I
have heard that sodomy means pederasti, sex between young men/boys and
men. It it mentioned here in a discussion as well at the middle of the
page.http://bahai-library.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2016
and
if that is what it means I totally understand it is forbidden ,because
then men take advantage of boys. I see no evil in sex the way a married
couple wants. Anal sex is suppose to activate kundalini, and that is
exciting, I think.
"Say, it is forbidden to you adultery, homosexual relationship, and treachery. Do not commit these, O assemblage of believers."
Here it is the relationship between men that is the sinful, not the anal sex itself.
I
think of sex as a spiritual practise so I can't see the evil in it. Do
you mean homo-sex is forbidden because kundalini may have harmful
consequenses Byron Jefferson Bailey
or what did you have in mind, please? Evil must be to use others and
harm them, I think, and here is a lot said about the translation of the
words that is saying something similar. It is a bit down on the page.
This is really interesting, and I am not finished reading it yet. I
appreciate your comments here.http://bahai-library.com/armstrong-ingram_provisions...
bahai-library.com
The
word pedophile is not used, is it? What if that is what Bahaullah meant
was evil, one adult using a boy, and not the loving realtionship
between men? What if it was not sex outside marriage, but rape he meant
was evil? Marriage is important for children growing up, but two can
marry even though they do not want children, so it is not a good
argument saying two men can not marry because marriage is for the sake
of children.
Dear Henrikke Julie Wilhelmsen,
The Old Testament sums up in Ezekiel 16:49 what was the sin the people of Sodom committed:
"Behold,
this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had
pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and
needy. "
To state that the sin of Sodom is having same-sex sex is, Biblically speaking, wrong.
Thank
you Byron! Unfortunately despite the 2010 letter from the UHJ
admonishing Baha'i's not to discriminate against gay people I can see it
is still going on here among Farhan and others. You are right that most
Baha'is want to act like the sexual impulse that all humans have can be
ignored. People need to be educated. Baha'u'llah himself that nobody
should live a celibate life, that monks and nuns should come out from
their monasteries, that everyone should find a mate (and in my opinion
that includes gay people) and live in a monogamous, married
relationship.
For
me this discussion is not "talking about or sex-life". I would like to
understand what Bahaullah must have had in mind when he said no to
homosexual relationships and what meaning he put in the words that are
translated to sodomy and pre-marital sex.
What
is it about masturbation that is no good? Is it the energy that are
removed with the orgasme? Is it the fantasies? The focus on it? Is it
that you do not make a union? What if you do it to raise the energy and
do not have a normal (top) orgasme and don't touch yourself physical at
all, or as a meditation where you give up your own will? Is masturbation
wrong when it is done just to have pleasure? or release tention?
What
does sex mean for Bahaullah? Is it the action or the purpose of doing
it the most important? To want to delete it sounds like it is provoking
some issues. There should be no shame in our sex life. That is why this
topic is important to discuss.
I
have wanted to understand what it is about sex before marriage that is
wrong and have given it much thought and also experimenting. Is it
because it can make children? Is it because noone should be used for
pleasure, is it because the energy should not be used for pleasure? It
is not for pleasure but for making union? Is it because they don't love
each other yet? Is it because many get feelings for someone they have
sex with and the same don't always happen with the other?
And
why is it forbidden to love someone of the same sex physically? Is it
because of the energies that do not unite, or do they unite? Is it the
anal- sex that is unhealthy? Is it unhealthy physically or
energetically? Is it because God never meant that some of the same sex
should fall for each other, but that something happened that made
someone stumble out of the straight line?
For
me the most important to understand now is the energy-aspect of
relationships and methods. Anal sex has some effects that genital sex
hasn't. Not very much is known about the subject unfortunately, and not
strangely, since it is tabu. Everything can be negative or positive, it
depends on when /where it is used. If it is suitable or not.
Can
something done in love or making love be a sin? I don't think so. If
what you do, either you do it by your self or someone else no matter the
gender, it is pure when love is involved. When the ego is withdrawn
everything is well.

good question Henrikke Julie Wilhelmsen
- "I would like to understand what Bahaullah must have had in mind when
he said no to homosexual relationships and what meaning he put in the
words that are translated to sodomy and pre-marital sex." - which means
we need to look at the original text (as far as I know the text
translated into English which begins with " "Ye are forbidden to commit
adultery, sodomy and lechery...." originates from one source penned by
Baha'u'llah). And the 2006 text from the Research department indicates
that the word "liwat or liwaat" used in this text refers to the act of
sodomy/perverted sex done by whomever, not on homosexuality as an
orientation. If so then as far as I know there is no mention by
Baha'u'llah on the topic of homosexuality.
How
do we know that adultery is not just cheating on a partner (hurting
someone)? Does perverted sex/lethergy include actions that do not offend
others? Perverted actions that offend others is to use others for their
own satisfaction, either it is adults or children, exposing them selves
while masturbating and watching others having sex. Pervertion is going
over other people's line. I don't see the harm in a man who wants his
wife to pee on him or want to have some kind of role play.
nino says
Also,
all that stories of growing spiritually by ttaking away people the
opportunity to feel and live love is, in my humble opinion, nothing else
than hearsay. The institutions tell us it was for the personal
betterment of those people to abstain from loving relationships
and,therefore, reality must be that way. But reality is quite the
opposite: people losing their faith because of that ... and stop growing
spiritually. They start loathing themselves and are pushed further and
further away from God.
I
know so many LGBT people who used to be Christians, Muslims, or Bahais
but they lost any spiritual connection simply because their religions
told them that.
Religion
is supposed to be a safe haven and a cure for people's lives - but in
matters of LGBT people it turns out to be not only hell on earth but
also a disease.
If this religion, as well as Islam and Christianity, narrowmindedly have misunderstood God on that point, Nino Nietsuah,
we have a huge job to do. The world would look different. Less shame
all over. It is the allembracing love that is important. It is very
strange that God would make a body that have to live alone with no
intimicy. It would be more like God to make differences so we had to
stretch ourselves to tolerate and love these differences.
I agree Farhan Yazdani
- you wrote " we very clearly have that legislation on homosexuality"
and so because there is nothing written by Baha'u'llah the U.H.J. is
free to make and change its own policy - here is the lastest U.H.J.
policy dated Oct 2010: "Therefore, to regard those with a homosexual
orientation with prejudice or disdain would be against the spirit of the
Faith. Furthermore, a Baha’i is exhorted to be “an upholder and
defender of the victim of oppression”, and it would be entirely
appropriate for a believer to come to the defense of those whose
fundamental rights are being denied or violated."
Earlier
policy referred to homosexuality as a disease or as something to
overcome. Since 2010 that is no longer the U.H.J. policy on
homosexuality and I wish more Bahais would take heed and stop writing
things such as homosexuality is wrong, etc. I guess it takes time.
A friend of mine, a bahai, said when i mentioned homosexuals that
Bahaullah had reacted negatively towards men using boys, only. That is
very different. Calling a desire for children sick sounds more likely
than calling homosexuals sick. No not the desire, but the action that is
so heartless and full of self.
Ye are forbidden to commit adultery (zina), sodomy (liwat) and treashery ( khianaat). Avoid them, O
concourse of the faithful. By the righteousness of God! Ye have been
called into being to purge the world from the defilement of evil
passions. This is what the Lord of all mankind hath enjoined upon you,
could ye but perceive it. He who relateth himself to the All-Merciful
and committeth satanic deeds, verily he is not of Me. Unto this beareth
witness every atom, pebble, tree and fruit, and beyond them this
ever-proclaiming, truthful and trustworthy Tongue.
So what does sodomy, adultery and treashery mean?
Sodomy is not as simple as anal sex. Bahaullah reacted negatively towards the action: men using boys. He is talking about something evil here, so it must mean something that is hurting others. Like rape, cheating (treashery), using animals or people or masturbate in public.
Sodomy, the sins in the town Sodomy, is not about homosexuals at all:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/hombibg193.htm
In the bible anal sex between men is mentioned, but not as a sin but as something dirty:
"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination."
26 For this reason
wGod gave them up to
xdishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another,
ymen committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous
2 will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
xneither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
3
Zina: sex outside of marriage or cheating?
Liwat: male homosexual, pedophilia or sex-addition?
Khianaat: cheating.
http://bahai-library.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9470
Bahaullah
do not say much about sex. That we know. But he does say many times,
yes stresses, that we must get our body, our desires under control. So I
think this is what he is thinking about when he is on the sex-issue. In
heaven you will not see two men standing behind each other behind every
other tree:) Love must come first.
Where
does Bahaullah say that homo-sex is sick? Some bahai's say
homosexuality is possible to treat. I do not think Bahaullah thought of
that when he said something was sick, but to have no control over the
body and being heartless. Neither Bahaullah or Abdul Baha have ever said that homosexuals can't marry each other.
I
wonder what happens to a man who is already married to another man in
the church when he wants to be a bahai. He is not occupied with sex, but
to serve humanity. He loves his partner. And what if they already have adopted children? Is he told to divorce him if he wants to be a bahai? That would be embarrassing, I think.
http://justabahai.wordpress.com/2011/06/25/bahaullah-the-subject-of-boys/ :
“”We shrink, for very shame, from treating the
subject of boys. Fear ye the Merciful, O peoples of the world! Commit
not that which is forbidden you in Our Holy Tablet, and be not of those
who rove distractedly in the wilderness of their desire.” (page 58, Kitab-i-Adqas, 1992 English edition)
Baquia then illustrated use and context for the Arabic term Baha’u’llah used “ghulaam” which refers to: slave, page; lad, or servant, and exclusively males.
I can understand that men are not allowed to have sex with boys and men in a profligate manner, because this threatens marriage. But if two men marry this is not a threat. Most people are not homosexual and there will not be too few children because of it. On the contrary, there are a lot of children that needs parents.