The only argument I'd have is that they are individually protected under those where they fall. I'm curious if you've seen discrimination by employers because of sexual preference?

 

I'm not gay, so personally, I have not. I don't work in Employment Law, so I don't have any first hand knowledge there. I'm not even sure that it happens. I was just stating that they are not protected.

I'm not gay, so personally, I have not. I don't work in Employment Law, so I don't have any first hand knowledge there. I'm not even sure that it happens. I was just stating that they are not protected.

Well I knew you weren't gay, but most of us aren't privy to some of the legal wranglings you are privy to. I was just curious if you'd ever heard of that.

Well I knew you weren't gay, but most of us aren't privy to some of the legal wranglings you are privy to. I was just curious if you'd ever heard of that.

 

I was kidding. The humor didn't translate. I was serious about not being in employment law though.

I was kidding. The humor didn't translate. I was serious about not being in employment law though.

You Catholic guys are over my head! ha

b ball fan , appreciate your candor more than you know. thanks .

 

Thanks to you too "Manitoudan" for making me feel comfortable enough to express myself, as well as folks like "Hoops5" who always place posts on here in a positive upbeat, open minded fashion. "ADopted ADmiral" too gets a big thumbs up for his "thinking for himself" ways and his support. I am always impressed when someone like you steps away from the norm and puts a ton of "objective out-of-the-box thinking" into the mix. Thanks also to all the other civilized folks out here that I might be forgetting for allowing me to speak my truth even if we're not always on the same page. I respect all of you. I sincerely try too to be civilized with my comments, although I do sometimes have a knee-jerk reaction to be sarcastic. I will try to be more conscience of that. If I think it's a funny thought though, I do have a bit of trouble holding back. I'll trying refraining though, I promise.

 

To be perfectly honest, I never ever thought that I would be busting out of the closest on a site where I've come to for over 10 years to speak primarily about sports. It was just not the forum to do it in. I've been out in my private life for nearly 30 years, but must admit that it's refreshing and freeing to be able to say things here that I've felt like I've wanted to say my whole life to others who are either puzzled about the topic, or have multitudes of other various opinions or takes on it all.

 

Everyone is entitled to "MY" opinion... just kidding... Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. People can only see things from where they are standing, and I completely understand that. Life itself is a never ending learning process. Some may be content to stay right where they are with the way they see things, and some, through discussion, might be open to see things in a different light once they have more information to process about things.

 

Most of my thoughts about this topic have been somewhat "male-centric" considering I'm speaking from my own experience, but I've had a number of woman gay friends in my life who pretty much echo my feelings that they never had a choice in the matter, and they always just felt from an early age that they were attracted to woman. Most of us as kids, guys or girls, had hopes that it was just a passing phase and that somewhere along the way our straightness would just kick in. But it just never did. Many of us even tried early on to date in a straight way, but knew deep inside that it was futile. You eventually figure that you just have to follow that which makes your heart race.

 

To make this story even more confusing, just as I've known many people who feel like they've known about themselves since forever, I've known a fair number of people who were downright certain that they were straight their whole childhood, and for most of their adult life, and for reasons they can't even explain, a bell went off in their heads, and they jumped from one team to the other and absolutely became as gay as they get. I always wondered if they just somehow repressed it for years, and some feel that they did, but just as many felt sure that they never repressed anything. Then of course there are Bi-folks that feel like they are attracted either way.

 

At the end of the day, I can't speak for everyone. This topic confuses me just as much as it might confuse many others. I don't have much of an explanation for those with their latent homosexuality. I can really only speak for myself, and in that I can't say with any certainty that I was born this way, I just know that I've always felt this way from a very very young age. I had a normal childhood. Nothing strange ever happened to me. Went to Catholic schools and churches. Played sports. Loved music... etc etc etc...

 

I'm not disappointed that I'm gay. It is what it is. It was only when I was younger that I wished that I could just be like everyone else because it would just make life easier that way. In early years, and all through high school I would ask God "Why Me?" and "Please make me straight" . I eventually learned to love myself for who I was and in doing so, much of my burden of fear became lifted. Then it became a life process for the rest of the fear to disappear.

 

I am also left-handed (by no choice my own of course) which thankfully is socially acceptable. At least now it is. Many years ago people were persecuted for being left handed as it was viewed as a sign of the devil. Thankfully society has gotten over that. Boy, I'd sure be in a real big mess if society had issues with both gays and left-handers because I wouldn't stand a chance.

 

If I may, I'd like to direct everyone back to the initial video about "When did you choose to be straight" that started this whole thread. Just my opinion, but I think that the video is quite poignant as you see a gush of understanding seem to rush through some of the subjects that seem to instantly get that nobody or at least not many people, gay or straight, ever really choose their sexuality. I feel like we've gotten a bit away from what started this whole thread.

 

One last point that I would like to make is that being gay isn't all about sex sex sex. Just like straight couples who fall in love and want to share their life with each other, it's pretty much just the same with gay couples. Just as there are many facets to your relationships and marriages and various ways to express love, it is just the same with gay couples.

 

I honestly just came on here today to thank all you people out there for making me feel free to speak my truth, and didn't have any intentions of going on and on again, but as you might've noticed through my past post, and this one, I'm a very long winded guy. Hope y'all don't mind.

 

Thanks again,

 

B-Ball

As I was typing out that story, it came to me that Dad was about the age I am now & that my daughter is about the age I was then. I can't imagine trying to explain that to her.

 

You can't turn around these days without hearing or seeing some kind of male enhancement advertisement. I think some aspects of child-rearing were easier just 15 years ago.

I hope people realize that some of us base our personal philosophies and beliefs on our religious beliefs. Some do not, but those that do are merely being consistent across the board. Because I believe the Bible is true and what the Bible says is accurate today, then I also must believe ...............yada yad yada.

 

If I did not believe yada yada yaday, then I would be contradicting myself.

I think it has something to do with the fact that society is trying to claim that homosexuality is not a sin at all. No one claims to be born greedy, a glutton, ignoring the poor, divorced, judgmental, or a gossip. Christians go after homosexuality because the world seems to be rationalizing it. If it was not homosexuality, but stealing that the world claimed to be natural and innocent, youmay see stealing as enemy #1.

 

Maybe the World is trying to rationalize it because people are tired of gay folks being discriminated against.

 

I have no clue if some people are genetically born gay,but the gay people I do know give me no reason to doubt their claim.:thumb:

b ball fan I sent you a PM but it doesn't show as a " sent" item . Let me know if you get it .

You can't turn around these days without hearing or seeing some kind of male enhancement advertisement.

 

No kidding. :madman:

It is incredibly important to show that homosexuality begins at during fetal development. For society, it would make it much easier for everyone to accept. Legally, it would classify homosexuals as a "protected" group and allow for greater equal protection rights.

Thanks, Mex.

Let's say they found what they needed to prove that homosexuality begins during fetal development, and homosexuality is now a protected group. Would this group only include those that can prove they are born with it?

Most of my life I have simply been of the opinion, "I don't care." I don't care if someone is gay. It doesn't affect me.

 

Are there fringe gay people that can make you feel uncomfortable - of course there are. Just like there are fringe religious people, fringe right wing, fringe left wing, etc that can make you feel uncomfortable.

 

I have a number of gay friends, and have a couple of close friends who have a gay child. The same people also have straight children.

 

I do not claim to begin to know why some people are gay and some are not. I will be the first to admit that I think it is unnatural, but that is because I'm not wired that way, so it seems that way to me.

 

I do believe that gay people are wired that way. They are who they are. Why does it bother so many people? The only thing I can figure is people think they can fix what they perceive as being wrong.

 

I have no issue at all with gay marriage, union, whatever you want to call it. I think marrige is a beneficial union in pretty much all ways.

 

I do not believe it is my job to judge them. If there is judgment to be made, God will make it.

 

I do not believe that anyone should be discriminated against. However I also do not believe that anyone should recieve special privileges.

I hope people realize that some of us base our personal philosophies and beliefs on our religious beliefs. Some do not, but those that do are merely being consistent across the board. Because I believe the Bible is true and what the Bible says is accurate today, then I also must believe ...............yada yad yada.

 

If I did not believe yada yada yaday, then I would be contradicting myself.

 

So you don't shave, correct? Don't eat shellfish or pork? The Bible says that's a big no no.

 

Also says women should be subservant to their masters. You believe that too?

So you don't shave, correct? Don't eat shellfish or pork? The Bible says that's a big no no.

 

Also says women should be subservant to their masters. You believe that too?

if you're gonna quote scriptures then you might ought to use all of it in its entire context. If I recall correctly you don't believe it's the inherent word of God correct? If I'm wrong then let's get to the New Testament. There's two halves, so let's be consistent for the sake of argument.

if you're gonna quote scriptures then you might ought to use all of it in its entire context. If I recall correctly you don't believe it's the inherent word of God correct? If I'm wrong then let's get to the New Testament. There's two halves, so let's be consistent for the sake of argument.

 

By the same token of consistency, why is it that, for those folks who take the Bible as literal truth, the OT just doesn't count? They'll happily trot out Leviticus stuff in their attempts to condemn homosexuals but feel as though God will have no problem with their love of shrimp and grits? Isn't that what you're asking when you ask for consistency?