Dear Arjay,

I agree with you - the Christian churches have a lot to answer for.
However promiscuity exists among heterosexuals as well as gays. It's not just a 'gay' thing. It's a human trait. However as Ian Robertson points out in his book, 'Sociology,' and I quote:

"...prejudiced people are not concerned about genuine group characteristics; they simply accept any negative statement that feeds their existing hostility ... In one study, Eugene Hartley (1946) found that people who are prejudiced against one minority group tended to be prejudiced against others..."

"Scapegoating ...the word comes from a custom recounted in the Old Testament - the laying of the people's sins on a goat, which was then allowed to escape into the wilderness."

Dear David,

You state that:

"If I am a member of a lawful religion, and my holy book says I should view certain forms of behaviour as "evil, deviant and sinful" (which includes adultry as much as it includes homosexual behaviour) then, one would expect that within the confines of that lawful religious body's lawful places of meeting, that such values can be promoted without interference."

Following your line of reasoning and logic - this means that you don't object to what Islam teaches within the confines of their lawful religious body's lawful places of meetings, and that their values can be promoted without interference. Or is there a double standard here - one for Christians, another for everyone else?

As you said David, interesting response.

There's quite a distinction between preaching the words of a holy book in a church (or mosque, or whatever), and vilifying people in the media. Having said that, I think that the Canadian homophobe should not be subject to legislative penalty for exposing his bigotry to the world - nor should other idiots like Mark Steyn, for example, who is also being taken to task for publishing hate material in Canada [ http://skepticlawyer.com.au/2008/06/human-rights-and-criticising-islam/ ].

Boazy: << CJ Morgan regularly characterizes myself and others as "certifiable fruitloops" -I defend his right to say that, will he defend my right to preach the Gospel? >>

Absolutely. However, it's your "interpretations" of the Gospel that worry me :)

<< Given that such legislation includes 'religion' as a basis by which discrimination or hate speech is unlawful, it stands to reason then, that to describe someone of a religion as a 'certifiable fruitloop' is hate speech :) (no CJ..I'm not concerned by what you say, I'm concerned about laws which would prevent you saying it) >>

Boazy, I don't think you're a frootloop because you're a Christian - indeed, the vast majority of Christians I know are perfectly sane and normal people. I think that Christianity's just a vehicle for your psychopathologies to express themselves :)

CJ, maaaaate, I've yet to see you express an opinion I disagree with, including the bit about the odious Steyn. Love your work. But if you were a fish you wouldn't survive to the legal size limit.

Bait. Hook. Line. Sinker. And he reels you in every time. You're trying to teach a pig to sing, as the saying goes. It's a waste of your time, but at least the pig enjoys the company.

To be born female you must have a XXchromosome
To be born male you must have an XY chromosome

The Xchromosome provides your whole genetic code. If the Xchromosome is damaged in any way then a person will be born with possible severe abnormalities physically or intellectually.
The Y chromosome only donates maleness and is added to the Xchromosome solely for that purpose. It seems to me that if something does not go quite right with that process then a person could be born 3/4female and 1/4male or any number of combinations. There was one female tennis player in particular who seemed to have a fairly masculine look.

If homosexuality is therefore a birth defect should it not be treated as other people born with birth defects, with compassion but not as the norm

Boazy,

One first needs to establish the Bible, as an authority on sexual orientation and sin. The DSM [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders]hasn't listed homosexuality as abnormal behaviour for decades.

I would be more concerned about admiring men whom offer there daugthers to angels and incest, as "known" to the Bible.

None of the Biblical characters or Biblical narrative, except perhaps the Sermon on the Mount, would rank a 5 or 6 on Lawrence Kolhberg's scale on the matter of Morality, so the Bible is not well placed to give directions on the topic:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2602/is_0003/ai_2602000337

The above said, I do advocate free speech, wherein, each individual has the right to place a view, as in this Forum. That said, it is proper that The Public Domain is not subjected to rants and agenda.

Herein, were a Minister or Priest to enter into the debate on the table about homosexuality, there should be a place; but, for each participant, their action should not be a missionary enterprise. Rather, each contributor should listen as well as present.