I guess my question to the OP and those who agree...why do you care? Why is it SO important to you to tell others how wrong their lifestyle is? Are they killers? Are they molesting children? Are they terrorists?
If you answered, "Some of them are," then I'm here to tell you that the same can be said for straight individuals.
My point is this: If the reason you're telling homosexuals that they are sinners is because you're religious, then stop and think about what God wants you to do. He wants you to love others as He loves us...if you've expressed your opinion and homosexuals haven't magically converted to heterosexuals, then stop it. Just stop it and accept them for who they are. You can still feel superior and feel as though you've done "God's Will," and when YOU get to Heaven, you can tell God that you did your best.
My cousin is Catholic, gay, and believes that God put him here to face the hatred and adversity of those small-minded enough to deny someone their rights based on their sexuality.
A music teacher of mine was married to a man who later told her he was gay. They had two children, and what she thought was a happy life...until he told her that he hated himself for what he had become: a liar. He lied and told her that he was in love with her, and married her. He loved her, but he was gay; he was attracted to another men, had feelings of being "in love" with another men, and they divorced.
Trying to conform to the beliefs that many people here have posted, he ruined his own life, and the lives of his family members by pretending to be something he wasn't.
My friend committed suicide because he was gay, but his family couldn't accept it. He had options: becoming a Preist (who was gay, but could never have sex), or pretending he was something he wasn't his whole life. He chose the latter, and the depression was so bad, he killed himself.
Why, oh why, do you have to spread this hatred? I know, I know. It's not hatred. It's just your opinion. And granted there's nothing to prove that there is a "gay gene." But if my cousin and friend and my teacher's husband tried and tried and tried to conform and change, and they couldn't, is that at ALL getting through to anyone?
So what? Do you want them in an institution somewhere where they can't infect others with their poisonous ideas? I don't understand why you just can't let these people be? How are they bothering you? How is their sex life, home life, love life bothering YOU?
YOU'RE not doing anything "wrong." YOU'RE following God's laws. YOU did the "good" thing and tried to "change" your fellow man. So let it go. You did what you were "supposed" to do. Let these people have some peace. Let them love whomever they choose to love because that's how they feel inside.
If you were told that you couldn't be with your husband or wife, the person you love, or if you were told you couldn't pursue someone you were attracted to, would you be okay with it? Would you sit back and say, "Oh, okay. Some people and a couple verses in the Bible tell me I can't be with my significant other and that my love isn't valid. It's wrong and perverted and disgusting. So I'll just live my life alone without that person to complete me. No prob." Are you KIDDING me? You'd fight tooth and nail to have the rights that you DESERVE.
Feel free to look down on those who deserve it: abusers, molestors, killers, rapists, arsonists, terrorists, etc. etc. etc. They did something that could affect you in a terrible way one day. You could be abused, molested, killed, raped, your house burned down, or your town could be bombed.
What are homosexuals doing to hurt you? To cause you harm? They're not doing ANYTHING to you AT ALL, but you still feel the need to hurt them. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. I don't. I can't. My parents, who grew up in a small rural community in da UP (Upper Penninsula, for those of you who weren't fortunate enough to visit
), are having a very hard time with my cousin's coming out. My Dad just thinks it's "gross" for two guys to be together. My Mom is having religious issues, the same as many of you are. But they know my cousin. They know he loves Broadway, Bernadette Peters, and Disney. They know he hates red meat and adores sour cream and onion chips. And they know he woudl never do anything to hurt himself or his family. They know he would never choose such a difficult life...why, why would you Choose the pain that comes with being homosexual? Of telling your family, friends, of being afraid you won't be accepted?
And I leave you with my last thought: Let's say new Susie at work comes up to you and says, "Hey, I want to introduce you to my boyfriend." Do you immidietly picture them having sex? Or wonder if they're having pre-marital sex and are committing a sin? Good. Me neither. So if a woman comes up to you and says, "Hey, I want to introduce you to my partner, Lisa," why do you immidietly picture their sex life and see them as different? That's your own problem - if you can't look at a person and not see their sex life (which is what you all seem to have a problem with)? Gross. Have fun with that...I don't want to be introduced to you, that's for sure.
BTW, I really AM sorry this is so long.