Religious rights lies on marriage dismantled

[ladyinred]

The religious right states that God intended marriage between a man and woman and children as the ideal... that God had in mind...WRONG.. Nowhere in the the new testament is there a mandate from God for people to marry and have children, it is not a commandment of God in the new testament. Consider this, Paul and the apostles were not married and neither was Jesus.
I will say what Paul wrote about marriage and they were only guidelines, he did make a statement that married people could be more concerned with pleasing their partners than focusing on serving God..Some of the statements he made that it was not wrong to marry and another one if a man is consumed by passion , it is better that he marry than to burn with passion. Other comments he made referring to women who were single or had no husbands, I think it better that they remain even as I am(single.... in my opinion.. he said) Paul only gave guidelines about marriage, not one verse in the new testament commands that people marry and have children...
The ideal is to live a life of love and service to others, marriage is not a commandment by God or a requirement... of the law. The religious right evidently have not read the same bible I have....

[u-dog]

you may be on to something here Red. Paul expressed a CLEAR preference that his REALLY, SERIOUS followers should remain celebate so that they could focus on the Gospel...

So if all the Conservative, rightwing Christians remained celebate... and didn't marry... and didn't have ANY children... then soon...

Yes this idea has great merit! :lol: :lol:

[ladyinred]

But again it doesn't condemn marriage. and it's not saying that if we have partners, we can't serve in some way... even in the smallest of ways can count, how about reading to a child, helping an elderly woman who is wheelchair bound with her groceries, or serving our community ,churches,or our families in some way as well The words of Mother Teresa. "God does not command us to do great things, only little things with great love."

[ladyinred]

I seriously doubt if most people could fit the celibate life, even one book on God without religion, it says celibacy in moderation, but not as life long endeavor, The author was primarily targeting married couples about this saying that it doesn't hurt to abstain from sex at times, this is what he meant by moderate celibacy.. But what I was trying to point out is marriage really has no religious foundation, it is a matter of personal choice, not right or wrong as I think Paul pointed out.

[ladyinred]

And really there are times when each of us is celibate in certain times in our lives, like being single,or alone most of us aren't going to randomly go out and have numerous sex partners..and have sex with everyone we meet we may go through periods where we don't at all, but celibacy doen't mean sexless.There's other ways people have sex without partners, if you know what I mean. Of course if it were a requirement that heterosexuals had to abstain from sex and couldn't have partners, they could be accused of killing off the human race.LOL .
And not to offend Catholics, but this may explain child abuse at the hands of some priests...having no partners and having no sex at all could be what is driving them over the edge.

[ladyinred]

What I was trying to point out is that the religious right have said ,that the ideal in God's mind is to be married, heterosexual and have kids. It actually isn't an ideal... according to biblical standards , there is actually no requirement or mandate by God to even marry, as pointed out earlier in my above posts...this also is disputable because there are other families that don't fit this ideal.. families without children, couples who adopt, single parents and , children living with other people besides biological parents,yes even GLBT partners with or without children.. I didn't know God measured everything in terms of sex and having children anyway.LOL

[ladyinred]

I heard this preacher on CNN saying this about families.. God's ideal... but what in truth are gays doing that is so morally wrong, if they have partners and don't have ,or even have children? Whom in reality is it hurting.. The belief that GLBT people are destroying their marriages is not based on even sound logic. No one tells them to divorce, commit adultery , nor can glbt people be responsible for the dysfunction in their relationships..or families. I was watching tv, and it sayed 60% have admitted to straying from their marriages. Personally unless they need to leave the relationship for legitimate reasons, what is their excuse.. aren't they destroying their families and relationships then.. You cannot blame that on GLBT people.The sad thing about GLBT people, when they marry someone of the opposite sex , is they aren't really marrying because of personal choice or freedom to do so, as heterosexuals are entitled to...but because they are being forced into relationships by those who say they should convert and to conform because of societal and religious pressures, when it doesn't fit into who they are anyway... that isn't serving the institution of marriage either if it is based on a lie ... IF GLBT people were just free to be themselves, they wouldn't lie, try to cover up or marry somone just to conform.

[ladyinred]

Basically what the religious right is saying is, if you shape up, play by our rules and do what we tell you to do ,then you will be acceptable to us. I've read story after story about reparative therapy... I'm not even convinced it can change anyone....I've also listed websites and stories about the failure rate. These people who entered into reparative therapy often came from religious homes and were really intending to please God by changing... Many were in years and years of therapy, many said they lied and said they were cured so they could believe it themselves....and manipulated others into thinking they could be cured.. and get this, ex-gay ministries even payed certain people up to $65,000 to share stories that they were cured, no one on the websites I found about the damage exgay therapies do, were payed a dime... you have to be bribed to say you have been fixed by their therapy? I didn't know that authentic mental health professionals ever did that sort of thing.(not the ones I know or read about anyway)Here is another site I found....http://www.libchrist.com/other/homosexual/prodigylesbian.html

[ladyinred]

Knowing something about mental health, I can tell you what it is not.. something that causes a person to self -destruct and to destroy himself, it is based on a positive self esteem... and self acceptance.

[RainbowL'elly]

were adam and eve 'married' when the went forth and multiplied?

i know a lot of the sanctity of marriage argument stems from the fact that they say that since Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding, there's something special about it- however, it never does state that the special-ness of it came from the fact that it was a heterosexual wedding.

[ladyinred]

Yep I guess that heterosexual people think they are soooooooooooooooooo special,lol http://justspirit.blogspot.com/

[u-dog]

Here is an ironic fact about church policy in the Reformed tradition (Presbyterian, Reformed church in America, Disciples of Christ, some UCC) Our official policies are "tolerationist" (its OK to BE gay but you cannot be active sexualy) which is basically a kind of IMPOSED celibacy. The irony is that if you read the Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin he argues (in the sections about the celibate priesthood) that celibacy is NOT an act of will but rather a SPiritual Gift. He further argues that celibacy when it is given is NOT given for a lifetime but is rather given for a time or a season.

Consequently, he urges husbands and wives to give themselves to each other sexually but to use celibacy as a spiritual discipline in much the same way they might use fasting.

The apostle Paul, ALSO implies that celibacy is a spiritual gift and not an act of will. "Its better to marry than to burn (with Passion... not in hell)"

[ladyinred]

Ask yourself why are they so willing to impose on glbt people what they will not accept for themselves, to me that seems like torment to expect a gay person not to have a partner and be constricted to the so-called ideal of celibacy something they would never impose on themselves I might add.. Heterosexuals are free to enjoy sex in the context of their relationships, and GLBT people aren't? Double standard. The thing is you have to live by their imposed rules and they won't accpt you otherwise but they would of course never impose those standards on themselves.

[ladyinred]

And another mockery is they want you to accept their superiority and your inferiority as long as you keep in line with their rules you are ok.. as long as you admit that you aren't ok, it's fine with them, and if you live according to their standards and expectations then you are no more than their whipping boy whom they can degrade and dehumanize.. you don't have any rights or say concerning your life or how you are treated... to them you are subhuman...

[ladyinred]

She's only 27 but she is absolute doll.. She is one of my lesbian yahoo groups friends... And often she posts inspirational stuff. She's from Britain and we often talk about our cultures..

True Love

True love, as found in the Bible, is not the same as the common usage found in the English language and society. Today, what I think you'll find, is that what people think true love is, most often is confused
With infatuation. That elated, "high" feeling they feel when they "fall in love." That kind of "love" is something that typically lasts less than a year, and unless replaced by true love, results in broken relationships. They break up and then they start the process all over
Again. In a search for a constant "love" high.
The Bible talks about love:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast,
It is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not
Easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
I Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)
To me, that defines true love. The "real" love God has for us. These great "love" qualities can be found in a Christian, and I believe that they are the foundation in all true loving relationships.
What happens so often today, is that people get caught up in
"societies" values when trying to "find" love in their dating lives.
What they should be looking for is "Godly" values. All too often, they don't look for these great "Christian" characteristics. They look at physical appearance, popularity, or wealth. The values that society teaches us are important. I don't believe that these are the qualities that God looks at in us... So, why would you look for these characteristics in someone?
These values so highly favored by society, will not bring you a person of commitment or someone who will work hard at love. A person with these characteristics will work hard at physical appearance, popularity and wealth.
If you want true love. If you want to experience God's love in your life. Look for a person full of "God's" love. A person with Godly values and characteristics.
This Valentine's Day, let's put God's love back in our day, our
Relationships and our lives.
In God's Love,



Keep one thing in view forever- the truth; and if you do this,
though it may seem to lead you away from the opinion of men, it
will assuredly conduct you to the throne of God.

[ladyinred]

Charles grew up in poverty in a New York ghetto. His 'tough guy' image served him well until he was severely handicapped by a gunshot wound incurred in a street fight. His spine was shattered, and he was paralyzed from the waist down.
When I met Charles, he had just completed training in a rehabilitation center and was looking for a job at The Floating Hospital. Charles wanted an opportunity to teach children how to avoid getting into trouble the way he had. He became part of my staff and an inspiration to everyone around him.
One day I walked into one of our classrooms and found Charles sitting with a group of children surrounding him. He was answering all the burning questions that young people have when they look at a handicapped person.
"What does it feel like not to be able to walk?"
"What should I say to someone in a wheelchair?"
"How do you go to the bathroom?"
At one point, Charles asked the group what they thought a handicapped person wanted the most.
"Friends!"
"Right!" answered Charles, and all the children spontaneously jumped up and hugged him, shouting,
"I'll be your friend!"
I don't know who got more out of the session - Charles, the children, or me.

On another occasion we were giving a party for a new group of senior citizens. Although we had hired a three-piece band for the festivities, the seniors were hesitant about getting into the swing of things. All of a sudden, Charles pushed his chair into the middle of the room and started "dancing" with the music.
"Come on, everyone. If I can get out here and dance, so can you."
Within minutes, he had everyone dancing, laughing, singing and clapping. His spirit was infectious. The strangers in the room quickly became friends. He never missed the opportunity to show people that, with a positive attitude, value can be created from anything that happens to you in life.

I had plenty of opportunities to talk with Charles. He told me that in the early days of his disability he had lost all hope, all will. As he described it,
"It wasn't easy for a macho kid to lose his ability to walk, let alone to lose all control of his bladder and bowels."
He was referred to an excellent rehabilitation center, but refused to be helped. The center was about to send him home to make way for someone who was willing to take responsibility for his own life. That was the turning point. Charles knew that if he was sent home, he would have no chance at all. This was his moment to say yes or no to his universe. His thankful he chose to say yes.

Once that choice was made, his progress was remarkable. Opportunities opened up to him that he'd never thought about before. He decided that his life could have a purpose: to help others in their struggle, whatever that struggle might be. He would be a model, saying,
"If I could do it, so can you."
Charles admitted that, strangely, he was grateful now for his handicap, because it made him aware of how much he had to contribute to the world.
Before the accident, Charles had been blind to the fact that his life had meaning. Now he believes he was more handicapped before the accident; only since then has he derived satisfaction from living.



Keep one thing in view forever- the truth; and if you do this,
though it may seem to lead you away from the opinion of men, it
will assuredly conduct you to the throne of God.

[ladyinred]

Notice the bottom quotation which is why I posted this here.