I did not bring up the subject of prejudice. I responded to what YOU said about prejudice. If you say something about whether you harbor prejudice, people will respond to what you say.
The subject of prejudice is tied to how we treat other people, whether we treat them with dignity and respect, and so your bringing it up is certainly not off topic for this thread. Also, a thread does not belong to someone. If I start a thread, it's not my thread. People are free to take the thread in different directions related to the OP.
Well I'm not sure I agree that the OP shouldn't have a say in what direction their thread goes, but haven't seen where they are asking to change where it is going so will just say if they don't want this direction then to please let us know.
I have been reported for derailing a thread and frankly even tho I was the only one asking to go back to the OP, well..............just trying to avoid any problems.
In answer to the comparison you made, people are not born adulterers the way people are born women or born gay or born African American or born Irish. Being an adulterer is not an identity that people have through the course of their lives. It's something some people do, usually with regrets. We don't make people who commit adultery wear forever a scarlet A.
Well you see people are born adulterers, murders, theives, etc., because we are all born sinners. You know I can see why Paul believed it was better to not marry, well I say Paul forgive me if I'm using the wrong example here. (My mind is still suffering from my past weeks of illness.)
Anyhow I think that to much is put on things that take our eyes off the Lord. I can remember when there was no question that pre-marital sex was wrong in the Lords eyes. That drinking and getting drunk was wrong, etc. Now all I see is people trying to say there are no white and black areas in life, just gray, and that a loving God won't hold us responsibile for our actions.
Being gay is a personal identity; it's not an act. I am gay whether I have a relationship or not or whether I have sex or not. I am currently not in a relationship with a spouse, and I do not have sex. That does not make me any less gay. Prejudice is pre-judging people. If someone pre-judges another on the basis of who they are, then they are exhibiting prejudice. To judge what a person does is to render judgment, but it's not prejudice, because it's judging an action. Adultery is an action. Being gay is simply who a person is.
Well considering I have never said anything accept that homosexuality(the action) is a sin then I am not real sure I fit into your judging catagory. We all sin, we all need forgiveness, we all need salvation, but it isn't on our terms it is on God's terms plain and simple.
Most of the Christians here say they do treat gay people with dignity and respect, though we would need to see how people actually live their lives to know for sure. A few people clearly do not treat gay people with dignity and respect, probably because they harbor prejudice against gay people. I try to recognize and get rid of my own prejudices, because I think prejudice is harmful, and it undermines our treating fellow human beings with dignity and respect. I do judge other people's actions sometimes, most often on the basis of whether those actions harm others. That's not prejudice; it's simply judgment. Perhaps some of my judgments are wrong. It depends on what I am judging, I think.
As I have already said everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, and yes I have seen people on both sides of this issues not showing those characteristics. I have also seen people grouped into boxes. If you believe that the bible says that homosexuality is a sin then you are a hater, bigot, closed-minded, brainwashed, fundemental conservative.
I have seen people saying how badly they are treated, all the while treating the people they are talking with, the same way they say they are treated.
There is no excuse for not showing respect to someone even if that respect isnt' returned. IMHO. Not saying I haven't let my emotions get away from me in some of these debates, but with the Lords help I will continue to leave for awhile as compared to returning rude disrespectful post.
As the bible says, and yes I know you don't believe in the bible as the word of God, but anyhow we are told not to return evil for evil.