Interesting. I’ve never heard that the Church places any variable values on people. The Church holds all human life (all people, including homosexuals) to the highest value of all creation, under the heading of “the sanctity of human life”. Did you mean something different from what you stated here?
Yes, but you can’t deny that there is some apparent sexism in the church, mainly because women are not allowed to be Catholic preists. You could argue that they’re allowed to be nuns, but point blank, women are not seen as equals to men when it comes to religious teachings. It’s what Catholicism teaches, and it’s also illegal in my country; to hold jobs on the basis of sex, orientation, race, etc.
And to say that someone can’t enter heaven because they’re born as a homosexual is so wrong. That’s placing a value based on immutable facts, facts that a person cannot change. That teaches that if you live your life as a kind, just, giving, and loving person but happen to be a homosexual, you can’t enter heaven.
Are you kidding? The Crusades, the Inquisition, The 30 Years War, the wars between Protestants and Catholics, the Holy Wars, the persecution of pagans. Thosands, maybe millions, of people have been killed for this cause. And this isn’t even counting the murders that God committed.
Where does it say in this 2000-something year old book that everything written in it is supposed to be literally practiced in society?
It says this nowhere, which is my point. I’ve seen, heard of, and am related to right-wing Catholics who claim “everything in the Bible should be taken literally.” Obviously, times have changed and every single thing written in the bible is applicable.
Interesting. So you believe man is the basis of and the reason for everything. Science is a man-made mechanism used to study and investigate nature; it would not exist if not for humans. Did you mean “nature”? “Science has made…”? Again, do you mean “nature”? I’m sure this is what you’re meaning to say here. Regardless, I’m curious as to why you try to give non-intelligent things intelligent faculties (such as “making” things, and “allowing” other things). What is it, behind nature, that gives it the animation to “do” the things you are suggesting here?
Science is a fairly abstract concept, and it once again comes down to what you personally believe. I believe science is nature and nature is science; science being the study of the natural world. Perhaps I wasn’t clear enough. What I meant to say was that I believe the world has been designed to fix the problems presented in nature. When I look at anything in nature, the way cells function to continue life, or how photosynthesis occurs in such a perfect formula I find it so amazing how everything in the universe works in such a perfect cycle. And I think that most, if not every, occurance that develops in nature can be explain scientifically.
Once, again…nature, not science, right? So, everything is acceptable? Murder, Rape, Incest, Adultery, Pornography, etc.? All these things “occur” too. As you would say, they’re “from nature”. Do you have any beef with murder? If not, why not?
(Any particular reason why these were capitalized?)
Pornography, adultery, yes. Murder, rape, and incest, no.
I didn’t mean it quite as literally as you took it. I was talking about occurances in genetics and heredity, not human motives.
Theoretically? Is there some other way in which homosexuals can produce children?
Sure, invitro fertilization or a surrogate mother.
I think it’s important to understand the distinction Christianity makes regarding homosexuality. The Church does not say that homosexuality is absolutely environmental, nor absolutely genetic. She acknowledges that the jury is still out on the precise origins of the homosexual disposition of people. The Church also does not say that homosexual temptation is wrong, but rather the sexual acting out of that temptation.
The Bible says that homosexuals are not permitted to enter heaven. (1 Cor. 6:9-10)
Those who perhaps are born with a predisposition for homosexuality are called by God to live chastely, in much the same way others born with certain sinful temptations are called to live in a manner which helps them avoid them. .
What makes them “sinful temptations?” Because they are called that by your god? I completely disagree with the discrimination against homosexuals. What if god has said “Blacks aren’t allowed to enter heaven.” Would you so blindly believe that because someone else believes it is right?
Perhaps you believe this is an impossible request. But to a devout Christian, God makes all of it quite possible, and rewarding.
How can it be rewarding to live your life pretending to be someone you’re not? As an atheist, I don’t believe in heaven and hell. You only get one life to live, why mess it up? To me, that’s just depressing.
