It is easy for me to get in over my head but I like trying. As I said my intent is not to be offensive but I do tend to be direct at times so it comes off worse than I mean it. 

I said I don't support his relationship, but it is not like he has ever asked me to. The subject has never been discussed or brought up between us actually but we know anyway. He lives away from here and only comes in to take care of/ visit his mother or some business for her. I do not know if has ever come up between he and his mom. if it has I have never heard of it and suspect I wouldn't even it they had discussed it. She has visited him on several occasions and talks about his (room mate) but that is all I have ever heard mention of it.

My niece (on my wifes side) is the ghey too. She has brought girlfriends around us and we never said a word other than the normal stuff. She even lived with my inlaws with a girlfriend for a little while. My fil said that while he disagreed with the idea of it he couldn't turn his back on his grand daughter. I suspect I would be the same way about it. Is that intolerant in your opinion?

I'll give you an example of what I mean, my wife is Chinese-Panamanian (3/4 Chinese). The overwhelming majority of her family now live in Toronto. When we visit, there are some distant aunts and cousins (not direct family) who do not like me because I am gwai lo (white ghost or devil). But I respect that they are honest about it. I've learned much since marrying her, and one of the things I value about her culture is its honesty. If you are fat, they will tell you that you are too fat and should lose weight. This does not mean that I do not value sensitivity, because I do. There is no need for people to volunteer deeply-held personal beliefs in all social settings.

With that said, I think that we (Americans) like to project images of ourselves that we don't always meet. We want to close our eyes and ears and turn our heads whenever someone tries to shine a mirror up to our behavior. I think this is a weakness.

I realize that I am talking around your question. But I wanted to say that I do value your honesty. I also respect that your fil loved his granddaughter no matter. However, isn't that what Christ commands us to do? Isn't that what being a loving father or grandfather is about?

Now, if you don't mind, I am going to ask you a question. Feel free to dance around as I have yours, and I apologize for that, I just don't have a clear-cut answer for you. My question is concerning Christianity's condemnation of homosexuality. We can trace the origins of the condemnation to the Old Testament and like all Old Testament rules, there exists a social policy reason behind the condemnation. The basis being that the Jews needed to make more Jews.

So with that in mind, should we extend that ancient policy to modern times? Especially when we contrast that policy with the words of Jesus? Jesus said for us not to judge and to love our neighbor no matter what. Hell, Jesus hung out with whores and tax collectors (the lowest of the low in his time). Jesus also walked the same streets as homosexuals and never made mention of them.

In thinking on this, I can't help but recall the words of the Buddha (in addition to being a Christian, I am also a student of Buddhism) when he said that in formulating our own religious views we should not strictly adhere to anything that we've heard or read, even if it came from the mouth of the Buddha. We should, instead, contemplate on it and determine if the principle fits our own approach in following the golden rule (I'm taking liberty in my paraphrasing).

Looking to that teaching, it becomes clear to me that Buddha was an existentialist. The interesting thing to me is that the more I read of Christ the more I see that he was one also.

Yet so many Christians want ... nay ... NEED ... a set of instructions in the Bible to guide them. I can see where this is comforting, but what do we do when those instructions lead us to intolerance, injustice, judgment, and cruelty?

So I ask, are we keeping with Christ's teachings when we strictly adhere to Leviticus' prohibition on homosexuality? Personally, I don't think so.

Secondly, how do we reconcile our following that rule while ignoring the Old Testament's other very strict rules concerning the treatment of pork or owning slaves (for example)?

Lastly, wouldn't the Jewish people be the best source for understanding the Old Testament, since they have been studying it since it was an oral tradition? Why don't we look to how their faith treats homosexuals? Of course all religions have Orthodox die-hards, but I'm told most branches do not oppose gay and lesbians and some more liberal congregations even have gay and lesbian Rabbis. Perhaps our Jewish friends on the board could further elaborate on this.

My point is that when I weigh the religious evidence on homosexuality I can't help but come to the conclusion that God does not condemn it. God made it. And why would God condemn something that he made?

Thanks for humoring me.