The Bible Preaches Acceptance of Others [Movie Transcript]

Paul: So here we are in Christ Chapel at Gettysburg College. I'm gay and I'm also Episcopalian. The Episcopalian Church is actually being ripped apart ironically over the issue of homosexuality: back in '03, they appointed a gay Bishop and that caused a huge rift in the Church.

Personally, I see the scriptures as being--a lot of people impose themselves and their values. Some people will say, "I don't believe gays should be allowed to live in the Christian community," but then, they don't recognize the fact that passages of The Bible accept and encourage slavery or the abuse of women, so I feel that there are a lot of people who are tempted to pick and choose their choices.

As for me, I believe that most of The Bible definitely leans toward acceptance of people and faith in Christ. So, you can look at it either way: you can decide to subverse yourself and try to discriminate against some people, or you can accept most people in the faith of God.

We Shouldn't Shove It Down People's Throats [Movie Transcript]

Mark: It doesn't say on my FaceBook profile outright that I like men, but it says it in my Music likes. So if people actually want to know more about me, they would read my profile.

James: Wait, what did you say?

Mark: It says in my Music likes, pretty much. Because I like Britney Spears. And a lot of female pop artists. (laughs) But if people ask, I will tell them about my sexuality and I won't deny my sexual orientation.

I believe that the gay community might be better off if we don't shove it down people's throats because this would allow the Religious Right and other homophobic people more time to gradually adjust. So if they get to know us first as people, rather than as the stereotypes being promoted like in San Francisco where they have all sorts of Pride Parades. For some people, that's all they know about gays.

So it'd be nice if they got to know us before they found out about our sexual orientation.

I WOULD JOIN THE ARMY: If I Actually Believed There Were Legitimate Reasons For Fighting (James)

As long as the United States is caught up in unjust warfare around the world, I won't even consider enlisting. However, I will try my best to still support the soldiers, because it's not their fault; they're just doing their job, which is to follow orders.

If the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was repealed AND if I was 100% sure that we were fighting the correct enemy, then of course, I would want to protect and defend my country. My grandfather, father and some of his brothers, were members of the U.S. Army, but members of my father's generation have drawn parallels between the current situation and the ridiculous Vietnam War, and they've convinced me to avoid the military even more.

I think it's extremely heroic and admirable to see soldiers serving their time and then, coming out of the closet not much later. The fact that they not only fought in the military but that they SURVIVED, shows that gays & lesbians are just as capable on the battlefield, and if GLBT individuals are willing to enlist, then why make them hide their sexual identities?

I could never be an official in a religion which viewed homosexuality as a sin. However, I could understand how some GLBT people would want to show their devotion to God. I admire them for having their own interpretation of God's message, instead of bowing down to a holy institution (eg. the Vatican).

Back in high school, a few of my Catholic friends back home were very friendly with openly-gay students, and they would always say, "Hate the sin, not the sinner," as if they were being profound. It doesn't come out and say it, but it implies that you should hate an essential part of someone: his/her sexuality. It's like saying, "I don't hate YOU personally... I just hate that you date members of your own sex." It's very confusing and hypocritical if you ask me.

Even though I'm not a fan of any organized religion, I would love to embrace my spirituality, express my devotion to a higher power, and train for a position in a Pagan (nature-based worship/ritual) sect.

I LOVE LEARNING ABOUT RELIGION: That's Why I Took Theology Classes In College (Celia)

I was baptized Christian, and my family sort of fell away from church when I was in my early teens. I asked them to take me back to get confirmed—I was always so curious about religion and very interested in it. I still am.

I took a ton of different religious classes in college and was a sociology/anthropology major. I loved learning about why people believed different things, the need/want to believe, and different things that people believed and how that differed from what I believe.

We invited Buzz from the Religion department to come speak about the Bible and homosexuality. He does an amazing job. I also love the UCC’s "God is still speaking" campaign.

I don't really align my views with any one religion—and while church is sometimes an interesting place to go, I haven't really found that organized religion works for me right now. Maybe some day in the future!

RAISED CATHOLIC: I'm Now An Atheist (Katelin)

I grew up Catholic. From kindergarten to 12th grade, I went to Catholic school. Tell me that shit didn't mess with my head!

Today, I'm an atheist. I have a better time believing we are some alien science project than there is some dude looming over us watching and knowing everything we do. But of course, I don’t believe the alien thing either.

I hate religion. Religion was needed when fire couldn't be explained, and people needed to believe there is something out there after they died.

I've created my own spiritual views... do good and good will come to you. I don’t follow any one religion. I follow common sense.

GOD LOVES US ALL: I Hate When People Harm Others In God's Name (Adaeze)

I was raised Catholic and will start attending church regularly again. I'm a Christian, I believe in God, but I don't believe in a lot of Christian ideology, especially with the treatment of homosexuals and so on. I do know deep down in my heart that God loves us all and created us purposefully. I hate when people use God's name for war or say that whatever they are doing (no matter how wrong it is) God is backing them up. I know God is just ROTFL-ing.

I would marry someone of a different religion because the core of all religions are the same. I want to study as many religions as possible so I can fully understand them. The only religion I don't like is Satanism. I know it is about thinking about only yourself but I'm a put-others-before-yourself kind of person and I couldn't deal with such an idea.

INDEPENDENT INTERPRETATION: I Favor Solitary Practice Over Organized Religion (James)

From birth to age 5, I was raised as a Methodist and attended Sunday School and church every week. When my family stopped going to church, I remember missing all the hugging we used to do with our Sunday School classmates before every lesson.

During my darkest hour, the third grade (1995), a.k.a the year when the Maryland district lines were re-drawn and my closest friends were transferred to separate elementary schools, I felt like that there was something missing in my life. I wanted to believe in some kind of higher power; I wanted to feel like I wasn’t alone in the world.

Having been a longtime computer nerd, in my spare time, I would just type names into the interactive Merriam-Webster Dictionary. I was fascinated by the literary origins of my friends’ names. It was enlightening to see how, for the most part, we’ve earned names from mythical beings. I embraced those stories and called upon those figures (mainly Greek and Roman gods) for guidance.

Eventually this fascination with mythology and magic led me to start purchasing books on Wicca. For the longest time, I believed that I could control the weather with the power of my mind; I always thought that would be a cool ability to have. I also got really good at reading tarot cards. My faith made me a happier person, but when I had a bad experience during a solitary ritual (involving 6 golden spiders crawling over my body), I completely abandoned it.

During my junior year, some friends of mine started the GAIA Pagan Society, and just being around such enthusiastic, positive people re-affirmed my faith and made me want to practice again. Since the pagan religion values sexuality of all kinds and it is thought that states of sexual ecstasy bring followers closer to the Goddess and the God, homosexuality is perfectly acceptable.

Religion isn’t a huge part of my life, but I do think that everyone should believe in something, meaning some higher power. I’m not a huge fan of organized religion; I prefer solitary practice, and it’s comforting to know that I have a one-on-one connection with a divine being. I wouldn’t mind if my partner weren’t religious at all, and I wouldn’t try to force my beliefs onto him. However, if he were a ”crazy Christian” who spouted off slogans like “Hate the sin, Not the sinner,” then that would probably cause major problems in our relationship.