Great topic!! I was raised Luthran but tried so many different religions when I came out to myself as a lesbian at age 19. Over the years I have read about many different religions and find they don't really fit me. I am spiritual. I believe in God, Jesus, and the holy spirit. I believe in the bible but I believe it has to be read with a grain of salt. There have been so many translations and they translated a word to mean gay that does not mean gay is what I seem to have learned. There was no word for gays back then in those languages. The puritans made it bad. If you read history they didn't think you could have sex between two women and it was called romantic friendships and was not thought bad of until like the 1800's. Even then it was not bad all over. I believe that when we die we have heavenly bodies, with no gender. I believe when the bible say's be fruitful and multiply it is speaking in terms of spirituality. To bring people to God. I believe that in the bible they never once mention lesbians. I have never read about lesbians and I have read the whole bible. Unless of course they left that part out, but why would they do that. Also, many religions have said many things were wrong and then changed it later. It was not legal for black and whites to marry each other until the late 1900's. Wow! That is shocking. So, many of these laws, etc. are man made and I am not going to give up my life for these man made rules that I do not believe in and that might someday change. Hugs, Laurie
I was raised a Catholic and was very devout for a long time. Things started happening for me and I kind of fell away from the faith for three reasons: women can't be priests and priests can't marry, their views on reproductive rights, and of course, their views on homosexuality. For awhile I was a "Metholic", sort of a cross between Catholic and Methodist. This occured when the kids were young. Dh was a nonchurch going Methodist.
Now I am a recovering Catholic and will always be. Deeply spiritual. I must admit that I do miss the pleasure that meeting for worship brings-especially the singing. It fills my heart with so much love that I think it might burst. I think that the supreme being is nongendered(who has feminine tendencies) and loves me for who I am and the woman I will be every day. I follow the supreme being of the natural order of the world and seek a deeper meaning from all that I am connected to.
I guess that in the end we will either: a. not know because there isn't anything else, or b. we will ALL find out what the supreme being feels about our earthly contrivances.
One of the first things my mother asked me after I came out was, Do I still believe in God & Jesus? In spite of my doubts about the validity of the Bible and the role it expected women to play, I'd not really questioned my christian upbringing enough, so I was able to answer 'yes' to Mom.
Now if I said yes, I'd be lying. I WANT to believe in God, not for miracles but for the hope that our relationships with loved ones don't end in death. I WANT there to be something more. No idyllic heaven, no judgement.. just more time with the ones I love.
I feel that I'm in a transitory stage right now, that my mind isn't yet
I don't think that this is the least bit offensive. I think that all views, presented respectfully, promote thought and dialogue. Isn't that what we are partially about here. I found your opinions to be very insightful. Thanks for posting.
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*Hugs
I was raised Luthran but tried so many different religions when I came out to myself as a lesbian at age 19. Over the years I have read about many different religions and find they don't really fit me. I am spiritual. I believe in God, Jesus, and the holy spirit.
I believe in the bible but I believe it has to be read with a grain of salt. There have been so many translations and they translated a word to mean gay that does not mean gay is what I seem to have learned. There was no word for gays back then in those languages. The puritans made it bad. If you read history they didn't think you could have sex between two women and it was called romantic friendships and was not thought bad of until like the 1800's.
Even then it was not bad all over.
I believe that when we die we have heavenly bodies, with no gender. I believe when the bible say's be fruitful and multiply it is speaking in terms of spirituality. To bring people to God.
I believe that in the bible they never once mention lesbians. I have never read about lesbians and I have read the whole bible. Unless of course they left that part out, but why would they do that.
Also, many religions have said many things were wrong and then changed it later. It was not legal for black and whites to marry each other until the late 1900's. Wow! That is shocking. So, many of these laws, etc. are man made and I am not going to give up my life for these man made rules that I do not believe in and that might someday change.
Hugs,
Laurie
My web pages
http://homepage.mac.com/lauriedav/PhotoAlbum1.html http://hometown.aol.com/didoangst/myhomepage/photo.html
I feel very similarly to the way you do, Shannon. I was brought up in a Protestant, moderate church. The God I have grown to have a relationship with
Good topic, Caly.
I was raised a Catholic and was very devout for a long time. Things started happening for me and I kind of fell away from the faith for three reasons: women can't be priests and priests can't marry, their views on reproductive rights, and of course, their views on homosexuality. For awhile I was a "Metholic", sort of a cross between Catholic and Methodist. This occured when the kids were young. Dh was a nonchurch going Methodist.
Now I am a recovering Catholic and will always be. Deeply spiritual. I must admit that I do miss the pleasure that meeting for worship brings-especially the singing. It fills my heart with so much love that I think it might burst. I think that the supreme being is nongendered(who has feminine tendencies) and loves me for who I am and the woman I will be every day. I follow the supreme being of the natural order of the world and seek a deeper meaning from all that I am connected to.
I guess that in the end we will either: a. not know because there isn't anything else, or b. we will ALL find out what the supreme being feels about our earthly contrivances.
I think I am a mess with this. lol
Hugs
Blue
Hey Laurie!
Thanks for replying.
LOL Blue,
One of the first things my mother asked me after I came out was, Do I still believe in God & Jesus? In spite of my doubts about the validity of the Bible and the role it expected women to play, I'd not really questioned my christian upbringing enough, so I was able to answer 'yes' to Mom.
Now if I said yes, I'd be lying. I WANT to believe in God, not for miracles but for the hope that our relationships with loved ones don't end in death. I WANT there to be something more. No idyllic heaven, no judgement.. just more time with the ones I love.
I feel that I'm in a transitory stage right now, that my mind isn't yet
Nony,
I don't think that this is the least bit offensive. I think that all views, presented respectfully, promote thought and dialogue. Isn't that what we are partially about here. I found your opinions to be very insightful. Thanks for posting.
Hugs
Blue
Pages