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Spirituality and LGBTQ Community

(4 posts) (3 posters)
  • Started 2 years ago by godslove2010
  • Latest reply from godslove2010
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    by godslove2010 | November 16, 2010 - 05:16 PM

    Why is it when I talk to youth that no longer have a spiritual connection with a higher power their reasoning is always the same? Someone in the church, hiding behind God, hurt them in the past by giving their opinion about how he or she live there life; often claiming that their higher power does not love them for their lifestyle. Yet, all the while telling them that their higher power is seeing favorably on them, because you woke up to see another day.

    May I say that these are two conflicting messages and often make these individuals feel deeply deceived, once you stop to think about it. It is my opinion that our higher power delights him or herself in all of our happiness and loves everyone for who they are.

    Have you had similar experiences? How did you resolve this internal conflict?

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    by Professor Xvr | November 17, 2010 - 01:37 PM

    I had a very similar experience growing up within a very religious Latino family. My experience was similar in many respects, I was made to feel very guilty for being attracted to members of my same sex. I didn't understand what made 'me' specially bad, since in my head - I had never done anything seriously wrong to deserve being called 'evil'. The idea that I, for being attracted to the same sex, was automatically damned to hell was very disturbing. It did succeed in alienating me from any sense of spirituality for a while. However, it left me searching for something to fill that void.

    Today, I feel very different, no longer do I see the world from a judeo-christian perspective. I have found solace within Buddhist beliefs. However, I feel that having a connection with a higher power or purpose is essential to avoiding hedonistic (pleasure-seeking) philosophies. It is also essential to the development of altruistic practices.

    Whatever you call it - energy, karma, vibration, sin - its all the same for everybody. We all face trial in life, whether it be physical illness, physical pain, mental confusion, emotional trauma and/or spiritual distress - these trails help us to learn compassion. It is my opinion that at the foundation of all spirituality and religious institutions is the idea of balancing self-love (egotistic) and love for others (compassion) and finding a way to maintain this balance throughout life with meaning and purpose.

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    by Americo LaCienega | March 10, 2011 - 03:43 PM

    I was raised Roman Catholic but after hearing how I was nothing but a sinner and constanly drowning in lust over the fathers at my church I was almost led to belive that I was one of the dammed for my "dirty, perverted thoughts". I discovered and embraced my sexuality at a very young age and decided the church thing was not for me. I liked sex, I loved sex, I loved men, in me on me around me just everything about them I loved so instead beleiving I was not good enough to enter heavens gates I embarked on a little research project and discovered how corrupt, ignorant, and dark of past the Catholic Church has had. The dirt I discovered on this orginization going back hundreds of years made me feel like a saint. So anyways I went without religion or spirituality for a while and it wasn't until recently that i discovered spirutuality on my own that I for once started to feel somewhat at piece within. I believe in God, Jesus Christ, I pray to the virgin Mary and I believe in angels, spirits but above all I try to embrace all religions and thoughts from all over that help me be a better person spiritualy. I am not defined by one religious beleif I am many beleifs into one!

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    by godslove2010 | March 14, 2011 - 03:16 PM

    Wow its so great to hear the different points of view. being raised baptist myself and having the love of God in my heart I love being in Gods houses. I have always heard that famous line everyone always used "man shall not lay down with man as if a women". Being very conflicted by this and what I was seeing in church as a young gay man. Omg the things that I seen was so double standard and hypocritical to the word of God. The pastors have sex with the choir members behind there wifes back, flirting with the other men and women in the church. Just know that God is in everyone of us, we all are children of the King.

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