Answer me this first were you always of the belief that being gay is fine , since a teen or were you desensitized into it being normal from media?
Sure. But I might ramble on a bit ...
As a pre-adolescence growing in T&T, we used to make jokes about 'buller men". In fact I though the word "buller" was only associated with having sex with a man (somebody on this forum a few yeas ago said it applied to heterosexual sex as well). In Canada, the jokes continued but I can say the issue of homosexuality was never something that I consciously though about. The same way it was never an issue of someone being tall or short, fat or thin, black or white, male or female. I would comment on the differences, make jokes about the differences but never consciously discriminated against anyone. I have to thank my parents for this attitude and they came from bush in Trinidad.
In the early '80s, though my wife's workplace, I was introduced to more gay folk - men and women and again, it was never an issue. But I began to think more on the issue when my wife's cousin came out as being gay to us in early '90s. He described growing up in Jamaica and how he always knew that he was "different' from the other boys but could not define what it was. When he emigrated to the USA, he eventually realized he was gay. And here is the interesting part, as soon as he could, he left home and moved across the country so that he would not have to tell his father and brothers that he was gay; they simply would not accept it. His experiences began to shape my thoughts - the media had nothing to do with it.
I have since become acquainted with openly gay men and women. They want love and acceptance as much as anyone else wants. Being gay is not about physical sex as so many people insist. It has nothing to do with "shit stabbing" as Sam so eloquently put it. yes there are elements in the gay community that engage in risky behaviour - but no more so than some many heterosexuals - just look at the number of escort services, massage parlors and other aspects of the sex trade that cater to heterosexuals. I mean, there is a web site (Ashley Madison) that caters to people who want to have extramarital affairs!
These folk do not prey on anyone. The media has not been the major factor that influenced by opinion. The second factor that shaped my opinion was religion and those in the Anglican Church of Canada. These priests have been leading the charge for same sex acceptance within the church. The question they raised was: "what did it mean to be around and experience Jesus?" Jesus was an includer: adulterers, tax collectors, racially impure, the mentally ill, etc. Therefore, it is unreasonable and inconsistent to suggest that Jesus would have excluded gays and lesbians.
So my "desensitization" as you put it if far from my reality. In fact, I am more sensitive to those who are being ostracized just because of who they are. And perhaps that is why I have a difficult time staying away from the threads.
The use of the Bible or Natural Law to argue against Gays is just a smoke screen for those who, for whatever reason, cannot come to grip with the diversity within our society.
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... Pastor Stuart, help me out nah ... introduce Tiresais to 1 Samuel 17:46.