Christian Social Influence Continues to Decrease (page 2)

Gypsy Sam

I wish there was a"like" button for your post LisaRose :)

My GAYXJW friend made me laugh. I told him that I'd posted that pik of Ian Ross and his husband here (the one at the top of the page). He reckoned that they looked like a couple of elders, except their ties did not look very Jesusish.

And he's not far off the mark, is he? They do look like a couple of elders getting a bit long in the tooth.

LisaRose

Thank you Gypsy Sam, that means a lot to me. Obviously this is a subject that I feel strongly about. I used to believe as the JWs did, that it was wrong, although I have always felt empathy for those who struggled to conform to the "bible standards". After leaving I changed my mind completely. People in the bible had slaves and concubines, killed neighboring people and took their virgins to do with what they wanted and practiced polygamy. It's hardly a great moral compass.

fulltimestudent

LisaRose:

We have a young man posting here, he attempted suicide because of the condemnation among the Jehovah's Witnesses because he is gay. That is what happens when you use use the bible to justify hatred and intolerance.

You spoke well.

I carry a burden on my conscience from my JW days. A young man ( about 19/20) in my group attempted suicide (some sort of pills). He was hospitalised for a week, and I visited about 3 times. I prayed with him, but he refused to discuss what was wrong.

I visited again, after his release, and could see he was depressed. Buthe could not confide what was wrong.

About 3 weeks after his first attempt, he tried again. This time with a gun. He succeeded. In the ensuing investigation it was considered that he was depressed, likely because he thought he was attracted to men. (Unsure how that may have been known)

The sad truth is, that even if he'd talked to me about the problem, I was not equipped in any way to have helped him.

I was (at the point) a dyed-in-the-wool Christian dedicated to the most god-awful religion (Christianity) that ever afflicted humankind. I would only have been able to say that the Yahweh/Jesus combo could help him, and that clearly is NOT the truth. The only thing that would've saved him would have been if I could've told him to piss off from all stupid religion and to live a life of his own integrity.

And, I had not learned that lesson myself.

LisaRose

Don't feel bad, fulltimestudent, we were all mislead by this religion, sadly, it affected some more than others. My own child attempted suicide twice, not because she was gay, simply due to mental illness, but it has given me insight to the problems of depression and suicide. Back in the day, If a gay JW had asked me for help, I would have sent them to the elders, I was just as blinded as others. It is only since I left and got to know gay people and thought long and hard about this issue that my feelings have changed. The world is changing, in this it is a change for the better. I recognize that not everyone is in the same place on this issue, I am just glad the discussion is out in the open. I remember when Ellen DeGeneres came out, it was front page news. Now, a celebrity comes out, it's no big deal. Progress has been made.

DJS

LisaRose,

I'm glad you are on this site; your posts are well thought out and rational. Like you I will be glad when a person's race, ethnicity, gender or sexual persuasion not only doesn't matter but isn't given any thought. We are closer to this time than we have been. The bible's and borg's views on gays is one of the things that began my serious doubts. My children were and are very close to me, and I simply would never have eliminated them from my life if either or both had been gay. Some can continue to 'struggle' with this, but you are being too kind. It is hate. Changing from the Borg's views to my own was as simple as fllipping a swith a long time ago - when I was an elder. It nauseates me that there are too many homophobic haters amongst the ex-Dubs on this site. Thankfully most ex-Dubs appear to have moved on from the hate.

It is a simple process. Let it go haters. Let it go. You can cloak it all you wish in the dark recesses of your minds, but it is hate.

glenster

Edit > Find > homosexuality (click twice)
http://glenster1.webs.com/basicspage3.htm

fulltimestudent

LisaRose

Don't feel bad, fulltimestudent, we were all mislead by this religion, sadly, it affected some more than others. My own child attempted suicide twice, not because she was gay, simply due to mental illness, but it has given me insight to the problems of depression and suicide. Back in the day, If a gay JW had asked me for help, I would have sent them to the elders, I was just as blinded as others.

LisaR, I hope that your daughter was able to overcome her emotional difficulties.

But in regard to my own feelings of failure in regard to the young man in my group, I hope that I always feel bad about it - it serves as a reminder as to what happens when blind faith overcomes common sense.

Nothing equips those who become bigoted Christians to neccessarily be of help to people with emotional problems. The young man's death is a permanent reminder to me not to believe something just because others say its true.

As is well illustrated in LogCon's response, he has no sense of shame regarding the harm that his cultic ideology can cause to others.

Band on the Run

This show why we can't use "Christianity" in a broad sense. I could not understand the title and the photograph. My churches have always been welcoming to gays. I expect Christianity to be open - as in the crucifixion. Bigots don't seem Christian to me.

Vidiot

fulltimestudent - "My GAYXJW friend made me laugh. I told him that I'd posted that pik of Ian Ross and his husband here (the one at the top of the page). He reckoned that they looked like a couple of elders, except their ties did not look very Jesusish. And he's not far off the mark, is he? They do look like a couple of elders getting a bit long in the tooth."

Hell, at first glance, I thought they were GB members.

Christian Social Influence Continues to Decrease

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