Lucy, before I once again honor you & yours by covering every single one of these recent points individually & thoroughly, I would like to remind all those reading along of the following over-arching Truths related to this conversation:

*Truth #01)  According to Jesus himself, other people’s sins are none of our business – at least not until we have thoroughly cleansed ourselves of our own (see Matthew 7:1-5, Matthew 23:12, John 8:7, Matthew 23:25-26 et al).

*Truth #02)  There are dozens of “mortal sins” in the Bible, and for conservative Christians to focus their thoughts or words on condemning homosexual lust above these many other sins is hypocritical & bigoted, and does not reflect the humble, Loving Way of their own Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ (see Matthew 18:3-4 + John 13:15-17 + John 13:34-35 et al) … Lucy, why aren’t you condemning fortune tellers as well?  (see Leviticus 20:27) – or disrespectful children? (see Leviticus 20:19) – or those who disobey their pastors? (see Deuteronomy 17:12) – or those who worship a different God? (see Exodus 22:20) – or those who blaspheme the name of the Lord? (see Leviticus 24:10-16) – or those who work on Saturdays? (see Exodus 31:12-15) – or those who fantasize about someone other than their wife or husband? (see Deuteronomy 22:22 + Matthew 5:27-28) … These sins are far more prevalent than homosexuality – and just as abhorrent in the eyes of your God, so why do you focus on homosexuals, my Friend?    Possible answer:  you were raised to be prejudiced against them, you are uncomfortable around them, and/or you are even fearful of them.  That is bigotry, Lucy, and that kind of unjust intolerance is not supported by the heavenly Father of Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:48 & John 5:22 & Luke 6:36 et al).

*Truth #03)  Even though conservative Christians hide behind their God & their Bible to lay the blame on them, the fact remains that they have chosen to worship a God who is partial towards straight people, and that they have chosen to cherish a God who rejects gays.   This is a God steeped in condemnation & prejudice, and that they choose to openly support & adore Him makes them condemnatory & prejudiced as well.   On top of that, their God not only created homosexuality in the first place (there are at least 1500 different animal species where homosexual partnerships occur naturally), but He chooses to punish that “sin” with an eternity of torment.  Even little children know what fairness & justice are, my Friends – even little children understand what it means to only reap what is sown, and their God’s punishment for the “sin” of homosexuality is as cruel & unusual as any ever devised by the most wicked of tyrants & the most diabolical of despots who have ever terrorized humankind.    Indeed, to punish a flawed, mortal being who commits a finite amount of sin with an eternity of pain & suffering is the epitome of evil – and for them to worship & adore such a God makes them accomplices to that most heinous of crimes.

*Truth #04)  According to the Bible itself, homosexuality itself is NOT A SIN … and neither is homosexual friendship … and neither is homosexual affection … and neither is homosexual marriage!   Indeed, I have asked my conservative “opponents” to cite one single verse of Scripture that condemns any of these things, and they have not supplied one – a failure that is excusable, for the very simple reason that no such verse exists.   Indeed, Jesus didn’t mention homosexuality at all in the New Testament.   And if it really is a sin so abhorrent in the eyes of his Father, why wouldn’t he say something about it during his recorded ministry?

Curious, that is …

 

*Truth #05)  Even though my conservative Christian Friends claim to “worship the whole Bible” (coupling that bold statement with frequent false claims that I am the one who is guilty of ignoring parts of the Scriptures; of “picking & choosing” only the verses that support my belief that the Bible shines forth a God whose Love is unconditional & whose Grace is unwavering), it is actually they who do these things far more than I!   It is actually they who to this day continue to ignore the thousands of verses of Scripture I have given in this thread alone.  It is they who most certainly do not “worship the whole Bible” – otherwise they would take into account the teachings of Jesus when creating their personal vision of God.  Otherwise they would include Matthew 5:48 to make His Love perfect … Otherwise they would include John 5:22 to make His wrath soft … Otherwise they would include 1 John 4:18 to make His Justice gentle … Otherwise they would include Luke 6:36 & Matthew 18:21-22 to make His Mercy complete … And otherwise they would incluide the Parables of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:28-27) & The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) to include homosexuals in His great Grace …

 

Amen — Let it one day be so!
Peace to you all … S

 

Filed under: Burnishing Bigotry by Scaughdt