tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post2766692334859253006..comments2023-10-19T11:36:49.184-04:00Comments on Life & Otherwise . . .: The Liberty of the Individual...Jason Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643595412184843553noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-24336424357793136332011-05-30T14:10:15.632-04:002011-05-30T14:10:15.632-04:00In God we Trust is on coins not in the Constitutio...In God we Trust is on coins not in the Constitution. Perhaps you have adopted a COINstitution? <br><br>If homosexuality is a sin unto God it will be forgiven like the perpetual lies of supposedly God-fearing politicians. According to scripture it is God's prerogative to judge and forgive, not Man's. We are here to trust in Him if we so believe. He does not require that all Men believe either, just that His message is heard. Nowhere does it say that all Men must accept it. <br><br>Herein lies the danger of forcing one's morality on others. It robs them of the CHOICE to follow God and turns them against God by judging them for their behavior which is not Man's place. Perhaps people who choose not to follow the Christian God will be sent to Hell, perhaps not. No Man knows this. We can have Faith, but we cannot know.<br><br>Sodom and Gammorha were supposedly destroyed by God for their wickedness. Was the same true for New Orleans? What about the one hundred and eighteen thousand people wiped out by the Great Flood caused by the tsunami? Were they wicked, Godless sinners? It is more likely that the fate of those biblical cities was a tragic disaster caused by an earthquake and the liquification of the salty sands surrounding the Dead Sea.<br><br>The Ten Commandments don't mention homosexuality, nor does the Constitution, Magna Carta, etc. anywhere. It only seems to be an issue of the modern church. We live in a country that guarantess separation of church and state.Weirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16995898789090044957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-25178111753247546022011-05-30T14:10:14.849-04:002011-05-30T14:10:14.849-04:00Marriage, a religious institution? I hav...Marriage, a religious institution?<br> <br><br> I have difficulty trying to understand why allowing gays to use the term “marriage” rather than “unions” to be such a sticking point. I have heard it often said by people that are opposed to gay marriage; say that marriage is a religious institution. Or using the term marriage will somehow make a mockery of traditional marriages. If marriage were indeed a religious institution, why then are heterosexual couples afforded such a wide variety of ways of getting married that have no religious affiliation whatsoever? Heterosexual atheists are allowed to marry and they certainly don’t want any religious overtones to their marriages. Straight couples can get married by the justice of the piece; they can get married by a ship captain on a cruise ship. They can be married underwater or on a mountaintop, it seems to me it just doesn’t matter and that there are no restrictions. The list goes on and on therefore, making the argument of about marriage being a religious institution absurd. <br> <br> I have also heard many opponents of gay marriage say that same sex marriage will make a mockery of traditional marriages, meaning I suppose between a man and a woman. I think that looking closely at all of the statistics about the success of traditional marriages; they seem to be doing a damn good job of their own, making a mockery of the institution of marriage. Then when one looks at the statistics of how many straight lay men and woman who have extramarital affairs doesn’t look so good either not to mention many couples of the clergy who seem also not to have the greatest track record. So then, what do the opponents of gay marriage really mean by saying that same sex marriages would make a mockery of traditional marriage? One doesn’t have to be a sociologist or have a degree in statistics to understand that allowing gay marriages to exist would hurt no one. In fact gay marriage would likely cause gays to have longer lasting relationships. There has been a common complaint generally spouted out by the straight population, that gay relationships don’t seem last very long. Statistics do however bear out one thing in regards to marriage verses just living together as a couple, and that is that couples that are married verses couples just living together, do last longer if they are married. Perhaps this could be the answer in motivating gay couples to work harder at their relationships if they were legally bound by a legitimate contract, rather than just being able to just walk away as so often happens when they hit some rough waters as all relationships do at some point whether gay or straight. Thank you, Aaron Jason Silver Saugatuck, Mi 49408 269 561 6789 www.aaronjasonsilver.com <br>wsfmaaronjasonsilverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10728798232651560886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-1446629229375839152011-05-30T14:10:13.826-04:002011-05-30T14:10:13.826-04:00Rudy, Go read some Thomas Jefferson, http://jpetri...Rudy, Go read some Thomas Jefferson, http://jpetrie.myweb.uga.edu/TJ.html . Don't like it? Then join the Taliban if you want to live with zealots or move to Venezuela if you want to live under an invasive government. When you are ready for Liberty come on back. <br><br>Anon, HAHA, Here's what's "Weird";<br><br>1. Of, relating to, or suggestive of the preternatural or supernatural.<br>2. Of a strikingly odd or unusual character; strange.<br>3. Archaic. Of or relating to fate or the Fates.<br><br>n.<br><br>1. a. Fate; destiny.<br> b. One's assigned lot or fortune, especially when evil.<br><br>2. One of the Fates.<br><br>In a country that was based on the idea of Liberty (not Freedom) and Separation of Church and State I have become weird and unlike the majority. Torn between socialistic Democrats and zealot Republicans I am fated to watch the decline of our society into a Theocracy with either God or the Government cast as the omnipotent diety. <br><br>Here's my stand on Government sanctioned marriage of ANY kind;<br><br>Get rid of it. Instead of fighting for marriage rights we should be fighting to remove them across the board. More legislation just costs more money. It's just another form of government control over our lives.<br><br>Why do we need a god OR a government to bless and sanction a personal decision? <br><br>http://www.policyofliberty.net/e-books/Why%20License%20Marriages.pdf<br><br>So much for Liberty. It's weird that this country has gotten so off-track.<br><br>Jason, 100% support for continuing to speak your mind, the only thing twisted in this whole section is rudy's logic!<br><br>WeirdWeirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16995898789090044957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-69145270921009771972007-01-19T01:25:00.000-05:002007-01-19T01:25:00.000-05:00Rudy, Go read some Thomas Jefferson, http://jpetri...Rudy, Go read some Thomas Jefferson, http://jpetrie.myweb.uga.edu/TJ.html . Don't like it? Then join the Taliban if you want to live with zealots or move to Venezuela if you want to live under an invasive government. When you are ready for Liberty come on back. <br /><br />Anon, HAHA, Here's what's "Weird";<br /><br />1. Of, relating to, or suggestive of the preternatural or supernatural.<br />2. Of a strikingly odd or unusual character; strange.<br />3. Archaic. Of or relating to fate or the Fates.<br /><br />n.<br /><br />1. a. Fate; destiny.<br /> b. One's assigned lot or fortune, especially when evil.<br /><br />2. One of the Fates.<br /><br />In a country that was based on the idea of Liberty (not Freedom) and Separation of Church and State I have become weird and unlike the majority. Torn between socialistic Democrats and zealot Republicans I am fated to watch the decline of our society into a Theocracy with either God or the Government cast as the omnipotent diety. <br /><br />Here's my stand on Government sanctioned marriage of ANY kind;<br /><br />Get rid of it. Instead of fighting for marriage rights we should be fighting to remove them across the board. More legislation just costs more money. It's just another form of government control over our lives.<br /><br />Why do we need a god OR a government to bless and sanction a personal decision? <br /><br />http://www.policyofliberty.net/e-books/Why%20License%20Marriages.pdf<br /><br />So much for Liberty. It's weird that this country has gotten so off-track.<br /><br />Jason, 100% support for continuing to speak your mind, the only thing twisted in this whole section is rudy's logic!<br /><br />WeirdPete Deichmannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16995898789090044957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-19653824926086577272007-01-18T00:10:00.000-05:002007-01-18T00:10:00.000-05:00I take aaronjasonsilver's point of view here, Ja. ...I take aaronjasonsilver's point of view here, Ja. I was going to post almost the exact same thing. I never thought of the act of getting married religous at all. In fact, when John and I married, there was nothing religous about the entire thing. Well, maybe with the exception of the fact that I was thanking God the whole time, for finally letting this happen. LOL<br />I have a wonderful husband....sigh...neither here nor there...<br />anywho, back to your post.<br />Nobody - gay or straight - can make a marriage perfect. I'm sure that the same stats would prove the same for homosexual marriages as heterosexual marriages - given the time to do the studies. Nobody can convince me that if gay marraige were allowed, that they could last longer than hetersexual marriages.<br /><br />"The National Center for Health Statistics recently released a report which found that 43<br />percent of first marriages end in separation or divorce within 15 years" Pretty staggering, huh....<br /><br />Anyway, I support you, Ja...ya know that...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-51725933319868005602007-01-17T20:50:00.000-05:002007-01-17T20:50:00.000-05:00"But it is not a hypocrisy to advocate for legisla..."But it is not a hypocrisy to advocate for legislation which expands individual rights while being against legalization to limit them."<br /><br />Yup. I've heard the reverse-hyprocracy argument before used on this topic and others by fundies. It is a play on discussion points more than an actual valid point. It doesn't make any sense that it would be hypocritical to demand equal protection under the law for individual liberty.<br /><br />BTW, rudy, you've not read the story of Sodom and Gammorha appearentally, because if you did, you'd know they where destroyed for how their citizens treated others (lack of hospitality, rape, etc), not for homosexual activity itself. Homosexually between two consenting adults is not defacto rape, but sex with a minor is, so tell your pastor/father/preacher/minster to stop doing that.fcsuperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09631601009349459890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-75424692416106483382007-01-17T17:19:00.000-05:002007-01-17T17:19:00.000-05:00Well, Agnostic Mom, I average between 80 to 100 hi...Well, Agnostic Mom, I average between 80 to 100 hits per day, which isn't too shabby--unless we're talking gutter slang like Anon there, as hits on <i>me</i> on this web site are far and few between... LOL!<br /><br />I think Aaron was just giving from sage insight and wisdom, and the link he provided goes to a book he authored, which I myself am tempted to buy. I can only imagine the # is to order the book, but as I have no plans on calling (as you can just as easily copy and paste the web addy into your browser to purchase it online), I suppose we'll never know... <br /><br />Aaron? Care to elaborate?Jason Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15643595412184843553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-79071255996787254702007-01-17T15:32:00.000-05:002007-01-17T15:32:00.000-05:00How many hits are you getting per day Jason?How many hits are you getting per day Jason?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-21977335347889182382007-01-17T15:27:00.000-05:002007-01-17T15:27:00.000-05:00Looks like Aaron Jason Silver wants a date Jason -...Looks like Aaron Jason Silver wants a date Jason - he gave you his phone number - now thats "Weird"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-47992484459632250902007-01-17T10:59:00.000-05:002007-01-17T10:59:00.000-05:00Marriage, a religious institution?
I ...Marriage, a religious institution?<br /> <br /><br /> I have difficulty trying to understand why allowing gays to use the term “marriage” rather than “unions” to be such a sticking point. I have heard it often said by people that are opposed to gay marriage; say that marriage is a religious institution. Or using the term marriage will somehow make a mockery of traditional marriages. If marriage were indeed a religious institution, why then are heterosexual couples afforded such a wide variety of ways of getting married that have no religious affiliation whatsoever? Heterosexual atheists are allowed to marry and they certainly don’t want any religious overtones to their marriages. Straight couples can get married by the justice of the piece; they can get married by a ship captain on a cruise ship. They can be married underwater or on a mountaintop, it seems to me it just doesn’t matter and that there are no restrictions. The list goes on and on therefore, making the argument of about marriage being a religious institution absurd. <br /> <br /> I have also heard many opponents of gay marriage say that same sex marriage will make a mockery of traditional marriages, meaning I suppose between a man and a woman. I think that looking closely at all of the statistics about the success of traditional marriages; they seem to be doing a damn good job of their own, making a mockery of the institution of marriage. Then when one looks at the statistics of how many straight lay men and woman who have extramarital affairs doesn’t look so good either not to mention many couples of the clergy who seem also not to have the greatest track record. So then, what do the opponents of gay marriage really mean by saying that same sex marriages would make a mockery of traditional marriage? One doesn’t have to be a sociologist or have a degree in statistics to understand that allowing gay marriages to exist would hurt no one. In fact gay marriage would likely cause gays to have longer lasting relationships. There has been a common complaint generally spouted out by the straight population, that gay relationships don’t seem last very long. Statistics do however bear out one thing in regards to marriage verses just living together as a couple, and that is that couples that are married verses couples just living together, do last longer if they are married. Perhaps this could be the answer in motivating gay couples to work harder at their relationships if they were legally bound by a legitimate contract, rather than just being able to just walk away as so often happens when they hit some rough waters as all relationships do at some point whether gay or straight. Thank you, Aaron Jason Silver Saugatuck, Mi 49408 269 561 6789 www.aaronjasonsilver.com <br />wsfmaaronjasonsilverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12502606952101808374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-91371965292027602982007-01-17T10:19:00.000-05:002007-01-17T10:19:00.000-05:00So I'm a clever homosexual, am I? How have I "twis...So I'm a clever homosexual, am I? How have I "twisted the words"? Saying so doesn't make it so, and unless you make some sort of point, or explain the logic you emply, you really haven't said anything except for stricking your fingers in your ears and shouting "LA!LA!LA! I can't hear you! I can't hear you!"... Your silly argument about Sodom and Gomorrah has been dealt with by minds far better than mine or yours I dare say, but you can read my take on it <a href="http://jthughes.blogspot.com/2006/06/homosexuality-bible-truth-part-1sodom.html">here.</a><br /><br />Weird, some excellent points. Jesus himself, once he said his piece, left people well enough alone, as can be seen in the story of the rich man (Matt 19: 16-22)<br /><br />And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?<br />And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.<br />He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother, and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. <br />The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?<br />Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.<br />But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.<br /><br />Jesus let him walk away--didn't beat him over the head, didn't shout, "But you're going to hell!!!" Let him walk away. More fundies could take some lessons form this... Their god let's us choose how to live--they want to legislate how we should live...<br /><br />Of course, rudy thinks I probably "twisted" this, too! LOL!Jason Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15643595412184843553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-39007082230737370152007-01-17T02:39:00.000-05:002007-01-17T02:39:00.000-05:00In God we Trust is on coins not in the Constitutio...In God we Trust is on coins not in the Constitution. Perhaps you have adopted a COINstitution? <br /><br />If homosexuality is a sin unto God it will be forgiven like the perpetual lies of supposedly God-fearing politicians. According to scripture it is God's prerogative to judge and forgive, not Man's. We are here to trust in Him if we so believe. He does not require that all Men believe either, just that His message is heard. Nowhere does it say that all Men must accept it. <br /><br />Herein lies the danger of forcing one's morality on others. It robs them of the CHOICE to follow God and turns them against God by judging them for their behavior which is not Man's place. Perhaps people who choose not to follow the Christian God will be sent to Hell, perhaps not. No Man knows this. We can have Faith, but we cannot know.<br /><br />Sodom and Gammorha were supposedly destroyed by God for their wickedness. Was the same true for New Orleans? What about the one hundred and eighteen thousand people wiped out by the Great Flood caused by the tsunami? Were they wicked, Godless sinners? It is more likely that the fate of those biblical cities was a tragic disaster caused by an earthquake and the liquification of the salty sands surrounding the Dead Sea.<br /><br />The Ten Commandments don't mention homosexuality, nor does the Constitution, Magna Carta, etc. anywhere. It only seems to be an issue of the modern church. We live in a country that guarantess separation of church and state.Pete Deichmannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16995898789090044957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-89094973712359857722007-01-17T01:26:00.000-05:002007-01-17T01:26:00.000-05:00I must give you credit. You are a clever homosexua...I must give you credit. You are a clever homosexual. Twisting the words of law in your favor. The Bible reveals to the world what happened to Sodom and Gammorha.<br /><br />I trust that, inGod we trust is not your motto. You will never know the power of God untill you live by his 10 commandments unless you have as much money as Sir Elton John. Whoop-de-doo!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com