# What the fuck is wrong with these homophobic bigots?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-these-homophobic-bigots/4948>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [February 1, 2000, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-these-homophobic-bigots/4948 "2000-02-01T17:33:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 297

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**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2000, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-these-homophobic-bigots/4948/297 "2000-02-27T20:19:00Z")

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> He tests everyone else–why not me as well?

This notion has never made the slightest sense to me. God is omniscient. By definition an omniscient being already knows what you will do in response to a given stimulus. So where’s the test? How cruel of God, to make you suffer to obtain information which, being God, he must already have. And is “lab rat” really the self-image you think a loving God would want for His children?

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> I want to help preserve society from the wrath of God.

God’s a big boy, He can take care of himself without any help from you. Besides, does a loving God need to rule through fear?

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> I want to defend the institution of marriage between a man and a woman as a divine mandate.

If you don’t want to marry a man, then don’t. If your church doesn’t want to perform SSM, then they shouldn’t. What your church is doing is pouring millions of tax-free dollars into a secular campaign which does not affect them in any tangible way. Regardless of the outcome of the Prop 22 vote, SSM will not be legal in California and the LDS will not perform them in their temples. So what’s the point?

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> That can change. Hard to do, but possible.

I disagree, but you’re entitled to try whatever you want. If in God all things are possible, it seems like He should be able to just change you instantly if you want it instead of making you go through years of suffering and pain, but hey, maybe God gets off on poking His lab rats with sticks.

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> Change takes time. You don’t plant an acorn and then expect an oak tree to be there the next morning.

You can, if God really wants an oak tree to be there. In God all things are possible. If God wanted you str8, He could make you so this instant. If God wanted me str8, He could do so this instant. God, if you want me str8, please make me so if it is your will.

Huh. Still gay. I guess God wants it that way.

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> When you plant a seed, you water it, give it sunlight and care for it. Well, I’m planting the seed of heterosexuality in my heart. I don’t pretend that that oak tree will be
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> there tomorrow, but I can nurture that seed and see what happens.

What kind of timeframe are we looking at here? If you’re still queer in a year, does that mean God wants it that way? If you’re still queer in three years? In ten years? In fifty years? If you die queer? At what point does it become possible that God really and truly wants you to be homosexual, and if he didn’t want you to be homosexual why would he bother making you one in the first place?

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> My body is heterosexual–that is, it’s sexually compatible with females but not with males. That tells me a lot about the way God meant it to be.

I don’t see how you can know that. Aren’t you a virgin?

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> I’m trying to convey that although homosexual feelings aren’t wrong, homosexual behavior is.

If homosexual feelings aren’t wrong, why are you trying to change them in yourself?

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> Oh, I have no doubt that prophets are fallible and make mistakes. But I have pledged my support to them and have faith that the Lord will not allow them to lead the church astray.

First the prophets are “inspired” and now they’re “fallible.” Isn’t it possible that one of their fallibilities is in their stance on homosexuality and SSM? I’m not asking you to say that they’re wrong, but can you at the very minimum admit to the {b]possibility\*\*?

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> I don’t loathe myself. I loathe my sins.

But according to you, homosexual feelings aren’t wrong, and thus by definition can’t be sins. You’re beating yourself up not because of your acts but because of your feelings.

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> You have the same rights as any other citizen does. You can marry a woman, I can marry a woman. You can’t marry a man (presently), and I can’t marry a man.

So you’re not only in favor of restricting my rights but your own as well, as you would also gain the right to marry a man when SSM is legalized.

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> I do appreciate that you feel the need to be able to marry homosexually, and I don’t want to tread on your rights.

Of course you do. You’ve said time and again that you do.

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> However, I do feel that society would suffer if the majority of people did endorse SSM. Again, I base this feeling on the “Proclamation on the Family” linked to above.

And again, God is a big boy who can take care of Himself without any help from you. Perhaps you should try not fearing God and loving Him instead.

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> If God wanted me to lust after men and have sex with them, he would have made me a woman.

And if God had meant man to fly, He would have given us wings. And yet look, man can fly. Are you saying that by imbuing you with homosexual feelings (which by your own words are not wrong) God made a mistake?

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> It’s obvious to me that my body is designed for heterosexual sex.

Not having seen your body, I can’t comment, but I can assure you that in general the human body’s design works quite well for gay sex.

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> I believe that the prophets won’t lead the church astray (indeed, they cannot–God wouldn’t allow them to).

And back we go to the polygamy argument. First it was right, now it’s wrong. Someone made a mistake and led the church astray, either by endorsing multiple marriages or denying them.

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> Again, it comes down to my religious beliefs when I decide how to vote on this issue. I do appreciate the fact that you feel differently and don’t espouse my belief system, and that’s okay with me. You vote your conscience, and I’ll vote mine. We’ll just have to agree to disagree on this issue.

You’re not voting your beliefs or your conscience. You’re voting the beliefs and the conscience of your “prophets,” whom you admit are fallible and prone to error. And I’m sorry, it is not sufficient to “agree to disagree” on issues of fundamental human rights and dignity. We’re not talking about favorite color here, or who makes the best cake. We’re talking about using your vote and your church using its considerable tax-free wealth to impose its religious doctrines on secular society.

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