A comment on "What would you do if your child told you they were gay?"

[micki76]

Bush has nothing to do with my views on Christianity or Christians at all. It's more from my own personal negative experiences.

[Jods]

I was and am I guess brought up Catholic. My Father is Catholic and my mom is not. I was put in a catholic school because the schooling was better, it was the only school close to my house and my parents choose that school. When I was 6 or 7 the priest went to my parents and said that if I was not Catholic I would be kicked out of the school. Even though to this day I can still name people who weren't catholic at the school. So I was MADE catholic. I do believe in a God, but I question a lot of things I was taught. Not saying they aren't true just that I questioned them. I was frowned upon for questioning them. I guess were supposed to just believe and shut up. Once a month we were forced to go to a school mass and we'd also once in a while have to go to confession. I did it and shut up. I always wondered about confession we'd go tell a priest our sins and he'd tell us to say a certain amount of Hail Marys or Our Fathers. Whenever I said a whole list of sins I'd only get a few prayers if I said hardly any sins I'd get a whole whack. Why??
To this day I don't know what I believe, and for that I'd be kicked out of my religion I guess. Why can't I think for myself?? If my child came to me and told me they were gay I would yes be shocked, but I wouldn't condemn them, tell them they were a sinner and make them feel like crap. I would accept it and move on. Is it really that big a deal? I don't think I could ever be gay, but who says I'm right and they are wrong. Everyone can live their life to the fullest the way THEY choose and I'll live mine the way I choose.

edit: Wanted to add I have no harsh feelings towards anyone for anything they choose to believe.

[Christiansmommy]

I have to agree with Carole, i sometimes wish that these threads were never started.

Undoubtedly, there will be arguments, when something as controversial as this topic is brought up. We have a hugely diverse group of people here at Pettalk, with very differing views on religious topics, political topics, etc. Luckily, we pretty much all agree on one thing and that is loving animals, and caring for them and sharing our stories with one another. I do wish, at times, that Pettalk could go back to how it was before the Dog House was started. The Dog House seems to become so over whelming at times, and just gets in the way of this Animal Based Forum that Pettalk initially used to to thrive on...pets and pet stories...it makes that part of it get pushed aside....

Lets face the facts, yes we do have freedom of speech, and that is kinda why the Dog House was added to this forum, but somethings, we, as a community, are NEVER going to agree on, or be able to discuss without someone's feelings getting involved...you learn things about people that you wish you never knew about people, when the nastiness takes over in the Dog House...i just hate to see discord...

Granted, you do have the option to never read/take part in, the Dog House to begin with...

Anyway, i did not read any of the original thread, but i hope that anyone who got feelings hurt, from it, can just feel comfortable enough, again, to post back in the animal sections of this website, and leave this section alone, b/c, it really, is more trouble that it is worth, IMHO. ((((HUGS))) everyone.

Robyn

[Christiansmommy]

BTW, i am a born again Christian, and I have had several gay friends, and one of my cousins is gay. Would I ever show hatred toward these people? Never!! Some of my gay friends were some of the nicest people I knew...do i agree with their lifestyle, no, i don't...period. But i would not disown a child or friend for being gay. ..and i think that answers the original question to the thread.

[nibblets]

I have to say that I read only the topic and I have not read any of the comments yet.

If my son came to me and told me was gay....I would tell him I love him and i would support him completely. I would be more devastated if my son came home and told me he was in a gang or if I found out that my son was drinking heavily or abusing drugs.

I have had many gay friends and aquaintances over the years and I truly feel that if I had 'shunned' them because of their sexual orientation I would have cheated myself out of knowing some remarkable people.

My belief is that God intended for us to be compassionate, tolerant and understanding with our fellow humans. Something there is way to little of in our world. I am much more worried by those who carry guns and are not of stabile mind and temperment. I would be worried that those who are full of homophobia and hate in their hearts towards gays that my son's life may be threatened because of it...but not the news of him being gay.

Now I'll go read the rest of the thread and see where my opinion falls into the mix.

[nibblets]

after reading the thread...

I agree a lot with what Jonza was saying.

I understand that many people have strong religious beliefs about the subject. I work with an extremely devout Catholic...and I know that he feels very very strongly on certain subjects. I do not agree with his beliefs...and I don't expect him to agree with mine. We get along fine...even though he is certain that myself and several other coworkers will burn in hell. I suppose when it is my turn to answer for my sins....I'll find out if I should have listened to him.

We humans need to get our priorities straight and learn to live together...we just may need one another for a hand up. Mother Earth has been unleashing her fury around the world...do you think the poor victims of the tsunami or the mudslides give a hang as to whether the person reaching out to help them has a sexual preference different from their own. No...in the grand scheme of things...it is not our sexuality that proves what sort of human we are...but our actions and our compassion for others. It is the human spirit to band together in times of need. So why would we be so exclusive in times of normalcy?

[molucass]

My parents are "homophobes".
If I were to tell them that I like girls they would kick me out and probably never talk to me again. That's just the way they are.
I've dropped subtle hints before just to get their views on it, and they are completely close-minded. In fact, most of my family is that way. I am glad that I am not.
I am dating a girl right now and as much as I would love to introduce her to my parents and tell them how I feel, I just can't.

If I ever have children, and they were to tell me they were gay/bi/lesbian, I would be completely fine with it. I would still love them for who they are and would help them in any way I could.

[Twisterdog]

I think the gods are laughing at us.

I agree!

And when they get tired of laughing at us, maybe they'll wipe the slate clean and start over with a wiser species at the top of the food chain, eh?

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by lbaker
... and my invisible god is better than your invisible god nah nah nah

But my god is bigger!

My god has a big belly and sits cross legged with his breasts showing.

BOO YA!!!!


.....ah, I mean BUDDHA!!!!!!!!!

-------------------------------------------


I remember the good old days when Homophones were words that sounded alike, not a category of people.

[Karen]

That's homonyms, Richard! No phones involved!

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Karen
That's homonyms, Richard! No phones involved!

I knew that.

I just SPELLED it wrong.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I am going to say....RICHARD is right....in this war on words...

homophone

n : two words are homophones if they are pronounced the same way but differ in meaning or spelling or both (e.g. bare and bear)

homonym

n: one of two or more words that have the same sound and often the same spelling but differ in meaning, such as bank (embankment) and bank (place where money is kept).

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Edwina's Secretary
I am going to say....RICHARD is right....in this war on words...

homophone

n : two words are homophones if they are pronounced the same way but differ in meaning or spelling or both (e.g. bare and bear)

homonym

n: one of two or more words that have the same sound and often the same spelling but differ in meaning, such as bank (embankment) and bank (place where money is kept).

I think I am going to quit while I am ahead.



You know that Don Henley of the Eagles was asked about a possible Eagles' reunion.

He answered, "when Hell freezes over".

Hence the name of the live album.


I am scared.

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Randi
.... and in Denmark, Bank is where you keep your money - or to get beaten up.

Bank ordered to pay robbery victim

An Austrian bank has been ordered to pay a customer almost £10,000 compensation for being attacked and robbed in the street.

The woman had picked up £20,000 cash from the Bank Austria Credit Anstalt in Vienna after ordering it by telephone
She was then attacked by two men, who sprayed pepper spray into her eyes before grabbing her bag, as she walked back to her apartment just 500 metres away.

The Vienna Industrial Court ruled in favour of the woman, who claimed the men had been watching her collect the money, and found the bank partly responsible.



The judge said the bank manager should have invited the woman "into a discrete, secluded room" instead of giving her the money in full view of other customers.

[carole]

Although this thread has been dormant for a while, I decided to post on it, as this discussion was raised in my home yesterday.

My daughter had a bit of a crush on one of her earlier school friends brother, she is 12, he is 14 going on 15, however it came to my attention yesterday he was leaving our city and being sent to boarding school about 4 hrs away.

To cut a long story short, this young man was been given a hard time at our local unisex school, why? Yes you guessed it, he has come out and told everyone he is GAY.

This young man tryed to committ suicide by cutting his wrists, and apparently he has told my daughter and friends his mother now hates him.

I thought I would post this, just so people can understand just how hard it is for gay people in our society today, even though it is more tolerant than it was, we still have a long way to go in accepting different life styles.

My heart goes out to this young man, I have been aquaintances with him since he was quite young, not in a big way, but my daughter used to play with his sister, I am sad to hear his mother has reacted this way, she is re-married to a Doctor, surely you would think he would be dealing with gay people all the time and would beable to help her through this, it appears they are sending him away , to save face and embarrassment, shame on them.

They are sending him to an all boys school, I wonder how that will work for him.

So give a thought to this young man, who's life is in turmoil right now.