You can never truly understand what a person goes through until you are that person. It is easy to say they are sinners but do you really understand if you've never been them?
Think about your spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend, or current "dating friend", whatever you call that person. Did you CHOOSE to fall in love with them? Didn't you feel incomplete without them? Didn't you yearn to be with them in a committed long term environment, to profess your love publically, to share the joy of togetherness with this person?
A gay person feels these SAME things. They don't choose who they fall in love with. I know many straight people who do not choose to marry their spouse. It is just how it is, how it was meant to be, and without this they would be miserable.
So is it fair to say that gay people should have to live miserable, loveless lives and force themselves to be something they are not? Is that fair to the person they force themselves to marry? Do you know how many homes have been destroyed because a man tried to be straight but he couldn't do it in the long run?
I know many straight people would be REPULSED to have sex with a person of the same sex. Can you imagine how a gay person would feel if they forced themselves to have sex with their spouse because supposedly its the"right" thing to do??
I know women who are lesbians who forced themselves to be married to men because their family couldn't handle their homosexuality. You want to please your family so you're willing to suffer yourself -shakes my head-. These women vomitted after sex. They were disgusted. It wasn't natural for them, and when it got to be too much to bear, they got divorced.
So you'd rather have a woman go through that then be harmlessly with another woman and happy? I find that to be the bigger sin. You are willing to see others suffer then let them be happy.
Now lets talk about Jesus. In not one of his scriptures did Jesus condemn homosexuals. NOT ONE! He befriended the underdog, and if a homosexual came up to him I am sure he would have embraced him and welcomed him. Jesus LOVED EVERYONE. He told us NOT TO JUDGE others.
Aren't we judging? Judge lest ye be judged? Love one another??? Don't those words make sense? You could say Jesus this and Jesus that but if you truly want to live your life by Jesus you must accept that Jesus was selfless. Jesus would have defended homosexuals as he did Mary Magdalene...a prostitute. He told them do not throw stones at her.....and He never judged her or her occupation.
A friend of mine sent me an editorial about her situation and I think it sums it up beautifully
Thanks to my friend Ally for this:
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A Loving All American Family? Well...maybe...
I am 24 years old, and have been in a solid relationship with my girlfriend for five years. We had dated, and been friends for more than seven years before that. She is 26 years old. Together we raise a wonderful little boy.
We have fairly decent paying jobs. We make enough to get by and pay our bills in this rugged economy, but it does not constitute for many extras. I have 4 years of college under my belt, and she is in the process of heading to college to get her degree.
We both have many interests and talents. I have skills and experience in drama, computers, music, political science, educating children, and foreign languages that include Spanish and French. She has experience with writing, literature, computers, music, and education.
We both did well in school, test with above average intelligence, and most of our days are spent at home where we run our own successful business. This allows us the luxury to homeschool our son, and spend a lot of time most parents cannot spend with their child(ren).
I am in a wheelchair. I have Spinal Muscular Atrophy III. This only affects me physically, not mentally. It is covered under the Muscular Dystrophy
Association. It is a degenerative disease that has slowly weakened my arms and legs. I was able to walk until I was 16 and then I became non-ambulatory.
My girlfriend takes care of all my physical needs. My father is deceased, and my mother wants nothing to do with me. My girlfriend takes care of me better than they ever could.
We sound like the perfect all American family. We have our rough patches but we are a close, loving, tight-knit family. Our son is polite and everyone thinks he is a bright, charming little boy.
Why does this matter to anyone? It's because I am a woman. Some may call me a lesbian. Some may even call me worse then that. All I know is that I have fallen in love with an amazing woman, who loves me back.
Around the age of 16 I began to realize I was a lesbian, as pueberty hit full force and I was finally able to admit that I was attracted to women and not men. Despite this fact, I fought it with all that I could. I was raised in a Catholic household in a conservative Christian town in northern Ohio. I spent many months crying, and hating myself for liking women. I tried to be straight and date men but I felt repulsed by forcing myself to like a man (similar to how you that are straight would feel if you forced to date someone of the same sex).
I was never one to sleep around and avoided sexual activity despite the fact that my father, who was told of my homosexuality by my mother, swore I needed to be with a man before I could determine if I really was gay. I of course told him that perhaps he should sleep with a man to make sure he was really straight because if he had not done so then how would he know.
I cannot tell you how many nights I cried myself to sleep wanting to be
straight.
I don't appear to have a manish appearance. Both my partner and I are quite feminine. We are monogomous and nearly inseparable. We also face more adversity then people may think.
We've faced a lot of governmental obstacles because we are not married, nor can we get married. If we were, she would have been able to get funding to care for me immediately. We would have been able to get funding to add a ramp which costs upwards of $2000 dollars, for our house. We would have an accessible bathroom because the state would pay for the cost of a bathroom with a roll in shower. We cannot afford $4000 dollars to make our bedroom and bathroom wider, so my wheelchair and hoyer lift can fit through the doorways. I wouldn't have to sponge bathe daily because we have a non-accessible bathtub.
Civil Unions are not equal as many like to think. There are 1,400 benefits
same-sex couples are denied that married couples are allowed. These benefits include 1000 federal and 400 state benefits.
In a civil union the 1000 federal benefits are denied. Civil unions are NOT
equal as the state decides if it allows a civil union not the federal
government. Likewise, homosexuals do not receive all of the same state benefits.
Marriage has been classified as a joining between two individuals. It has only recently been clarified by states as between one man and one woman.
For a political science class, I did a paper on same-sex marriage. After much textbook and statistical research this is what I have learned.
Some of the first legal marriages recorded or allowed in Christian society (documents have shown), were between two men, before 1 A.D. During the first century the defination was changed to allow marriage between men and women as well for reproductive purposes only. The first three centuries continued this practice. The reason for this was that a man should not love a woman he should only love
God.
The Bible's interpretations of new biblical texts are biased. If you read the
actual Greek and Hebrew translations the words that claim homosexuality is a sin can be translated in several different ways that really do not discrimate against homosexuality.
Likewise, as a Catholic who has done her research I should note that many Popes had homosexual lovers, openly. One even died after having intercourse with his male lover. Many great figures in time were openly gay or bisexual including Alexander the Great.
Same sex marriage should be allowed because committed same sex relationships do work. There are two main groups of homosexuals: couples and singles, just like straight groups. The singles, much like straight singles tend to be polygamous reporting several lovers a year, with a higher rate listed for single gay men.
However, having done significant research on marriages I can tell you that
nearly 50% of married straight couples report cases of adultery by at least one partner. Half that amount report adultery by both partners.
In committed gay relationships it has been PROVEN that both males and females are less likely, if at all to commit adultery. The relationships also tend to be more stable, and last longer. Children of these couples tend to be more well adjusted and compassionate toward others.
To dispute several opinions on why gay marriage should not be allowed, here is what I can prove, as a solid fact.
Statement: Homosexuals shouldn't get married or have a family because most of them are pedofiles.
Fact: Actually according to statistics from the U.S. Crime Bureau the #1
offenders of pedophelia are straight, white males between the ages of 25 and 35. This is the same age, sex, and race group as the majority of serial killers.
Statement: All Homosexuals are good for is spreading AIDS.
Fact: The largest percentage group that contract AIDS, according to several reports on AIDS, are straight black females. Lesbians are the least likely group to get AIDS, merely because it is harder to transfer fluids that contain HIV in them when engaging in sexual relations with another woman. The mouth is also the strongest oriface (at blocking infection).
Statement: Same-sex couples make bad parents, and all their children will turn out gay. The family unit is falling apart because of them.
Facts:The latest studies (including studies by the American Pediatric
Association) conclude children of gays and lesbians tend to be more well
adjusted, and there is no direct correlation between their parents being gay and them becoming gay in adulthood.
Statement: Marriage has always been between 1 man and 1 woman.
Fact: Documents and artifacts recovered from Ancient greece and Rome portray homosexuality (or at least bisexuality) as a norm. At one point it was considered normal (men with men). In fact the first marriages appear to be between two males, not men and women. It was later changed as a way to transfer property and ownership of women between men, and for reproductive purposes.
Statement: Homosexuality isn't natural.
Fact: Humans are mammals. Many other mammals engage in homosexuality (do not tell me you have not seen two dogs of the same sex that have tried to be with each other, because it happens- its nature) regardless of if they are homosexual or bisexual. I'm more apt to believe in nature most animals have bisexual tendencies.
Statement: Homosexuality between animals in nature shouldn't be supported, because animals in nature kill.
Fact: Most mammals do not kill their same species. Might I remind you we too are killers in our own right. Don't tell me none of you have a car with leather interior and none of you conservatives who are arguing against what is natural and what is not have not eaten a juicy steak with A1 on it, or stopped at a fast food restaurant to grab a burger or chicken sandwich to eat. Those animals were sacrificed for food for us. Animals only kill for two reasons usually when in nature, for survival (food) and for protection (defending themselves). Vicious or not don't we do the same?
Statement: If we allow same-sex marriages then the polygomists and those who support incest will want to have rights, too. Homosexuals are never monogomous anyhow. Fact:Same-sex marriages would be between TWO consenting non-related adults. Marriage is defined in the dictionary as between TWO individuals (it doesn't mention one man and one woman specifically). Homosexual couples are NOT condoning promiscuity. In fact, I am not promiscuous nor have I ever been. My girlfriend and I are both completely monogomous.
According to the Census bureau. In the 2000 Census over 600,000 households reported as same-sex households. Homosexual couples live in nearly every county in every state of the U.S. We are everywhere!
I propose everyone who supports gay marriage write to their representatives, the president, their state officials, and let them know that it isn't fair that we are being denied equal rights. On May 15 I am planning to write emails, call, and do all I can to let lawmakers know how I feel. May 15 can be an official day, to show our support. If we do not stand up for ourselves no one else will.
I hope you can all see my reasons for wanting to marry my girlfriend. It isn't just about the benefits its about legally being able to show my love for the one whom I am monogomous, and have been monogomous with since we got together.
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I believe my friend did not CHOOSE to be gay. I don't believe anyone chooses. It isn't learned. No two gays are abused, have men that hate them, etc. I know many well raised, well adjusted homosexuals and many that had harder childhoods.
We should embrace differences, not try to separate because of it. Jesus would want us to.