Songster

Hyper, I have honestly tried not to be offensive in stating my opinion here, and believe that another's life choices are their own soul's responsibility. I am not trying to force my morals on anyone, and I resent it when others deride, denigrate, cajole, or otherwise try to force me to accept, approve, condone, and applaud an act that I believe to be contrary to the Laws of God (and then condemned me for not amending my opinion to match their views).

Dan, I think that Romans 1: 32 - "Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." - is also fitting. Though I believe that "spiritual death" is implied here, as even those that try to obey God's commands must experience a physical death. I also think that the DEMAND that others accept and condone their acts is a rationalization that "It must be OK if it meets with another's approval." To'na, since the term homosexuality was not coined until the 20th century, Jesus could not have used the word. The word he would have used is "sodomite", and though he did not single them out from others in need of His message of Forgiveness, they were definitely among the crowds that he preached to and several of those that were exorcized of demons were practicing "sodomites." (I must also add that I find your choice of words in the above post curious. I know that I did not use the word "freaks", and I don't believe that anyone else has used the word. I find it very interesting that in your prophetized future, when our numbers will be reversed, that you chose to use the term to describe heterosexuals.)

Meredog, I don't think your post is in accordance with the rules for posting in this forum.

Thank you all for your patience..... The Question- Is homosexuality a genetic trait, a psychological disorder, or the result of environmental/social disfunction? The fact of the matter is that the causes are still being debated. Since I do not hold the medical or psychological degrees that would enable me to answer your post with the authority that such an education would bestow, I must rely upon the doctrines and teachings of my Faith, the writings of qualified professionals, and my personal background and experience to form the basis for my opinion. I recognize and accept the medical fact of the exitance of hermaphrodites as individuals possessing the genetic anomaly that produces both male and female organs in a single being. Despite the fact that some cultures (American Indians being but one example) assign these individuals religious significance, most cultures prefer that their citizens assume the roles determined by their physical forms, and life in those societies with strict cultural and religious mores may be difficult for hermaphrodites. Since I am personally acquainted with a pseudo-hermaphrodite that was raised as a male and latter had surgery to become a female, I am well aware of the emotional conflicts and social difficulties faced by those individuals, and I empathize with them (and with you, To'na) Though there have been several studies conducted that suggest that homosexuality is genetically linked or biologically influenced, even those that initiated projects intending to prove the biological/genetic connection have denied the certainty of their findings. Rather than paraphrase the entire text, I will insert here several quotes from one of the articles- "Some researchers have studied twins. The study by Bailey and Pillard, published in 1991, reported that when one twin is homosexual, the number of times the other twin is also homosexual occurs more often than the general rates of homosexuality in society. The media reported this as proof that homosexuality is genetic. But Bailey and Pillard themselves clearly stated that this study did not prove that homosexuality was solely caused by something genetic. Interestingly, this study also looked at the rest of the family and found that the rate of homosexuality among the rest of the family, including adopted brothers was 200-300% more frequent than the general rate in society. And so the data indicates that something is causing homosexuality to occur more frequently in the families that were studied but that it can not be genetics because the increase also occurs in adopted brothers who do not share any genes at all with the rest of the family." To me, this would indicate that the determining factor here was the subject's environmental circumstances rather than genetics. "Most researchers agree that homosexuality is multi-causal and complex; many factors contribute to the development of same-sex attraction. Most researchers, including Dr. Dean Hamer, the "gay gene” researcher who is himself a gay man, agree that homosexuality is due to a combination of social, biological, and psychological factors.” "Human choice can be accurately viewed as one of the factors influencing the development of sexual orientation but this does not mean that people consciously decide their sexual orientation. No one decides on a specific day that from that day onward that they will be a homosexual or a heterosexual. No one can decide that they will experience opposite-sex or same-sex attractions. Instead, sexual orientation is shaped and reshaped by a series of many choices and response to circumstances in one’s life and enormous social and cultural pressures." Even if one cannot choose to change the feeling of attraction to another, they most certainly must make an active decision (choice) to act upon their desire. I was born with a gene that makes me more susceptible to the effects of alcohol and was one of the causes of my becoming an alcoholic. I am personally, physically, and emotionally attracted to long-neck bottles of cold brew. I could choose to indulge my passions, but knowing that my addiction to the bottle is not in my best interests (or society's), I have learned to deny myself the pleasure of satiating my desire. (I realize that it's a stretch to compare the two, but it was the best example I could construct to illustrate one's ability to over-come a biological impulse.) "....is homosexuality genetic or is it a choice? The answer is neither. The simple question of what causes homosexuality appears to have a rather complicated answer. And we do not have to adopt a simplistic either/or approach when looking for what causes homosexuality." Although I disagree with part of the above quote, I have included it here strictly to demonstrate that not only is the jury still out, but it appears to be deadlocked. Conclusion- When I was in college in the 70's, homosexuality was listed in texts as a psychological disease (although the texts have now been changed to read otherwise). I am just a man, a product of my education and environment, with no claim to superior intelligence nor an infallible judgment, so I may be mistaken. However, until my GOD instructs me differently, I will have to continue to rely upon my morals, education, and personal experience, and will continue to act according to my conscience and the tenets of my Faith. That being said, IN MY OPINION, only those persons with the particular genetic disposition or mutation that determines they are hermaphrodites are "entitled" to choose their sexual orientation without social or religious censure. Others, those that are born "whole" and deviate from their genetically determined and socially accepted roles are either suffering from a social or psychological disfunction/disorder, or using their FREE WILL to defy the established morals and standards of the community in which they live and the Laws of the Creator. http://www.exodusglo...g/causesc37.php

There are several carols that I like, but only two that I can sing (due to my limited range)- "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "We Three Kings".

(I started this yesterday afternoon but had to leave before I could post, and though several have responded since then, my position has not been altered by their positions or opinions.) So, Tsuki .... are you making the correlation between this "syndrome" and an individual's sexual orientation? From what I've read on the net concerning the phenomena, the jury is out as to whether it (BIID) is caused by a genetic abnormality, a neurological disease, or a psychological disorder, and I'm not sure that the gay and lesbian communities would appreciate the connection you have made between the two "conditions" (thus inferring that sexuality is also influenced by one of the causes above and is therefore unnatural or abnormal) and conclude that their behavior was beyond their control. I personally do not think that homosexuality is genetically influenced (which some would use to excuse the acts and make the behavior "acceptable"), but a conscious choice made my an individual in defiance of social and religious mores. I've no doubt that some may find my personal opinion objectionable and will certainly condemn me for having dared to make my opinion public. So be it.... I don't seek your approval of my actions, why insist on my approval of yours?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA! That was EXCELLENT!!!

My sincerest condolences on your family's loss, Scotty.

There is no deeper death than ignorance and unbelief.- The Aquarian Age Gospel of Jesus Chapter 91, verse 44

The haiku posted by me in this forum is my work, and my property, and I retain the copyrights to my property.

Thanks, Grateful! Danny was a special person, always out-going and witty, and made friends instantly. There were so many people at his service that it was standing room only. Even with the constant reminders of his presence, we miss him deeply. Fawzo, that would scare the devil out of me. I wouldn't be able to sleep in the same room again. KingFisher, that's funny! Are you an avid bowler? I've got a dozen balls in the garage gathering dust. My father bought a building that had a bowling alley on the second floor. Everything was still there- shoes, balls, pins, a couple trophies. I found balls that fit each of our kids and made 12 lamps out of the pins. He ended up selling the equipment to a Brazilian company that came in and hauled off everything but the paint off the walls. (I would have liked to get part of one of the lanes (6" thick teak) to make a butcher-block table, but they wouldn't part with any of it.)

Thank you, Bro. Al! I've got a good 10 years of reading lined up to do now.

Fawzo, our oldest son said something simular when we talked about it- "If he's leaving me dimes because he knows I need the money, I wish he'd at least leave quarters." Mark, It is a comfort, thanks. Thanks, Bro.Mike. Although my wife and I have had a hard time dealing with our loss (I really thought that the passing of her "favorite" was going to kill her too). Our love for Dan hasn't changed, and we often find ourselves laughing when we're reminded of him. (He was a Micheal Jackson fan and would start "moon-walking" everytime he heard a MJ song.)

There are coincidences, and then there are phenomena.... To which would you ascribe the following? Everybody finds the occasional penny or nickel, but my family has been finding dimes..... Two years ago, my wife and I lost our son, Danny. After the initial shock of his passing, the long grieving process started. We still talk to, and about, Danny every day. Anyway, a couple days after his funeral, a friend of ours was telling us that Danny would let us know when he was near by leaving a dime where we would find it. I wrote it off as a "wives tale". That day, my wife went into Dan's room alone to lay on his bed. When she she came out, she told me that she felt that Danny had been sitting next to her, and when she looked on the floor, right next to his dresser was a dime. (Dan was a "neat-freak" and would never have left one there on purpose). I didn't think anything of it, as Danny could have accidently dropped it there before he passed. The next day she went back in his room and yelled for me to come in with her. When I got there, there on the floor was another dime. Again, I didn't think it was anything, in fact, I thought it was the same dime that she had seen the day before. I picked it up and put it in my pocket, and checked the rest of the room for lose change. There was no more lose change anywhere in his room, but the next day she found another dime, this time on top of his pillow. She continues to find dimes everywhere- there were 4 more in his room, a couple in the grass next to his beach chair (Dan worshiped the sun), 5 on the bottom of the pool, it's almost everyday that she finds one. Over the last couple years, my wife has found about $10 in dimes. The other day our oldest son said he's been finding dimes too. It's strange.....but is it just coincidence? Or is Dan showing his presence? Have you heard of this "wives tale" or witnessed a simular event?

Nicely done, Bro. Al!

Yes, Sir! I stumbled across the site a couple weeks ago.That's where I found the Aquarian Age Gospel of Jesus. I finally finished it, and am on my second reading. I'll have to look around the rest of the site once I've thoroughly digested the AAGJ.

Yep, but they couldn't scratch out all of the references. They had to leave in the passage that says that the Baptist was Elijah returning to announce the coming of the Messiah. There's also the verse about one of the blind men that Jesus healed. The disciples asked if the man was born blind because of his sins or his father's sins, and the Christ told them that the man chose to be born blind just to allow the Christ to heal him.

I don't want to discourage you but I buy most of my books from yard sales and thrift stores, so I probably won't be one of the first 10.

Don't be like that, Rich. There have been many great writers that never made any money from their writing. Some were not even recognized as "great" until long after their deaths. Do not let rejection deter you from doing what you desire. (If I had quit writing music after my first bad review, then I would have never known the "high" one gets from the sound of applause.)

Bring it!

Having never heard of "The Book of the Wheel(s)", I googled it and got a list of "Books on Wheels" - a dead end. Next, I tried "Sefer haGilgulim." I googled it, and came up with several sites. The first 2 were from amazon advertising their copies of the book. I checked out all of the sites in order until I came upon this one- http://www.jonnywaxman.com/gilgulim/index.html - in which the title is given as "The Book of Re-incarnations" and references the Akashic records as the source of the information. I have not been able to ascertain whether it is accepted (in whole or part) as a tenet of Judaism, or just by Kabbalists. Most Christian churches renounce reincarnation as false doctrine and those that promote it are ostracized and excommunicated. Rabbi, how do you (or others of your faith) reconcile the differences between the two camps and keep the faith united? Or am I mis-informed and there are as many different sects within the Judaic faith as there are in the Christian?

A gray morning mist In coiling cloaks of comfort Covers dreaming streams.

OK, thanks, Ed!

Hi, Murph, I had this problem yesterday too. When I click on my name to acces my profile, or content I follow, messages, etc., the only thing that comes on the screen is the status update box. When it happened yesterday, refreshing the page worked. That is not the case this evening. No biggy, and no hurry, but thought I'd bring it to your attention. Thanks!

They say the hardest part of sitting in the chair...... is waiting for someone to flip the switch......