I had a friend who was gay and sadly passed away in 1997. He was a great man. Not a flaming, in your face, let me show how gay I can be man, but a kind, honest hard working person who had the same partner for 40 years and didn't make a big deal out of it.

The god I listen to accepts people like this. doesn't hate them for a something that isn't a sin.

so when the jesus adoring, scripture slinging types start to accuse people such as these because they believe them sinners I hope you will review your own lifes and recognize the mistakes, shortcomings and sins that occur to all of us.

I have never read any COMMANDMENT that said you couldn't be gay.

I am not gay (cept' at christmas) and never will be. Just have personal respect for people and their lives. When it is an out right disrespectful, poorly chosen choice then the person or peoples should be prepared for judgement.

thus I understand the opinions of the hallowed

This topic makes me want to :yak:

I am disapointed to see this kind of topic here on sb.com. IMO Take it elsewhere guys. I bet few people come here to debate these kinds of issues. There are plenty of sites out there that cater to this kind of topic.

I guess when you get up to 2000 members we have to expect this. I like it better during our smaller days when this place did not need a scupper section.

it's all about respect .........

Sandman...
I have to respectfully disagree; I think the scuppers is the place to talk about whatever people want, and I tend to think this has been an interesting topic... But I like to debate.. :D
I think the beauty of having a place for this is that if you dont like the topic dont read it....
Cheers,
Bryan

and by te way sandman,

this is a topic of importance in the state of Massachusetts right now.

the reason it was begun in the first place.

I respect your opinion but if you can't handle it, stay away.

maybe we should start a forum for the inflexible, hardened fisherman who only care to discuss what THEY believe in.

oh thats right. we already have it. See Grumpy old farts.........

:)

I think it is time I move on...

you got it

"Let he without sin...cast the first stone..."


We are ALL sinners....in our own little secretive way, we commit sin. Is there a difference between a little sin and a big sin? How would this topic compare to ..say, lie-ing to your wife about how much you gambled on the SuperBowl? In God's eyes, would there be a difference?....Why can't we discuss topics like these without people taking offense? In defense of the "Scuppers" forum, "This is a new forum for the not necessarily fishing related topics..."....Mr. Sandman, how could discussing a topic make you "move on"? If it makes you :yak:, don't open it...:) No harm done.

I'm not bashing any(group), I was under the impression that beachwalker, ;) was expressing his opinion...and possibly wanted to hear ours.


"God Bless us, one and all"

Now I'm really getting tweaked here. This is an general conversation forum here on these FISHING boards. As I said in the last thread similar to this, topics SO controversial and polarizing like this on a FISHING website shouldn't be taken TOO seriously nor should they get too serious. This thread, forget about the topic, displayed a general lack of class by many here - regardless of one's position on this topic. And maybe it should be taken somewhere else that has an interest in deciding such an outcome. This is square hole board for round peg topics on a fishing board. This is where stuff that isn't too serious and that has little or nothing to do with fishing can be discussed. This forum and our FISHING boards as a hole are not intended to carry the weight of the future of mankind. Go try a serious site for something like that. Discussion IS and SHOULD be healthy and tolerated here but if it is too serious - remember we're just a fishing site.

We are again starting to drift away from how we were. Same thing happened last year in the final throws of cabin fever. I hate to see it happening again but I guess it is.

Mr Sandman - personally I'd hate to see you leave. It's been a pleasure communicating online for the 2-3 + years you've been hanging out. I don't entirely understand if it's this thread or a culmination of events - I hope not - or you need to take a day off an unwind.

Beach - you got a lot of stones in inviting someone to leave if they don't like it, especially someone that comes from this site when it was a lot smaller. Invite someone to disagree but don't invite them to leave - not your call. Not anyone's unless someone voilates the terms of the board or trashes it.

Again as for this topic, if someone wants to open it to DISCUSS it, that's fine with me. This psuedo-joking "fag ragging" has no place on this site and is really far off of our reason for being here.

Please keep it clean folks and at least semi-personable. Topics that are truly polarizing, such as religion, gay marriage, can go too far beyond the scope of this site.