One year in the Democratic Party

[Eraserhead]

As you can tell by my scores, I am still very much a Republican socially...

We need to work on that.

[Eraserhead]

As you can tell by my scores, I am still very much a Republican socially...

We need to work on that.

haha.  I have modified my views a hair since becoming a Democrat in September 2006.  In 2005 and 2006, I was extremely anti-gay.  But being friends with a certain former forumite, I now am modestly in support of civil unions.  I will not campaign for them, but I won't campaign against them, either.  That kind of like some politicians take.  So, in that respect, I have kind of moved to the left, socially.  I am still adamantly (sp?) opposed to gay marriage and will campaign hard against that.

Why? Why shouldn't gays have to deal with the misery that is marriage like everyone else? Be fair.

[Eraserhead]

Now, look at my avatar.  That best describes me.  An independent-thinking Democrat.

If you look at the positions of the Oklahoma Republican Party, you'll see why I'm pretty much a Democrat.  Especially, the economic and civil union issues.  Believe me, civil unions would never pass in Oklahoma, and that is where I somewhat disagree with them.

I was gonna say that!

And now, I'll dedicate a song to you:

It's not that easy bein' green;
Having to spend each day the color of the leaves.
When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow or gold-
or something much more colorful like that.

 It's not easy bein' green.
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things.
And people tend to pass you over 'cause you're not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water- or stars in the sky.

But green's the color of Spring.
And green can be cool and friendly-like.
And green can be big like an ocean, or important like a mountain, or tall like a tree.
 
When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why, but why wonder why? Wonder,
I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful!
And I think it's what I want to be.

[Eraserhead]

So, BushOK, what precisely is the source of your intolerance?  I'm just curious.

Why are you asking that Opebo? He is an American, it is ingrained in him!

[Eraserhead]

I am not solely trying to use this as an outreach, but that is my ultimate goal, but I want to do it in the most loving way possible.

That is not 'loving'; if the only reason you are friends with that person because you want to try and change them for your own ends then its a fraudulent friendship and you should be ashamed of yourself.

That is not the only reason.  I am friends with him for him, mainly, but since I don't like the gay lifestyle, I feel it is my obligation to him and to my God that I love him in a manner that will make him want to come out of it.

Contrary to popular opinion -- IT IS OKAY and PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE TO NOT LIKE THE HOMOSEXUAL LIFESTYLE

Sure but it isn't (or at least it shouldn't be) acceptable to force your moral and religious beliefs on him and other people. A lot of people (me included) consider God about as real as Santa Claus.

Live and let live man.

[Eraserhead]

I am not solely trying to use this as an outreach, but that is my ultimate goal, but I want to do it in the most loving way possible.

That is not 'loving'; if the only reason you are friends with that person because you want to try and change them for your own ends then its a fraudulent friendship and you should be ashamed of yourself.

That is not the only reason.  I am friends with him for him, mainly, but since I don't like the gay lifestyle, I feel it is my obligation to him and to my God that I love him in a manner that will make him want to come out of it.

Contrary to popular opinion -- IT IS OKAY and PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE TO NOT LIKE THE HOMOSEXUAL LIFESTYLE

Sure but it isn't (or at least it shouldn't be) acceptable to force your moral and religious beliefs on him and other people. A lot of people (me included) consider God about as real as Santa Claus.

Live and let live man.

Who ever said TALKING to the guy about it lovingly is shoving it down his throat.  Am I supposed to keep my mouth shut on what I believe to be the truth and not share the joy that Christ Jesus gives me with others?  You non-believers seem to think if I say one word about God I'm shoving it down your throat, or at least thats how I perceive it.

I could basically care less how much you talk about Jesus but you said you were trying to stop your friend from being a homosexual. Why? Just let him be. He isn't hurting anyone.

Don't turn him into the next Larry Craig. It is unnatural for a gay man to have to live like that.

[Eraserhead]

Personally, I find many social conservatives attitudes towards  gays to be hypocritical. You have someone like Vitter who has liaisons with female prostitutes , and you don’t hear many condemnations of his “depraved lifestyle.” But the minute Craig is found in the bathroom soliciting for gay sex, a lot of social conservatives seem to use it as evidence as to how “depraved” the gay lifestyle is, and use it to try to somehow prove that gays are more promiscuous and how like the only goal of the homosexuals is to destroy the traditional family unit.

I understand that many people think that Homosexuality is a sin that needs to be treated or cured or whatever, and while I don’t agree with that view at all, I at least try to bear in mind that they are, in their minds, saving the homosexual from a life of sin. I just wish, however, that they’d put as much emphasis into trying to save someone like Vitter as they do into trying to save someone like Craig.

That being said, you seem to care about your friend, Oklahoma for Edwards, and I think your trying to help him out. But if he's happy with the way he is, maybe you should try to be, as well. His sexuality should  be between him and God[if one indeed exists.]

When I approach him, I allow him to be in control.  I allow him to decide when he wants to talk about it.  I will gently prod him from time to time, but I generally give him the controls.  If he doesn't want to talk about it, I don't press the issue, because that would be pushing it down his throat.  However, if he asks me, I will gladly talk to him about it and pray with him and for him, that is not pushing it down his throat since he initiated it.

As a Baptist minister, thats what I do with anyone that has any kind of sin.  Yes, I do consider homosexuality to be a sin, but not an unforgivable sin.  It is no worse or no better than telling a little white lie or killing 3,000 people in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.  Before I judge them and call them sinners, I will always examine my own heart and confess any sin I have before I try to remove the plank from my brother's eye.

There's no need to condemn me for my view, as I don't condemn others for their views.

Uh I tend to think killing 3,000 people is just a little bit worse than being gay.

[Eraserhead]

I would like to add that this friend of mine, though he's gay, is on the whole MORE conservative than I am.

Is your friend Larry Craig?