Impossible, one is not homosexual unless they embark on the experience of sex with someone(s) of the same gender. Being attracted to someone of the same gender isn't specifically homosexual, as most every woman would then be homosexual as it's quite normal for a woman to tell another woman she's looking pretty, beautiful, even sexy at times and it not be ment in a flattering way or flirtatious way.

pray that we don't get started on the discussion on how homosexuality/sexual preference/sexual orientation/sexual attraction,,etc,,,

are defined,,,,or determined,,,,


I just used it as one example of how people throw around the term 'religious' belief to imply that it would not, does not, or cannot exist outside of religion

Lets hope it doesn't get into that kind of discussion, but just for the record and so we know what is or isn't homosexual for the discussion at hand - Homosexuality - Sexual activity with another of the same sex

Simply "attraction" isn't homosexual, as again most to all females are attracted to other females and some males are likewise with other males as well. It's the sexual action in itself that is a sin eg., a man shall not lay with a man as he would a woman. Again, just attraction doesn't constitute into what we're talking about, for an "attraction" could never be a sin. As it's not something you personally choose to have or not have, it's just that way from your perception.

the professionals have much more complex explanations,,,,

but this is why I try to specify homosexual BEHAVIOR, which is just lying with same sex only,, whether one is 'in love' with them or not


because of the expected SEXUAL component to marriage, this is why the same sex marriage issue is also a topic that I referred to...

Same reason fornication is a sin, that form of sexual activity doesn't prosper the people of the world eg., reproduction wise the sole purpose of sex in itself. But as any other sinner of any other sins, homosexuals aren't treated differently and or in a foul way. They are just people that have made a choice to sin differently then others.

Actually fornication would be in turn the reasoning behind homosexual behavior to be sinful. As God never blessed marriage between two of the same gender and sex with people outside of marriage is fornication. As again marriage is for the sole purpose of building a family, which can not be done through homosexuality.

See, one cannot escape one's own nature or hide it behind semantics. BTW, did Judas hang himself or fall head first and burst his guts open- I don't understand the contradictions between Matthew and Luke either. People need to be taught hate

are these two things somehow unable to both happen to the same person

that they die from hanging, and that their body can fall after decomposition of hanging and burst open?


wasn't Luke a doctor who may have been more graphic in his details about the body?

did he say the person DIED from bursting open?

or just that the stomach burst and spilled innards?


and does pinpointing the exact reason that the different authors didn't use the exact same description make some other point about whether 'values' are religious or just personal,,,?

We read the Bible through our Western glasses and we have to remember that the Bible is wrapped up in a culture. Our Western culture says "hanging = rope around the neck." The Middle Eastern culture is quite different. If someone were to be "hanged" or "hang themself" they would stand on something (i.e. rock, stool, etc.) and leap onto a sharpened steak or spear so the body was quite literally HANGING from the pole. That is why Luke says that Judas' guts were poured out on the field and thats why Matthew says Judas hanged himself. They are saying the same thing. We just don't understand that as readers because we fail to unwrap the culture that the Bible comes in. What we need to steer away from is the "Old West" or "Western" backdrop for Judas' suicide.

Gospel and Acts[edit]
See also: Judas Iscariot
In Matthew 27:3-8 , Judas returns the bribe Christians believe he had immorally accepted for handing over Jesus, throwing the money into the temple before hanging himself. The temple priests, unwilling to return the defiled money to the treasury,[104] used it instead to buy a field known as the Potter's Field, as a plot in which to bury strangers. In Acts 1:18 , on the other hand, Judas, having not committed suicide out of guilt, used the bribe money to buy the field himself, and his death in the field is attributed thus: "falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out."

Raymond E. Brown points to the obvious contradiction: "Luke's account of the death of Judas in Acts 1:18 is scarcely reconcilable with Matt 27:3-10."[105] Harmonization of the two accounts has been tried since ancient times[106] and occasionally still today.[107] However, modern scholars tend to find these unconvincing,[108] pointing out, for instance, the absence of any indication of suicide in the story in Acts.[109]

Mt belief and this is not a religious belief is the same as my old theology professor- people who respect the bible have not actually read it

BTW- since you didn't ask, my religious belief in this matter is that the medium is not the message ( I give extra points to those who know the reference)

Acts 1:18King James Version (KJV)

18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.



3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.

7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.

8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.



this man gave some men money who used it to buy a field, his money bought the field

he hanged himself

he burst open at a later point


what is it about these three details that could not have occurred with the others?

BACK ON TOPIC,,,,,


why are values categorized as 'religious' or not?

Because some are some aren't

that doesn't explain the Difference, it just restates the belief that there is one,,,

They both say he killed himself, just in different terms. He didn't hang himself from a rope, he hung himself on whatever it was he jumped into.

It's called stereotyping, it's to place people into "categories". People refer to certain things as "religious" cause they do not wish to believe for whatever reason or other. So they place it in a "religious" category so they don't have to.

I just gave you an example of a religious and non-religious value; perhaps you can do the same or is my twig too big for your branch? (that didn't sound right) and am I off drive a half hour to see my youngest son for 5 minutes- is that a religious or non-religious value? Did you see the Almay PSA "throw like a girl"

please restate the example with your logic, cause I missed it

I have read several posts about alleged discrepancies in biblical accounts

but nothing about religious 'values' that are often referred to as 'religious beliefs'


what is a 'value' that is exclusive to religion?

Things aren't actually a religious or non religious. God told us to love one another as he does for us and gave his life so we could keep ours. So does that mean anything to do with love is religious? No.

We are told not to steal, so anyone telling their child not to steal is teaching them religion? No.