You Say You Believe in the Bible?
I think that if someone believes in the Bible as God’s word and thus infallible, then you need to treat everything in the Bible in the same manner, following all of His instructions. You can’t pick and choose which rules you want to follow and which ones you deem outmoded or not appropriate for the times because that would make it your Bible, not God’s.
The Catholic Church, Evangelicals, and others on the Right use the Bible to argue that homosexuality is a sin, indeed an “abomination,” and thus should be outlawed and not given any support or recognition by society or government. While the lesson of many of the passages often cited by opponents (for example, Sodom and Gomorrah) have nothing to do with homosexuality (in the case of S&G, it is about violence and inhospitality), there are without question two passages that directly speak to the issue of male to male sex (although the Bible puts it more quaintly, the point is clear).
In Leviticus 18:22, male to male sex is termed an “abomination.” Leviticus 20:13 goes further and says that those engaging in male to male sex “shall surely be put to death.” Pretty strong words, no doubt.
But let’s put these sections in context. The Bible terms more than 60 things an abomination. Included are: lying (Proverbs 12:22), eating food that isn’t kosher (Leviticus 11), a proud look (Proverbs 6:16), the proud of heart (Proverbs 16;5), adultery (Ezekiel 18:6-13), lying with a menstruating woman (Ezekiel 18:6-13), and what is highly esteemed among men (Luke 16:15). With the exception of adultery, no one on the Right would argue that these acts be outlawed or termed a serious sin (with the exception of the Jewish ultra-orthodox … they are consistent).
But, someone on the Right may say, these other acts don’t carry with them a death penalty; we may not believe such sanctions are appropriate in this modern age, but surely that signifies the seriousness of the sin and sets it apart. Sorry, but that doesn’t work either.
The Bible says that anyone who curses his father or mother should be put to death (Leviticus 20
) and that a man and woman who commit adultery should be put to death (Leviticus 20:10.) In Exodus 35:2, it says that anyone who works on the Sabbath shall be put to death. Again, with the exception noted above, I doubt that there are many people, regardless how far Right, who would say that people who curse their parents or work on the Sabbath are guilty of a serious sin that should have legal consequences.
So unless those who foam at the mouth about homosexuality being an abomination are willing to have all the other abominations and death-sanctioned acts treated in the same way … ostracized from society, criminalized, and with no support or protection from government … then I say that they should take their Bibles and their picket signs (“God Hates Fags”) and go home and do some serious spiritual meditation on what they believe.
For more on this and other issues, see my blog, http://PreservingAmericanGreatness.blogspot.com
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He questioned her 'Dr.,' to begin with. 'Might people be confused?'
But he was an American treasure. 
He and John (the "love disciple"
obviously had a romantic relationship (although the bible only describes a special love between them and some serious cuddling). So if you follow Jesus, you should at least cuddle with someone of the same sex, just like Jesus and John did.
The bible is a messy conglomeration of writings, edited and moved around in order to consolidate the political power of Constantine and oppress slaves and women.
Jesus said "I come not in peace but with a sword" and "I come to set families apart" and he is supposed to be the Prince of Peace? He's a blood thirsty mass murderer and so is God.
Symbolic cannibalism and all that.
Mithra, Apollo, Osiris and lots of other gods have the same birthday as Jesus, December 25, and were born of a virgin. What a coincidence!!!!
The bible is a lousy book to use for a moral guide. Bronze Age illiterate goat herders who thought the earth was flat, are a lousy moral guide. Christianity can't deal with the 21st century. The bible is full of stupid and arbitrary rules b/c they knew nothing of science. Mental illness was caused by demons. Physical deformities were caused by sin.
Has anyone gone to heaven?
No one (except Jesus) has ascended into heaven.
John 3:13
No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Some have ascended into heaven:
Genesis 5:24
And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; For God took him.
2 Kings 2:11
And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Hebrews 11:5
Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him.
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Salvation is by faith alone.
Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
John 3:18, 36
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already .... He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Acts 16:30-31
Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Romans 1:16-17
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God salvation to every one that believeth.... As it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Romans 3:20
By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight.
Romans 3:28
A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Romans 4:2
For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory?
Romans 4:13
For the promise ... was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Romans 5:1
Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 10
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Galatians 2:16
A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:11-12
The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.
Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Salvation is NOT by faith alone:
Psalm 62:12
For you render to each one according to his works.
Proverbs 10:16
The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Jeremiah 17:10
I the Lord ... give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
Ezekiel 18:27
When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness ... and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul.
Matthew 5:20
Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 12:37
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
Matthew 19:17
If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.
Matthew 25:41-46
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Luke 10:26-28
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
John 5:29
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Romans 2:6, 13
Who will render to each one according to his deeds. ... For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified.
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the jugment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
2 Corinthians 11:15
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
Philippians 2:12
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
James 2:14
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
James 2:17
Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James 2:21-25
Was not Abraham our father justified by works? You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rabab the harlot also justified by works? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
1 Peter 1:17
The Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work.
Revelation 2:23
I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Revelation 20:12-13
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Revelation 22:14
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life.
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These are only two examples of hundreds in the bible. This is not a problem of interpretation or translation -- it's outright contradiction.
So christians should just ignore the ridiculous stuff. That would leave about five pages of stuff worth reading which is also found in many other religious and ethical traditions.
Christianity is a syncretic religion with no new elements in it that are unique to christianity.
Examples: Pagan evergreen trees at the winter solstice celebration. Easter is a pagan fertility
festival named after the goddess Ostara.
Mithra, Apollo, Osiris and many others are born of a virgin on December 25th and do miracles. What a coincidence!! (SARCASM)
My wife was raised Catholic.
She never studied the bible.
It just wasn't part of their ritual/teachings.
Now she's an Episcopal and occasionally goes to bible study.
It's a brand new book to her.
She knew NOTHING about the bible and bible stories prior to that.
I'm an atheist, but grew up in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
I still know infinitely more about the bible than she does.
She comes home and asks me questions about what they studied that day.
They must have caught hell in confession.
To be clear I don't condone hypocrisy. I just repeated what I heard from Catholics. And for the record, everybody should do what feels good, and nobody should get AIDS!
200 years later and people still disagree over one sentence.
I DO get what you are saying of course
