God and sexuality... revisited

[Bluebiyou]

What's a good topic if you can't beat it to death?

In my internet travels, I came upon a (let's presume true for the sake of argument) comment that:
Basically introduced everyone to the 'Decadence' Labor day celebration in Nawlins (New Orleans, NOLA), pointed out the party was cancelled in 2005 due to Katrina, but this year, organizers vowed to stay regardless of weather. It looks like Gustav should be hitting NOLA Monday.
Get out your Phred Phelps waders.
Could God be punishing Nawlins for sponsoring such sin?

I just HAD to respond with:
Do you really think God has such a fragile ego that he needs to 'smite the sinners' with a hurricane?
Real sin is about harming others, not what grown folks voluntarily do in the bedroom. And by the way, the 'homosexual offenders' Paul referred to were prison rapists (remember Paul spent some time in prison?) not gay men.

[elian]

doubtful..I'm more inclined to believe it's the increased stress on the environment from a multitude of factors that is making the storms worsen in intensity..and if anybody is doing anything they are doing it to themselves.

Really wish people would stop waiting for the aliens to swoop down 'an save 'em - Take responsibility for own life - if you want a better world use your own two hands to make it better.

[elian]

..and don't get me started on God and Sex - all that whitewashed crap .. the worst thing organized religion could've ever done was take all the humanity out of existence - and they really are trying, aren't they?

<grumble, grumble, rant>

[darkeyes]

Verily..and man created God in his own image..

.. and man fell and worshipped at the altar of his God and found no peace...

[elian]

There are times when it's appropriate, but I've always resented being TOLD what to do. My relationship with "God" got a lot better when I stopped thinking of the divine as a subservient child/parent relationship and started thinking of it as a loving partner type of relationship.

Yeah, maybe it sounds a little twisted, but I suspect that's only because my mind was twisted so far the other way to start with.

[darkeyes]

Me relationship wiv God always been jus as me likes it... me neva spoken 2 'im/'er/it..an 'e/she/it neva spoken 2 me..

[TaylorMade]

What's a good topic if you can't beat it to death?

In my internet travels, I came upon a (let's presume true for the sake of argument) comment that:
Basically introduced everyone to the 'Decadence' Labor day celebration in Nawlins (New Orleans, NOLA), pointed out the party was cancelled in 2005 due to Katrina, but this year, organizers vowed to stay regardless of weather. It looks like Gustav should be hitting NOLA Monday.
Get out your Phred Phelps waders.
Could God be punishing Nawlins for sponsoring such sin?

I just HAD to respond with:
Do you really think God has such a fragile ego that he needs to 'smite the sinners' with a hurricane?
Real sin is about harming others, not what grown folks voluntarily do in the bedroom. And by the way, the 'homosexual offenders' Paul referred to were prison rapists (remember Paul spent some time in prison?) not gay men.

No. I will never forget what my pastor said about Katrina as punishment:

"If God wanted to punish New Orleans. . .there wouldn't be a New Orleans left when He was done. Katrina was not punishment. Katrina was just weather."

*Taylor*

[Papelucho]

When did people start calling New Orleans NOLA? It's weird how something like that catches on so fast...

I agree with your response Bluebiyou, If God wanted to kill sinners he'd start with the ten commandments, not offhand remarks in leviticus that have been taken out of context.

[FerociousFeline]

God and Sexuality.

I believe that what the essence of God is....is Love.

Therefore, if God really IS love, then relations between any two people who are relating to each other and performing acts upon one another as an EXPRESSION, of love, is what God intended.

Also, it necessarily follows, that if God is Love, then God is not hate.

Therefore Love does not punish. (it's contradictory)

Therefore to punish is not Love, not God.

Personally, I think that homosexuality is God's way of making sure EVERYONE ......has someone to LOVE. This is why people who abuse others who lay with same sex are not observing God's will, because they are NOT loving their neighbor as themselves. They aren't Loving at all.

Just Love.

FF

[Bluebiyou]

When did people start calling New Orleans NOLA? It's weird how something like that catches on so fast...

I think it either started or caught on in aviation. I've heard pilots along usa gulf coast refer to NOLA for several years.
Besides, it more closely matches the southern Louisiana (local to New Orleans) pronunciation, "Nawlins".

Shoot, any Cajun from Slidell kin tel ya that! Uhhh huh!

[TaylorMade]

God and Sexuality.

I believe that what the essence of God is....is Love.

Therefore, if God really IS love, then relations between any two people who are relating to each other and performing acts upon one another as an EXPRESSION, of love, is what God intended.

Also, it necessarily follows, that if God is Love, then God is not hate.

Therefore Love does not punish. (it's contradictory)

Therefore to punish is not Love, not God.

Personally, I think that homosexuality is God's way of making sure EVERYONE ......has someone to LOVE. This is why people who abuse others who lay with same sex are not observing God's will, because they are NOT loving their neighbor as themselves. They aren't Loving at all.

Just Love.

FF

I disagree. . .love can punish, not out of malice, but to teach a lesson so that one doesn't hurt oneself further. Love DOES discipline, ask any parent. My parents punished me, and they did love me.

I don't see a contradiction.

*Taylor*

[darkeyes]

I disagree. . .love can punish, not out of malice, but to teach a lesson so that one doesn't hurt oneself further. Love DOES discipline, ask any parent. My parents punished me, and they did love me.

I don't see a contradiction.

*Taylor*

Kno wotya mean Taylor.. peeps punish outa luff 2 teach through discipline... they do it for otha reasons 2 eitha cos they think thats how it shud b an punish often brutally cos they don kno ne betta.. an peeps punish also brutally cos they like it... lukkily me mum an dad neva laid a hand on ne of us an we will neva raise a hand 2 our kids.. ther r otha ways an lessons learned much betta wivout brutality or even a simple slap..all that teaches is that clattrin peeps is ok..

Now if we talkin God punishin.. if ne a the tragedies in the world is God punishin..all me can say is 'e/she/it a tad heavy handed an indiscriminate..an wot lessons do we learn from ne a those punishments? Wen we wer punished in ne way we wer told wy an reasoned wiv an made 2 undastand wy we had 2b disciplined... don c ne a that goin on.. funny way 2 luff innit?

[TaylorMade]

Kno wotya mean Taylor.. peeps punish outa luff 2 teach through discipline... they do it for otha reasons 2 eitha cos they think thats how it shud b an punish often brutally cos they don kno ne betta.. an peeps punish also brutally cos they like it... lukkily me mum an dad neva laid a hand on ne of us an we will neva raise a hand 2 our kids.. ther r otha ways an lessons learned much betta wivout brutality or even a simple slap..all that teaches is that clattrin peeps is ok..

Now if we talkin God punishin.. if ne a the tragedies in the world is God punishin..all me can say is 'e/she/it a tad heavy handed an indiscriminate..an wot lessons do we learn from ne a those punishments? Wen we wer punished in ne way we wer told wy an reasoned wiv an made 2 undastand wy we had 2b disciplined... don c ne a that goin on.. funny way 2 luff innit?

English English please today, Fran.

*Taylor*

[darkeyes]

English English please today, Fran.

*Taylor*

Ya knos very well jus wot me sed Taylor hun... besides...like u..me not English...

[TaylorMade]

Ya knos very well jus wot me sed Taylor hun... besides...like u..me not English...

I know you're not English, but after dealing with a lot of Spanish and mangled English today and being up to HERE with it, the language sectors of my brain are burned to a crisp. I am not in the mood to play translator for anything, including Scots dialect.

*Taylor*

[darkeyes]

I know you're not English, but after dealing with a lot of Spanish and mangled English today and being up to HERE with it, the language sectors of my brain are burned to a crisp. I am not in the mood to play translator for anything, including Scots dialect.

*Taylor*

Poor Taylor..bad day huh??? Soz hun..jus take nice long hot bath.. steep..an then feet up an chill... we all hav days like it hun... an its hell..

Jus 1 teensy wee thing..nowt me typed wos in Scots dialect... sed it before.. but no matta... main thing is ya gets yasel unfrazzed an bak 2 bein ya ole luffly self... kissie.

[<<GOD>>]

Jus 1 teensy wee thing..nowt me typed wos in Scots dialect... sed it before.. but no matta... main thing is ya gets yasel unfrazzed an bak 2 bein ya ole luffly self... kissie.

Incorrigible.....but very cute! Geeeez what a combination

Your Friend
<<God>>

[darkeyes]

Incorrigible.....but very cute! Geeeez what a combination

Your Friend
<<God>>

*thinks* me mus b goin potty.. hearin voices... God don exist...

[JoeErl]

Talk about getting off the subject. Ended up with a war between Taylor and DarkEyes. Personally I think that God created sex for our pleasure and enjoyment. Through sex He can also punish us. Not tonight dear, I have a headache. See what I mean.

[darkeyes]

Talk about getting off the subject. Ended up with a war between Taylor and DarkEyes. Personally I think that God created sex for our pleasure and enjoyment. Through sex He can also punish us. Not tonight dear, I have a headache. See what I mean.

Taylor an me neva at war.. we often hav differences of opinion..but war a bit strong.... an bout time u learned this is .com wer threads take on ther own life an ther own way.. an is wot makes forums fun...

An off subjext?? Arguably.... no moren that..

*chucks Joe sum paracetamol*

[Bluebiyou]

I like what Fran said:

Verily..and man created God in his own image..

.. and man fell and worshipped at the altar of his God and found no peace...

... and what Taylor said:

No. I will never forget what my pastor said about Katrina as punishment:

"If God wanted to punish New Orleans. . .there wouldn't be a New Orleans left when He was done. Katrina was not punishment. Katrina was just weather."

*Taylor*

...and add my own... this is all assuming the existence of God.
Certainly if God 'planted' us and we are merely a crop to be harvested, we're Shit Outta Luck no matter what we do.
Assuming an omnipotent being could come up with much more efficient ways of growing 'crops', it kind of makes more sense (especially in line with omnipotence) that God would be not only kindly, but giving God. Certainly someone so far above me and my maturity as I above the least creature on Earth.
So, to wit. Why would an omnipotent God create physics, the universe, subsequently us (by whatever means, evolution...) just so he could fry us like a sadistic 14 year old boy would fry ants with a magnifying glass? Especially whenever we didn't stroke his ego. The God-with-a-sadistic-14-year-old-boy-ego model just doesn't "fit" an omnipotent being.
Even as an occasionally devout Catholic I suspect most of my religion has little/nothing to do with God. But Love... there's something there. The better we understand love as we mature, the less self serving we tend to be, and more giving; certainly less egocentric.
And so throughout the christian bible we watch God grow from a tantruming teenage father who burns his children under the magnifying glass for the least of trespass upon His ego... to a loving God who endures and suffers for his beloved children - mankind.
I wonder if it was not God who grew, but us, mankind in our understanding of who and what God is... what he must be.

And thus the matter of sexuality is moot to true spirituality.

[Lienda]

I agree with you about the "hurricane is sent to smite the sinner" line. Oh brother! These things just happen. Our world is loaded with problems, and God "sends" them all? It annoys me because the person who says that acts like he is in charge! I don't get that idea! Why don't we accuse him of 'sending' mass murder while we are at it... nope, wait.. idiots already said it for 911, despite that fact it was because of human choices. Not saying thet very many Christian religions support gays though. Alot don't really. But, the "God sent this disaster" thing? *eye roll*

[darkeyes]

I like what Fran said:

... and what Taylor said:

...and add my own... this is all assuming the existence of God.

Me assumes u referrin 2 Taylor ere Blue.. cos nowt me has eva sed has eva assumed ne such thing..in fact everythin me has eva stated 'ere or ne wer else implicitly rejects wiv a pash such an idea.. wich is wy me a passionate believer in the man created God tale...

[darkeyes]

Me assumes u referrin 2 Taylor ere Blue.. cos nowt me has eva sed has eva assumed ne such thing..in fact everythin me has eva stated 'ere or ne wer else implicitly rejects wiv a pash such an idea.. wich is wy me a passionate believer in the man created God tale...

Soz blue..iggie the above... skim read wotya sed partly cos me wos knackered, partly cos me wos irritated (not wiv ne 1 on .com foreya ask) an partly cosa lakka time 2 take it in properly... it still holds but now me knos wot yas referrin 2 will shut me gob an hold me peace..

PS still irritated..bein visited by a dork so am hidin out fore me loses me nut an upsets sed dorks gf.. aka Fran's big sister!!!.. Goin bak now.. will b nice 2aforesed dork.. eitha that or ya will read bout me arrest an incarceration for dorkslaughter...

[Sarasvati]

I believe in God but not in the God of the religions.

Their God is a human plaything, a tool for the (MAN and WOMAN)ipulation of others employed by the powerful for their own prof(phe)it. They give balls to their God by castrating the sexual nature of those who are the very source of their religion - us!

The God I believe in is a guiding light that assists you in choosing which direction to go in when the route ahead is confusing. You may still take the wrong turning, things may go otherwise than you hoped but that's just the point when the light strikes!...and you sit there scratching your head as you begin to realise....oh yes

This God can not be affected by me, I am subservient to this God and what's more, this God is an illuminator who elevates us from our primordial nature.

To all the car drivers out there, imagine getting up one morning, getting into your cars then finding out all the roads, the motorways and all the maps have disappeared. And there is no news about this and no passers by to ask. Where are you going to drive to now, how will you find the way, indeed what questions will you ask yourself? Can you rely on memory? You may need a guide from a different place entirely...

This thread really concerns the relationship between religions and sexuality not God and sexuality.

Emancipated sexual pleasure can be a beautiful way of bringing people together, of nurturing and caring. of learning, of overcoming divisions and fears, of reaching out for something new and bright.

The association of sin with sex that our Christian heritage gives us adds an edge of danger to sexual behaviour that is utterly tantalising to many of us. But it also leads to appalling sexual abuses.

Making sexual desire forbidden fruit has a mesmerising effect, it grabs you by the nuts and drags you right in. The priest grabs one nut, the devil the other. Or perhaps the priest grabs ours because the devil is grabbing his.

Is there not indeed a scent of erotic fantasy in the coiling entanglement of the posts above between TM and DE. Momentarily, they seem suspended in a disharmonious dance with each other. A dance which will surely be resolved by a mental coming together that mirrors a physical coming together.

I would like to encourage the view that sexuality can be wrestled from those who employ it to bring suffering and return it to those who see it as a way of bringing healing, warmth and LIFE.

[elian]

Yes. That is a very unique - very beautiful way of looking at the issue. Thank you Sarasvati.

[<<GOD>>]

*thinks* me mus b goin potty.. hearin voices... God don exist...

You know often I hear voices when I go potty as well Fran sometimes it's

"Hey!! Don't forget to put the damn seat Up!" or occasionally

"Hey!! Don't forget to put the damn seat Down!"

I'm not quite sure what it means but I know I'll catch Holy Hell from Mrs. God If I don't sometimes even I wish I didn't exist and I'm sure there are a few on here who DAMN sure wish I didn't exist LOL it's tough being <<God>> Fran and it's OK if you don't acknowledge me...I wouldn't want you to be guilty by association...but I still really like you, I really do!! especially when you do Franspeake

Your Friend
<<God>>

or Your non-existent friend
<<God>> ?

[Delilah]

As God would say... "laissez les bon ton roulette"

[darkeyes]

You know often I hear voices when I go potty as well Fran sometimes it's

"Hey!! Don't forget to put the damn seat Up!" or occasionally

"Hey!! Don't forget to put the damn seat Down!"

I'm not quite sure what it means but I know I'll catch Holy Hell from Mrs. God If I don't sometimes even I wish I didn't exist and I'm sure there are a few on here who DAMN sure wish I didn't exist LOL it's tough being <<God>> Fran and it's OK if you don't acknowledge me...I wouldn't want you to be guilty by association...but I still really like you, I really do!! especially when you do Franspeake

Your Friend
<<God>>

or Your non-existent friend
<<God>> ?

[darkeyes]

Taylor hun.. we gonna havta do summat bout S an how 'e pictures u an me...