homosexuality

Last night's Theology Discussion focused on the issue of same-sex marriage initiatives. As California has an initiative on this November's ballot, we thought it proper that the CrossLeft community speak out in the whole matter.

Those present (Rich Warden, Bill Peltz and Steve Rockwell) developed a sense that due to the wide variety of opinions/positions on homosexuality we should make a statement presenting a range of perceptions, not a formal position endorsing or opposing the initiative.

From our on-line discussion on homosexuality we have the sense that some of us favor gay marriage, others feel it is a civil matter; such separation of church and state - that no one religious tradition should tell another what to do or that the state should not deny homosexuals the right to marry, civil unions being one solution. Some feel it is a spiritual matter, that civil unions do not go far enough, that marriage is a matter of two consenting adults brought together by Our Creator, living in a committed relationship built upon love. We desired to affirm gay/lesbian people in a manner consistent with our beliefs and our feelings.

Nowhere in the New Testament do I find any reference to Jesus and homosexuality. Why I ask? I suspect it has to do with he being concieved, by divine plan, in the lowliest of stations in ancient Jewish culture that he was accepting of all persons, without exception.

As Our Creator accepts all of divine creation without exceptions, Jesus was conceived in this lowliest of states as Our Creator's living example of unconditional love for all, no matter their station in life. Moreover I believe Jesus could see into the hearts of all who came before him, and saw the love in their hearts. He understood that sexual orientation is a condition of birth, not a choice and thus accepted everyone where they were. Hence he did not, and could not, condemn anyone for being who they were by the nature of their birth.

I don't know what search engine pointed me to this reprehensible website, do search engines have any control over the sites they list? If so, this site must not be seen by anyone and must be purged from all the search engines results.

www.legalizerape.org seems to be put together by a group advocating for the legalization of rape. It's anti-woman (the webmaster refers to any woman as "Strongwoman," as if they're trying to compromise the integrity of our strength.

It is also anti-gay, calling gay men "masculivoids" or simply gay "men," as if they're ridiculing gays' gender-identities.

I'm just trying to form a group to rid the web of this hateful speech. Please help by getting in touch at nowim33@aol.com.

The Lying Vanity of Sexual Orientation