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Religion
About a week ago, I felt very uncomfortable. I was talking to someone during school, and somehow we got into the conversation of homosexuality.
She was disgusted, blunt about how all gay people should be burned to death, that they chose to be rebellious and gay and they would rot in hell forever. I, myself, am not gay, but I was so taken back by what she was saying. I told her that I did not believe in God, and that I believe that people do not choose their sexual orientation. Mind you, I am not ignorant. I was raised to believe in God, but as I have gotten older (17) I have realized my own views.
She flat out told me that I was going to hell along with all the gays, muslims, buddhists, non-believers, jews, etc; Asked why I was defending gays, and then decided to accuse me of being gay for not agreeing that gays are disgusting.
I stayed calm, and asked he what she would do if she birthed a gay child. She told me should would lock it in a closet or in their room and not let it come out until it was straight.
I am just feel offended and imposed upon. Just because I do not believe in the same thing she, or the majority of people in my area (i live in the south) do, doesn't mean I should be yelled at and accused, and meant to felt horrible about myself.
I don't impose my views upon others, but I just felt so uncomfortable when she was basically giving me a one way ticket to hell.
Should I just forget about it, and disregard her?
Help. :/
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Maybe give some free advice about: Spirituality?
I am a christian, but I know exactly why you feel angry. That would make me extremely angry too.
Christianity, in general, is not about judging each other. What I am trying to say is, it isn't my job to judge your heart. It's God's job. God loves you and me and everyone whoever was, is and will be so much. I saw the previous comment before mine, and I saw that someone said something about how you coudldn't condemn the bible because people would just say ''well I believe because thats my faith!'' Well, I don't aggree with that comment. Because in life, everyone, I think has to try and have faith. It would be ridiculous not too. In EVERY religion you have to take a leap of faith. Just think about it. For christianity, it might seem rather, well really confusing. All christians have doubts about it sometimes. I mean how could someone just always be around from the beginning and then just create the world? And how could someone come to earth as a man and save the world of its sins? Sounds really odd. Yes it does, but you have to take that leap of faith. Then, as you go along you will be assured of your faith and trust in Jesus. Even if you don't have a religon you have to have faith. Maybe faith in evolution. Maybe you believe in fate or a higher power. But think about this, who is behind this higher power or this fate? And its true, everything happens for reason. Is fate a person? Can fate know what things need to happen? But how could we live without faith in someone who could constantly be here who could take care of us? Don't we need someone to watch over us?
Evolution can't do that, a higher power cannot do that. Jesus can.
So anways, sorry for being so random, but I am just trying to to kind of tell you why I belive in Jesus, and I don't believe that christianity is the only right religion. I think if you accept a personal relationship with Jesus thats what gets you to heaven. It isn't about works or about what we do, its a personal relationship with Jesus, and a trusting in him.
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This is one of the big, big reasons that I had to escape from the south (South Carolina, to be exact. I now live in Japan). Remember a few things, in addition to all the good advice people down there gave you:
She's young, and hasn't had a chance to think for herself yet. She's likely still repeating what she's been told, with the utter conviction of someone who really believes there's an army (of parents, God, etc.) at their back. As you've found out, as you get older you start to back off and look at things differently.
She might want to reconsider herself too, because last time I checked, there's a lot more involved in getting into "heaven" than eating Communion and being a hateful, mindless freak the other 6 days of the week.
DO NOT give in to her venom, let other people sway you, or become too depressed! Your views are peaceful and compassionate. That's a serious accomplishment at that age. You are ahead of the curve so dig in your heels as best you can. It's really really difficult to do so, but try to keep your composure. There is a lot of suffering in the world. If YOU are content with where you stand with God, Life, Fate, etc., then please just do what you can to ignore these people. You can never win in an argument involving the Bible, because it will ALWAYS become distilled down to "Well you're WRONG because I believe it because I have Faith because that's what I believe!" And that's a completely irrational and illogical argument.
My truly best advice is to talk to other people who have sympathetic beliefs on the internet, join some discussion groups, and use it to buoy you during these difficult times.
v.s. f/22
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well if shes a christian, opps. i dont mean to judge but, she crossed a few lines. for one, she judged you. aint suppose to do that. 2. she judge the gays. now i belive the same thing she does, they dont change thier ways, wel i wouldnt wanna be them when God comes back. but im not goin flat out and say"by God your goin to hell" no. no she should've said all that, but thats her problem. i figure it like this. as christians we're suppose to love each other, not point out each other sins, and say "hahaha" your goin burn in hell, send me a postcard." no. but my advice to you is, dont worry about, we all will have to answer to God one of these days, and she'll have to explain it to God.
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You should ignore her, anything she says, and avoid her as much as possible.
Honestly, people like her disgust me in the extreme.
I wish I had an article to link you. I cant find it. There was a study done a while ago, when people are attracted to others they release pheromones. Chemicals that cause responses in others and cause them to feel attracted as well.
In heterosexual people, (take me) I react to female pheromones. There are parts of my brain that light up like a christmas tree when I am around a girl I am attracted to. Straight girls around me light up in exactly the same way.
Now, this brain activity can actually be identified and cataloged.
The study also tested homosexual people. And it showed that in almost every case, homosexual people did not react to the opposite sex's pheromones at all, but when exposed to the pheromones of another person of the same sex, they lit up like I would around a girl.
The first domino in what I'm sure will eventually be a mountain of biological evidence that there are definitely things beyond choice or preference that go into being gay or straight.
You should feel offended. The person you talked to is an ignorant fool who blindly accepts what she has been told. You should also feel a slight amount of pity, because she has undoubtedly been taught to believe these things, so its not _entirely_ her fault.
If she draws you into another argument, this is what I would tell her.
"You are a hypocrite. You claim to be religious but you use religion to cover your hatred for others and to justify to yourself the fact that you are a terrible person. Believing in God, or Christ, means that you should have a loving acceptance of your neighbor the same way that you would want your neighbor to lovingly accept you.
You are shortsighted and ignorant. You have been taught to hate others and you are too blind and comfortable in your beliefs to see that everything you have been taught is wrong and evil. There is a seat in hell specially reserved for those like you who hide their hatred behind God and use him as a justification for this kind of thing"
I am a Christian and I am incredibly offended by this myself. Stand up for yourself, you are completely, totally, and utterly 150% in the right.
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The next time somebody tells you you're going to Hell, just ask them when they figured out they were Jesus. When they've stopped choking, tell them to read John 14:6. "I am the Way, The Truth, and the Light. None comes to the Father but through me."
Jesus decides who gets into Heaven. Not them, not their church, not their misguided readings of Scripture, not any individual Christian or congregation of Christians, not anybody but Jesus. It is by His grace that anybody gets to Heaven.
Then send them over to Matthew 25. Jesus isn't interested in displays of piety, but in good works and righteous living. Finally, ask them when was the last time they helped out at a homeless shelter, or visited people at a nursing home or hospital. Then hand them a tissue so they can get that log out of their eye.
You may not believe in Scripture, but it's a good idea to be familiar with it so you can successfully argue with someone who isn't. Unfortunately, a lot of people who profess Christianity aren't familiar with familiar with Scripture. They know a few verses that have been cherry-picked for them, and they don't look at the greater contexts. The whole homosexuality thing is the subject of another rant, which I will save for later.
In short, ignore her, but be ready for the next one.
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You have to understand that there are going to be MANYY people like that in your life; people wjo will judge you, torment you, and spit on your opinion. The only thing you personally can do is respect yourself and your beliefs; do not "disreguard" that conversation...always have it in memory to remind you that there is always going to be someone, or a 100 someones, who are going to not only disgaree with you, but also be disgusted by you & you yourself have to know your own values and principles.
As for that person, if you don't like what she says to you, disreguard HER. Pretend she's not there. But if you like her, don't judge her by her beliefs. Don't judge her PERIOD. Treat others as YOU would like to be treated.
Stay strong and let me know what happens.
xoxo
L.
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Yes. That's really all you can do. You can't change her views anymore than she can change yours.
You just have to try to sit back and laugh at her for gladly making a complete idiot of herself.
Listen, there are a LOT of people out there who are just like her. I have an uncle who thinks exactly like her. He used to drive me absolutely ape shit with his radical ideas. I learned to ignore his arrogance.
The way I look at it is this- if she is so religious, how is it she doesn't realize that NO ONE can judge who is going to hell but GOD Himself. How is she to assume that because folks don't believe in her beliefs that they are hell bound in the first place?
I mean, if it was true that only those who followed ONE certain faith were allowed into Heaven, then the only one who knows what ONE certain group of people that is is GOD Himself.
Right?
Really, now, how would her God feel about her locking her gay child in a closet, when He gave her that child to LOVE and CHERISH?
Believe what YOU want to believe and NEVER, NEVER let anyone make you feel bad about yourself for your beliefs.
Those, like her, who put you down because you "honor thy neighbor" are snotty, arrogant, egotistical, radical hypocrites.
Be PROUD of yourself that you aren't like her. Feel sorry for her, because she obviously doesn't no better than to hate.
Next time this girl, or anyone like her, start talking that trash to you, tell them you don't want to talk about it. Don't argue your point, because folks like her tend to LOVE to get into religious debates and what not.
Just tell her to shut up, show some respect, and spout her garbage to someone who actually cares what she thinks. Then literally turn your back and make conversation with the person next to you.
Sorry for the rant, but I know exactly how you feel.
ygs-29/f
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