almanya chat

Applicable stats from http://www.frc.org – Family Research Council

Homosexuality, Not ‘Homophobia,’ Is Health Risk

Some startlingly honest quotes from researchers who have studied the health of homosexual men were published by a “gay” newspaper in Michigan last week. Speaking of one study at a conference of the American Public Health Association late last year, former U.S. Centers for Disease Control researcher Ron Stall, Ph.D., M.P.H., said, “You had a syndemic [interconnecting epidemics] situation going on among a group of men, 80 percent of whom were college graduates, three-quarters of them were white, who were living in some of America’s richest zip codes, and yet they had a health profile that looked like they were living in a favela [hillside slum] in Brazil.” The gay newspaper article blamed these health problems not on the choice to engage in homosexual conduct, but on society’s “homophobia.” Yet that “homophobia” obviously wasn’t severe enough to keep these men from getting college degrees and earning enough to live in “America’s richest zip codes.” Another CDC researcher, Richard J. Wolitski, stated that homosexual men report being victims of childhood sexual abuse at “rates that range between 12 and 37 percent [which is] much higher than rates for other men, which typically range from 1 to 4 percent.” And those who “came out” as “gay” at an earlier age were the most likely to have had “forced sex before they were 18.” Isn’t it time we acknowledged that a cycle of sexual exploitation, not homophobia, is the source of these harms?

This is a statement with which bitblt agrees. Indeed, the most important story in the NT is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

On the other hand, if one studies the NT and doesn’t come to appreciate the importance of marriage – to the man and woman in the marriage, to the offspring of the marriage, to the community at large, and to God – you’re ignoring what’s obviously an important lesson in the NT. See Matthew 19 where Christ says that the Creator intended for a man and a woman to be “one flesh.” This “one flesh” is a union that only and man and a woman can share. You can also read the Apostle Paul who repeatedly uses marriage as a metaphor to describe the relationship of Christ and the Church.

The NT even says that there were homosexuals who gave up the practice after believing in Christ.

Christ was a Jew, and in the NT there is never a suggestion that He disagreed or repudiated Jewish sexual mores. Further, the NT never suggests that a sexual sin in the OT is – for some reason – Ok in the NT.

Reading the linked newspaper article bitblt sees that Larry was living in a shelter for abused children, and this fact suggests a question.

Where were Larry’s parents? Was Larry in a shelter because he was a homosexual and his parents could not deal with this, or had Larry adopted a homosexual persona as a way to get attention because he had been abandoned? Who knows.

bitblt has the feeling that this story has a bunch of layers.

bitblt is suspicions that’s there’s an “Irresponsible Male” in the back story of the shooting and would guess the probability of an “Irresponsible Male” being the root cause of this tragedy at about 85% – that’s 5 in 6.

Perhaps Brandon also had the influence, or lack there of, of an “Irresponsible Male.”

How many problems would never exist if people gave marriage the respect that the NT says it should have?

No, bitblt doesn’t know. However, bitblt believes it makes more sense to say that someone wasn’t teaching Larry and Brandon a safe, responsible way to live than to say that this tragedy was caused by Christians who know what they believe in the area of responsible sexuality.

Aside: How many millions of lives, and of dollars, would be saved in Africa if there was a strong tradition of one man one woman forever? How many people – in the world – are miserable, sick, or dying because of illicit sexual relationships?

I’ve always believed that should stop. Now is as good a time as any to say so.
Comment by missmolly — February 29, 2008 @ 1:06 pm

I agree completely, Miss Molly, and said so above. It likely won’t go over well…

Comment by Zooey — February 29, 2008 @ 1:10 pm

Interesting discussion. I mentioned, a few months ago, how odd it was for libs to use gay slurs as their insult of choice. The only comments were in support of the use of those slurs.

“I am able to respect ALL these beliefs because all these people practice their religion without wanting laws passed that force others to comply with their beliefs.”

This is the real tough one because there are lots and lots of people that DO want laws passed that force others to comply with their beliefs. It is very very very hard to distinguish the two types of religious people. Not criticizing the ones that do want to force their beliefs is paramount to acceptance by apathy. This situation is what makes being a good human being a challenge.

Comment by missmolly — February 29, 2008 @ 5:59 pm

Again, missmolly, you said it better than I.

THIS is why you enjoy the esteem of so many here. Well, this and your healthy snark button.

Comment by Keltoi — February 29, 2008 @ 4:49 pm

I actually do know people who believe that being gay is a sin and that gay marriage is blasphemy. I know people who have other religious beliefs as well.

My closest friend is a Muslim, and she believes that eating pork is a sin. Ditto drinking alcohol. I have another friend who is an orthodox Jew — he won’t eat pork OR shellfish, and he won’t mix meat and dairy in the same meal, because this violates the laws of his faith and are therefore sinful. He also has a real thing about tattoos, and he won’t drive his car on the Sabbath. I once had a co-worker whose religious beliefs forbade jewelry, make-up, and playing cards — all of those are sinful.

I am able to respect ALL these beliefs because all these people practice their religion without wanting laws passed that force others to comply with their beliefs.

So if someone believes that being gay is a sin, or engaging in gay sex is a sin, or entering a same-sex marriage is a sin — I say that if they want to abide by these guidelines personally, fine. I would only say that person is a bigot and/or a hater if he showed hate for somebody who didn’t follow those particular rules. Just as I would criticize someone who tells me I can’t eat a cheeseburger because it doesn’t mesh with THEIR doctrine.

Comment by nanlichi — February 29, 2008 @ 4:50 pm

Actually, I have one, but it doesn’t work because I have a habit of snacking while I post. Those darn crumbs keep getting underneath the keys…

My snark key, however, works just fine.

Comment by Keltoi — February 29, 2008 @ 4:49 pm

I’ll disregard your Affirmative Action comment because it seems to seek to simplify a complex question to a dismissive soundbite.

As far as your hypothetical about one whose religion teaches him that homosexuality is wrong, I’d say this: if you are a Christian and among the most important lessons you get out of the New Testament is the homosexuality is wrong, your study is being guided by issues far afield of Jesus’ message.

Of course one can be taught and believe that homosexuality is a sin. One can also be taught and believe that the mixing of races is a sin. Or that Jews are evil. Or that God commands us to kill infidels. I think one who reaches the age of being able to reason for ones self and still maintains those beliefs is a bigot, yes. Pretty much by definition he is a bigot.

And your second question, about the reasonably good-hearted conservatives, of course there are. I’m not one who says that all Republicans are bigots or hate gays or hate atheists. I think the majority of Republicans are good-hearted and principled people who have different priorities than I do. But I think, since Republicans are historically a minority party, they are vulnerable to the temptation to exploit hot-button issues to energize their base. Karl Rove perfected this. Many of those hot-button issues are rooted in bigotry and hatred of The Other. If I were a Republican, I would be deeply troubled by this.

Heck, even as an American, I’m deeply troubled by it.

Proper southern plural would be “all y’all’s”. Then again, I grew up in Southern New Mexico. ;-)

Comment by nanlichi — February 29, 2008 @ 5:07 pm

Me too, got an SCA tourney this weekend, gotta keep the world safe for Feudalism. Have a good one, all.

I am out of here. You all have a good weekend. I mean y’all, SM.

Comment by nanlichi — February 29, 2008 @ 4:50 pm

Whereas RHF’s keyboard resembles the Staples “Easy” Button, it is pure vitriol.

Comment by Democrat Soldier — February 29, 2008 @ 4:34 pm

Well, Obama himself said set is aside, so I have done the same. The Bob Kerry quote and retraction is undeniable public record. Ralph calling BS on my point regarding Hillary playing the Muslim fear card doesn’t hold water.

The vitriol key is right next to the sarcasm key, every keyboard is different. The vitriol key cause you to type stuff like “Eat shit and die you stinking pile of dog puke. Your mother braids her pubes!”

Missmolly’s keyboard is defective, it came without a vitriol key.

Comment by ralph the wonder llama — February 29, 2008 @ 4:17 pm

Are you referring to Affirmative Action? Not sure that particular can of worms needs opening….

BTW, suppose your religious beliefs informed you that being gay was a sin and that gay marriage was blasphemy. Do you have a right to follow your moral convictions and not get called a hater and a bigot? I am asking sincerely here; I am not sure if you can answer me though, because like me you can’t imagine having such a thought process, but try it for a second.

Hm. It is tough.

Okay. Are there any good hearted, non-hating Christians who could reasonably support the GOP because they line up with their most basic moral structure? Or are they all hypocritical closeted homophobes that want to kill all the gays?

no problem.

Actually, I think that power attracts the corruptable. When you’re willing to “do what it takes” to get the money/power, you’re more likely to gain that money/power.

I fully understand that there are those on both sides who brush their opponents with broad brushes. I do confess that I believe this to happen more often on the right than on the left, but neither side can claim purity. And I may just be wrong! One never knows!

My mother’s favorite axiom is one I try to remember: don’t be so open-minded that your brain falls out, nor so close minded that your brain suffocates.