I am a pretty conservative Christian and I work at a REALLY conservative Christian school and I grew up in a church that was SO conservative it could be described as a cult and I have NEVER heard anyone speak with hatred about gays. I have heard the behavior described as sin and I do know people who seem to think it is a worse sin than other sins which I disagree with. But the only time I have ever heard a Christian vehemently expressing hatred for gays is the occasional whack job on TV. In fact, based on the number of Christians in that other post who said they fully support gay marriage, I can't even say that hatred of gays is widespread including in Christian circles that I am familiar with. Although I do know a lot of non-Christians who are pretty verbal about it. And I won't even talk about the attitude of the Muslims in this country toward it. You know, Sharia law and all that....

:iagree::iagree::iagree: But I love Plankton!!!! :tongue_smilie:

I'm at home right now so I don't have the list with me but when I get to school I will send it to you. We only have time to do 18 chapters. Choosing which ones was brutal!

That is awesome news. :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

Nope but we just had to institute a new rule against "cup checks". :glare: Middle school boys drive me nuts (including my own).

I would love for my answer to be beef but it's not. :glare: It is so expensive here. So my answer is chicken... but I am still pouty about it. :tongue_smilie:

We eat at a real table (and the TV is turned off) and I ate at a real table when I was a kid.

:lol::lol::lol: You are so funny!

:iagree:

Thank you. :grouphug:

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

Well right now we are watching Downton Abbey.

We do not allow this at my school either because every time it happens there are so many tears and hurt feelings. It is not worth it. Spend the extra $10 for postage and consider it the thoughtful thing to do.

:iagree: They gave me one month at a time. I don't know what would have happened to me without it.

I was standing in a classroom full of teenagers. We were all staring at the television and everyone was crying.

Thank you for sharing this. It made me cry. What I wouldn't give to have seen just one American flag flying somewhere.

In demanding that I support that which my deeply held religious beliefs say is a sin, YOU are "trouncing" on MY freedom. Losing side? Well, that is entirely debatable. I've read the Bible. I know how the story ends. And you do realize that it is NOT just Christians who will not vote for gay marriage right? I know plenty of atheists, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and people who claim no religion whatsoever who ALSO vote against it. So maybe you could widen the net just a bit instead of blaming it all on those hate-mongering christians?

For the first time since moving to Malaysia two and a half years ago... I really miss America. This day weighs heavy on my heart. We spent a lot of time talking with our kids about what happened ten years ago and why it is important. We talked and prayed and did what we could to commemorate this day. We talked with the kids about the lives lost and the sacrifices still being made. But here in Malaysia it is not even a blip on the radar screen. It just really made me long for my fellow americans who understand why I am so sad today.

They can have Barney the Dinosaur officiate their wedding for all I care. Believe it or not Bill, it is statements like yours that keep the argument going. For people like you it is not enough for a Christian to say "hey, you same-sex couples want to bind yourselves legally together, go for it." No. You ALSO want all Christians to say that homosexual behavior is normal, natural, beautiful and God approves. Well it isn't going to happen and it is not fair of you to ask us to chuck our deeply held religious beliefs out the window. I am willing to concede and have a live and let live attitude about civil unions. That will have to be enough because that is all you are getting out of me. I will not throw away my religious beliefs because they offend you.

:iagree::iagree:

:iagree:

That's interesting. I know several people who have gotten married in secular ceremonies outside of a church AND a courthouse. My aunt was married in our backyard by the mayor of our town. My best friend was married by a lake also by a mayor. My brother was married by a judge but it was at a park. Everyone who knows them views their marriages as equally valid as those married in a church building by a pastor. These are technically civil unions since they were not done in a religious ceremony and no one views them as "less than". I agree that the two should be different. I am bound to my husband in the eyes of God whether anyone else recognizes it or not. We have made vows before God. But I am also bound to him contractually in the eyes of the government. We share financial resources, pay joint taxes and are subject to laws regarding this contract. We also know there are penalties for breaking this civil union contract... Property laws, divorce laws, child support, alimony, etc. If same sex couples want the right to enter into this same kind of civil union contract and be held to the same laws for breaking that contract, then why not? Most people I know would not have a problem with that.

I see your point. And based on how you have defined it here if there were a ballot that stated I was voting for gays to have the right to choose to enter into a same-sex civil union then I would probably vote yes. I would not vote for it if it was referred to as "marriage" as I feel that is a God-ordained covenant. In fact, if it were worded as a civil union there are more Christians who would vote for it (yes I know many personally). Choosing to contractually bind yourselves together in the eyes of the government (and all that comes along with that... Good and bad) seems like something that should already be allowed.

There seems to be two different issues in this thread: 1. Do you think homosexuality is a sin? 2. Do you think homosexuals should be allowed to marry? Sometimes the answer to those two questions is linked... But sometimes it is not. Not ALL Christians who think homosexual behavior is a sin ALSO believe gays should not be allowed to marry. I have stated previously that I believe homosexual behavior is a sin. BUT I am not against gay civil unions as I believe that is a government issue not a Christian issue. If two people want to live together and share their financial resources then fine. Not my business. You can't ask someone to vote against their conscience. That's why we have a democracy. I don't vote for or against gay marriage. When the ballots come up, I just don't vote. I can't vote for it because I have to do what I feel honors God. But I don't vote against it either because I'm not sure it is something we should be deciding for others. I am not sure I am getting my point clear. :tongue_smilie: Voting FOR something says I agree with it. Voting AGAINST something says I disagree with it. I feel that gay marriage is none of my business. I am not going to answer for the life choices of other people. So I am not going to make choices for them. Therefore, I do not vote on those things. I also wouldn't vote on a ballot regarding divorce or gluttony, etc. either as those are personal choices that those people have to answer for, not me.

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: