Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[2018_FLTRXSE]

A good friend of mine is a career shrink whose practice includes people with gender issues.  She's "sure" (as sure as anything in the social sciences can ever be) that it goes both ways (pardon the pun).  That there is a biological predisposition for many but that for some smaller number it's a particular choice.  She supported the position once by explaining that "we're just another dumb animal like all the others."  Apparently same gender attraction occurs as a subset in many many other species of the animal kingdom as well.  And since most of them don't have the self-awareness or "conscience" that the human animal does for them it must be just a data point of their individual biology.

Have another good friend who was beaten badly several years ago just because he was gay.  Not because he did anything.  Just becasue he was.  I'm a pretty tolerant guy.  No particular biases against anyone that hasn't gone out of their way to earn them by being a threat to nation or family.  My one uncontrollable bias and prejudice, however, is against stupid.  More specifically willfully stupid.  Bigotry rates way up on the willfully stupid scale.

Also don't understand the political drama around the entire issue in the American political context.  Within that context what are defined as liberal policies sometimes suffer intellectual inconsistencies between logic and policy.  Well thought conservative foundations are generally more consistent though.  But not here.  Never understood how a school of thought whose pretext is that people should be left alone then get so worked up about not leaving some of them alone.

If you follow that train of thought, sexuality in general is only predisposed by religious and cultural beliefs.

While "we" have been trained that sexual relations between anyone but a man and a woman is wrong, there are many less westernized cultures that have no beliefs or predispositions.

Before the arrival of missionaries, cultures were free of those beliefs, and freely enjoyed whatever was open to them. There was no shame or wrong in what people did. They simply enjoyed pleasure in whatever worked for them at that moment.

[Twolanerider]

If you follow that train of thought, sexuality in general is only predisposed by religious and cultural beliefs.

While "we" have been trained that sexual relations between anyone but a man and a woman is wrong, there are many less westernized cultures that have no beliefs or predispositions.

Before the arrival of missionaries, cultures were free of those beliefs, and freely enjoyed whatever was open to them. There was no shame or wrong in what people did. They simply enjoyed pleasure in whatever worked for them at that moment.

Historically and currently variation is more the norm within some cultures than we in the "liberal democracies" and Christian cultures are comfortable with recognizing.  History is what you write it to be though;  and cognitive dissonance is a wonderful thing when it makes one feel good about his preconceptions.

I'm not deep enough to have smart thoughts on such consequential topics though.  So I always fall back on my old mantra of I don't care what someone rides, where someone rides or who someone rides so long as they enjoy the ride and don't hurt anyone in the process.  Keep the rubber side down and enjoy the show while it lasts .

[HogBreath]

Don,

Even if I were gay, I don't think you'd be my type.

[2018_FLTRXSE]

Historically and currently variation is more the norm within some cultures than we in the "liberal democracies" and Christian cultures are comfortable with recognizing.  History is what you write it to be though;  and cognitive dissonance is a wonderful thing when it makes one feel good about his preconceptions.

I'm not deep enough to have smart thoughts on such consequential topics though.  So I always fall back on my old mantra of I don't care what someone rides, where someone rides or who someone rides so long as they enjoy the ride and don't hurt anyone in the process.  Keep the rubber side down and enjoy the show while it lasts .

ED ZACHARY!

[grayghost731]

Two full pages on a picture of gay guys kissing    come on !

[2018_FLTRXSE]

Two full pages on a picture of gay guys kissing    come on !

If one wasnt a Marine this would never have become a topic here.

You're not homophobic are you?

This has actually turned into a great cultural discussion on beliefs and values.

The general consensus is "Thank you for your service". What he and his friend do behind closed doors is thier business. Its the public display of afffection thats caused this to go viral... If you read the article the CO's dont have an issue with it. We shouldnt either.

Its funny how socially we think two guys kissing is disgusting, but two women kissing is hot.

[lilcoot]

I read some very wise advice before (paraphrased):

"Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you."

"Judge not, 'cause god will then judge you by the same standard you use against others."

"Love thy neighbor as thyself."


Lately, seems like those who claim to follow the person who actually said them, are the least likely to live according to those words.

[Twolanerider]

Two full pages on a picture of gay guys kissing    come on !

If one looked at this discussion myopically and without the intent, insight or desire to understand that a larger issue had, quite thoughtfully, almost immediately become the actual topic of this conversation that is exactly what he'd see.  That such a conversation, with its broader intent, could actually take place on, of all places, an internet chat site speaks volumes of the folks here and their quality.  The site is never more than its people.  Which is precisely why this is such a quality site.

[DDavidson]

This is just another issue between RIGHTS and FREEDOM.

We have the RIGHT to our wheels and the privilege to ride them on public roads. We don't necessarily have the FREEDOM to do it as we please. Some FREEDOM (speed) is controlled because we can endanger others. Other FREEDOM is controlled because we may annoy others (loud pipes). Other FREEDOM is controlled to protect us from ourselves and removing us from our choices (helmet laws, driving age). I get bothered by people who try to erode these FREEDOMS.

Certain countries have less RIGHTS and more FREEDOMS and others have more RIGHTS and less FREEDOMS.

I keep hearing people thanking the service members for fighting for our FREEDOM. I don't think they fight for our FREEDOM I think they really fight for our RIGHTS. It's our job as citizens to fight for our FREEDOMS within those RIGHTS. We sometimes fight for FREEDOMS that don't impact us directly or may make some of us uncomfortable because we are protecting the FREEDOMS that do impact us directly and are important to us. Do we stop the FREEDOM of gays showing public affection at the cost of the FREEDOM of heteros showing public affection?

(I don't care to see the swapping of spit by anyone while I'm eating dinner!)

This is a subject in which our responses are judged by our friends and we may want to be careful about who we offend. I am surprised this "HUMOR" posting has remained for this reason.

[BigLew]

I read some very wise advice before (paraphrased):

"Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you."

"Judge not, 'cause god will then judge you by the same standard you use against others."

"Love thy neighbor as thyself."


Lately, seems like those who claim to follow the person who actually said them, are the least likely to live according to those words.

Ever notice that a partial truth is not the truth at all. If you are going to quote Bible passages get them correct!

[Dr.D]

The picture is offensively to me personally. Do I have the right or the freedom to say this or will i be judged as a bigot or homophobic?

It is not humorous at all.

[2018_FLTRXSE]

The picture is offensively to me personally. Do I have the right or the freedom to say this or will i be judged as a bigot or homophobic?

It is not humorous at all.

Opinons are opinions... we all have them... we have differnet cultural beliefs and that in turn effects our thoughts on the matter....

Some more liberal, some more conservative.... You said you were offended.. thats fine... and perfectly acceptable...

Personally, I'm not into swapping fluids with another man either, nor would I prefer to see this type of behavior in public...

But along that very same thought, most of us have no problems with women doing the same thing...

[Twolanerider]

The picture is offensively to me personally. Do I have the right or the freedom to say this or will i be judged as a bigot or homophobic?

It is not humorous at all.

Y'know what?  That's ok.  You plainly specify that it offends you "personally." 

You're not advocating societal punishment nor condign damnation based on your personal reaction.  We all get our opinions. 

I'm not wild about watching anyone make out in public places (though I've got no qualms about service members greeting each other after long separations).  If they (no matter who "they" are) are too sloppy about it I'll even suggest they go get a room.  Everyone gets an opinion.  At least here we do.  We may not get to travel through airports as easily as we used to.  But we still get to bitch within the civil guidelines of how it's done about whatever we please.

[DDavidson]

The picture is offensively to me personally. Do I have the right or the freedom to say this or will i be judged as a bigot or homophobic?

You have the right and freedom to say things and live as you see fit as long as your actions aren't causing harm to others. (Not always the rule for private forums though!)

Many people are bothered by war photos. I personally think that a U.S. Marine returning from war is up there high enough that most would need a ladder to kiss his/her ass. (I'm a peacetime Marine and I don't have such honor but still the same I'm a little biased. But if I can post that "U.S. Marines are honorable" I guess you can post they're offensive. Marines can handle that and shake it off. We tend to not like bullies with power that pick on the weaker such as when the Taliban push their religious beliefs on the Afghanistan people, eroding their right to Freedom! Marines can handle that, but don't shake it off!)

will i be judged as a bigot or homophobic?

This question can be answered yes you are and no you're not, yes you are and no you're not.

Why do you want us to answer your questions. You posted the comment and then the questions, you should answer them for us, telling us why you are and why you aren't. That's how we would do it.

[clegg]

As a Marine myself I agree this is disgusting. We would have drummed him out and been the better. I think my big beef is that the gays want not only to be accepted, but have a special protected status. Being gay is a mental problem, you may not be able to change it, but it is not normal. Stop parading around like it is. By the way, a phobia is a fear of something. I am not afraid of gay people and I don't dislike them. I do think they are bad for morale in the service. The same reason women do not belong in combat... (Now i've done it...)