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For The Bible Tells Me So


Beeks

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Anyone seen this documentary? It's focusing on the religious right and how they use the Bible against homosexuals. My husband is out for a guy's night, kids are asleep and Netflix suggested this to me so I'm starting it! I hope it's decent - here is the imdb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0912583/

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I thought it was fantastic! It exposes a lot of issues and hypocrisies inherent in Christianity, but also within the GLBT community. It's definitely more GLBT-positive, but it's not one sided, which is nice. Even as someone who grew up with gay parents and is heavily involved in the community, there were parts that were pretty eye-opening.

Loved it. Watch it. Watch it a few times.

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It's very very good for families who are trying to understand their gay kids and are confused but at least attempting to be supportive. As my partner put it, it won't convince the antis, but it just might get the undecideds to be respectful, informed, and aware. Funny in parts, heartwarming in parts, serious in others. Christian perspective, obviously.

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I want to watch it so bad, but I cannot find it anywhere. And don't bother suggesting netflix, I'm in Canada and netflix in Canada sucks.

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Canadian Netflix is AWFUL. I saw it. I downloaded it somewhere and watched it. I think maybe Documentary Heaven but I can't remember. I thought it was really great. It has Bishop Gene Robinson who I enjoy. (Did anyone see him on TRMS a few days ago?).

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It's awesome--watching it right now. I come from a Hyles-type church and I am bi. Several of my brothers are gay (I have 7 brothers). And it's the worst possible sin in that sort of circle, so it's both heartbreaking and validating for me to see this.

First post. :shifty:

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It's awesome--watching it right now. I come from a Hyles-type church and I am bi. Several of my brothers are gay (I have 7 brothers). And it's the worst possible sin in that sort of circle, so it's both heartbreaking and validating for me to see this.

First post. :shifty:

Hey welcome! Sounds like you've had quite a journey....

I'm about halfway through the movie and it's awesome so far. Heartbreaking in parts but also lots of hope in other parts. I'm appalled at some of the things the parents said to their own children, but then other parents just GET it - and they're all religious. I wonder what the difference is (some people are just decent and some people are just dicks, I guess).

I have two boys and I've thought about how I'd feel if one of them were gay. Honestly I don't feel like it would be a huge deal to me - of course I'd be worried about bullying, etc., but there are always worries as a parent.

ETA: I'm really liking the "fear of other" discussion. It resonates with me because I have a son with a disability and I see that fear in people all the time - people who want to make him "normal", people who avoid him/us, etc. It's a similar type of thing.

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Hey Beeks, have you seen Trembling Before G-d? I haven't seen For The Bible Tells Me So, but I've heard that Trembling Before G-d is kind of a like a Jewish version of it and is a really interesting documentary nonetheless.

Also, I agree that Gene Robinson is awesome.

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I thought it was fantastic! It exposes a lot of issues and hypocrisies inherent in Christianity, but also within the GLBT community. It's definitely more GLBT-positive, but it's not one sided, which is nice. Even as someone who grew up with gay parents and is heavily involved in the community, there were parts that were pretty eye-opening.

Loved it. Watch it. Watch it a few times.

I'm so glad you liked it. I saw it a couple of years ago, and it really stuck with me.

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I loved it! I watched it either Ovation or the ducumentory channel about 6 months ago. I cried when I watched it, but things like that tend to make me cry. :oops:

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I saw this awhile ago on youtube. It's interesting and even though the parents originally disagreed with it, they accepted their children as they are.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxM8AJgbjYM

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlclKba_ ... re=related

Part 3:

Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufDssljr ... re=related

Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjE--x9K ... re=related

Part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeIiQpig ... re=related

Part 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTmsvfgO ... re=related

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I've seen For The Bible Tells Me So also, and thought it was great. My husband and I only wished we could make some people we know watch it (they aren't completely anti, but definitely afraid of the unknown and different with a sprinkling of religion-based negativity towards GLBT issues). It's such a powerful film. Sad at times, but gave me hope for the future too.

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This film blew me away. I recommend it to everyone I know, and it actually helped change my dear homophobic father's view. He finally admitted Harvey Milk's death was "a real tragedy". If you knew mon pere, you'd know this is like converting a heathen in deepest Africa.

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I saw it years ago. The personal stories are quite affecting, but I ended up a little annoyed by the film's attempt to "prove" that the Bible is not anti-gay. As an atheist, I find the whole mindset to be problematic. Of course religious people can (and will) interpret verses however they choose, but the core message seemed to be that what the Bible has to say is important, and if the Bible is not anti-gay, then there's no reason to persecute gay people. I would agree that there's no reason to persecute gay people, but that's true whether the Bible is anti-gay or not. My opinion is that it shouldn't matter one way or the other.

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I haven't seen For The Bible Tells Me So, but I've heard that Trembling Before G-d is kind of a like a Jewish version of it and is a really interesting documentary nonetheless.

I've seen Trembling Before G-d. If you watch the DVD, the special features include a follow-up documentary in which several of the anonymous subjects from the first film reveal their identities. Both are fascinating. If anyone is interested in the same subject from a Muslim perspective, there's a similar documentary called A Jihad for Love.

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I saw it years ago. The personal stories are quite affecting, but I ended up a little annoyed by the film's attempt to "prove" that the Bible is not anti-gay. As an atheist, I find the whole mindset to be problematic. Of course religious people can (and will) interpret verses however they choose, but the core message seemed to be that what the Bible has to say is important, and if the Bible is not anti-gay, then there's no reason to persecute gay people. I would agree that there's no reason to persecute gay people, but that's true whether the Bible is anti-gay or not. My opinion is that it shouldn't matter one way or the other.

Of course what the bible says isn't going to matter to you or to me. But it does matter to a lot of people and their interpretation of the verses in question is the source of the institutionalization of the anti-gay Christian attitude.

I think, for example, that only one person in 100 could give the real reason why Sodom was destroyed. (cruelty and inhospitality) Somebody has to give the context to the fundies who take it at face value and don't dig any deeper.

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I saw it years ago. The personal stories are quite affecting, but I ended up a little annoyed by the film's attempt to "prove" that the Bible is not anti-gay. As an atheist, I find the whole mindset to be problematic. Of course religious people can (and will) interpret verses however they choose, but the core message seemed to be that what the Bible has to say is important, and if the Bible is not anti-gay, then there's no reason to persecute gay people. I would agree that there's no reason to persecute gay people, but that's true whether the Bible is anti-gay or not. My opinion is that it shouldn't matter one way or the other.

Um, it is relevant. The film isn't for for atheists who think the Bible is bs and all religion is bs. You aren't the audience here. The point was to show Christians who think homosexuality is wrong that it's not against God. It's for them, not people like you who already know there's nothing wrong with it. To most Christians, the Bible's say is important. This film was giving a different, Christian perspective of the problems and issues of the anti-gay perspective. One that says it's not wrong to be gay and Christian.

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Of course what the bible says isn't going to matter to you or to me. But it does matter to a lot of people and their interpretation of the verses in question is the source of the institutionalization of the anti-gay Christian attitude. I think, for example, that only one person in 100 could give the real reason why Sodom was destroyed. (cruelty and inhospitality) Somebody has to give the context to the fundies who take it at face value and don't dig any deeper.

Very true, but it still bugs me. I'd obviously rather that they interpret biblical verses in a way that lets them get rid of their homophobia, but the whole process leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Any time religious people see something in the Bible that's obviously problematic, they try to explain it away, rather than even consider the idea that maybe the Bible itself is the problem.

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Of course what the bible says isn't going to matter to you or to me. But it does matter to a lot of people and their interpretation of the verses in question is the source of the institutionalization of the anti-gay Christian attitude.

I think, for example, that only one person in 100 could give the real reason why Sodom was destroyed. (cruelty and inhospitality) Somebody has to give the context to the fundies who take it at face value and don't dig any deeper.

Yes, but I want to add that's it's not just fundies but pretty much anyone raised in the vast majority of Christian groups. Especially those raised anytime before the last few decades. Even those confirmed after teachings moved from gay being a choice to gay being not a choice, but still sinful to act on had their parents teaching what they had learned (heard that in person :( ).

In any case, there are a ton of people who have no idea of the different context of those verses so as far as they know, they either believe everything they've been taught of their religion including that, or have to grapple with part of their religion being "wrong", which basically brings about a spiritual crisis on some level. Learning of the context makes being able to continue to believe in their religion without the uh, cognitive dissonance (trying and failing at the right wording, but I hope that gets the point across).

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