to take your money, I do however like & respect money.

You did your homework.

[Blindgreed1]

When I was working in the Middle East I nearly got arrested for being at my boyfriends place which is not allowed. They let me off with a warning. It was pretty scary, there was all these police cars outside and they were ready to arrest me. If I had been from a third world country I think I would have been a gonner.

So if you let the government interfere in any aspect of your personal life, there is no stopping where that can lead to. I know it seems unbelievable, but if you have a boyfriend in these Sharia countries you are seen as a prostitute. No government has the right to interfere in anyone's personal business.

Letting the govt. do all of your thinking, by way of enforcing laws is a very dangerous concept. Especially when you consider that what the intent of the law was and how it's written and enforced are more often than not two completely different things.

[aussiefriend]

^^^ Over there they are not even allowed to give their children a name that is non-islamic. They will not be registered if they try and give them a western or non-islamic name. Don't get me started on domestic violence and stoning of women that have been raped.

I do however like & respect money.

You know I am learning this concept. It is something that I thought was wrong and greedy, but it really isn't. I am learning to value money and I am working with someone who is helping me achieve my goals in business. I had values like ethics, family etc, but money was not on the list. It was a real revelation.

[Duchess]

Aussie, I've been trying to get you to talk about Sharia law for years now. Start a thread in Members Only if you're uncomfortable talking about it in the open. I'd like to read your experiences with it.

[aussiefriend]

Shit I had some very scary experiences over there. One time I was on this bus going from one city to another. The bus broke down in the middle of the desert and I thought I was going to be killed and gang raped. I don't know how I survived it. Some very close calls. You wouldn't catch me in any of those countries now, not Malaysia, not Dubai, not Bahrain, none of them.

[Maggot]

I almost went to Dubai a few years ago to build a metal shop but chickened out, the Egyptian guy had tons of money too. They love investing in American stuff there.