Joel Osteen, one of those smiling bigots who uses Jesus as an excuse to get rational human beings to allow him on television, tells Piers Morgan in an interview this week that, yes, he still believes homosexuality is a sin. How does he know? Because the “scriptures shows that it’s a sin.” But don’t worry, he’s not out there to “bash homosexuals,” because he doesn’t bash shrimp eaters either! Then he reminds viewers he “didn’t go to seminary,” which to me just says he’s actually an unqualified bigot.
smiling bigots
Joel Osteen Knows You’re Living In Sin, But He Won’t Rub It In Your Face
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XOXO
Dropping the bigot label on whoever doesn’t agree with you is really old, queerty. No one buys it.
David
Bigotry with a smile. What a fraud. Kudos to Piers for being somewhat relentless.
Abel
Osteen has a gay brother, I hear. He’s just like all the other televangelists. He’s about the money. Nothing else. Just the money.
AndrewW
Dumb Christians.
Remind me, why are some gays Christian? Religion made homosexuality wrong. They branded us. Why do we support them?
As far as i know there isn’t a single Christian religion that has formally declared “there is nothing wrong with being homosexual.” Until then, why help them continue to promote the lies about us?
Jaroslaw
#3 money AND power/influence/prestige. I don’t think ALL televangelists are crooked. Definitely most though.
However, if they were really concerned about morality, they would spend less of their time on homosexuality and more on the inequities of distribution of wealth, pollution, health care.
I remember reading in a reputable source that searches of conservative religious websites shows 30-50 percent of their documents relate to homosexuality. That may be in issue for them, but that seems pretty disproportionate use of webspace!
Hector
When Joel comes out of the closet, I call dibs on sloppy seconds. I’m tired of virgins, and I want to have my men with some experience.
Phoenix
I hope this fellow is not allowed to visit South-Africa again!
Kieran
I wonder why we never hear preachers like Joel Osteen quote the scripture where Jesus says, “Whoever Divorces and marries again commits Adultery”? You notice how they never talk about that part of the Bible nowadays? It’s almost like the Biblical sin of divorce has been suddenly absolved. Could it possibly be because people like Osteen would lose half their audience if they brought up that particular “sin”.
JT
Yet more anti-Christian rhetoric from Queerty. I’m not even religious and I get sick of reading it. I know your ultimate goal is to completely rid the world of Christianity, but I don’t think targeting someone who’s preaching tolerance should be your top priority. As far as I can tell, the Osteens are more concerned with preaching a positive message, not the type of hate causing gays to kill themselves. Believe it or not, some of my best friends are Christians (Baptists!), love me for who I am, and go to gay bars with me regularly. I don’t think it’s fair grouping Christians together like they’re all hateful Westboro nuts.
Jeffree
@Kieran: The fundie tele-evangelists prefer to talk about ho-mo-sess-u-al-i-ty rather than divorce because otherwise their viewers would have to look at their own lives instead of casting stones at “other people.”
Remember that NOM and other “pro-Family” groups ignore the most common causes of marital breakup (infidelity, money probs, etc) so they can focus on something they can’t be blamed for personally. We LGB people aren’t causing all that many divorces.
Joel Osteen doesn’t even have credentials to preach? Am not surprised. But he sure has pretty hair & teeth !
Wild Gift
Fuck that toe tapper.
Michael
@JT: Oh, that’s cool that your friends have a gay friend! They just think you’re going to hell =). And if they had a child that were gay, I’d love to see that situation play out.
Using the gay equivalent of “I have a black friend, I can’t be racist!” is beyond insulting.
Anti-Christian rhetoric? When it is the Christian-right repressing gay people? Please. That’s like saying that a black person calling out a white person on their blatant racism (with a smile) is anti-white.
Danny
Wait a minute. He’s quoting scripture? Exodus 35:2 says anyone working on the Sabbath must be put to death, no exceptions. He gets paid to work on the Sabbath. What a hypocrite! And his congregation pays him to work on the Sabbath – even more hypocrites! Just like the politicians who get paid to work on Sabbath but condemn gay people. No wonder Jesus said Hypocrites and pharisees cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. And no wonder the only time Jesus becomes physically violent in the bible is to throw the merchants out of the church. He understood how greed and powermongering among religious and secular authorities create massive hypocrites.
Kevin
@Michael: I’m sorry, but I don’t really follow. How is it bigoted, exactly, to think that people who perform a certain sex act are going to hell? It’s wrong-headed, silly, and might LEAD to bigotry, sure, but it’s not, in itself, bigoted. It’s an opinion which is based on a legitimate (maybe not the best, but still legitimate) interpretation of the Bible. I don’t think you can read the relevant passages without acknowledging that. I think we’ll have better luck arguing that morality shouldn’t be legislated than we will trying to argue that the “homosexual lifestyle” is essentially just as moral as the heterosexual one.
Michael
@Kevin: First of all, I never brought the word “bigoted” (or “homophobic”, for that matter)into this discussion.
Second of all, if someone thinks you are going to hell for being gay, but they are not going to hell for any of their “sins”, they are saying they are superior to you. So that is a moral judgement and to me that isn’t a friend being ~*totally cool*~ with the “gay thing”.
Just a side note: what exactly does “legitimate interpretation of the Bible” mean? What makes it legitimate, exactly? Is it that many people follow that interpretation? Is it that it is logical? And, further, why CAN’T we argue that homosexuality is just as moral as heterosexuality? That’s like saying “it’s easier to just say black people can be free…but when you start saying they’re equal to white people, that’s where it gets tricky”. Sorry, but it’s not a logical argument.
CECE
Why are black ministers soo homophobic SMH?
Adonis-of-Fire
Christianity as practiced now is not what Jesus taught
Jesus would be ashamed of being associated with idiots like Osteen.
CECE
@Adonis-of-Fire: At least he is nice about it. Reverend Wright? Not so much..
InMA
To those of you bashing Queerty for calling Osteen out on his words: Some of the most hateful people I know are American christians. If they (or their supporters) don’t want to be thought of as such then perhaps they should not act the exact opposite of everything Jesus taught.
I personally don’t know enough about Osteen to say he’s an all out “bigot” and I don’t know what other questions he was specifically asked were a “sin” but I do know being gay is NOT a sin and we are not obligated to defend anything or anyone who thinks otherwise…”christian” or not.
Right Wingers Are Socioptahs (John From England)
@CECE:
Really? He is nice because he thinks you will go to he’ll with a smile?? Oh dear sweetie. I bet your the kind of person that if you’re partner cheated on you but said it wasn’t his fault it was cause he missed you, your heart would warm up and forgive him because ‘he didn’t seem mean’ all the while he smiles back at you with dead eyes, a knowing grin and the simple fact that your so dumb that it’s that easy to pull the wool over your eyes.
I’m no bible expert but wasn’t there some passage about false prophets and wolves in sheep’s clothing? Surely this man is it? Rev Wright was no sheep, he told you what he thought.
I’m sorry but I’m more frightened of people like this man who can turn at you on a switch with all the kindness, then someone who tells you form the get go they don’t like you. I know where I stand.
It’s just frightening to have gay people sticking up for this guy.
No wonder the GOP keep on winning and pulling the wool over the lefts eyes if people are that easily duped because someone has pretty blue eyes, a sweet voice and a cute smile. Sheez, it’s that easy huh?
But if he was big, black, dark skinned……oh boy!
You have Charles Barkley going ot of his way to stick up for gay people amongst dumb jocks on national TV when he more then anyone as a black man has been dunked aggressively with the Christian religion that was forced as slaves and he gets insulted because he said ‘homosexuality’ with barely a whimper of comments.
This guy says gays are going to he’ll with his slicked dark hair and pretty White blonde wife and people are sticking up for him!
Sheez.
Oli
Fair play to Piers Morgan! Not words I ever thought I’d say. I do think that although this Osteen guy doesn’t seem that bad, consider what he’s actually saying. Its not good, it is (like all “faith”) completely and deliberately blind to evidence and reason. I suppose, though, that he must have the opportunity to say these things. I’d rather the Osteen brand of anti-gay media presence than the Anita Bryant variety any day of the week.
GetBalance
Osteen sounded like a dumb-ass backwoods hillbillie. Para” gee i don’t understand what the heck it all means. ( spits in a tin cup ) but dat dares wuts ritten, dont make no sense to me’n heck knows why. I’m just a dumb ass and just do what im told so Ize can get me some bobcat and beer for the weekdays when im bored and screwin my cousin’sass”.
And his brains just go on stirfry. What a poorly aging disgusting superficial dork. Yep its dollars nothing more. When the tides turn in churches the preachers will too. Gotta fill those baskets to pay for your ticket to heaven. Totally full on universal scam to nowhere.
justiceontherocks
@Kevin: There’s a big problem with your logic, because there’s a lot of bigotry in the bible. This guy doesn’t get a pass because he spouted some of it.
Jaroslaw
The reason this is such a morass is obviously many of you don’t understand the mind of a Christian fundy. THEY are ‘normal’, man/woman is the only normal relationship mentioned in the Bible. They sin, sure, but in theory, they ask to be forgiven and try to do better. WE on the other hand, do not acknowledge our ‘sinful’ lifestyles, therefore cannot be forgiven.
Fundys also cannot seem to wrap their heads around the notion that the Old Testament talks about being put to death and/or abomnination for a lot of things, like Queerty alludes to eating shrimp. Why they only harp on Gay is beyond me. Yes, I’m aware the New Testament talks about men burning in their lust for one another (which I always try to say that is NOT a loving relationhip and it is also just that, lust and is wrong for HETEROS to go contrary to THEIR NATURE which is to be hetero). But again this goes on deaf ears. So final analysis- give up and live your life.
GetBalance
@jaroslaw
Well said and i think ultimately that is where people are headed. Stop fighting and keep legislating. It’s a hard thing for many to resolve but once they do, dropping the drama and go live life is the freeing next step. When someone stops looking at the Joels of the world as attackers, and just another guy with the right to his opinion, even if it’s looney, they get power and self confidence back. It’s a good thing.
Jeffree
As long as Joel Osteen doesn’t steer his megachurch & viewers into political activism against LGBTs, or to convince his flock that evolution shouldn’t be taught in schools, or that global warming is part of God’s plan, he’s pretty benign.
But as soon as he starts in with advocating “pr.ay away the gay” and the usual fundie rhetoric, then I think we need to make sure his agenda is nipped in the bud….and expose the sneer behind the megawatt smile.
Kevin
@Michael: I suppose you didn’t use the term “bigoted,” but you did compare it to racism which in my mind is simply a form of bigotry. I don’t think that’s much of a logical leap.
I refuse to see how making a “moral judgment” (your words) qualifies as bigotry. I, for one, make moral judgments about my friends’ actions ALL the freaking time. I would imagine most people do. In some aspects of my life, I come out “superior.” Two people can have different sets of moral rules (to a point) and still be friends.
As far as a “legitimate” interpretation, one that is reasonably related to the original text. So, yeah, logical, more or less. And of course I’m not saying that you CAN’T argue that homosexuality and heterosexuality are morally equal. I happen to believe that they are. Heck, you could make the argument that homosexuality is morally superior since it can’t result in overpopulation (or the Christian right’s boogeyman, abortion). I’m just saying that this kind of argument isn’t going to make any leeway amongst the religious leadership of this country any time soon.
justiceontherocks
@Jeffree: Sorry, I can’t agree with you. Saying the homosexuality is a “sin” is like waving a red flag in front of a bull where his audience is concerned. And it’s more dangerous than a Fred Phelps, who pisses everyone off, or Pat Robertson, who can’t even remember his own name.
No, he’s not benign.
The good news is he’s not into political activism. That would interfere with making tax-free money.
Jeffree
@JusticeOnTheRocks: I see your point. I should have said “comparatively benign” when matched against other megachurch pastors. You’re talking theology, and I was/am thinking politics. Those two things are closely related.
I take it as a given that all fundie preachers will call “same-sex activity” a sin and preach accordingly, so I was (in my brain!) comparing him to the preachers I find much more politcally active and worrisome,
So, yep, he isn’t harml.ess. And I wasn’t writing clearly enough.
justiceontherocks
@Jeffree: now if you can just teach “Kevin” some sense . . .
ousslander
I could acre less if he thinks I’m a sinner or going to hell. There are bigger things to worry about.
adman
@JT: Comparing critiques of religion and intolerance towards sexual minorities with one another is a false equivalence. Apples and oranges, so just stop.
Atheism is a prejudice too
Michael writes:
“Anti-Christian rhetoric? When it is the Christian-right repressing gay people? Please. That’s like saying that a black person calling out a white person on their blatant racism (with a smile) is anti-white.”
Because not all Christians are conservative homophobes, just as not all white people are racists nor are all black people in gangs. And you knew that, because in your example of racist, you were specific, using “a white person” instead of a broad generalization.
“Second of all, if someone thinks you are going to hell for being gay, but they are not going to hell for any of their “sins”, they are saying they are superior to you.”
And that is one of the fundamental flaws of anti-gay theology, which people who bash Christianity and homophobes both do not understand. At the heart of Christianity is the notion that we are all equal in the sight of God – and we are supposed to treat each other as equals as well. So Joel is sinning when he declares homosexuality to be a sin.
Prejudices, from racism to homophobia to sexism to atheism, are about exalting one’s ego, one’s own self, by tearing other people down.
InMa writes; “Some of the most hateful people I know are American christians.”
Here we have prejudice on display. A trait that is found in many people is used to condemn all people of a particular group. Many of the most hateful people on Queerty are all anti-religious, people who not only bash Christians here, but all kinds of other people as well – feminine men, overweight people, people of color, etc.
One thing is true – all hateful people are human beings. Some are people of faith, some are not. Some have light skin, some have dark skin. Some are skinny, some are fat, some are tall, some are short, some are male, some are female. And for each of those categories, many people who fit those categories are not hateful.
Christians in general are like everyone else, they some good traits and some bad traits. But the moment some atheist on Queerty condemn all Christians based on the actions of Joel and his peers, he/she become his peer as well – a bigot.
Adman
“Comparing critiques of religion and intolerance towards sexual minorities with one another is a false equivalence. Apples and oranges, so just stop.”
Empty dismissals are a sign of contempt and insecurity on your part. Your dismissal of the equivalency between atheism and homophobia has been repeatedly refuted, and each time, you and your peers/sock puppets have resorted to verbal abuse.
Both religion and sexuality are expressions of people’s experiences; persecuting people in either category because of who they are is a moral wrong. Vilifying people based on one defining trait is the same as vilifying people based on a different defining trait, so vilifying people for being Christians is the same as vilifying them for being gay, or black, or fat, or fem, or butch, or female.
One of the many parallels between homophobes and atheists is that neither demonstrates the ability to distinguish between people themselves and the behaviors or beliefs those people do/have. GLBTQ are all bad, according to homophobes, because they have gay sex, and Christians are all bad, according to atheists, because they believe in God. This is prejudice, and it contributes nothing of value.
And it completely interferes with repudiating harmful behaviors or ideas – whether it is bare backing or anti-gay theology.
Kevin
“I refuse to see how making a “moral judgment” (your words) qualifies as bigotry.”
First off, bigotry is any stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one’s own. “Moral judgments” can certainly be bigotry – the moral judgment that mixed race marriage is wrong is bigotry. The moral judgment that people of color are violent is bigotry.
In practice, a “moral judgment”, any judgment, becomes bigotry when it is used to negatively define a person, or all people.
Your problem is that you’ve oversimplified the situation, when it applies to homosexuality. Anti-gay theology doesn’t just make a “moral judgment” – it asserts that the innate capacity for love and affection and intimacy experienced by some people is worthy of death and eternal separation from God – anti-gay theology is a “moral judgment” about the very humanity of millions of human beings.
And as such, it is immoral by Christ’s teachings – anti-gay theology defines millions of people as intrinsically inferior to everyone else, and that is sin.
The other problem with anti-gay theology is that it provides no moral alternative for GLBTQ people. It is not moral for someone who is only sexually attracted to someone of their own gender, to engage in a sexual and emotional relationship with someone of the opposite gender – they are deceiving themselves, their partner, with their body. The other alternative, life-long celibacy, is hardly any better; it deprives people of something we are, most of us at least, intrinsically wired for, something we need. People who have intimate loving relationships live longer, get sick less often, have less depression, are less susceptible to addiction. Celibacy and lifelong single-hood is not healthy for most people, especially when it is coerced.
“As far as a “legitimate” interpretation, one that is reasonably related to the original text. So, yeah, logical, more or less.”
That’s only the very surface, what you are arguing is something called literalism. A truly legitimate interpretation is one that does not conflict with any of the foundational principles about God that articulated in the Bible (among other places). These are principles like justice, equality, grace, and are articulated in statements like ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ and ‘forgive us as we forgive others’.
Jesus actually gave a test for ‘legitimate interpretation’ in Matthew 7:15-23. Jesus said that good teaching was revealed by its beneficial fruit – good teaching uplifts, heals, nurtures, builds up. Bad teaching is revealed by its destructive fruit – bad teaching destroys, tears down, marginalizes, lies and slanders, kills and maims.
So here is the problem for people who teaching anti-gay theology, who defend their interpretation of a handful of ancient texts: anti-gay theology only produces harm, it only bears bad fruit. If someone believes anti-gay theology, they must, consciously or unconsciously, conclude that Jesus was wrong in Matthew 7:15-23; they reject Jesus. If they truly accept and trust Jesus, then they must reject any interpretation of any Bible passage that leads to injustice, murder, lies, egotism, prejudice, discrimination, etc.
But a lot of people (Christian and non-Christians really) want it both ways – they want Jesus to be right, when it good for them, like rejecting interpretations that support slavery or racism or sexism, and they want Jesus to just shut up about it when it means they have to give up homophobia, or adultery, or whatever it is they are doing wrong and enjoy.
scripscan
He is still very obviously anti-gay.
kueerduck
hahahahaha, sin is in! wonder what his sin is? what year is this anyway?
Michael
@The “anti-Christian rhetoric” the person was talking about was the fact that this article was even PUBLISHED. So what I was saying was, this is not anti-Christian. So in no way did I say every Christian was homophobic, nor did I say hating Christianity in general was okay simply because *some* Christians are homophobic. Just as (as you said) all white people aren’t racist but when a white person IS racist, it’s not an attack on ALL WHITE PEOPLE if someone calls out that white person for being racist.
Atheism is a prejudice too: “Prejudices, from racism to homophobia to sexism to atheism”
I was going to read the rest of what you said, but when you compare atheism to sexism and homophobia I know what angle you’re coming from and it is not one of logic. To say that atheism is the hate of religion and not the lack of belief in any God is foolish.
Michael
@Atheism is a prejudice too:
The “anti-Christian rhetoric” the person was talking about was the fact that this article was even PUBLISHED. So what I was saying was, this is not anti-Christian. So in no way did I say every Christian was homophobic, nor did I say hating Christianity in general was okay simply because *some* Christians are homophobic. Just as (as you said) all white people aren’t racist but when a white person IS racist, it’s not an attack on ALL WHITE PEOPLE if someone calls out that white person for being racist.
“Prejudices, from racism to homophobia to sexism to atheism”
I was going to read the rest of what you said, but when you compare atheism to sexism and homophobia I know what angle you’re coming from and it is not one of logic. To say that atheism is the hate of religion and not the lack of belief in any God is foolish.
Michael
@Kevin: I said “the gay equivalent of “I have a black friend, I can’t be racist!”. Racist means attributing a certain characteristic onto all members of a race simply for belonging to that race (positive or negative). I didn’t use “bigotry” or “homophobia” because I choose my words carefully. Homophobia, in definition, is not the equivalent of racism.
Second of all, of course you can make moral judgements of your friends. But if you are a religious person and you believe your “friend” is going to suffer in hell for all of eternity, that’s a little bit different than “I don’t think you’re with the right guy” or “you’re not taking your job seriously”. See what I’m saying?
And lastly, the idea that trying to argue moral equality “won’t get us anywhere” because of other people’s hatred is silly. Yeah, maybe it’s not the easiest thing, but I’d prefer to fight for the MORAL equality than simply say “Oh well you can’t judge me, I’m just *different*”. No. I am just as moral and I have no problem using that as an argument. If people can’t accept that because of *THEIR* prejudices, that is *THEIR* problem. But they will eventually be in such a minority that their voices will not be as loud as they are now.
Taylor Siluwé
@Atheism is a prejudice too:
Atheism = bigotry? That’s a hot one.
I can agree that atheism is itself a religion, one that asserts there is no God, but there’s no hate there so no bigotry. Atheists just believe differently from Christians, must as Muslims and Hindus etc do. Are all none Christians bigots? Or are some Christians sensitive that others have the temerity to believe otherwise?
But that’s aside from the point anyway.
The issue is Joel Osteen and his polished and syrupy message of condemnation. Telling his vast audience (as Piers pointed out) that gays are sinners (and destined to burn in Hell) puts a target on their backs, justifies discrimination, all while saying they just want to “reach people” and to help them change.
WTF?
And I’d add that because Osteen is so likable and attractive his message does even more harm than those inbred Westboro loons. If you’ve ever listened to one of his sermons (I call them seminars, he’s like a Tony Robbins on God), he sucks you in. He’s extremely good at what he does.
Therefore, although he not’s foaming at the mouth and pointing and shouting SINNER, he validates the ones who do. He actually could appeal to peoples better instincts like he often does on other issues, but falls flat on his face here.
On another note – Osteen always set off my gaydar big-time. Could that be why he looked so uncharacteristically uncomfortable with the subject? I’ve never seen him look uncomfortable before.
Food for thought. Especially since fundie gay men are notorious, infamous even, for wrapping themselves in the bible and grabbing a trophy wife.
GetBalance
@taylor
I also saw Joel looking uncomfortable, actually freaked, behind the fluffy smile. That is a total first as he is always veru knob polished. His wife jumped in strongly at one point and took over the conversation on a tough question. It makes me wonder if something went down with those two. Joel has about as opposite a poker face as one can get. I agree he is very attractive ala self help guru style, until at the end of every sermon he picks up a Bible and stamps the sermon with it’s mush mash of controversy. If he would drop the Bible schtick .. … .. 😉
Taylor Siluwé
@GetBalance:
The fact that he said he was “raised” in his beliefs is telling. Naturally, all of us raised in most religious traditions knew early on that the urge to butt fcuk the boy next door was something best kept to ourselves.
Some went on to wrap themselves in religiosity, suppressing their true selves, only (in some cases) to pull an embarrassing Ted Haggard years down the road. Others, like myself, told those religious traditions to go screw themselves and never looked back.
Is Osteen destined to be caught with a male hooker doing booty bumbs of meth? Who knows. Some people may succeed in suppressing their true selves all their lives. I can’t imagine anything sadder.
However if Osteen has never engaged in man on man action (and my intuition doubts that), then I’d volunteer to be his tutor. Because I stumbled across his ‘show’ a few years back and only watched because I thought he was hot. His message turned out to be very uplifting and I was shocked that I’d actually watched an entire televangelist program (a first for me, and a last). I wasn’t stupid enough to send money though, still, I was very impressed. If he only left the bible out of his message, I’d like him a lot more.
But I wonder how many others watch Osteen (and buy the vids and books) because they find him HOT while he strokes their lust for God?
GetBalance
@Taylor
You pretty much nailed my life and involvement w Joel to a tee. We are totally mirroring however, I dumped watching him when he started the gay discrimination act. Now i will only watch him on a talk show to see if he is still pushing the lie. But very interesting take. I wish Piers had called him on ignorance when be kept saying he didn’t “know why” etc.
Maybe next time. 🙂
Francis
Joel is a complete farce. He says “I don’t have the answers” BUT he obviously has the answers to say gay people are sinners. So I guess it’s just this one issue where he knows what he’s saying.
Also the guy is NOT about fundamental Biblical teaching. He’s about prosperity (ie. money). He says being rich is one of the best gifts God can give a person. He’s a con artist.
Chuck
Joel has a gay brother. The real question is what does the gay brother think of his views? His gay brother is from John’s first marriage, so he is only a half brother.
SteveCampsOut
@AndrewW: It’s not ABOUT supporting people that are wrong! It’s about being in a relationship with God! Just because his kid’s are all jacked up over the issue of Homosexuality, that’s no reason to abandon a relationship with your loving creator! Example: Me and my brother don’t always see eye to eye. Is that any reason to never speak to my mother?!? It’s the same thing! You don’t abandon God just because he’s raised some idiots.
Blah, bla..huh?
@Kevin: I think you hit the nail right on the head, since the heterosexual lifestyle is NOT a moral “lifestyle”, it’s consumptive in an overpopulated world, and all of society makes incredible sacrifices that might otherwise contribute to sustenance of our species instead of creating a huge cattle pen of the entire world. In addition, we need to breed, and people are going to anyway so what should we do? Religionists don’t offer anything moral as a rule to address these realities of life, so different than when the works were written.
The one thing that monotheism cannot offer is an ethics driven differently than what their own thinking defines and describes as evil. Religion can’t tell straight people that they would just breed and be OK if they don’t violate others, so it uses homosexuality as a smoke screen. You can’t see the black hearted cynicism that preachers cast the “hetero” lifestyle as, but once you apologize for it, who knows how low you’ll go? It would be nice if you starry eyed trolls did it on another website, but oh well. Queerty is kinda lazy like that.
Blah, bla..huh?
@SteveCampsOut: Inorite, I don’t abandon god just because he doesn’t exist, and there are better things to do than talk about things that don’t exist. I know the idea is one that people erroneously believe and so I don’t just abandon” it, that would be denial.