<p>Dear Vicarious,</p>
<p>I am very sorry if I offended you, I myself only know a few handful of atheists who all are **hostile towards religion **…they do not show any acceptance to the fact that I believe in a higher being. Most have shown outright anger and condescension in my choice. I personally would have no problem with an atheist who can prove to me that they accept the fact that I do not believe in the Big Bang Theory. Just as I have no problem with someone who is gay. I get the fact that to you
I feel that is true for homosexuality. I cannot believe in good faith that anyone would want to spend their life fighting, they do it because they can’t live a lie…sorry to say it to you, but as a Christian we believe that you should not live a lie…unfortuntely for many people they do not realize that we should admire those who follow their beliefs and expose themselves for condemnation. </p>
<p>Flip side…I must ask you, although you respect people who follow religious beliefs, how do you acknowledge your morale guidelines (if we get to the root of our judicial system it is based on religious beliefs…i.e. thou shall not kill, covet thy neighbors wife, you should not steal, bear false witness…and shall not work on the Sabbath (blue laws))</p>
<p>I get what you are saying and I do not mean to hijack the thread either, but for the bigger picture, you must see that homosexuality is seen as a religious edict and it is hard to accept an atheist view, unless you yourself can explain where your morales come from that are not religious</p>
<p>My morals come from wanting the common good, and ultimately, the survival of the species. Perhaps my ideas of morals were shaped by social norms that no doubt have religious origins. Certainly most religions have promoted the idea of good behavior and the common good. That is why I think religion is a positive force in the world. </p>
<p>As for the big bang theory, I don’t know enough about it to say whether it is true or not. I personally have no clue how the world came into being, but that doesn’t automatically prove the existence of God. I do not believe in God because I have not seen any evidence of his existence. And, frankly (and with entirely no condescension or hostility), the idea of God seems to be contrary to my intuition and ‘common sense’. </p>
<p>Having said that, I cannot prove He does not exist. To that extent, you can consider my lack of belief to be an act of faith. Which is why I respect your right to believe in God, and hope that you will see me as just another normal, moral person who cannot believe in God. And yes, I also do not wish to live a lie in pretending that I believe.</p>
<p>And that is really the last I can say about this topic, and I hope the thread returns to its original topic.</p>
<p>I get your pt, I respect it and I agree back to the OP…BTW I have more respect for you to acknowledge your questions than someone else who will stomp their feet while they scream!</p>
<p>For the OP…why is it we still see candidates as in race, sex or sexuality? Why have we not come to the understanding that it is genetic? My brother had no choice to be an albino male, I had no choice to be a female? I fall under the belief that homosexuality is a genetic issue. My parents knew of my G<em>DMoms sexuality and never had a fear when she took me out for “our time”. My G</em>DMom is the most loving and supportive woman that anyone can imagine, and we never ever spoke of her sexuality. Is our society so prudential that we are unwilling or unable to believe that someone who is a white,straight male is not better than a black homosexual female? I only hope that someday we all vote on the policies and not the package</p>
<p>Post no. 3 does seem like a snarky shot at Hillary. Sigh.</p>
<p>Anyway, if a college degree is somehow an indicator of being liberal, remember only about 25% of US adults go to college, so that would make 75% of US adults conservatives, but I doubt it really breaks down so clearly.</p>
<p>I would hope that one day we could have an openly gay President, but it’s probably a long way off. When it happens it would most likely have to be someone who appears to be “normal” in all ways but that, ie, not a flamer. For my kids and their friends knowing someone is gay doesn’t seem to be a big deal; it’s kind of, so what else is new? We’ll just have to wait for this generation to get a little older. It will be a seismic shift in many, many ways.</p>
<p>Agree with par. 2, post 16. Also, it’s the 40th anniv. of the year 1968, so there is an emotional political thing going on for the democrats. Lots of meaning to the idea of an “historic” candidacy. This only just struck me the other day when I spotted a special “anniversary issue” of (Time/Life?) about 1968 at the grocery store. Serendipity and Bush burnout coinciding.</p>
<p>Actually, Colin Powell would make a good VP for Obama…he’s got the foreign policy experience and the military experience. Do the dems have a democratic Colin Powell in the wings?</p>
<p>There might be a gay democratic nominee. We just wouldn’t know he’s gay.</p>