Topics I’ve Been Pondering On

by JWINQUESTION 109 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  OneEyedJoe

  Sorry I haven't been responding to posters comments. I found something interesting with what you said. You talked about how homosexuality appears in the animal kingdom.

  I was watching a show on Discovery Planet on how some different animal species will kill and eat their young babies after birth.

  So would it be natural if a human parent kill and eat their babies just how homosexuality is okay among the human species?

  I know this wasn't directed at me, but I'll take a stab at it. We (as humans) tend to value life. Therefore the life of an infant is something that shouldn't be destroyed, especially once the thing has been born. There's obviously some debate on the whole abortion topic, but once a child is born, most developed countries have provisions in place to take the kid off your hands - you needn't kill it just to be able to avoid raising a kid, so most would agree that it's morally wrong to kill your own child.

  I suspect that talking about homosexuality in the animal kingdom was less of an encouragement to look at animals to learn morality (animals kill each other in a fight for a mate, but we humans typically look down on that sort of thing, too) but it was an admonition to look at the fact that some animals seem to develop strong homosexual tendencies. Since these animals are not typically considered self aware, it would be hard to argue that they're making a conscious choice to be homosexual. This is an effective means of demonstrating to a heterosexual person that homosexuality in humans is likely not a conscous choice in all (or even most) cases. The point is, gays are often born gay - so why should they have to suffer due to something outside of their control? If they can find a way to be happy (i.e. find another gay partner) in a way that doesn't interfere with any unwilling participant's happiness, why shouldn't they?
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  OneEyedJoe

  So what if a persons being gay interferes emotionally or physically on a parent or loved one?

  What if being alive interferes emotionally or physically on a parent or loved one?

  What if your father had a strong desire to kill you, and not doing so made him really unhappy. Would you see your very existence as something that you have no right to, because it interferes emotionally with your father?
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  JWINQUESTION

  @OneEyedJoe

  Thanks for your insight. Doesn't really matter who answers my questions. Just like being able to get everyones thoughts on it.

  I can believe that some are born gay, but I still feel that the types of association, media and shows that portray gay life in a positive light plays a much larger role in whether a person becomes gay or not.
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  Apognophos

  The libido is a pretty fundamental aspect of our psyche; it's not so easily swayed as by watching Brokeback Mountain and suddenly finding other men attractive. It's certainly possible that a person might get in better touch with their own feelings through such entertainment and realize that they always had gay (bisexual) leanings, but really, so what?

  Long-term, personal experiences like abuse can alter the libido, but there are plenty of studies to show that the entertainment adults take in is like water off a duck's back and does not influence them to be more violent, gay, etc.
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  SpeedRacer

  JWINQUESTION,

  From my experience with friends who are gay I have never actually heard of someone becoming gay. They are born with these feelings and have no choice in the matter. They can only hide it or ignore their feeling which is dangerous in itself. My best friend growing up was a catholic and I found out in later years he was gay. He ate a shot gun at the age of 18 because of the emotional stress. His brother told me he never could get over the guilt he felt.

  Speedracer
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  Apognophos

  By the way, it's an interesting aspect of the JW mindset that righteousness is the same as an appearance of righteousness -- and they get to decide what aspects of a person's appearance indicate how good someone is. Do they swear? Do they have a beard? Do they smoke? Are they gay? They're no good. It's not necessary to get to know the person; it's already clear they're deserving of destruction at Armageddon.

  There's a peculiar emphasis on homosexuality, too; even if it were really a sin, somehow JWs are much more concerned with it than any other kind of sin. They won't listen to a musician who is gay, but they don't give a second thought to all the sex and drugs their other favorite musicians are likely having/doing, nor the fact that the artists are another religion, or atheist. That's because those other things are often hidden from sight, but being gay (when out of the closet) is an unignorable element of someone's appearance, that superficial shell that surrounds what a person really is.

  Having decided that these petty superficial aspects are all that matter to God, JWs can sit smugly in their towers looking down on humanity and contributing nothing to the world while waiting for Armageddon, not even performing a few acts of charity to temporarily alleviate suffering -- while some of those same "unrighteous" people try to actually help others and make a difference in the world. Jesus lambasted the Pharisees for being cups washed on the outside but not the inside, for straining the gnat and gulping down the camel. What would he make of the so-called truth?

  Sorry for the rant, but I just wanted to suggest that, while your questions are worth addressing, you might be suffering from a lack of perspective. This is what the Society does to people.
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  Viviane

  After reading the comments, I can basically pursue anything that would make me personally happy?

  What if a person found happiness and joy in murdering people or if a school bully found happiness in beating kids people up? Or terrorist found happiness and joy in driving planes through tall buildings? Would it be correct for them to pursue those things?

  Of course not. Why would you even ask that?

  So would it be natural if a human parent kill and eat their babies just how homosexuality is okay among the human species?

  Oh, I get it, you are trying to justify saying "gays are icky" by pointing out that we don't do certain things other animals in nature do.

  Sorry, I don't mean to offend people with my posts. I just so have many questions and writing them to get peoples responses.

  I don't think you do. You're trying to justify "gays are icky". But, just in case you are for realy, why don't you, personally, explain the difference between eating babies and being gay. Go on, give it a shot.

  So what if a persons being gay interferes emotionally or physically on a parent or loved one?

  Exactly, so what?
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  Viviane

  I can believe that some are born gay, but I still feel that the types of association, media and shows that portray gay life in a positive light plays a much larger role in whether a person becomes gay or not.

  The real question is why you believe that. Let's dig into that. Being gay isn't inherently bad, why should it be a problem how media portrays is?

  If, as you suggest, it IS a choice, what you are telling me is you just need to meet the right guy and have a drink with him. I suggest Grindr, http://grindr.com
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  Finkelstein

  JWINQUESTION SAYS ... I can believe that some are born gay, but I still feel that the types of association, media and shows that portray gay life in a positive light plays a much larger role in whether a person becomes gay or not.

  I've known many gay men who were brought up in strict JWS families including my own gay bother. (1950's to 1960's era )

  There was no positive light during or before that time frame in the media, a matter of fact homosexuality was a felon on sodomy charges.

  There was homosexuality about to be sure but it was hidden and openly oppressed.

  From that assertion where was the media influence that caused these men to become gay ?

  If that premise is true then there must have a huge number of gay men during the French revolution and British Renascence era when men wore frilly cloths and white powdered wigs.

  .

  Sorry dude but gay (homosexuality) has been around throughout human history.

  Why ?

  Because it is genetic, not influenced or created by social cultural pressure and appearance.
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  Terry

  Who do you help in this world? Who will you hurt? On what basis will this be done?

  A person born a Sociopath will answer these questions entirely different from an empath.

  The values you select will stem from who you already are.

  If you sat down and got to decide your sexual preference--you are a remarkably rare individual!

  Generally speaking, we discover who we are, what we are attracted to and what repulses us as we age.

  _____________

  What works in this life is a BALANCE between what is real and what is hoped for.

  Morality is a PRACTICAL matter. Ethics is an experiment.

  Does it work? Does it fail?

  Stealing, lying, murder . . . what risks will you face with those behaviors as your policy?

  What possible group will accept you if you practice them?

  You have to be inside a peculiar cult of criminals or religious fanatics to get it to work (for however long).

  You have to live inside a cult to make that seem to work. Why? Because the others will cheer you on or punish you accordingly.

  _____________

  Inside Jehovah's Witnesses you are given only ONE set of values. They are pre-labeled DIVINE.

  They are no better and no worse than any others in an absolute sense.

  Charity is a huge failure for JW's. Love is awfully tentative, provisional and fragile. Authority is sexist and arbitrary.

  It is your life. It is your decision.

  Don't expect too much out of life and learn to do as you are told by people with not much education or life experience and you'll do just fine.

  Otherwise--jump out and see what life has to offer.

  Make an informed decision.

  Stop asking OTHERS to tell you how to live your life.

  NOBODY can be an expert in YOUR life but you.