Friday, October 10, 2008
Quick Change
I just changed it so tat anyone should be able to comment now, I had no idea it was set differently before. Oops...
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Romans 1:26
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
This passage has been on my mind a lot lately. I'm sure it's not difficult to understand why. I bring it up here because I hope it starts a discussion about whether homosexuality is a sin or not. Now this seems to be very blatant, but I have heard an argument otherwise. It basically states that the wording means that these people went against their own natures. In other words, people who would normally not be attracted to the same sex were suddenly having sex with the same sex. On the flip side, someone who is normally attracted to their same sex would be in sin to have sex with someone of the opposite sex. personally I feel that this argument is on shaky ground and I am hoping that someone can either give me a solid explanation of how this works or has other information on how one can be gay and not be in sin.
This passage has been on my mind a lot lately. I'm sure it's not difficult to understand why. I bring it up here because I hope it starts a discussion about whether homosexuality is a sin or not. Now this seems to be very blatant, but I have heard an argument otherwise. It basically states that the wording means that these people went against their own natures. In other words, people who would normally not be attracted to the same sex were suddenly having sex with the same sex. On the flip side, someone who is normally attracted to their same sex would be in sin to have sex with someone of the opposite sex. personally I feel that this argument is on shaky ground and I am hoping that someone can either give me a solid explanation of how this works or has other information on how one can be gay and not be in sin.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Let's Get This Party Started
This may come as a big shock to some of you who read my blog. Scratch that, this WILL be a shock to some of you, that is if you aren't one the people I already told.
First, some background (which will most likely reveal what I'm about to say, but oh well!)
Up until high school I never felt like I fit in with many kids aside from 1 or 2 close friends. In high school that really changed. I don't know why but suddenly I found myself making friends with so many people I could hardly keep it straight. The interesting thing is that I befriended people from several different cliques that really didn't get along very well together. One of those cliques was the gay community of East High School. I think that happened when I started dating a girl that would later be a key figure in the formation of the gay/straight alliance at East High (although we had been broken up for quite a while before that happened). I'll call her EL.
Right after high school I joined the army national guard. I won't bore with everything that happened there, just one main detail. There was a time during basic training that my drill sergeant for some reason decided to take off his shirt in front of everyone. I must say that I REALLY liked what I saw. It was the first time that I admitted to myself that I had an attraction to men. I was still straight mind you, I couldn't possibly be with anyone other than a woman. When I came home from training I moved in with EL and her girlfriend. That didn't last long but while I was there I did consider that I might be gay or bisexual. When one of their friends propositioned me I stopped! It wasn't so much that I didn't want to be with a guy, it's just that this particular one was the ugliest guy I had ever seen, I mean he must have been born part troll. And he was supposed to be in a committed relationship but he wanted to cheat with me. I guess I figured if that is what I was going to attract I didn't want any part of it.
Fast forward a few months:
I had moved back in with my mother. Due to some really stupid financial decisions I had a lot of debt to pay and I was feeling very overwhelmed. I had left the LDS church and was searching for something. One day at work I just broke down. Thankfully I was alone, my job required me to be the first one there. I was in the back room just having a panic attack. I felt the weight of the world, the weight of my debt and my deep need for God in my life. On my way home from wok I decided that I was going to find the truth if I had to visit every church on he planet and piece the truth together for myself. Soon after that I changed jobs (I did that quit lot) and I was working at Hogi Yogi which I have to say was one of the funnest jobs I've ever had. During one of our slow periods this woman walked in. Now this was one of my off days. I was still feeling all the pressures that I had been experiencing and on his day I was particularly down. After I helped her she asked what was wrong or something and said she had something that she hoped would cheer me up. Then she invited me to church. That did cheer me up a bit since I had recently made that decision to find the truth. I went that weekend and soon I joined in their bible studies. I was baptized about 2 months later into the Salt Lake Christian Church (SLCC)
By this time I had pretty much given up on my attraction to men. It was there but I kept it caged up pretty well. Some time later (months? years? I'm not sure) DD joined. DD was... still is a very attractive man. We became good fiends. One day we were talking and he revealed that he had an attraction to men. I shared with him that I did as well and that I had pretty much just set that part of myself aside. At least that's how I remember it. DD seems to remember a slightly different conversation, but that doesn't matter much to my story.
Several years down the road SLCC had a rift suddenly develop over whether we should join with another church or not and SLCC split. A large number of us left (including myself but not DD) and joined with the other church or just left all-together. Some of us visited both churches which I later tried to do but it just didn't work out for me. From time to time DD and I would get together and play tennis or watch movies or something. I even tried to move into his house but due to problems with his family that didn't work out.
So a few days ago I went to the library to check my email and I pulled up My Space which told me my friends had new blog posts. I clicked on that and what did I see? DD had posted that he was leaving SLCC and going to find a church that is GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered) friendly.
And now this is where we get to the crux of my post.
I called DD up and and we got together to talk. At that time I revealed to him that I had always been attracted to him and we talked for a while. He invited me to a gay men's choir and I went and sang with them at one of their rehearsals. That was last Thursday. They told us that every Friday they meet at Tryangles and invited DD and me to join them. We did. Saturday morning my mother called me and asked me where I went. I told her I didn't know and she got upset that I wouldn't tell her. We hung up and I went back to bed. After laying there for 20 minutes I called her back and let her know that I was at a gay club and that I am bisexual.
Honestly, I am amazed at how easy of a coming out I had. Immediately I have a group of people to hang out with and my mother didn't get as upset as I thought she would. She scolded me for a bit but in the end she told me she will love me no matter what decisions I make and she hasn't said a word about it since then.
I know that pretty much anyone who reads this will know who DD is, but I used fake initials to hide his identity from those that could make life difficult for him. We have gone on a date, but so far that's all we have done. I'd hate for anyone to think our relationship is anything more than it is (at least for the present).
And for those wondering why I am posting this... I have realized that every time I Confess(?) what I am that I feel better about myself. It's like I am finally being who I should always have been. I hope that in posting this I can open up some discussion and that I can flesh out what it means to be queer and a Christian.
I have been reminded by DD that he did indeed leave the SLCC, but eventually went back. Sorry, somewhat faulty memory...
First, some background (which will most likely reveal what I'm about to say, but oh well!)
Up until high school I never felt like I fit in with many kids aside from 1 or 2 close friends. In high school that really changed. I don't know why but suddenly I found myself making friends with so many people I could hardly keep it straight. The interesting thing is that I befriended people from several different cliques that really didn't get along very well together. One of those cliques was the gay community of East High School. I think that happened when I started dating a girl that would later be a key figure in the formation of the gay/straight alliance at East High (although we had been broken up for quite a while before that happened). I'll call her EL.
Right after high school I joined the army national guard. I won't bore with everything that happened there, just one main detail. There was a time during basic training that my drill sergeant for some reason decided to take off his shirt in front of everyone. I must say that I REALLY liked what I saw. It was the first time that I admitted to myself that I had an attraction to men. I was still straight mind you, I couldn't possibly be with anyone other than a woman. When I came home from training I moved in with EL and her girlfriend. That didn't last long but while I was there I did consider that I might be gay or bisexual. When one of their friends propositioned me I stopped! It wasn't so much that I didn't want to be with a guy, it's just that this particular one was the ugliest guy I had ever seen, I mean he must have been born part troll. And he was supposed to be in a committed relationship but he wanted to cheat with me. I guess I figured if that is what I was going to attract I didn't want any part of it.
Fast forward a few months:
I had moved back in with my mother. Due to some really stupid financial decisions I had a lot of debt to pay and I was feeling very overwhelmed. I had left the LDS church and was searching for something. One day at work I just broke down. Thankfully I was alone, my job required me to be the first one there. I was in the back room just having a panic attack. I felt the weight of the world, the weight of my debt and my deep need for God in my life. On my way home from wok I decided that I was going to find the truth if I had to visit every church on he planet and piece the truth together for myself. Soon after that I changed jobs (I did that quit lot) and I was working at Hogi Yogi which I have to say was one of the funnest jobs I've ever had. During one of our slow periods this woman walked in. Now this was one of my off days. I was still feeling all the pressures that I had been experiencing and on his day I was particularly down. After I helped her she asked what was wrong or something and said she had something that she hoped would cheer me up. Then she invited me to church. That did cheer me up a bit since I had recently made that decision to find the truth. I went that weekend and soon I joined in their bible studies. I was baptized about 2 months later into the Salt Lake Christian Church (SLCC)
By this time I had pretty much given up on my attraction to men. It was there but I kept it caged up pretty well. Some time later (months? years? I'm not sure) DD joined. DD was... still is a very attractive man. We became good fiends. One day we were talking and he revealed that he had an attraction to men. I shared with him that I did as well and that I had pretty much just set that part of myself aside. At least that's how I remember it. DD seems to remember a slightly different conversation, but that doesn't matter much to my story.
Several years down the road SLCC had a rift suddenly develop over whether we should join with another church or not and SLCC split. A large number of us left (including myself but not DD) and joined with the other church or just left all-together. Some of us visited both churches which I later tried to do but it just didn't work out for me. From time to time DD and I would get together and play tennis or watch movies or something. I even tried to move into his house but due to problems with his family that didn't work out.
So a few days ago I went to the library to check my email and I pulled up My Space which told me my friends had new blog posts. I clicked on that and what did I see? DD had posted that he was leaving SLCC and going to find a church that is GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered) friendly.
And now this is where we get to the crux of my post.
I called DD up and and we got together to talk. At that time I revealed to him that I had always been attracted to him and we talked for a while. He invited me to a gay men's choir and I went and sang with them at one of their rehearsals. That was last Thursday. They told us that every Friday they meet at Tryangles and invited DD and me to join them. We did. Saturday morning my mother called me and asked me where I went. I told her I didn't know and she got upset that I wouldn't tell her. We hung up and I went back to bed. After laying there for 20 minutes I called her back and let her know that I was at a gay club and that I am bisexual.
Honestly, I am amazed at how easy of a coming out I had. Immediately I have a group of people to hang out with and my mother didn't get as upset as I thought she would. She scolded me for a bit but in the end she told me she will love me no matter what decisions I make and she hasn't said a word about it since then.
I know that pretty much anyone who reads this will know who DD is, but I used fake initials to hide his identity from those that could make life difficult for him. We have gone on a date, but so far that's all we have done. I'd hate for anyone to think our relationship is anything more than it is (at least for the present).
And for those wondering why I am posting this... I have realized that every time I Confess(?) what I am that I feel better about myself. It's like I am finally being who I should always have been. I hope that in posting this I can open up some discussion and that I can flesh out what it means to be queer and a Christian.
I have been reminded by DD that he did indeed leave the SLCC, but eventually went back. Sorry, somewhat faulty memory...
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
3 What Ifs...
1. What if God told you that your city was going to be destroyed (not nescesarily by him or by his choosing)but said
you could save yourself and any 5 people of your choosing? Who would you pick?
2. What if He said that the Earth would be destroyed? You could pick any 5 and you could try to repopulate the Earth but you don't have to and there is no guarantee of success.
3. What if the Earth would be destroyed and you could choose 5, you would all live as long as you wanted to without
depression guilt or anything else that would make life miserable but you would all be sterile?
My answers are below.
1. I would choose my mother, my 2 best friends, Thomas and James, and Thomas's wife and daughter.
2. I would choose try to repopulate the Earth. First I would plead with God to let me save 1 more (Yes I'm bending a rule I never said existed ;-) If successful I would choose Thomas and his family, and Jeff and his wife and son. The goal would be to try ad repopulate. If unsuccessful I wouldn't try and exchange my life. I would choose Thomas and his fam, and I won't eveal the other 2 because it might get me into trouble.
3. I would have to say the same people in 1.
Thomas, the blog post I told you about is coming soon, but it hasn't been written yet.
you could save yourself and any 5 people of your choosing? Who would you pick?
2. What if He said that the Earth would be destroyed? You could pick any 5 and you could try to repopulate the Earth but you don't have to and there is no guarantee of success.
3. What if the Earth would be destroyed and you could choose 5, you would all live as long as you wanted to without
depression guilt or anything else that would make life miserable but you would all be sterile?
My answers are below.
1. I would choose my mother, my 2 best friends, Thomas and James, and Thomas's wife and daughter.
2. I would choose try to repopulate the Earth. First I would plead with God to let me save 1 more (Yes I'm bending a rule I never said existed ;-) If successful I would choose Thomas and his family, and Jeff and his wife and son. The goal would be to try ad repopulate. If unsuccessful I wouldn't try and exchange my life. I would choose Thomas and his fam, and I won't eveal the other 2 because it might get me into trouble.
3. I would have to say the same people in 1.
Thomas, the blog post I told you about is coming soon, but it hasn't been written yet.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Evan Almighty
OMG, yes it is a blog post from me!
I just finished watching the movie Evan Almighty. (yeah I know, it took me long enough).
I 'm sorry that it took me so long. While the religious right probably cringe at the thought of God being portrayed by Morgan Freeman and Hollywood having the audacity to show a modern day Noah's Ark story that has a different ending than the original, I think this is a work of genius. I truly believe is working through this movie and it's prequel to get people's attention. So what if a few or several details are wrong, the point is to get their attention. And I am glad to see this happening in blockbuster movies.
I just finished watching the movie Evan Almighty. (yeah I know, it took me long enough).
I 'm sorry that it took me so long. While the religious right probably cringe at the thought of God being portrayed by Morgan Freeman and Hollywood having the audacity to show a modern day Noah's Ark story that has a different ending than the original, I think this is a work of genius. I truly believe is working through this movie and it's prequel to get people's attention. So what if a few or several details are wrong, the point is to get their attention. And I am glad to see this happening in blockbuster movies.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
The End of Broadcast TV?
OK, so I just learned (thank you Felix) that in 2009 TV is moving into a new era. Analog TV (what is broadcast over the airwaves currently) will no longer exist as of Feb 17, 2009. What does this mean? Old TVs that do no have a digital tuner will no longer work without a digital converter. Not to worry, they only cost about a hundred bucks and the government is offering $40 off coupons to be announced here.
And here is a link to all the info straight from the guys who caused all this turmoil. This site even comes with a countdown to the dreaded day of conversion!
It has been suggested that TV will no longer be free, but that is not the case, you just need t right equipment to get it.
----------------
Now playing on iTunes: The Doors - The End
via FoxyTunes
And here is a link to all the info straight from the guys who caused all this turmoil. This site even comes with a countdown to the dreaded day of conversion!
It has been suggested that TV will no longer be free, but that is not the case, you just need t right equipment to get it.
----------------
Now playing on iTunes: The Doors - The End
via FoxyTunes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)