So why did he make homosexuals if he thinks it’s sinful, so condemning them either to live a “sinful” life or else lacking the pleasure of sex everybody else is allowed to have? Doesn’t compute.
I’m not sure God is making people- this one is gay, this one isn’t, etc.
I have two immediate thoughts to throw out on this:
- God made Adam and Eve perfect without blemish (I know many here do not believe these are literal people so bear with me).
Then, through their disobedience, sin entered the world and has tainted man ever since. Man is no longer born without blemish. Of course, the effects of sin have been devastating- sickness, crime, not to mention death.
- The Bible also says “the sins of the fathers passes down to their children,” etc. This means something, although I’m not sure exactly sure to what extent.
Conclusion: I believe these two points have to be factored in when considering who we are and how did we get this way.
Since we don’t get that many articulate believers of your kind, many of the questions you will be getting will be trying to understand why who those who believe as you do - but are less reasonable than you - do it. So to some extent we may be asking you to interpret the beliefs of others, not yours.
I don’t think anyone is asking you to promote SSM. The reason it is good to have a diverse set of legislators is that some will see certain issues as important where others do not. This is certainly one of them.
And no one expects you to actively participate in something you think is wrong. Forget marriage, you don’t even have to march in a gay pride parade.
What I do think we ask of believers is to not stand in the doorway, not block up the hall. They don’t have to march, but they also shouldn’t throw stones at the marchers.
Hell, integration meant disruption to where kids went to school, and more spending to bring the black schools which were supposed to be equal but weren’t up to the standards of white schools. SSM harms no one, unless one defines harm as being forced to acknowledge that people who weren’t supposed to love one another do. I’m sure you agree with this.
Nothing to rebut on this post. Well said.
We in America live in a pluralistic society with a Republic government. This is not meant to be a Theocracy, much like Shia Islam of today or Early Judaism according to the Tanakh (First Testament). i certainly would be upset if someone here said I have to follow all the tenets of the Koran. I can understand why some likewise don’t want to follow all the tenets of the Holy Bible.
Ok, point taken. I must confess that I was always unsure if for (some?) Christians, “man was made in God’s image” applies to all people or just to the first couple. I could follow up with more challenges, but I don’t want to sidetrack the thread with theological discussion #9,999, so I’ll leave it at that.
People are very divided over this.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/ashford01.htm
And there are many things listed in the bible as sinful or wrong, but how many believers still abide by them?
Greetings,
Your last link put a smile on my face looking at the 76 things banned from the Bible. I just want to make one small point on how people can take things out of context.
#12 says “don’t let your hair become unkempt.” Here is what it says in Leviticus:
6Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become unkempta and do not tear your clothes…"
Interpretation: this has nothing to do with you and I today, but rather the priests who served God while worshipping God back then in Moses’ days. In fact, much of that list I believe was for the Israelites of that time when God establish a Theocracy back then. Some things can be applied today because it makes sense, like not eating pig, not exactly a “clean” animal.m
Getting back to homosexuality, I believe the New Teatament reproved such behavior in Romans 1, 1 Timothy, 1 Cor 6, Rev 22. This is my interpretation of those passages.
I realize not everyone will agree on any given interpretation, so again, you have to come to your own conclusions after study.
Great! Now, if you would just start to preach your eminently reasonable message to your brethren. If they buy it, everyone will be happier.
How do you determine who is “right” and who is “wrong” ?
Are you the only “true” christian?
Lol!
Hey, you haven’t been the only one wounded by the CR. I fell out of favor over the abortion issue.
But, I try to see both sides and stay moderate in my viewpoints. I believe many of my “brethren” have good intentions (I hope so) and are also following their conscience as you and I are. As long as they are not committing a crime and are doing it in love (love for God or love for man), I suppose they have rights to “protest” too. No? What do you think? (I know, some protest “harshly and unloving” but I’m not referring to this group of Christians.)
I don’t mean to be abrupt here, but you clearly have not read any of my 10 posts on this thread. If you really want my answer to your question, go back and reread my prior posts. I do not want to bore people here with my redundancy.
Shalom,
TM
Sure they have the right to protest. But it would be nice if they could see that they have no reason to protest. In the Dope we have a sin called “junior modding” which is a non-moderator telling someone that their actions violate the rules of the board. I think these people are junior Modding for God. God and the supposed sinners can work it out - why do they feel they need to get in the middle?
I used to live across the street from two women who had been together for easily 20 years, were wonderfully stable, loved each other, and were great in all respects. They couldn’t get married back then. I lived next door to a woman who was on her third husband. She was nice enough, but I’m glad my marriage is more like that of the women than of my next-door neighbor.
Then quote from your posts where you think you answered these two questions - if I missed the answers, you’ll get my apologies.
I suppose people do things they truly believe is the right thing to do “With God on their side” (said in a Bob Dylan voice).
Hey, I know I’ve done things in my past That i believed surely had Gods approval in it, only later to find out, I probably didn’t. :smack:
One more point Voyager,
I bet most of the Christians opposed to SSM are not opposed to Civil Union. In other words, leave out the word “marriage” and there probably is no issue to debate.
And you’d be very wrong.
States that banned civil unions and same sex marriage.
Wow!! It looks like I may be wrong. 31 states banned civil unions while 9 of those states banned SSM. this surprises me. (Scratching my head)
Just curious, Do you feel this is because of ones religious bent, or some other reason? I’m sure there are polls out there which I haven’t paid attention to, that give the breakdown of the people who oppose civil unions. Are they basically just Christians?
The problem is that several states had laws banning Civil Unions too. They refused to offer even this reasonable compromise.
Since the country is something like 85% Christian, yeah.
Here’s another surprise. There were a number of states that, having enacted statutory bans on those things, then held referendums seeking a state constitutional amendment banning SSM, and some of them got it. Which was completely redundant at that point and simply an effort to really and properly stick it to the gays, in case the gays had any shred of remaining doubt that they were not welcome there.