Page 849 … Summation Next — Point 2
“But the Bible says so (i.e. that gays are condemned).”
A frequent defense of conservative Christians, this point is fundamentally flawed as well. Alone the fact that I have provided literally thousands of verses of Scripture that “prove” that homosexuals need not be condemned in order for Christians to be devout is enough to show that this excuse for discrimination against gays is patently invalid. And yet if conservative Christians are going to demand we look to “the whole Bible”, then these verses must be considered as well:
*We must look to Matthew 5:48, where Jesus notes that God’s Love for all His creation is “perfect” – without limitation and without exception.
* We must look to 1 John 4:18, where the author notes that God’s perfect Love contains no fear, and therefore metes out NO PUNISHMENT.
* We must look to John 5:22, where Jesus notes that God judges no one.
* We must look to Luke 6:36, where Jesus tells us all to “Be merciful, in the same way your Father is merciful”.
* We must look to Matthew 18:21-22, where Jesus points out that we are all to actualize God’s perfect mercy by completely forgiving all our lives’ trespassers and all the sinners in our midst. (see also Matthew 9:6 + Matthew 16:28)
* We must look to Mark 12:31, where Jesus points out quite clearly that his commandment to “love your neighbor” is the most important one in the entire Bible.
*And we must look to the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:29-37, which shows A) that the “neighbor” to which Jesus refers in this commandment (the hero of the tale – the one we are supposed to emulate) is actually a cultural enemy (just like homosexuals for my opponents in the case at hand), and B) that we too are to openly care for those who have wronged us or those we find uncomfortable to love – like the Samaritan in the parable, to show them “mercy”!
This is but a small sample of the alternative Way of selfless Love I present, and yet I ask you again, my dear evangelical Friends – if you are truly basing your condemnation of gays on the “whole Bible”, why are you leaving these verses out of your calculations?
Bigotry is negatively judging & denouncing a subset of humanity using a different standard than you apply to yourself or the rest. Singling out gays for damnation when most of humanity (including most Christians) qualify as well is bigotry, plain & simple – and hiding behind a few verses in the Old Testament & a handful of verses from Paul does not make it any less so!
Peace to ALL … S
P.S. And by the way, the “whole Bible” also says this:
“Why do you judge the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the beam in your own? How can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the beam is in your own? You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your neighbor’s.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:3-5)
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