What you're doing in that story -- don't know if you hold it as a general principle -- is equating happiness to sexual fulfillment; and suggesting that doing the right thing never involves suffering, either your own or others'.
No. As I remember I was trying to illustarte how a blind adherence to the words in the bible can lead to a lot of unnecessary suffering. I think that they do. Sadly, the alternative often leads to suffering also. I think you have to weigh out the suffering. If you accept literal meaning, you are deprived of this choice.
parsy, who suffers from a lot of stuff
Well I agree with that.
I think you have to weigh out the suffering. If you accept literal meaning, you are deprived of this choice.
But obedience to scripture could also prevent other problems: if all homosexuals had just engaged in celibacy, or at worst, masturbation, we'd have no Michael Jackson or Catholic priest molestation trials, and MUCH less AIDS.
The problem here is that our society is so radically
[ even fundamentally, perhaps? ;-) ] different from the all kinds of strictures in the Bible, that it's hard to make realistic comparisons. What would happen if the 10th commandment (thou shalt not covet) were enforced? Poof, there goes the luxury car market :-) ...
But still, your response is more thoughtful and respectful than many posts from those questioning or challenging religious truths or doctrines...
Cheers!