Atheist/non-religious thread

[cinnamoncockatiel]

I love that you're asking this in a friendly and curious manner!!
Being part of the LGBTQ+ community (standing for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer, the + representing the multitude of other genders and sexualities) is not a conscious choice. Think of it this way- you don't choose which ice cream flavors you naturally prefer. If you hate vanilla ice cream, but love chocolate ice cream, you didn't choose that. It's the same with sexualities- I am naturally a straight person (I identify as female, and I feel attraction towards those who identify as male) and @CHlCKEN is naturally a lesbian person (she identifies as female, to my knowledge, and feels attraction toward those who identify as female) and we have as much control over that as we have control over our flavor preferences for ice cream. If you think about it, if your sexuality or gender was a conscious choice, nobody would choose to be LGBTQ+, considering all of the discrimination these people face.

 

[docteurshepherd]

We'll hopefully move off of the debates soon

I hope so too. I would like this to be a rare place that's safe to talk to others who are likeminded or have similar experiences with something very personal without the fear of having to explain yourself constantly or debate that can be very tiresome. I don't engage anymore really. With real folks I will like one on one occasionally if they're the type where we can be respectful and understand eachother but it's not worth it anymore with strangers. Especially now with my trauma and current situation. I owe nobody explanations.

 

[arwoon]

It also cannot be created by sharks, or oak trees, or bacteria. Your point is?

I-
please say that this is a joke, I haven't read further yet

No joke not at all

 

[black_cat]

I have talked to god

to, but with? I could talk to chris evans or harry potter right now and they wouldn't know it, it doesn't mean that we're in a conversation.

 

[FrappcinoObsession]

Ummm... not always. A person very dear to me is in a same-sex relationship. But she was not born that way. As a young child she was sexually abused by males. Men and boys, and now she cannot trust them or be comfortable around them. But she is a very sweet, loving young lady, and the only way she is able to express that is with another woman. She is the reason I have developed more compassion for the lgbtq community. I know God loves her even more than I do, and I know He loves all of you too. I know He wishes these things had not happened to her, just as I wish it. And I know He understands her, and all of you. Perhaps ... maybe one reason for the lgbtq community is to reveal the hearts of the Christian community. We are told to love one another as God loves us, which is "unconditionally." If we cannot or will not do that, we may be very surprised, in the judgment, to hear God say to us, "Depart from Me. I never knew you. I was hungry, thirsty, naked, afraid, imprisoned... and you did not care for me. Whatever you did to the least of these, you did to Me."

But the point is you don't chose to be lgbtq. Its not a choice etheir. If you read this article https://theconversation.com/stop-calling-it-a-choice-biological-factors-drive-homosexuality-122764.

 

[black_cat]

Does anyone know what changes it then?

I personally do not know an answer to that.

 

[Aapomp831]

Ummm... not always. A person very dear to me is in a same-sex relationship. But she was not born that way. As a young child she was sexually abused by males. Men and boys, and now she cannot trust them or be comfortable around them. But she is a very sweet, loving young lady, and the only way she is able to express that is with another woman. She is the reason I have developed more compassion for the lgbtq community. I know God loves her even more than I do, and I know He loves all of you too. I know He wishes these things had not happened to her, just as I wish it. And I know He understands her, and all of you. Perhaps ... maybe one reason for the lgbtq community is to reveal the hearts of the Christian community. We are told to love one another as God loves us, which is "unconditionally." If we cannot or will not do that, we may be very surprised, in the judgment, to hear God say to us, "Depart from Me. I never knew you. I was hungry, thirsty, naked, afraid, imprisoned... and you did not care for me. Whatever you did to the least of these, you did to Me."

Wow..: it’s not a genetic mutation or a sin. Glad you found it on your heart to accept those people for doing absolutely nothing wrong. Love is love. And if god doesn’t like it then he’s not very worthy of our love and devotion.

 

[docteurshepherd]

I love that you're asking this in a friendly and curious manner!!
Being part of the LGBTQ+ community (standing for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer, the + representing the multitude of other genders and sexualities) is not a conscious choice. Think of it this way- you don't choose which ice cream flavors you naturally prefer. If you hate vanilla ice cream, but love chocolate ice cream, you didn't choose that. It's the same with sexualities- I am naturally a straight person (I identify as female, and I feel attraction towards those who identify as male) and @CHlCKEN is naturally a lesbian person (she identifies as female, to my knowledge, and feels attraction toward those who identify as female) and we have as much control over that as we have control over our flavor preferences for ice cream. If you think about it, if your sexuality or gender was a conscious choice, nobody would choose to be LGBTQ+, considering all of the discrimination these people face.

Another great example I use and have even used to convince my own mom, is that, do you choose to be straight? Because I (just an ally) sure didn't. And can you choose to be gay? Usually that's a no too. Then I say, can you imagine being with the same sex? Usually it's a no way. Then I ask, do you really think folks that are gay want to be? Why would they? Many are bullied, shunned, ridiculed, even abandoned by family and friends, all of these thing to a point of.. doing things that are very sad. There's no reason with all of that they'd want to be gay. Of course there's way more arguments like conversation therapy being unsuccessful etc but that's usually a good one I use as it puts it in their own perspective.

 

[black_cat]

No joke not at all

If you hold out your hand and drop something, why do you think that it falls to the ground??
What do you think keeps us all from floating?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Exactly! (I know we've cleared up that being LGBTQ+ doesn't mean you're going to hell, but I'm gonna say this anyways.)

If I were gay I'd rather live my life loving who I love, and living life and enjoying it and then later spending eternity in hell instead of hating life, being with someone who I don't love just because I'm told I have to just to, just to be "Worthy" for heaven.

Living a lie doesn't make you worthy of heaven. The Christian belief is that accepting Christ as your Savior is what saves you, and only that.