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Christians live by the bible just like Americans live by the Constitution. We will talk about it along with the Constitution. Nothing wrong with that.
Do they?
So no divorce, no tattoos, no shellfish...?
Having read through this much of this thread, I find it fascinating that few of the so-called Christians have made any attempt to rebut what the Bishop said. I suspect that it is because they know that they can't.
They know, despite all of this so-called "living by the Bible" that they pick and choose what they want to keep and jettison the rest.
Where are the arguments against slavery despite the clear Biblical injunctions for it?
And where are the justifications for ignoring those injunctions?
All we get is yet another thread filled with rants against gays from hypocritical so-called Christians who think that they know better than someone who has devoted his life to the service of God and to the study of his works.
The hubris is astounding.
^^^Through independent thoughts we are in control of that which we attract and who and what we are attracted to or are people just too weak to choose their lifestyle?
Having read through this much of this thread, I find it fascinating that few of the so-called Christians have made any attempt to rebut what the Bishop said. I suspect that it is because they know that they can't.
They know, despite all of this so-called "living by the Bible" that they pick and choose what they want to keep and jettison the rest. Where are the arguments against slavery despite the clear Biblical injunctions for it?
And where are the justifications for ignoring those injunctions?
All we get is yet another thread filled with rants against gays from hypocritical so-called Christians who think that they know better than someone who has devoted his life to the service of God and to the study of his works.
The hubris is astounding.
During the days the Biblical society inhabited the lands, slavery was an acceptable form of life. Not only was it acceptable, but it was also the law created by man, (man said, by God) that each household should have a slave. Some people however, thought this to be wrong, so they entered a covenant with God; those who bought and brought into the home would become like family members. The slave would be given a choice to stay or leave when their term (debt) had been served.
You're right, there is no where in the Bible, did that society write that slavery was strictly forbidden by God. Could be that if man enslaved each other, then and only then the spirit that is set free, that freedom will be appreciated.
Man has been evolving for 6000 years or quite possibly longer than that. Many societies have come and gone since the world came into existence. Much has changed in the views of man over that time. Some views have not changed.
Some people (judging from what I read here on this forum and elsewhere) I get the feeling they believe that the Biblical society should have the same thoughts and ideas that we possess today. We think it is wrong today to own a slave, so they should have thought it to be wrong then. That sort of thing. Which isn't the case at all, given to the evolution of man. Mans laws have continued to change and suit the present day society since man began to think, there is a right way and then there is a wrong way and set about to methodically define them both.
Just like there were people during the Biblical days that believed slavery was wrong, there were those that believed for a man to lay with another man, or a woman to lay with another woman, that was an abomination unto the Lord. (I believe the author of Acts explains it that way) In other words, it was morally wrong.
When the Bible was written, people had begun to believe there was something greater than them. And they defined that which was greater, God. They believed those who were morally corrupt would face a great consequence in death and they would have God to answer to when their spirit left their bodies. They wrote the Bible, inspired by God. That is how it is expressed in 2 Timothy. Or maybe it is in 1 Timothy. Those that do not believe in anything greater than man do not believe there will ever be any consequences to their actions greater than what man might condemn.
Now if we look at science and the gay lifestyle, that lifestyle is counter productive in the survival in the existence of man, since it takes the man and the woman to conceive a child by nature. Man has set about to over ride nature and through science has found ways for existence of man to continue if suddenly every one in this world decided to lay together same sex. However, the rate at which man can reproduce would be slowed in the use of this process of artificial insemination.
God is not against slavery, man abolished it. (yet slavery still exists)
God does not support same sex, (homosexuals will not see the Kingdom of Heaven) and man once again is intervening. (Interesting)
There isn't a doubt in my mind that this society is on a path to extinction. (given to evolution and all things even societies evolve) How fast we get there, is up to us.
We are not the only society to have ever inhabited this earth. We are just the only society to have out lasted all the others. Could be we will be the last humans to ever walk this earth. Given our present rate of redefining acceptable moral behavior how many years into the future do we think we will last?
The Biblical society has already done that and I'm thinking they wrote that book, more than 2,000 years ago.
Any way, what a person chooses to do with that information is up to the person.
What "information?" You mean from The Bible?
Leaving aside its subjective worth as a collection of writings on philosophy, mythology, history, poetry, etc., what does anything The Bible has to say on any subject have to do with enacting laws or endorsing bigotry and discrimination in today's world?
Quote:
Originally Posted by actonbell
So logic dictates that people have no control over their actions?
Again, so what? Who cares? If homosexuals do not wish to "control their actions" and avoid intimate contact with same sex partners, it's none of your business or mine. If nobody is being coerced or endangered, adults should be free to engage in pretty much any activity they want as long as it does not harm or impinge on the rights of anyone else.
And, likewise, consenting adults in this nation should be treated equally and have the same access to rights and privileges that any others do. To preclude adult, consensual same sex couples from marrying based solely on their gender is the very definition of bigotry and discrimination.
The bible is the biggest piece of propaganda in the world and in history itself.
It's not the word of "god" that people are pushing and shoving down our throats.
It really is this and nothing else:
The word of man.
As an atheist, I agree with you. But even if we are wrong about who wrote the bible (even if the Christian god is real), it still isn't God who's opposing gay rights. He might've said it's wrong to be homosexual, and that homosexuals will not make it to heaven, etc., but promoting discrimination here on Earth when it comes to marriage, adoption, etc. is all the Christians' idea.
He might've said it's wrong to be homosexual, and that homosexuals will not make it to heaven
He never said anything like this because he never mentioned anything about homosexuals whatsoever.
People like to quote Leviticus because it sounds like their "god" and word of "god" is in sync with their thoughts and feelings.
I always love it when some bible thumper quotes it thinking that's the end all be all to the argument. What's amusing is to see the look on their face when I present to them the truth of that damned statement and they scramble to pick up the pieces.
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I don't know about that Bishop...
