What are your reasons for believing whatever you may believe about Christianity?

[GoldenLego]

Then why has conversion therapy (attempting to remove homoloveuality desires through prayer and other spiritual means, "pray the gay away") been proven to be ineffective?

Because it's ineffective. It may help but in the end it's a heart thing that can only be dealt with over many years of faith and letting God refine your character.

[Ad Bot]

[Zloff]

look people are arguing oh no lol

I started typing up a huge couple paragraphs when I realized I was only at a quarter of what I wanted to say so now I'm just going to summarize my experiences and thoughts

 - I was loosely raised as a protestant reformed Christian in a family who never really cared/cares about what I do/think in a town with a church on every other corner, although I was never a consistent church-goer and rarely attend any church nowadays(once a year maybe)

 - I am highly objective and am able to see things from an array of different viewpoints under many different scenarios and enjoy doing so: I see questioning even my own 'religion' as something God would want me to do. Sure, He wants us to have unwavering faith in Him, and that's really all you need, but He did not give us free will just to have us be blind slaves

 - I became agnostic at a young age and stayed that way until I experienced a 'miracle' of sorts at my lowest point in life and found my way back to Christianity(yeah ik "so quick to believe in a time of crCIA, huh?" and all that bullstuff)

 - I believe in the big bang as it corresponds with the Bible

 - I support string theory(as underdeveloped as it currently is) as it corresponds with the Bible

 - I've prayed in tongues and been around/taught others who've done it as well. As I currently see it, I am unable to find a suitable anti-religious explanation for it and the effects it has had on others and myself

 - I've experienced 'exorcism' and felt the positive changes after it. Demon 'possession' is far more common than one might think and in like 99.999% of cases it's nothing like in the movies. I was HIGHLY skeptical towards the concept and idea of actually doing it, but after it the issue I was experiencing with myself which was caused by a demon was abruptly and awkwardly ended immediately. I say "awkwardly" because I thought it was something I'd need a lot of time to fix, if it ever was going to be fixed. Cannot find an explanation for that one either, other than a placebo effect type of thing, yet the experience was too intense to justify that sort of reasoning

 - While I'm at it, I'll throw in this: I believe homoloveuality is a good example of a possession; demon(s) bound perhaps by a generational curse is/are handed down from parents unto offspring and have the effect or whatever of making your kid gay af. They, like all other possessions, are nullified upon death and by no means does being gay mean you're surely headed to hell. I'm not 100 percent sure on this topic, but I also don't have too big of an issue with gay marriage to receive legal benefits, but a gay marriage under God? Unacceptable, as such a marriage requires consummation to have the couple become one in the flesh, and you can figure where I'm going from there

I have more but the whole reason I went with bullet points over my essay was because I didn't want to type a lot lol stuff woops looks like i typed a lot anyway oh well

overall, I am not sure if I would have been and be "happier" in my life without my faith in Christianity, but I do feel as though it would be easier. Things got more complicated than I'd wanted. I'd like to finish by saying that it is more so through my experiences than supporting scientific evidence and facts that I find myself unable to never believe in Jesus and God

[XR-7]

I was raised on this sentiment, that being gay is a sin. I'm also gay, so it was equally confusing when I was a kid. For the longest time I'd figured that I was either sick or that I just didn't believe in God enough, and to be openly about it, I tried to pray the gay away pretty often. Everything that I was brought up on was telling me that there was something wrong with me and I just wanted to be normal like other kids. This just made me resent other gay people and some of that resentment still exists.

I thought if people knew this about me, that they would hate me or think there was something wrong with me, or that they would hurt me. Along with that, I thought that if my parents knew, they would disown me and hate me. This really forgeted me up the most, and it was hard making friends with people while subsequently being afraid of them.

I don't have proof beyond word of mouth, but I'm pretty sure people are born gay. I honestly want to know how to stop being gay, or a lustful sinner, or whatever the forget. I didn't want to be some kinda freak and I really didn't have any sort of choice. I don't mean to antagonize you, but this whole belief ruined my childhood.

I actually talked to a guy who was gay and a Christian earlier this year. Now this guy was flamboyantly gay. I knew that a gay Christian was coming in to speak to our small group, but that was all I knew when I entered the room. As soon as I went in there, my eyes were immediately drawn to the guy with the colorful plaid shirt with the top buttons undone and the skinny jeans. It didn't take a genius to figure out who he was, and I was right.

He had lived in an extremely sheltered childhood with a mother who openly mocked gay people and was practically a Westboro-tier woman. He indirectly told his mom that he was gay after he told her to stop mocking homoloveual people with derogatory gestures/names. She immediately freaked out and almost caused a car accident (she was driving when he told her). From then on, he lost a lot of his relationship with his mom and his dad was always tiptoing trying not to say something that would offend him.

I think after that, he tried getting help to try to help eliminate the homoloveual urges in favor of heteroloveual feelings. He said that he'd known that he had been gay since puberty so I think that people who admit to being gay are usually sincere about it. He also told us that there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to experiment with guys, but the sin is actually just from acting on it to satisfy the urges. I don't want to come across as saying that gay people aren't entitled to loveual behavior; that's not what I mean.

He said he actually started actively trying to find a girlfriend from there. I think he used Christian dating websites or something and actually found someone who he was interested in. He even considered marrying her after they dated for a while but they never did. I know a lot of gay people will say from here that him finding interest in a girl would mean that he is biloveual but I feel that anyone could theoretically find interest in someone of the opposite love if they really tried. He felt the same way. I don't really feel too confident that I explained all of this correctly, but hopefully the message got across.

But as for you, there isn't anything defective or wrong with you. It is also not right at all that you should have to be subject to bad feelings from family or to feel like you're being scrutinized. People who do that are the real ones in the wrong and hopefully they eventually realize it and stop.

[IkeTheGeneric]

I am truly sorry this had been your experience, but if you're born again being gay won't just go away, it's a process that takes many many years, I personally struggle with lust, and I hate it. But surely the problem gets shaved away, it's a test of character. It gets easier and easier every time you say no.

The problem is that I've moved on past the resentment and I've learned to accept myself for who I am.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm going to distance myself from anyone who wants to perpetuate this idea that there's something wrong with me and I need to 'better' myself. I'm perfectly capable of being a functioning member of society, gay or not.

My message is don't suppress your loveuality, straight or gay or whatever. It's unhealthy and leads to indulgent self-hatred.

[Wesley Williams]

lots of stuff

That's some crazy stuff you've been through

I have personally found my faith in Christ to be a very freeing and rewarding thing, allowing me to be joyful even when things aren't going well.

[Headcrab Zombie]

that can only be dealt with over many years of faith and letting God refine your character.

The only way to deal with it is to stop whining about people who aren't the same way as you.
Homoloveuality is observable in other species with no concept of sin, or anything else requiring thought beyond basic survival instinct. It's a natural occurrence that's not going to go away through wishful thinking

I feel that anyone could theoretically find interest in someone of the opposite love if they really tried.

The only reason you feel this way is because you're straight and don't know what being gay is like

[IkeTheGeneric]

Homoloveuality is observable in other species with no concept of sin, or anything else requiring thought beyond basic survival instinct.

Honestly saying this kinda derives the whole point considering most homoloveuality expressed in nature is mostly on the whole dominating weaker males stuff

[Satan From Wreck-It-Ralph]

Honestly saying this kinda derives the whole point considering most homoloveuality expressed in nature is mostly on the whole dominating weaker males stuff

didnt know ike was a dom!

[Red Spy]

- While I'm at it, I'll throw in this: I believe homoloveuality is a good example of a possession; demon(s) bound perhaps by a generational curse is/are handed down from parents unto offspring and have the effect or whatever of making your kid gay af.

I'm trying not to say "die in a fire while you're drenched in kerosene"
If demons really did exist, would that be how petty they would really be?

What could we do today?
I know!
What?
Make one gender love one of their own gender, instead of the opposite!
That's the most evil thing I've ever heard!

[Trogtor]

I'm trying not to say "die in a fire while you're drenched in kerosene"
If demons really did exist, would that be how petty they would really be?

What could we do today?
I know!
What?
Make one gender love one of their own gender, instead of the opposite!
That's the most evil thing I've ever heard!

you really are stupid arent you

[IkeTheGeneric]

didnt know ike was a dom!

Well just sayin.. in the animal kingdom there's not much of a line between ripping out the competing male's throat and raping him senseless. I think homoloveual relationships between humans is a bit less barbaric and complex than that lol

[Red Spy]

you really are stupid arent you

I just think it's repulsive as a trait to believe homoloveuals are possessed by demons.

[Path]

I just think it's repulsive as a trait to believe homoloveuals are possessed by demons.

Demons aren't always evil beings. they're just considered creatures that go against the teachings of the Bible and lead followers astray. Saying that homoloveuality is demonic is a plausible thing to say. TBH i'm biloveual and I don't agree with that point of view, but it can still be considered valid.

you really are stupid arent you

I agree with this notion.

[Red Spy]

Who said they are considered demons?

- While I'm at it, I'll throw in this: I believe homoloveuality is a good example of a possession; demon(s) bound perhaps by a generational curse is/are handed down from parents unto offspring and have the effect or whatever of making your kid gay af.

[Path]

Yeah I said i'm stupid, sorry about that.