Part 2: God spoke 2 me in a dream, but I'm torn because my faith is homophobic, my dd is g*y?

Question

OK. I had a dream in which God spoke to me. Very clear. Very powerful, exhilerating. I would, without hesitation, embrace my faith, except for one thing.

Rastafari is a bible-based, Christian faith. Some Rastas are really homophobic. There's no such thing as a g*y Rasta. Not possible.

Well, my daughter and another relative have recently come out of the closet. My daughter is young. It could be a phase, but maybe not. I am going to support her 100% either way. She's my kid.

So, if 2 people that I love dearly are g*y, and I cannot accept homophobia as a value, and I cannot associate with people who are going to perhaps make my daughter uncomfortable, how can I embrace my faith? That's the real question.

On the other hand, I never took my faith lightly. I believe that HIM Haile Sellassie I is the 225 decendent of King David, the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah (of Revelations 5), the Wonderful Counselor, Earth's rightful Ruler.

What can I do?

I know that I am not the first person to have this conflict in their lives.

When people say homophobic things to me now, I call them on it and tell them that that's wrong and stupid.

Can I be both, a good, supportive mom, and true to my faith?

Answer 1

First of all, people who seek answers in (any) religion will not get answers; they will only get rationalizations that help them deal with questions that religion cannot answer.

Answer 2

This is not a philosophical question. it is a religious or sexual preference question.

Answer 3

God created everything, whether homo or otherwise, and he is responsible for how they feel.  Anything he creates cannot be sinnful, now can it.  We as humans did not delibretly set out to be either lesbians or homos, it is inborn somthing missing or extra, given by HIM who gives all life.  You do not have to answer to anyone but him, and he knows anyways.  Teach you kid to be a GOOD person, what she perfers is her choice and make sure she knows she is supported and tell her it is not sinnful, as god made as you are.  As for faith, I am of the belief that faith was created by man not god, and wether you go to a church, a mosque or a temple, or not go at all, but just rember him, that is all HE needs or wants.  The whole universe belongs to him, and we humans go around building buildings to house him in!  So look everywhere around you and you will see him all around!  YOu don't need others to tell you how or to whom to worship!  Do not live on the judgment of others or their ideas of how you should be or how your kid should be.  Do what you feel is right and know that god will love you if you are honest with him and yourself.

Answer 4

I invite you to read Gregg Levoy's book, "Callings", especially chapter 3, on braving conflict.

Levoy argues that paradox is holy, a religious experience, and that learning to be at peace with conflicting truths is a very important part of the way in which we come to know God.

He gives an excellent example of an Episcopalian Priest, William Wendt, who follows his conscience regarding the question of women in the priesthood, and this gets him in serious trouble with the church. He ends up being censured.  But today, 1/3 of the Episcopal clergy is female, including the priestess at the church where he used to minister. There are times when the majority of the church is not hearing God's will on a particular issue, and it may take a minority stepping out in faith and trusting the voice of God in our hearts to make a change in our religious community. This happens over and over again throughout the books of the history and of the prophets; it is the core of Christ's message.  There is nothing at all controversial about this idea.

I'm not going to argue that God plans to use you to heal the Rastafari church with respect to the question of homosexuality (or that He is not).  But we must always remember that churches are made up of human beings, and that none are infallible.  If I shared your faith that the leader of your faith is the 225th descendant of King David (I won't lie to you; I can't say that I do), we must still remember that King David suffered from human frailty, and so will his descendants.  This fact does not in any way suggest that your faith's leader is NOT the rightful king of Earth, a question which I will not address here.

But when God speaks to us in our conscience, it is appropriate to listen. We must walk in faith, and sometimes that means that we are forced to come into conflict with our religious leaders.  As long as we remain steadfast and prayerful, we can know that God's will will be done.

Answer 5

The fact that most g**s will become angry and seek instructions from the mafia Don upon finding out someone really isn't even a closet g*y, well, that should tell you something. There's brainwashing and evil involved. See all the horrid things g**s do to people who refuse to surrender to their Closet Satanism. Almost all g*y Bashing is the g**s doing the bashing. "Guided Perception" is the best definition of both Human Culture, and personal self-image/ position in the world. Who we let dictate our personal realities to us, and their hidden agenda, forms our freedom in life, and our access to genuine morals. Regards, Larry.

Answer 6

In your case I would say follow your heart and keep your options open.

Life has a way of working out and time is a great alley.  Hasten slowly..

There is something here that you must work out.... it is a test.

Answer 7

the answer is really simple sister.

Faith is relative and isn't perfect, there are a lot people in the word that have different faiths and all them believes that their faith is the wright one.

I am not telling you to become atheist, but there is no way in having faith in a specific religion, just keep loving people around you, believe in God and nothing more.  

Answer 8

If its God who spoke to you then He can see the big picture, He can see what you cannot, Faith requires you to be true not only to the one you call God, but also to yourself. Your path is your path and as God can see the big picture then that could be a test in either direction. It appears that you have taken the path of doing instead of not doing, There is a mystic named Osho who says there are not more than two paths to God Doing and Not-Doing, the path of doing requires all that you can do and when you can do no more God takes over that is the path of Christianity and any other Devotional religon. The path of Not-Doing is just that it is the path of Tao, Zen, Buddhism you do nothing you have no views and you wait for God, you give up yourself completly and you only wait not knowing the time, not knowing the place. The thing about both of these paths is you end up releasing yourself to God. Now ask yourself have you let go and let God or have you pretended only as far as your limited vision will allow you.

Answer 9

I don't know about Rastafari but I do know something about Christianity. I find nothing in the new testament condemning homosexuality. Jesus says to love our neighbors and our enemies alike. So even if your Rastafari beliefs somehow make g**s offensive, you can reconcile that with the simple fact that Jesus would never want you to hate. There are a number of passages in the Old Testament (the Hebrew Bible) that condemns homosexuallity and even claims it to be an abomination unto God. It also says that we should not judge others. Jesus' arrival and his word is the standard by which Christianity is founded NOT the Hebrew Bible. The New Testament shows us the path to enlightenment is through peace and love not violence and hate. Definitely NOT prejudice. There are a LOT of self proclaimed "Christians" in this world who are not very Christian-like in their actions. You love unconditionally and be supportive and you will be doing the Christian thing. If your religion says otherwise it is wrong. You can be loving and supportive whether you agree with someone else's beliefs or not.

Answer 10

yes. life and religion should be divided. you should not choose between your family and your religion.  your daughter is your daughter and if your religion can not support you in your love for your daughter than i would say that is their hang up.

Answer 11

There is a famous Voltaire quote which runs:

"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."

One of the roles you have to adopt as a mother is to let your relatives make their own decisions and reach their own beliefs. This doesn't at all mean you have got to compromise yours (unless of course you are homophobic to the point of having nothing to do with homosexuals...?) but that you should respect, support and, if you so choose, challenge them in a courteous and calm manner.

You can be a good and supportive mother by doing this while at the same time not condemning those who have different attitudes to you. This doesn't mean you have to walk gently around the issue or even ignore it, just you should respect other's positions. If anything, if your daughter sees a strong, determined and resolute mother who is tolerant of others, yet stays true to her beliefs, then you are the ultimate role model!

Talk about it with her so you both understand the other's point of view. Ignoring it or dismissing it is unnecessary, and may even be harmful in the end.

Answer 12

The many religions of Earth are all good to the extent that they bring man to God and bring the realization of the Father to man. It is a fallacy for any group of religionists to conceive of their creed as The Truth; such attitudes bespeak more of theological arrogance than of certainty of faith. There is not a Earth religion that could not profitably study and assimilate the best of the truths contained in every other faith, for all contain truth. Religionists would do better to borrow the best in their neighbors' living spiritual faith rather than to denounce the worst in their lingering superstitions and outworn rituals.

On Earth there are forty-eight units of pattern control--trait determiners--in the s*x cells of human reproduction. Now who is to say, by what we now know of cells, that one of the 48 s*x determiner cells is some how not as it should be, that one cell is doing what seems to be the right thing but it is causing a different action in the person that has this cell.

It should be remembered that mating is an innate propensity, and marriage is its evolutionary social repercussion.

Answer 13

Your FAITH and your RELIGION are two separate things.

Your faith is the reliance you have on something or someone that is not based in physical experience.  (My Christian belief system says that my faith is my trust in God for my needs despite evidence that suggests there is no God or that God is not involved in daily life.)  

Your religion is the form that grew around (usually someone elses's) faith.  Religion is a systematic attempt to explain one's belief system (faith) to others or unbelievers.

Trust that God (or the OTHER or however the RASTA religion explains it) is in control and then you can love your family members despite how they choose to live their lives or express their love.

Being a loving mother is ALWAYS right.