The Just Thought I'd Share Thread

[wild-heart]

One of those days when no matter what I do my work just won't go right. Frustrated and i need sleep because i was up till 3am doing work.

[vivfox]

JTIS that I feel very glad to be a part of The Ledge. This is a fun place where we share our love for Fleetwood Mac and get to know wonderful people from all around the world and I am so glad to be a part of this.

[SaidSomething]

Originally Posted by vivfox

I would like to hear more about this. As a gay man myself I can tell you that I was quite aware that I was from a very young age. I can't even imagine that you walked around completely convinced you were str8 until your mid 20's. What was it that made you realize the truth?

God Mark...it would take an hour long phone call...

My partner of many years is like yourself. He knew at a young age that there was that something special feeling about boys.

He went to Catholic School...an all boys Catholic School. Grew up in the Irish part of the Inner City Boston...South Boston/Neponset.

I would love to share this whole story...you would never believe the characters...twists and turns and how I found true love is, like Stevie said, totally blind.

My first gay relationship was in my mid 20s. I was an actor/cologne and the supposed "straight wear" store in all the malls...over priced, homoerotic advertisiments of shirtless and revealing wrinkled clothes...oh, well.

I was bartending in a short walk from where I had come to live in Berverly Hills...I'm saying this because the residents/neighbors etc..were so cruel...I should have lived in South Central LA...during the riots...the people would have been nicer to me there.

There was a group of guys that used to come and sit for a few beers or tequila shots or both. We became friendly and I really liked them. Then I would think about one. In a stirring kind of way, you know? Apparently, I have been hit on tons of times in my life. I never noticed...even when liberties were taken by someone grabbing my front and my back...and oddly if I was dancing or had my shirt open..they would touch me on my chest...I think this is too graphic...and too graphic for the rest...I would love to share with you...I will say this. I dated the prettiest girls in school. I met my steady in JR year of high school. We met as dancers in a show...come to find out here in Boston...at least at that time...there were no talent agencies per se...so you were reped by a modeling agency...and there we were booked for the local stores print ads..Like Jordan Marsh or Filenes and then commercials for Purity Supreme then I booked Spencer For Higher...twice...as different parts. Once they made me look about 30 when I was 19. They cut off all my hair to a wiffle. Anyway, my dance partner and my soon to be 1st love of my life, think Vanessa Carltons The One. We had the same agent...and we actually were booked together on the same projects alot. Again, she was like...that guy/girl is totally hitting on you. Even today, I can't tell.

This goes into very sad, sad like suicide stuff...

Returning as a person that doesn't want to be pigeonholed into a certain category or culture or group based upon my most private part of my life, behind closed doors in my bedroom. I also support, and advocate for gay people, marriage, civil rights, equality...etc..

I am a Catholic. Plus a lot of Spirituality learned by time and wisdom.

When I write an opinion article based on a recent event, usually Politically based...I get hate mail and threats...even from guys and girls that have the sexuality thing in common with me.

Again, these are my choices...but, I love people...everyone is different...and has their choices. Importantly God makes masterpieces not abominations...if he is the one that often represents LOVE in all organized religions...and in the one that don't belong to a Religion but, do what is love...like my website says.

This is what 2 of my opinions are. And it makes gay folk mad sometimes.

Gay Pride is totally fine. It gives men and women a feeling of safety, camaraderie....and a universal group of, uh...yeah we belong. I think it's great but, in my opinion the parade of has men in particular wearing next to nothing...and often exposing themselves...and then the gestures...I think you might know...also many that attend get a bit, pornographic and such that...If this is a parade because you are proud of who you are...and you are all fuc ed up on meth and margaritas...doing stupid stuff for the press to point to you as a representitive as ' A GAY' and the "PRIDE" think...if we want to belong in the world and spin around with everyone else...and marry, love, equal, recgonized, protected...fair treatment...

Don't do that stuff at a parade on a main street....with every news station is there to grab something sensational and run with it.

That doesn't represent me...or many people I know. So, if you want equal and a belonging and a recognized human..on the same as everyone level...
I think, in my opinion...you are going about it the wrong way.

The marriage thing. I am out there kicking down doors for Gay Equality...The true Constitution...not the radical right wing version with all the ammendment sh t....please...Michele and her husband Marcus...are covering up so much by not answering questions. Michele keeps the ones that are vocally identifiny as a gay man...yes, he is very effeminate. They are the true essence of what I would call the , Devil. Metaphorically. Check out my stuff and you'll see.

So, I will get married...when the next pope says, for God sake...you have been pissing off Christ with the old crusty mean judgemental rule book...kick it up...it's 2000 something.

Bring Gay people into the church...and say and preach what you practice on "even Christ himself never judged..."

It is like if Jesus was here today...they would murder him at a tea party for wearing a dress...

[iamnotafraid]

Originally Posted by SaidSomething

Bring Gay people into the church...and say and preach what you practice on "even Christ himself never judged..."

It is like if Jesus was here today...they would murder him at a tea party for wearing a dress...

Preach what you practice you say? You want Christians to suspend
their beliefs and accept or believe that homosexuality is not sin. It's
like saying just lie to me and we can be friends.

Throwing a blanket over a whole movement like the Tea Party is a
bit hypocritical don't you think? In every group there are certainly
lunatics, and I imagine the Tea Party is no exception. But if someone
would have wrote what you did about Christ Our Lord and replaced
the words Tea Party with homosexuals, how would you feel?

Just because many Christians believe that homosexuality is a sin
doesn't mean they hate homosexuals. Neither should they condone
bullying. I certainly don't.

What did Christ say to the woman caught in the act of adultery?
Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more. He didn't
say it's okay to sin. He responded to her with love and kindness.
He protected her from the accusers and gave her correction in
the most loving way.

[fringed n fab]

Originally Posted by SaidSomething

God Mark...it would take an hour long phone call...

My partner of many years is like yourself. He knew at a young age that there was that something special feeling about boys.

He went to Catholic School...an all boys Catholic School. Grew up in the Irish part of the Inner City Boston...South Boston/Neponset.

I would love to share this whole story...you would never believe the characters...twists and turns and how I found true love is, like Stevie said, totally blind.

My first gay relationship was in my mid 20s. I was an actor/cologne and the supposed "straight wear" store in all the malls...over priced, homoerotic advertisiments of shirtless and revealing wrinkled clothes...oh, well.

I was bartending in a short walk from where I had come to live in Berverly Hills...I'm saying this because the residents/neighbors etc..were so cruel...I should have lived in South Central LA...during the riots...the people would have been nicer to me there.

There was a group of guys that used to come and sit for a few beers or tequila shots or both. We became friendly and I really liked them. Then I would think about one. In a stirring kind of way, you know? Apparently, I have been hit on tons of times in my life. I never noticed...even when liberties were taken by someone grabbing my front and my back...and oddly if I was dancing or had my shirt open..they would touch me on my chest...I think this is too graphic...and too graphic for the rest...I would love to share with you...I will say this. I dated the prettiest girls in school. I met my steady in JR year of high school. We met as dancers in a show...come to find out here in Boston...at least at that time...there were no talent agencies per se...so you were reped by a modeling agency...and there we were booked for the local stores print ads..Like Jordan Marsh or Filenes and then commercials for Purity Supreme then I booked Spencer For Higher...twice...as different parts. Once they made me look about 30 when I was 19. They cut off all my hair to a wiffle. Anyway, my dance partner and my soon to be 1st love of my life, think Vanessa Carltons The One. We had the same agent...and we actually were booked together on the same projects alot. Again, she was like...that guy/girl is totally hitting on you. Even today, I can't tell.

This goes into very sad, sad like suicide stuff...

Returning as a person that doesn't want to be pigeonholed into a certain category or culture or group based upon my most private part of my life, behind closed doors in my bedroom. I also support, and advocate for gay people, marriage, civil rights, equality...etc..

I am a Catholic. Plus a lot of Spirituality learned by time and wisdom.

When I write an opinion article based on a recent event, usually Politically based...I get hate mail and threats...even from guys and girls that have the sexuality thing in common with me.

Again, these are my choices...but, I love people...everyone is different...and has their choices. Importantly God makes masterpieces not abominations...if he is the one that often represents LOVE in all organized religions...and in the one that don't belong to a Religion but, do what is love...like my website says.

This is what 2 of my opinions are. And it makes gay folk mad sometimes.

Gay Pride is totally fine. It gives men and women a feeling of safety, camaraderie....and a universal group of, uh...yeah we belong. I think it's great but, in my opinion the parade of has men in particular wearing next to nothing...and often exposing themselves...and then the gestures...I think you might know...also many that attend get a bit, pornographic and such that...If this is a parade because you are proud of who you are...and you are all fuc ed up on meth and margaritas...doing stupid stuff for the press to point to you as a representitive as ' A GAY' and the "PRIDE" think...if we want to belong in the world and spin around with everyone else...and marry, love, equal, recgonized, protected...fair treatment...

Don't do that stuff at a parade on a main street....with every news station is there to grab something sensational and run with it.

That doesn't represent me...or many people I know. So, if you want equal and a belonging and a recognized human..on the same as everyone level...
I think, in my opinion...you are going about it the wrong way.The marriage thing. I am out there kicking down doors for Gay Equality...The true Constitution...not the radical right wing version with all the ammendment sh t....please...Michele and her husband Marcus...are covering up so much by not answering questions. Michele keeps the ones that are vocally identifiny as a gay man...yes, he is very effeminate. They are the true essence of what I would call the , Devil. Metaphorically. Check out my stuff and you'll see.

So, I will get married...when the next pope says, for God sake...you have been pissing off Christ with the old crusty mean judgemental rule book...kick it up...it's 2000 something.

Bring Gay people into the church...and say and preach what you practice on "even Christ himself never judged..."

It is like if Jesus was here today...they would murder him at a tea party for wearing a dress...

You hit on so many things I agree with. I've never understood the whole Pride Parade thing, those people dressed in next to nothing parading around all lewd does NOT represent the majority of gay people and how we live and conduct ourselves. And it gives other people a false image of gays, it's no wonder some still throw rocks at us. Gays need to represent all of us in the correct way and our private lifestyles are as varied as those of heterosexuals. Being gay is not all about sex like this parade portrays.

[vivfox]

Thank you SaidSomething (Jim). You answered my question here and in a private pm with dignity and respect. I appreciate EVERYTHING you have to say on the subject of what it is like to be Gay.

Much Love, Viv

[markolas]

Originally Posted by iamnotafraid

What did Christ say to the woman caught in the act of adultery?
Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more. He didn't
say it's okay to sin. He responded to her with love and kindness.
He protected her from the accusers and gave her correction in
the most loving way.

If you think my relationship with my partner is a sin, you and I are simply never going to be friends. I'll be civil if I have to be around you, but I will try to avoid you. You can keep your "corrections" to yourself.

[markolas]

Blah. I'm of two minds about this "gay people are like everybody else" crap. On one hand, yes, we're just people; but on the other hand, as vanilla as I am, my experiences as a gay man have led me to view the world in a fundamentally different way than how straight people do. Anyone who knows me knows that I do not "go along to get along" and I don't advocate groveling at the feet of heteros for a few basic rights. I won't put on a monkey suit and pretend to be "respectable" so straights will feel comfortable. Homophobia is a heterosexual problem; they're the ones who should be forced to deal with their problem. Bigots don't hate you because you're flamboyant; they hate you because of who you are. They won't stop hating you because you pander to them and try to act "normal."

As boring as I am, I'd feel 1000% more comfortable at a gay pride parade with drag queens and guys in leather chaps than I would at a book club meeting (or whatever) full of straight people.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by iamnotafraid

Preach what you practice you say? You want Christians to suspend
their beliefs and accept or believe that homosexuality is not sin. It's
like saying just lie to me and we can be friends.

I normally try not to touch religion with a ten-foot pole, and to be honest, I really couldn't care less whether one chooses to worship some Birkenstock-wearing surfer dude in the sky, a golden calf or some bald ten-yearold wearing an orange robe. I really could not care less... as long as they keep it to themselves. That being said...

Can you please explain to me the Christian obsession with homosexuality? There is not a single mention of it in the New Testament. Jesus Christ never officially issued a press release on the matter. The only vague references to homosexuality are in the Old Testament, alongside such equally "abominable" acts such as adultery, eating shellfish, divorce, wearing different fabrics, having sex with menstruating females, etc. And one should keep in mind that these decidedly arbitrary/arcane "rules" from Leviticus were written at a time when the Jews were exiled, roaming the desert, and probably needed certain rituals in order to maintain health, hygiene, morale, and civil rule among the tribe. It seems improbable that these rules were meant to be adhered to in perpetuity. And clearly modern "Christianity" has essentially dispelled with all of these tenets except for the one about men lying with men. So why is that one passage still upheld as some kind of golden rule while the rest are considered irrelevant?

Just because many Christians believe that homosexuality is a sin
doesn't mean they hate homosexuals. Neither should they condone
bullying. I certainly don't.

That whole "love the sinner, hate the sin" line? Bulls**t. Again, Christians are free to believe whatever they want to believe, but they cross the line when they spread lies about GLBT and actively work towards denigrating and robbing them of their humanity in the halls of congress as well as abroad. It's no accident that Uganda has taken such a hardline stance about criminalizing/penalizing gays. If Christians want the world to more closely adhere to the scripture of Leviticus, they should also be out there picketing Red Lobster and working to illegalize the existence of divorce attorneys. When GLBT are singled out as "deviants," this is not "love." After all, wasn't it Jesus who said "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone." Whatever happened to Jesus' teachings about tolerance and sympathy for the downtrodden? Oops... I guess most Christians were asleep during that sermon.

What did Christ say to the woman caught in the act of adultery?
Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more. He didn't
say it's okay to sin. He responded to her with love and kindness.
He protected her from the accusers and gave her correction in
the most loving way

Great. You just equated adultery with being gay. Nice going! I am sure you have won over many new admirers on the Ledge. I think your ability to reason and think critically speaks for itself. Have a nice day.

[markolas]

I'm getting to the point where I can't get through a day without taking a Xanax.

[wondergirl9847]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

If Christians want the world to more closely adhere to the scripture of Leviticus, they should also be out there picketing Red Lobster....

That tickled me to no end. I can picture the picketing lines in my head. Hee! God hates shellfish!!

Jesus was always questioning authorites in the New Testament who were sticking to the old ways. He was a rebel.

[iamnotafraid]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Can you please explain to me the Christian obsession with homosexuality? There is not a single mention of it in the New Testament. Jesus Christ never officially issued a press release on the matter. The only vague references to homosexuality are in the Old Testament...



That whole "love the sinner, hate the sin" line? Bulls**t. Again, Christians are free to believe whatever they want to believe, but they cross the line when they spread lies about GLBT...


Great. You just equated adultery with being gay. Nice going! I am sure you have won over many new admirers on the Ledge. I think your ability to reason and think critically speaks for itself. Have a nice day.

HejiraNYC,
I don't think it's obsessed over more than some other sins. Though
I suppose it's natural to think like that if it concerns you. In that, we
are all guilty.

It's in the New Testament too. If one cares to look, for example:
Romans 1 : 27, 28
Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman,
burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing
what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their
error which was due.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God
gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not
fitting...

And on winning over admirers on the Ledge, at least those
who read this will know that I will tell the truth on these most
serious matters even if it hurts me here.

Markolas,
If you choose to not be friends with me I understand.
Though it saddens me.

[Silver Springs]

Whilst I am in full support of people adhering to their own faiths and spiritual practices, I can't help but find it disgusting that an out of date scripture can be used as fully factual evidence in support of a negative judgement. Being homosexual is not a sin, for the same reason heterosexuality isn't either. If God is who you choose to support, then the faith ought to be placed in the fact that it is also understood that he is infallible. He made people in his own image. So what is saying that a perfectly natural thing such as homosexuality is a sin? Is it saying that God made a mistake? Because that's negating your own belief, by accusing God of not being as infallible as scripture dictates. The holy scriptures were created by man, thus they were open to the mistakes and the misjudgements that man is prone to making. Over thousands of years of reproduction, corruptions and false information is bound to have crept in according to those who are reproducing the document at the time. You can't tell me that it has remained word for word perfect in all this time. And that all who chose to add to it did so honestly. And besides, the times have moved on. Things have changed and the book is no longer as valid as it once was. The scriptures are no better than fables, in my opinion. Have faith in God if you wish, not this book of rules that pretty much contradicts everything it tells you to do and believe anyway. Believe in your own moral code. Which should tell you that all men and women are equal and should be created and judged as such. It's their negative actions; the taking of lives, the corruption of innocents, the disrespect of those they deem on a lesser plain than they themselves, that are reasons to judge. Not how they choose to love.

[markolas]

I do not come here to be beaten over the head with the Bible - and yes, what it says about gay people is incredibly bigoted and insulting. If you continue to quote this hateful bile at me, I do hope you are banned. As for my part, I will now put you on ignore so I don't have to read it anymore.

I'm really not sure what you expect from me after you quote scripture attacking my relationship as "shameful, unnatural, and debased." Reminds me of my sister-in-law, who sent me an e-mail informing that I am "what the Bible calls a sodomite" (her exact words). She and I are no longer on speaking terms, suffice it to say.

But oh, it's all said out of Christian "love," of course. Well, I'm not in need of that kind of "love," so I'm gonna give it right back to you and send you on your merry way.

[Enchanted_Stevi]

JTIS...

That I bought these Amethyst 18k gold earrings for my grammy for christmas =)