 |
|
|
|
|
August 31st, 2011
09:26 AM ET
Malaysia's first openly gay pastor to marryBy Elizabeth Yuan, CNN (CNN)– Malaysia's first openly gay pastor has chosen Wednesday, coinciding with the country's Independence Day, to get married to his American partner in New York, barely a month after same-sex marriage became legalized there. "It means a lot to be married that day, to honor my country and people in Malaysia," said Rev. Boon Lin Ngeo, who also goes by his pen name O.Young or Ouyang Wen Feng, in a telephone call from Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Malaysia's Sabah state, during a visit there last week. He said the date was chosen to remind others that "we need to keep fighting for our rights and be independent from all kinds of oppression." Read the full story about Malaysia's first openly gay pastor getting married |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
|
|
|
Personal opinions are personal conclusions rooted in personal perception. We conclude based on what we see. Often, what we see is incomplete therefore our conclusions change as light is shed on the subject.
Truth, on the other hand is absolute and unchanging.
Example: Not long ago, astronomers set out to count the stars in the sky. Their conclusion was just over a thousand...based on what they could see at the time. It was 'true' based on what they could see...perceive. However, with better lenses and a greater capacity to see, we know just how short sighted their conclusions were.
Same is true with mankind in reference to God. We are all short sighted to the point of blindness. Dead in sin. We don't see God, therefore we challenge the idea of God.
Truth is, God loved each one of us so much, He initiated a plan that restores our ability to see Him. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world..." Scripture speaks on the idea of revelation...God making Himself known to mankind.
Problem is, personal pride gets in the way. It is written, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humility is a prerequisite in the pursuit of the knowledge of God.
Gay, straight, bi...thief, murderer, or do-gooder...whoever...we are all guilty, therefore condemned to death. It is written, "The wages of sin is death." Jesus provides the rescue from the consequence of sin. Turning from darkness to light, also known as repentance, is part of the outworking evidence God has saved a soul.
A saved soul is grieved by sin. A saved soul shares the truth of God in love, knowing that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. A saved soul is one who at one time sat in darkness, but to whom the Light of the World, Jesus, has made Himself known. A saved soul is one who would say, "I once was blind, but now I see."
Jesus said, "Don't be like the hypocrites..." The implication is that there will be hypocrites. However, your need for a savior from sins consequence still remains. Jesus said, "Follow Me." He did not say, "Follow My followers" or "Follow Me until you get offended by hypocrites." A saved soul holds on to his relationship with Jesus, even when sinful man offends.
The conscience within each of us bears witness to the truth of God. You can choose to supress the truth...but that doesn't change it.
May God enlighten the eyes of your inner man, that you may know the hope of His calling in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Terry, you're being stupid.
There was an infinite void of nothing in the beginning. There are only two paths to the formation of the universe.
The BIG BANG and the God who was always present at the time of His creation (these are both OPINIONS).
The 'theory' in science is a mass of opinion through testing our reality. Make note of that!
Your Jesus Christ is just the sub-label of your added religion. It is benign and useless, but it's your blinded windbagged and over-zealous garbage at work. Religious promotion on your part and of every other religion needs to stop.
Religion is nothing but garbage.
If you believe in God – then God – Himself is the moment He created the universe. Not the fake super-imposed Christ that is god.
I'll re-instate "Your garbage is just ridiculous!" If you believe in God then just accept that a God was at hand in creation. He did not come to earth eons later, as your front man Jesus did. Your religion was never created by God. Nor condoned!
The path you personally chose to accept becomes your dogma through your life. The God your think that had a hand in the universe or the theory of nothing becoming a plausible something. I chose the plausible reasoning of nothingness in creating it's own something. Adding your stupid Jesus just shows how an utter sap you have been in this life.
Name-calling. Really?
I don't hold it against you. I can see you have yet to make peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. I'll add you to my prayer list...along with The Bobinator and Stevie7.
Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world, for the world is condemned already. Jesus came to save those who would believe. God proved this by raising Him from the dead.
While scoffers and mockers will sling their name-calling rants and pull random Scriptures out of their context in an effort to dismiss the Bible, those who have come to know Christ as savior have a peace that surpasses understanding. The peace comes from the blessed assurance that truth provides.
It's a revelation thing. God reveals Himself to man. Jesus spoke of a second birth in John 3...a Spiritual birth. Until that occurs, we are blind, dead in sin, searching for that sense of completeness that only God can bring.
Natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit, for they are spiritually discerned. This is why those who are still dead in sin find such joy in mocking Believers and consider Scripture foolishness.
It is written, "...you will find Me when you search for Me with all your heart, says the Lord." A half hearted search yields nothing in the pursuit of the knowledge of God.
God bless you.
Terry it's why there are gay christians no where in the bible does your god condemn the saved loving christian partnership.
now thats just sick!
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." – 2 Peter 2:1-2
“Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.” – Romans 1:25-27
Waw a very interesting link to read although am not sure how would you judge it since already you called the "Heavenly Holy Books" as Fantasies and so on..what if you read this one here in link...is it Science Fantasies or what?!? It speaks about blue people from space!!
In here it is not "Noah's Ark"...but rather "Space Ship" ?!
It says that our "Pollution&Corruption Acts" returns back on us... Which I really believe this;
Quote;
7.2.5 Magnetic Poles change
Earth's magnetic field disturbed by atomic explosions 35.P887-896
Earth’s magnetism has been disturbed by atomic explosions. These explosions produce a weak repulsion of the Earth, which influences the rotation by nearly immeasurable value. In addition, the Earth has been forced a little out of normal orbit and slowly searches for a new orbital course. Because of these explosions, Earth’s scientists have committed a crime against the planet and all of mankind. The changes caused by these explosions will have a far-reaching effect of great importance, which can produce catastrophic results. The magnetic poles are already being increasingly displaced. Today, the Northern magnetic pole has already been displaced into the Canadian Ice Sea while the South Pole moves in the direction of South America. In about 1,000 years, the migration of the poles will have progressed so far that the South Pole will be in South America and the North Pole will be in Saudi Arabia. The calculated location of the North Pole in the year 3,000 will be between Jeddah, on the Red Sea, and Mecca.
Unquote:
http://www.freewebs.com/mauriceosborn/ES07.htm
Flash
sean,
"Taking modern Western social mores into ancient Israel twists the meaning of the passage."
Well, there goes the entire OT then. It is the story of a Middle Eastern tribal god. There is not one shred of verified evidence of the supernatural beings or events of that book.
------–
Why just the OT. Using sean's logic you can just through the whole thing out. I'm totally fine with that – or at least just doing a lot of cutting and ending up with something like what Jefferson derived.
Stevie7,
Yes, I'd be fine with that too. There is *some* wisdom for peaceful human behavior in the Bible (OT & NT), as there is in most 'scriptures'. The supernatural claims are not proven one whit.
Deism is absolutely as far as I could go. It is *possible* (where's that tiny, pale gray font when I need it!) that there is a 'first cause' to the universe. There is no evidence that it has whims or wishes or responds and interacts with us at all.
"There is *some* wisdom for peaceful human behavior in the Bible (OT & NT), as there is in most 'scriptures'. The supernatural claims are not proven one whit."
Agreed. That's why I think Jefferson's bible works.
From p. 1:
From below, on top, backwards, forwards, from this side of the Moon and from the other side too, gay se-xual activity is still mutual masturbation caused by one or more complex se-xual defects. Some defects are visually obvious in for example the complex maleness of DeGeneres, Billy Jean King and Rosie O'Donnell.
Yes, heteros-exuals practice many of the same "moves" but there is never a doubt who is the female and who is the male.
Then there is this:
"Abrahamics" believe that their god created all of us and of course that includes the g-ay members of the human race. Also, those who have studied ho-mo-se-xuality have determined that there is no choice involved therefore ga-ys are ga-y because god made them that way.
To wit:
o The Royal College of Psy-chiatrists stated in 2007:
“ Despite almost a century of psy-choanalytic and psy-chological speculation, there is no substantive evidence to support the suggestion that the nature of parenting or early childhood experiences play any role in the formation of a person’s fundamental heteros-exual or hom-ose-xual orientation. It would appear that s-exual orientation is biological in nature, determined by a complex interplay of ge-netic factors and the early ut-erine environment. Se-xual orientation is therefore not a choice.[60] "
"Garcia-Falgueras and Swaab state in the abstract of their 2010 study, "The fe-tal brain develops during the intraut-erine period in the male direction through a direct action of tes-tosterone on the developing nerve cells, or in the female direction through the absence of this hor-mone surge. In this way, our gender identi-ty (the conviction of belonging to the male or female gender) and s-exual orientation are programmed or organized into our brain structures when we are still in the womb. There is no indication that social environment after birth has an effect on gender ident–ity or s-exual orientation."[8
Of course, those gays who belong to Abrahamic religions abide by the rules of no adu-ltery or for-nication allowed.
And because of basic biology differences, said monogamous ventures should always be called same-s-ex unions not same-se-x marriages.
Ah, a touch of Reality !
Now add to that the consensus of the same psychological community that "although orientation appears fixed how one chooses to act on their orientation is a matter of choice"
This is what the $ex bullies try and cover-up. These bullies try and force you to act out your orientation in a way that they desire or believe. Missed up Christians sometimes fall in this bunch when they get on trying to straighten you out. Yet, the biggest bullies stay hidden and do the most damage. They are the ones that force weaker non straights into the 4 corners of their well defined orientation matrix. Sorry, but not everyone is 100% gay, straight, bi, other. We are unique individuals with a complex image of self. Reality got it right our orientation fits into a spectrum not a box of your (bullies) choosing.
This great psychological / science community can never and has never conducted a valid study to show how one chooses to act on their orientation is not impacted by their environment. They will tell you it cannot be done but you must dig deep in their studies to find that disclaimer. Use some common sense, the moment you change one element of a Childs life you have changed that child. This variable is to large to mathematically eliminate objectively. A good example is the fact 83% of the prison population come from fatherless homes. It is a fact yet, all the discussion ends up in subjective conclusion when you try and apply it to why is Jonny in jail.
What we need to do is stop these bullies behind the hate ball and give real support to the weakest members of our society
I dont know I think that people who are gay are 100% gay. I think that it is possible they may have heterose.xual relationships because society forces them to do so. I think that a straight person may experiment because of pressure or from bad experiences with the opposite s.ex. As far as gays recruiting non gays to join them, I do not think that really happens.
@fred
The spe.ctr.um of s.e.xuality is varied, and if you put 100% gay on one side and 100% straight on the opposite side, the majority of the population will fall somewhere in between. I myself consider myself to be bi. I am not in the perfect center of that spe.ctr.um, however. I fall in somewhere near the middle, slightly ske.wed toward the straight end of the spe.ctr.um.
There are a lot of people who sit at the 80-100% ends of the spectrum though. Even someone who is 100% gay, however, can pa.ss as straight and even date members of the opposite s.ex if the pressure is strong enough.
J.W
Are you a 100% straight one position man in thought and acts? If so I hereby statistically dub you the horizontal asymptote man.
I thought about going the other way at one point because of a bad experience I had with a girl, but I couldnt do it. Well and like myweightinwords there are bi people who are not necessarily 50/50. I think now I am 100% straight though.
J.W
Common Sense and personal experience tell you that we are impacted by our enviornment (parenting etc). Had you been raised in a home with daddy and daddy, with full exposure to all the life stye, do you think it possible that the thought of experimentation could have amounted to more than a thought
Surprisingly well-written and inofrmtvaie for a free online article.
@Laughing, why are you curious about my home countries? I'm from a mix and never stayed in one place. I never had opportunity to breath the golden air in the United States in my youth years, though I've been given a dream. I grew up with the knowledge and scars given by the atheists in my entire region. I feel patriotism towards Israel and USA the most. Will it upset you?
I told you already I keep heading East, constantly because I hate the West so much. Is that so hard to understand?
No, it just gives me a better understanding of why you believe what you believe. For instance you say you bear the scars of atheists, which from your comments you equate with communism, which means You're close to or in China or Vietnam most likely? You also speak English well, for the most part and you have a deep respect for America even though you hate the direction its going. I settled on South Korea because of the intense tension you have with communist north korea, America's strong relationship with south korea, and the concentration of christians that are in south korea compared to other asian countries.
I also do love geography, so it's fun trying to pinpoint people when they give clues in their writings.
Oh really Laughing? Where do I live?
I've been puzzling over that for alittle bit. You're obviously American..... since I can't hear an accent I'm going to have to go with strictly you schedule, compare it to mine and go from there.
I'm going to guess. Northeast, maybe Pennsylvania?
Good guess there are alot of Mennonites in PA i believe, actually I live in a place where there are not many Mennonites though. Catholicism is more prevalent here, which probably has alot to do with the ethnicity of the people here.
Santa Fe New Mexico
What you write is right. The reason I brought North Korea often is because it is the most repressive atheistic nation on earth, beating all the harshest Islamic nations. Other communist nations even China have much freedom comparing to North Korea. My tie to South Korea is slim though I do carry some relationships with them. My belief system comes from reading the Old Testament since youth and subsequent confirmations of it from both secular and Christian educations in different countries.
no fred you are pretty close as far as north and south, but you need to go farther east.
J.W
Are you stalking CyrstalRiver
LOL fred not that far east. more like 400-500 miles east.
Hmmmmm
More catholic you say, because of the population and not New Mexico though that's on the same longitudnal line..... My second guess..... Well lets see, Maryland was founded as the only catholic colony so has a solid concentration, but we know demographics have changed since the 1700's. My second guess is: Georgia?
Well I meant more Catholics because most hispanics are Catholic LOL
JW
Ok, true enough, then you have to be from Texas
@Laughing & JW:
I'd also throw Arizona in there. Potentially Southern CA.
Naw,
He said New Mexico was too west, it's East we have to go. I'm going to stick with texas for now.
As for you Damian...... hmmmmm again, since accent is such a help an obviously I can't discrn yours from a posting board. I'm going to take a shot anyways. I know that you're an America, and you work in Insurance apparently (not that it has a factor on your geography, but just humor me). You also called Southern California, southern california and not Socal which means your not from Cali or close to there. You accepting nature but clearly christian values and beliefs will I think land you in the Midwest, Chicago maybe?
J.W
click your heals together 3 times and say I want to go home..................................Hi Dorothy, your not in Kansas anymore
@fred: "
"click your ***heals*** together"
-and-
"***your*** not in Kansas"
Maybe Detroit for you (worst school system)... or Mississippi?... or DC? Although I did read that Nevada has the worst-educated people in the U.S., but they mostly come from somewhere else.
False. Many Southern Californians call Southern California and not "SoCal." We also absolutely detest the phrase "Cali." Typically Northern Californians prefer to say "NorCal" and like to separate themselves as much as possible from Southern Californians, whereas Southern Californians usually just say, "I'm from California."
Well maybe its just the transplants then that say SoCal. I've heard the NorCal get bandied about, but I hear that's because it was reactionary to the SoCal moniker. but I guess my point is still made. If southern californians call their place just "california" then Damian still isn't from there or around.... I think. I'm going to stick with the midwest. Maybe Illinois, my Wisconsin or Michigan.
A Theist,
Agree on the "Cali" abomination. It screams, "I am an airhead".... likewise, "Frisco" (I thought that everyone knew that by now!?)
The head of my states government is named Governor Goodhair.
Actually I live a few miles south of Frisco.
Damian said the other day that he is from San Francisco.
Texas right?!
Score! Now where in Texas I wonder if I can pinpoint it more, I want to say Austin because thats the most liberal place in Texas, the Boulder of Texas if you will. I'm going to go with Austin, or maybe Dallas
@ i get it
Sh.it! You're totally right. I was WAY off. I guess I got that he was in the North though, that counts for something.
I am in the 3rd largest city in TX by population. However, as far as metro area, I am in the fourth largest in the country.
population of the metro area I mean.
I am several miles north of San Francisco. The only other proper shortening (as for texting and such) of the name is, "SF"... or if you live here, "The City" .
I go to school about half an hour south of San Francisco, but I'm a native San Diegan (that's what we call it by the way). I've never heard of "Frisco" but it irks me in the same spot "Cali" does. ... Like nails on a chalk board.
Timbuktu?
@Laughing: you can treat me as Asia broadly, I'm part of it though I'm not a typical( don't include Central Asia or the Islamic Southeast Asian nations). We have a lot of things in common and have a similar history, too. I often put Europe and North America and Australia together as the West. Did you like geography and world history?
Maps are the best. My favorite map is The Map from Dora the Explorer. I watch that show when I'm not watching some kind of western, depraved p0rn.
@Laughing: Another reason I talk broadly is because I've been singled out. Laughing, you know what it means to be singled out. My reading other comments is only random so I have little idea why atheists target me and the real HeavenSent. American atheists can't stand blatant statements about them because USA has been the cozy nice cradle for their lives. That's why I can't list details in any discussion because they'll hate and attack others because of me. I don't want that. Laughing, do authentic, thorough research on the given subject. Stop hating. Ask humbly God for help. That's the only way out of errors including yourself.
I have commented on your posts because you tell bald-faced lies, and I cannot stand liars. All you do is spew false venom about a culture you don't even begin to understand. Why shouldn't we defend ourselves, when our attempts at showing you the truth have been ignored? You choose malice and ignorance, thus you receive the anger of others. I believe the phrase for it is "reaping what you've sown."
@Tall-, you can't refute facts; that's why you've been angry and spew hatred against Christians. Both the Bible and Christians are used to your kinds everywhere for 2,000 years. American atheists act more and more like the brutal communists.
CrystalRiver
We Christians, Jews as shown in the Bible you refer to are the ones who spew hatred and get angry. It has been going on for 15,000 years unless your a fundamentalist then it would be more like 6,000 years. So I for one try and go with what Jesus says and love my neighbor since Jesus is our most receint example of how we should conduct our lives. You and I are not to fight as the battle is not here but in the principalities of light and darkness.
So let us go and be a blessing to all we meet to the best of our abilities and let the cards fall where they may.
Fred, but I do love them! It's what tone you read the letters. If I don't tell American atheists facts they need to know, who will? American Christians are very gentle and they must not be targeted. Telling facts in blatant way is a form of deep love. Also, Americans have rights to know what atheism does to human beings since they forgot everything in mere 20 years.
You complain constantly about being singled out and attacked on here, however you fail to see that you do the same thing. You constantly insult Atheists and anyone who does not share your belief system. You assume that anyone who does not follow the 'god' you regard so highly is evil, vindictive and incapable in general of anything good.
I do recall the teachings of the bible and part of the commandments that you hold so highly is the 'judge not, lest ye be judged'. That applies as a moral standard with or without religion. It is something you seem to have a severe issue with.
We, as Atheists and whatever else people on here may believe, do not deserve your attacks any more that you deserve ours. However, if you being attacked is ever going to cease, you also must stop attacking.
You can't possibly be so close-minded (Intolerant of the beliefs and opinions of others; stubbornly unreceptive to new ideas.)
You always tend to set aside the human factor...instead of fighting with us, hear us out and accept that maybe we might have some points. Get to know an Atheist...you'll see the only major difference between you and them is what they believe...until you have done that, you don't get the right to judge us. We do not purposely attack but turn about is fair play and you really do get what you give in this world.
I don't have to believe what you believe, just as you do not have to believe what I believe...all I ask is that we start allowing out children to grow up and make the decision for themselves; that religion be kept out the government and school systems and that I don't have to hear it on the street corner...if you don't want to hear us then don't let us hear you.
Most of my comments here got moderation mode. So Americans can rant filthy blasphemies against the Creator God and attack the religious people all they want but stating facts regarding ho-mo-s-e-xuality is illegal. The West is absolutely sick.
nothing like a little bigotry to start the day
Religion and facts go together about as well as sanity and Crystal.
I mean sick as in awesome. I hit the dunes bro, and down shots on the weekend left and right. I'm a closet ed West-lover. I love the west so much that I imagine fanc-iful fair-ies wearing jetpacks and marsh-mallow cannons flying in the sky and firing down toasty marsh-mallows into the crowds of the Graham Cra-cker people and the Milk Chocolate Nation. A global S'mores war starts and by mid-day everyone is singing Highway to Hel l (acoustic version of course!) while it rains root beer from the sky.
I think the last CrystalRiver is a fake.
I suffer from Multiple Personality Disorder, so I contradict myself a lot. Did my "Korean" side come out again? She really hates the west from some reason. Just trying to dampen the situation.
CrystalRiver
I think your name was hijacked again. Is this CrystalMeth?
No. You stupid filthy Atheists think my name's been hijacked just so you can disown me as a true follower of Christ. Why not read a Bible and accept my every changing ways instead of assuming I do meth or that people want to hijack my name?
The 2nd-4th CrystalRivers are fakes.
I'm in great dispair and misery and I love some company, anybody want to join me?
@Laughing, my user name "CrystalRiver" has been hijacked again. It's me, Laughing. I hope you'll get this message. I state truths and facts and sometimes throw ideas so those will encourage you to do authentic learning and authentic research. Because if you do them, Laughing, you will find you've been wrong and stupid and the Bible has been right all along. Guaranteed. You really didn't read the Bible, Laughing; the reason you recall nothing of the content. Do authentic learning. Laughing, as I said, Korea is a part of me but I include more than that. Many people have multiple backgrounds. You do, too. You need humility before your Creator God and place Him over everything in your life. Who you are is meaningless apart from God and you know that.
I really hate how CrystalRiver is claiming I've been hijacked. When will she (my Korean persona) admit that she's just another person inside me?
Get it, so like Keith Ellison this guy got an epiphany one day after having married and having children realized
oopsy "I am gay"