That is how I prefer to identify, but my straight friends are all, "Oh, that totally means you are gay," and my gay friends are all, "You are just going through the whole bisexual phase thing." Most of my sexual attraction is geared toward emotional attraction, so gender is fairly irrelevant. However, more often than not I'll identify as gay simply because I've found it far easier to form emotional connections with guys.
No matter what either side says, stick to what is best for you. I think there is too much pressure from both straight and gay sides to choose. The truth is, very few individuals period, are 100% homosexual or straight. Most operate within a percentage of preference.
Well, they're clearly all going to straight to Hell.
Right. The first important detail is the homosexual sex that occurred in Sodom and Gomorrah. Not the fact that the people were deranged enough to think rape was ok, or that they actually went through with it.
Homosexuality on it's own isn't negative. It's only the human constructs and perceptions that make it so. The best objective measuring stick is nature. There are thousands of documented cases of homosexuality across many species of animals. Some even remain together throughout their lives, choosing a surrogate when they want children, only to go back to their homosexual partner and raise the offspring. Nothing bad occurs. None of the other animals seem to have a problem with it and the species continues as usual. If it was truly wrong, wouldn't nature (empirical science) reflect that?
Rape on it's own is very psychologically damaging. My closest female friends have been through it. So, I have a solid sample size to pull data from. They are incredibly intelligent, responsible, and thoughtful people. Yet, the experiences of rape have imprinted upon their psyches. It causes them to have self esteem issues, move through the world with an underlying vestige of fear, and it's something that will continue to at the very least minimally affect them throughout their entire lives.
In a moral story, what is actually the most important point? The act that has the most damaging and lasting significance, or one detail. I think Sodom and Gomorrah is a classic case of misinterpretation.
Religious books people possess now, have been translated over and over. Inferring much of the original meaning could easily be taken out of context or lost. Even then, not much was known about homosexuality at the time. Religious books are littered with personal opinions and social constructs that are no longer relevant.
As for the non-orthodox branches of Judaism (and hypothetically accepting the existence of holy books in general), I'm inclined to accept their opinion on matters since at least half the Jewish population reads the Tanakh in it's original language and still arrives at a humanist conclusion.