.
To Wendall Lewis and other anti-gay marriage people:

Opinions are only a sum total of what people have been taught. Most of the opinions here reflect the Bahamian society. But are most of the opinions here the correct opinions or just opinions? Most Canadians agree with same-sex marriage based on a recent government survey there. Are Canadian opinions wrong and Bahamian opinions right or are they all just opinions?

The bible does not rely on opinion or majority vote, this is God's word, not opinions of fallable human beings. God said it is an abomination, and never said it was ok for you 'confused' people to get married.(he did call it confusion, read up for the verse)

This debate is healthy so none of you should be “knocking down” others who are more liberal-minded. If you know anything about world history, you would also know that traditionalists take longer to accept change.

It is not a healthy debate. Nobody is trying to have a debate, you guys just won't stop whining, like the people from Sodom and Gomorrah who wanted to 'know' the angels.

The majority of European Union countries already allow civil unions. Check it online for yourself. And based on the time that they have had “gay marriages” in Holland the society has not become corrupt, as some people ridiculously charge. Crime in general is less per capita in Holland than the Bahamas or the United States. Teen pregnancy is less in Holland than in the Bahamas or the United States. AIDS per capita is far less in Holland than the Bahamas. The United States is a far more violent country and have far more gun-related crimes than Holland. These are all FACTS. So where is your
empirical evidence to suggest that gay marriages corrupts a country.

Gay marriage does not corrupt a country, it causes far more dire consequences, like the Lord destroying cities with fire and brimstone, by the way are your parents 'gay' were you conceived via a 'gay' union, can you produce life froma 'gay' union.

why don't you rich 'gay' guys and rich 'lesbian' woman go buy an island or conquer some isolated land and institute your own ungodly constitution and stop telling us to change ours?


Also, none of you have any moral authority to tell others how to live.

We habve God's authority, and we're only telling you what he already said.

Our constitution says there is a fundamental right and freedom of the individual, and that all Bahamians should be free from injustice and discrimination.


you are free from injustice and discrimination!

people get murdered every week, they are free from injustice too, but we can't protect them from the immoral person's that killed them until they have already been killed - the law is for preventing - it can't actually stop anything from occurring. So while you may experience discrimination for being ungodly, aren't adulterers also discriminated, aren't known prostitutes and thieves, also ungodly, discriminated against? However, they still have equal rights under our law and constitution - and even after proven guilty in a court of law, still retain many of their rights. (stop whining)


The Constitution also allows for freedom of religion and freedom from religion. That is the beauty of a democracy that thousands of people in many other countries have fought and have died for. Are we now trying to destroy that democracy here in the Bahamas and make our country an equal rights for heterosexual only society?

freedom of and from religion, does not give you a right to change our constitution. freedom from religion means you can't be persecuted, are christians going around persecuting you or preaching to you to repent from your evil ways? and further are they breaking any laws in doing so?

Why don’t you guys stop lashing out at gay people as if you all are perfect heterosexuals. By denying a group of human beings their rights,

Gay marriages have never been a rite(or right, lol)

you are in essence denying yourselves these rights as other human beings.
(we don't want those rights, gay marriage is not a God given right)

Which group will be your next target? You do not seem to be any different than the people who crucified Jesus, a man who was different and hard to understand in that era.

Remember witches, they were seen as different and hard to understand and killed by Christians; then black people were seen as different, hard to understand and killed. More recently Jews were seen as different and hard to understand and killed. Now gay people are seen as different and hard to understand and still killed today in many countries in Africa, the Middle East and Jamaica.

well you better be glad y'all protected here under our constitution, and better stop whining bout ya rights too, before you get officially not protected by our constitution - which shouldn't ever happen by the way

My hope is that someday all people would be treated as human beings. Perhaps that is too much to hope for in this era.

My hope is that human beings will follow God's word and treat others as human beings as well, but Gay marriage is not an option, never was and hopefully never will be.

Justice
(what an ironic name :shaky: )

.

This is what it says in the creation story. Please note "story" ...

*This is not a story, it is fact

6 Genesis 4:16-17 “And Cain went out form the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden and Cain knew his wife and she conceived and bare Enoch and he builded a city and called the name of the city after his son Enoch”

Once again no relevance to the posting; if any thing it only supports the argument that marriage was ordain for a man and woman because if they had subscribe to the desires of some today they would not have been able to conceived children in those days.

* further to what he said, the verse says "Cain knew his wife", not a monkey! a wife.

Sorry the point is there were other humans besides Adam and Eve?
How can the only man and woman have 2 sons 1 is killed the other runs away and finds a wife. Duh where did she come from?

*Duh, the bible or the book of genesis was not written in one sitting, it is a journal of events, lot's of time passed - cain did not kill able when they were kids, they were grown when that happened, does the bible talk all about them growing up? Don't you think the notes left out while they grew up allowed time for other children to be born - besides adam and and eve didn't only have 2 kids - which logically implies that adam and most likely cain as well must have slept with Eve the only women - and cain would not have been able to have kids yet - so it must have been Adam and Eve that produced sisters that cain later got married to.

That is the relevance. The creation story is just that. What about the dinosaurs they roamed the earth millions of years before man?

*are you certain of the age of dinasaurs, because man says they were here before man was created - and didn't god create many creatures other than man? and wasn't man created after the creatures - again not on the same day, and doesn't God refer to one day as 1,000 years?

*men can't even figure out the proper date of the shroud of Turin, how can they be so certain of the date of dinosaur bones?

7 What did Enoch find for a wife?

*you truly are revealing your not so smart side ...
everyone knows that a man and a monkey cannot produce offspring,
they are of different species - and he had slept with another man, then he definitely would'nt have produced Enoch, his son, either.

Thank you for the input Kwabena123.
While it is true what you replied the Bible still teaches us to correct and rebuke. John 3:16 says that "For God so loved the world (not Christianity or the church) that He gave His only son. How much more can we do for the world?

Christ commissioned us to preach the gospel to these very same people until He returns. He commanded us to “Go out into world (not Christianity or the church). This is a hard pill to swallow when it is the world that persecutes us and hates us but this is same pill that Christ had to swallow on the cross.

Let us imitate God.


Well said Delroy, I beleive we are considered ambassadors for Christ in the the new testament as well.

And not communicating with non-christians, would also be disobeying Jesus' commands - i beleive that verse may quoted about pigs/dogs may have been used out of context.

Jesus or Paul also said 'if the world hated me/jesus will it also not hate you/christians'

It is challenging for a small-minded country (the Bahamas) to grasp the greater scheme of things when we in America face some of the same challenges especially when it pertains to homosexuality. It is NOT a matter of what is right or wrong… just what works! If two men or two women wish to be married then so, be it! How does what ones lifestyle choices affect your agenda? Ask yourself that question. How far does your education extend and challenges your intellectual realm and where does your IGNORANCE begin? When you can unequivocally answer that resoundingly, after staring yourself in the mirror and be okay with what you see as you candidly assess who and where you are in your life then, okay… so be it. The degree of honoring and respecting others is the grade / measurement to which your charity either had momentum in your home as a child or fell short of the glory! Your IGNORANCE is a reflection of where you come from and the lack of key principle factors in the home… especially as it pertains to respecting others and NOT involving oneself in what does NOT concern one. It amazes me how many people are preoccupied with others programs – “gettin inta ader folks Kool-Aid.” An idle mind is a wasteful mind!!! “So wassup wit yo 4 1 1”?


Salute

Jaz in Hawaii





Just to let you know JAZ, not everyone in this beautiful Bahamas is small-minded, we have many individuals who think outside the box, so watch the generalization. Secondly your own country recently voted on a ban against same sex marriage in your recent elections, so America I presume to use your own words is small-minded but on a much bigger scale. Thirdly where do we (Bahamians) come in regards to reflecting ignorance. Thirdly I do agree that who a person sleeps with, cohabitates with is none of my business personally, but people have the right to not agree with it and express that right.

Ho, it ain't none of yo $@#$ business what JoLo does and who she sleeps with or marries... don't you get it??? Evidently NOT! JLo don't even know the likes of you.
Sister you NEED a life!!!




Brother you obviously have issues yourself, if youre getting all worked up about someone's opinion of J-Lo, what is she your cousin? No need to be callin anybody a ho. For your own sake J-Lo dont care one way or the other what people think of her and her actions, including yourself, so chill and be happy.

"we need to give you a platinum sword for the way you handled message #1 with message #9"

Vicky - you truly have scaels in your eyes, and probably just looking for some pity and attention because you may have been born different.

not hating on you and I fully respect your 'lost style' of turning God's word into nonsense - but it overwhelmingly clear that Jesus and God does not support your views with regard to marriage of BGLT's.

If you can really prove your viewpoint, we may actually digress :angel:

However, we are a christian nation and will probably forever reject your plea, even if a BGLT get's in the position to change our constitution, our hearts and love of God won't change.

We all are sinners - even some of our pastors, but we are trying to follow God's word and ask for forgivness.

We do not try to change God's word to suit our lusts.

Just give up on the marriage thing, even the civil union thing. Not gonna happen in our christian nation unless our leaders are a bunch BTVG's and even then I think they WOULD get stoned and replaced on the very day they sanction 'your' marriages or God forbidden civil unions.

... and you still haven't shown 'in our Holy Bible' where God/Jesus actually sanctions your 'equal right' to be married. Because God/Jesus never did, and still does not.

if you are a man marry a women, if you are a women marry a man, if you don't quite know what you are - just forget about marriage.

Why do you BGLT want to get married anyway? Yu already have equal rights.

If I hauled off and slapped one of you, aren't you protected by law - just like all the battered women who don't want to leave their husbands? Aren't you able to defend your right to get a job - you have rights, you are equal - and we do love you guys, but we ain't breaking God's laws and letting you guys get married, not even civilly unionized. :o

Sorry. :board2:

I hope you never face the day when the person you love lay dying in the hospital and you are not allowed to be by their bed side just because you have no legel right to be there.

Christ taught equality right through his life.
Treate others as your your self want to be treated. Would you like a law that said you could not marry or be in civil union with the person you love????

It isn't unnatural. "Homosexuality" happens across all cultures, across all races, across the sexes, across the gender, across class, phylum, kingdoms...animals like cats, dogs and dolphins engage in "homosexuality." Perchance the descriptive you seek is not in fact "unnatural" but "an anomaly"


the word you may be looking for is 'enigma'

1. One that is puzzling, ambiguous, or inexplicable.
2. A perplexing speech or text; a riddle.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=enigma

not 'anomly'
1. Deviation or departure from the normal or common order, form, or rule.
2. One that is peculiar, irregular, abnormal, or difficult to classify ...
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=anomaly

and J. Lo needs to change the L to an H,
and they probably would not give her permission to
get married so many times in the 'small-minded' Bahamas
because we can actually see the bigger picture, that you
big-minded americans, are presenting as 'OK' to your kids.

The bible, from God, says a lot of the things that you make ok
are not ok, it also says to bend the tree while it is young, but
you are giving your young trees the wrong impression and expecting the
whole world to follow suit - isn't it america that is shooting up iraq,etc,
because of their laws and religion - or is it really for the oil like everyone
suspects?

You guys need to keep your posts short so I/we can shoot them down
one at a time. :o

It is challenging for a small-minded country (the Bahamas) to grasp the greater scheme of things when we in America face some of the same challenges especially when it pertains to homosexuality. It is NOT a matter of what is right or wrong… just what works! If two men or two women wish to be married then so, be it! How does what ones lifestyle choices affect your agenda? Ask yourself that question. How far does your education extend and challenges your intellectual realm and where does your IGNORANCE begin? When you can unequivocally answer that resoundingly, after staring yourself in the mirror and be okay with what you see as you candidly assess who and where you are in your life then, okay… so be it. The degree of honoring and respecting others is the grade / measurement to which your charity either had momentum in your home as a child or fell short of the glory! Your IGNORANCE is a reflection of where you come from and the lack of key principle factors in the home… especially as it pertains to respecting others and NOT involving oneself in what does NOT concern one. It amazes me how many people are preoccupied with others programs – “gettin inta ader folks Kool-Aid.” An idle mind is a wasteful mind!!! “So wassup wit yo 4 1 1”?


Salute

Jaz in Hawaii



You have spoken like a TRULY IGNORANT person. :dancer:
and you are also 'gettin inta ader folks Kool-Aid' right now.

we don't want gay marriages in the bahamas, and we wish they
would all go to america where they still aren't 100% welcome.

Ho, it ain't none of yo $@#$ business what JoLo does and who she sleeps with or marries... don't you get it??? Evidently NOT! JLo don't even know the likes of you.
Sister you NEED a life!!!


... and I hope you meant to type hey, not ho above - even if it
was not a woman you were addressing.

and i am certain J-Lo would fit the definition of a ho than almost
every Bahamian woman. :tdown:

haha and with that said, welcome to my Bahamaland :cheers:

Bahamians love wallowing in their own ignorance.. I think its a comfort zone/coping mechanism of sorts, requires much less hard thinkin.



We are not forcing you to stay in the bahamas, and we aren't forcing you to post to this board.

and God not sanctioning same sex marriage or civil unions, does not make a country ignorant. a man making out with another man, and then having their country turn around and embrace their unseemly behaviour, does seem sort of ignorant in my humble opinion though.

.

Sorry can't tell who posted this but here is some insight to the Sodom Gomorrah story.

From post 16 "It is not a healthy debate. Nobody is trying to have a debate, you guys just won't stop whining, like the people from Sodom and Gomorrah who wanted to 'know' the angels."

Please read about the word "know"

THE SIN OF SODOM

Following is a list of every verse in the Bible that refers to the sins of Sodom. It is written informally, but fully substantiated with Bible quotes.

Genesis 13:13: But the men of Sodom [were] wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly. (Nope, no homosexuality mentioned there)

Genesis 18:20: And the LORD said, because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous. (Nope, no homosexuality mentioned there)

Genesis 19:13: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD. (Nope, no homosexuality mentioned there)

Deuteronomy 29:17-26: And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which [were] among them...[And that] the whole land thereof [is] brimstone, and salt, [and] burning...like the overthrow of Sodom...which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath...Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? What [meant] the heat of this great anger? Then men shall say, because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers...For
They went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and [whom] he had not given unto them:
(Just idolatry and false gods; nope, no homosexuality mentioned there)

Deuteronomy 32:32-38: For their vine [is] of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes [are] grapes of gall, their clusters [are] bitter...And he shall say, Where [are] their gods, [their] rock in whom they trusted, Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, [and] drank the wine of their drink offerings? Let them rise up and help you, [and] be your protection.
(Idolatry again; nope, no homosexuality mentioned there)

Isaiah 1:9-23: Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, [and] we should have been like unto Gomorrah. Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.... How is the faithful city become a harlot! It was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: Thy princes [are] rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. (hmmm...murder, greed, thievery, rebelliousness, covetness; nope, no homosexuality there)

Isaiah 3:8-15: For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings [are] against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory. The show of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide [it] not. Woe unto their soul! For they have rewarded evil unto themselves. For ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil
Of the poor [is] in your houses. What mean ye [that] ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor?
(Mistreating the poor; nope, no homosexuality mentioned there)

Isaiah 13: 11-19: And I will punish the world for [their] evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.... And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' Excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. (Haughtiness, yes, but no homosexuality.)

Jeremiah 23:10-14: For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth...For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.... And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err. I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from h is wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. (Adultery, lying by priests and prophets; nope, no homosexuality in there)

Jeremiah 49:16-18: Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, [and] the pride of thine heart...Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof. As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Evil and pride, but still no homosexuality)

Jeremiah 50:2-40: Declare ye among the nations...say, Babylon is taken, Bal is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.... thou hast striven against the LORD...for she hath been proud against the LORD...As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor [cities] thereof, saith the LORD; [so] shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein. (There’s that idolatry and pride again, but still no homosexuality)

Lamentations 4:3-6: ...the daughter of my people [is become] cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, [and] no man breaketh [it] unto them. They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was over thrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her. (Cruelty, failure to tend the young and the poor, but still no homosexuality)

Ezekiel 16:49-50: Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw [good]. (Well that’s pretty clear, huh? But what are we missing in that list? Oh yeah...homosexuality)

Amos 4:1-11: Hear this word, ye kin of Bashan, that [are] in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink. I have overthrown [some] of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. (Oppression, mistreating the needy...still no homosexuality)

Zephaniah 2:8: I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified [themselves] against their border. Therefore [as] I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah...This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified [themselves] against the people of the LORD of hosts. (There’s that pride again, and the intimation of inhospitality, but still no homosexuality)

Well, so much for the Old Testament's linkage of Sodom with homosexuality. Maybe the fundamentalists were referring to something in the New Testament? Let's see...

Matthew 20:11: And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. And when ye come into a house, salute it.... And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.... Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment, than for that city. (Jesus said these words; they draw a comparison to inhospitality, but there's still no homosexuality there)

Matthew 11:19-24: The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.... Then began [Jesus] to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.... And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been
Done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.... But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the Day of Judgment, than for thee. (They ridiculed Jesus and treated him with utmost inhospitality, refusing to repent...but still no mention of homosexuality)

Mark 6:10-11: And he said unto them, In what place so ever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment, than for that city. (Another repetition of the instruction against inhospitality, but still no mention of homosexuality)

Luke 10:10-12: But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say. Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. (There's that inhospitality reference again, but still no homosexuality mentioned)

Luke 17:26-29: And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed [them] al l. (still no mention of homosexuality)

2 Peter 2:6: And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned [them] with an overthrow, making [them] an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly. (Ungodly? Is that idolatry again? It sure isn't homosexuality)

Jude 1:7-8: Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these [filthy] dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. (Awww...this one comes SO close, but no cigar; the Greek word translated here as "fornication" is "porneia" and had a distinctly heterosexual con notation; and the "strange flesh" was a reference to angels or "sons of God" that WOMEN had sex with [see Genesis 6:1-4] according
To Jewish tradition; still no mention of homosexuality)


Well, except for a brief mention of Sodom in Revelations (where there is no reference to the city's supposed sins), I'm afraid we've covered them all. Now it's up to the fundamentalists. Surely they should have no difficulty pointing out ALL the verses in the Bible that refer to the sin of Sodom being that of homosexuality.

But they'll have to make them up first. ;-)

But we're not done yet. The traditional concept of the sin of Sodom arises from the fact that the Hebrew word here translated as "to know" (yadha) is used by itself in ten places in the Old Testament to denote heterosexual intercourse. In five additional
Texts it is used in conjunction with mishkabh (in this context, "to lie") to mean the same thing. But yadha appears by itself no less than 943 times in a nonsexual connotation, to simply mean, "get acquainted with" or "learn of."

There is no Old Testament text in which yadha refers to homosexual sex, with the single exception of this disputed Sodom and Gomorrah story in Genesis. The less ambiguous word shakhabh, however, is used for homosexual, heterosexual, and bestial intercourse. Shakhabh appears fifty times in the Old Testament; if it had been used instead of yadha in the Sodom story, the meaning of the text would have been unmistakable. As it is, we have no grounds to assume that the men of Sodom wanted to rape the visitors.

Some biblical scholars have developed an alternate theory. Since yadha commonly means, "to get acquainted with," the demand to "know" the visitors may well have implied some serious breach of the rules of hospitality. Several considerations provide support for this view.

In the first place, Lot was not a native of Sodom, but had the status of resident alien, or ger. As such, he may not have had the right to admit unidentified foreigners to the city. City gates were closed at night expressly to prevent lawless or subversive aliens from entering on unknown errands, and travelers carried credentials because they might at any time be asked to prove that they were abroad on legitimate business. Thus we might translate "Bring them out to us, that we might know them" a s "We wish to know whom you are bringing into our city" or (in the vernacular of WWII German movies) "Ve vant to see your papers!" Lot's refusal to turn his visitors over to this horde of vigilantes is totally in keeping with the then contemporary laws of etiquette, because in those days no civic police force protected strangers in a city. Any kind of robbery or physical abuse could have been meted out to the two angels if he had agreed to surrender them, but in his home they were safe. He was obliged to protect them as honored guests. It is certain that the Sodomites were demanding he violate the code of hospitality, but not AT ALL
Clear from the text that they were inclined to indulge in homosexual acts.

Lastly, even if the fundamentalists must insist that the men of Sodom wanted to have sex with the strangers, that's a matter of rape, not homosexual love. I think we can all agree that rape is right up there on the list of big sins, and further that it is an act of power, control, and violence, not of love between consenting adults.

There's another Old Testament passage that is relevant. The story is found in Judges 19:14-28. It bears a striking resemblance to the Sodom story -- a traveler arrives at the city Gilbeah. There he meets an old man who is, like Lot, a resident alien. The old man warns the traveler that he should not stay in the town square, and he extends the hand of hospitality in accordance with Holy law, inviting the traveler to share his abode for the night. But the men of the city surround the old man's house and demand that the traveler be sent out so "that we may know him" (there's that "yadha" again). The old man refuses,
But offers his virgin daughter and his concubine to the mob instead. When the crowd refuses the offer, the old man throws his concubine outside as a diversion, whereupon the mob rape and abuse her all night, leaving her dying at the threshold. When the Israelites learn of the abuse of the concubine, they rise up against Gilbeah and, with God's help, destroy the city.

Here we have an instance almost identical to Sodom, in which a city is destroyed following inhospitality to strangers, and a clear case of rape. Except this time it was a heterosexual rape. Yet no one uses this story to imply God's condemnation of heterosexuality in general. It is specious, to suggest that the story of Sodom is instructional with regard to homosexuality in general.

Those who insist that Sodom was destroyed for homosexuality are denying the very Bible they claim to revere. They are required to make five outrageous leaps of faith:
(1) Homosexual love is equal to rape which is equal to getting to know someone;
(2) "Yadha" meant homosexual acts only once or twice and something else 953 times;
(3) All of the other references to Sodom's sins contained in the Bible are in error,
(4) The strict codes regarding hospitality and the safety of travelers were immaterial;
(5) The concubine of the man of Gilbeah was a male.

Perhaps your priest, pastor, and or reverend, can now point out their proof that Sodom was destroyed because of homosexuality.

It is challenging for a small-minded country (the Bahamas) to grasp the greater scheme of things when we in America face some of the same challenges especially when it pertains to homosexuality. It is NOT a matter of what is right or wrong… just what works! If two men or two women wish to be married then so, be it! How does what ones lifestyle choices affect your agenda? Ask yourself that question. How far does your education extend and challenges your intellectual realm and where does your IGNORANCE begin? When you can unequivocally answer that resoundingly, after staring yourself in the mirror and be okay with what you see as you candidly assess who and where you are in your life then, okay… so be it. The degree of honoring and respecting others is the grade / measurement to which your charity either had momentum in your home as a child or fell short of the glory! Your IGNORANCE is a reflection of where you come from and the lack of key principle factors in the home… especially as it pertains to respecting others and NOT involving oneself in what does NOT concern one. It amazes me how many people are preoccupied with others programs – “gettin inta ader folks Kool-Aid.” An idle mind is a wasteful mind!!! “So wassup wit yo 4 1 1”?


Salute

Jaz in Hawaii

Hey Jaz our people are not small minded. It’s more like in the time of Columbus. The people believed the world was flat. They had every superstition to back it up. The Church backed it up. The church even murdered people as heretics who spoke of the earth being round. Even though there was all kinds of scientific proof they still chose to believe the world was flat. I am not sure when the Church finally admitted they were wrong in their interpretations about the earth being flat. But they also had to admit they were wrong for murdering hundreds of thousands of people for being witches.
Exodus 22:18
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Because the Bible States very clearly "the four corners of the earth" Every 1 knows a globe has no corners.
So which is right the Bible or science??
The Bible also reference unicorns 9 times.
Since the organization of Christianity by the Pagan Emperor Constantine Christians have persecuted people that are different. Christians have had to have someone to hate. It’s just our (GLBT) turn.
Christians don't like to admit they have been mistaken they don't like to admit they have made mistakes. They hide it all and say we are right now and there is no possible way we are mistaken. The same words said, as they burned left handed people.

I see a lot of liberal-minded folks in here. I believe people should be free to live the lifestyle that they want to live. It's your God given right. Now that I have said that, let me say this. A lot of you are too damn liberal. There's nothing wrong with acceptance when it is not a question of morality. When you accept the unmoral, then you have basically accepted sin. Sin is bad, ladies and gentlemen. I can't say that homosexuality is a good or bad thing. I can say that you are not following a command given to you, in every holy book (Torah, Bible and Quran), by the Almighty, the Merciful through his Prophets to "be fruitful and multiply", if you are engaging in homosexual activities. I cannot judge a person for their decision to follow that path, I can just tell you what my feelings are and what I will not accept.

My 2 cents

PS - Don't attack each other's religious beliefs, it only proves to the world one thing, that religion is to become the next thing we segregate each other by. To the person that said Islam is the largest religion in the world (earlier in the post), it isn't...yet! :)

the word you may be looking for is 'enigma'

1. One that is puzzling, ambiguous, or inexplicable.
2. A perplexing speech or text; a riddle.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=enigma

not 'anomly'
1. Deviation or departure from the normal or common order, form, or rule.
2. One that is peculiar, irregular, abnormal, or difficult to classify ...
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=anomaly

and J. Lo needs to change the L to an H,
and they probably would not give her permission to
get married so many times in the 'small-minded' Bahamas
because we can actually see the bigger picture, that you
big-minded americans, are presenting as 'OK' to your kids.

The bible, from God, As I say to all who say this you are no different than peoples of other religions claiming the same thing.
I say prove the Bible is from the Creator. For this you need to know the history of the Bible. When you study the history of the Bible you will understand "practice does not make you perfect it only makes you good at what you practice. No matter how wrong or right it is. is.says a lot of the things that you make ok
are not ok, it also says to bend the tree while it is young, but
you are giving your young trees the wrong impression and expecting the
whole world to follow suit - isn't it america that is shooting up iraq,etc,
because of their laws and religion - or is it really for the oil like everyone
suspects?

You guys need to keep your posts short so I/we can shoot them down
one at a time. :o

To think you way is the only right way is how the Taliban started.

I see a lot of liberal-minded folks in here. I believe people should be free to live the lifestyle that they want to live. It's your God given right. Now that I have said that, let me say this. A lot of you are too damn liberal. There's nothing wrong with acceptance when it is not a question of morality. When you accept the unmoral, then you have basically accepted sin. Sin is bad, ladies and gentlemen. I can't say that homosexuality is a good or bad thing. I can say that you are not following a command given to you, in every holy book (Torah, Bible and Quran), by the Almighty, the Merciful through his Prophets to "be fruitful and multiply", First please point out where Christ said or made any referance to homosexuality.
Why do people have sex? Does all sex result in child brith??? if you are engaging in homosexual activities. I cannot judge a person for their decision to follow that path, I can just tell you what my feelings are and what I will not accept.

My 2 cents

PS - Don't attack each other's religious beliefs, it only proves to the world one thing, that religion is to become the next thing we segregate each other by. To the person that said Islam is the largest religion in the world (earlier in the post), it isn't...yet! :)

If all the other Christian Bible pounders would take on you attitude the world would be a better place. There would be a great deal more peace and harmony.
ref your first sentence and PS.