combat_medic said:
The majority of the passage in the Bible declaring homosexuality as a sin are part of the old law that Christ struck down. The same chapter in Leviticus that says homosexuality is an abomination says the same thing about sleeping with a woman on her period, wearing clothing made of different fibres, marrying a non-virgin, and planting different crops in the same field... and yet these passages are blatantly ignored.
Furthermore, the Bible is rife with contradictions, so no denomination can claim to be following it to the letter, or they'd be running around in circles. (here's a good start on biblical inconsistencies: http://www.geocities.com/closetatheist/dminconsistencies.htm ). Assuming you believe that the Bible is dibinely inspired, the billions of hands the texts have gone through, and the hundreds of different translations from a handful of languages into virtually every language in existance, obviously there has been errors along the way. Even if you believe that God himself was speaking to the writers of the biblical texts, you have to account for human error. No one denomination could possibly have it right, as it's all subject to interpretation.
Futhermore, each person is different. Kind of like a Rorschach Inkblot Tests - different people will see different things in the exact same image, just as people's experiences, personality, education, and upringing will influence their reading of the exact same book. The same book tells you "an eye for an eye" and "turn the other cheek". You have to decide for yourself which one to follow.
Sorry, Im going to call BS on that one. First of all I would like to say that most
inconsistancys are infact missunderstanding of context or other various side-line
information. I have found VERY VERY FEW inconsistancys or contradictions that
last under a little bit of thought or research.
*get out his book of quotes*
"Do not fool yourselves; people who are
immoral or who
worship
idols or are
adulterers or
homosexual perverts or who
steal or are
greedy or are
drunkards or who
slander
others or are
thieves - none of these will possess God's Kingdom."
1 Corinthians 6:9 --Good News Bible.
Now, before anyone jumps on my back, lets just try to temper that scripture
with another one, ok?
"'Teacher' he asked, 'which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus
answered '"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and
with all your mind.' This is the greatest and the most important commandment.
The second most important commandment is like it: '
Love your neightbour as
you love yourself.' The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets
depends on these two commandments."
Matthew 22:36-40 --Good News Bible.
So, if you dont love your gay neighbours as you love yourself, then you might
as well be gay yourself, cause you aint getting in the kingdom anyway.. its the
second greatest commandment in the entire "book of quotes".
As a so-called "orthodox" christian you may feel that gay people are going to h3ll
or whatever, but if you dont love them then you are condeming yourself to that
very same h3ll.
Also, if you dont view people who cheet on their taxes and steal from "Ceasar"
or who might cheat on their wives, or even have pre-marital sex as you would
also view someone who is gay, then you are a hypocrite. You're also going to h3ll
in those cases, cause thats where the hypocrites and liars go.
You might try to say "but Jesus got mad at people and condemed them when
he was on earth". True, but acording to the bible he had authority to do those
things given to him by god, you dont.
So better button those lips and play nice. Work on being a better christian youself
and lay off on the condemnations and wrath, thats not your job anyway.
(this post is addressed to the so-called "orthodox" christians.. the rest of
you can ignore me) ;D