The voice of logic and reason is not being so rational right now.
It's okay, Dr. Dan, I will respond. I already stated that I am straight ally. I don't know what gives you the idea that anything I say suggests that I might be a homosexual. If anything, it is those of you who make anti-gay remarks that suggest that it is you posters who might be gay since homophobia and gay bashing is often the result of insecurity of one's own sexuality. So don't worry, I won't engage in any homosexual behavior, but not because you or anyone else on here says that it's inappropriate. It's simply because I am straight and don't have homosexual desires. I am straight not by my own choice. I am straight not because that's how my parents raised me. I am straight because that's how nature made me! If I did have homosexual desires, believe me, I would engage in them and wouldn't give a damn about what any of you have to say about it.
I do happen to know gay people who are close to me and know what great and gentle people they are and know the extreme hardships that they need to go through in life as a result of how society condemns them for making this "choice" as if it would be a choice to be mocked, bullied, and condemned! I also have a former friend who was the biggest hateful homophobe I have ever met in my entire life. I saw what kind of a vicious hateful [censored] he became, not just as a result of being a homophobe, but just was a really mean spirited vicious person and his homophobia was just one manifestation of his personality. When I first met him, he was one of the most gentle and friendly person I ever met. It was only as he went through the baal t'shuvah process that he really changed and became the biggest racist, bigot, homophobe, and just the most mean spirited jerk I have ever confronted in my entire life. It's just so unfortunate that I see many of the same expressions coming from many of the posters on here.
I can say the same to you that you might be gay or know someone gay who is close to you. If either is the case, I urge you not to beat up on your gay friend since THAT would not be appropriate.
I find your remarks to be extremely chutzpadik with you assuming I'm gay as well as saying I "mistakenly" voted for Obama. That's your opinion. Don't get facts and opinions confused because THAT is a mistake. I'm not offended by you suspecting that I'm gay, but I'm offending because of the reason you think I'm gay. Trust me, anyone like me who has no problem with gays and abhors homophobia is secure in their sexuality. It is only those who hate gays that are the ones that are probably gay themselves.
You present yourself as being supportive. But in reality, it's a bit condescending, and I do expect better from you, Dr. Dan.
No need to reply to this, Daniel, but it sounds like you might be a homosexual or know someone close to you who is one. If this is true, we are not here to force you to do anything. You have free will. However, if you are doing it, we recommend that you don't and that it is inappropriate. And if there is anything else we can do to help we will try and help.
And if I am way off, I apologize sincerely...
Most of us are aware that you are a liberal and that mistakingly voted for Obama.
No, what I'm saying is that by boiling things down to whether something is right or wrong by stating that, "Well, it's wrong because G-d said so" is simplifying things.
To exclude religion from the question of morality is simplifying things in a detrimental way.
I say this because I strongly believe that many things that we claim that G-d says is wrong was simply made up by humans and then they put these words into the mouth of G-d in order to try to control people's behavior.
Then, that's not "simplifying things" to claim G-d calls something wrong, it's actually a fraudulent lie according to this belief. Of course, I think your belief is wrong and have no reason to think it's right.
I know that this might be a very blasphemous thing to state on this forum. But it's honestly what I believe.
I gathered that you believe that, and that was why early in the discussion I had said "In Judaism this behavior is a sin. Period. It seems that you're coming from a place where you don't care what Judaism says. So there is no way to have a commensurable conversation. However, the Jewish community functions with adherence to our peculiar Jewish religion."
At the time, I had thought we were discussing gay "marriage."
In any case, there is actually something I'd like to ask based on your above belief which can actually result in a commensurable conversation about a different subject. Namely, do you think that the author (or whoever you think wrote it) of the Torah was intelligent?
And hey, I haven't been banned yet for expressing these beliefs.
I don't think you're going to be. Is there a reason you should?
But I won't be surprised in the least if I ever am.
Really? Why?
I dunno. Perhaps you're right. I just sometimes think that if I were to reveal the entire truth about who I am, what I believe, and how I behave, that I would not be tolerated on this forum. But that hasn't happened yet. I wonder if I should completely reveal everything about myself and see what happens. What I can basically say here is that I love Israel and am currently against the peace process. That's one thing that we can all be in agreement about. But aside from this, I'm on the opposite end of many other issues.