| Subject: Hi James: here's my response. Read through to the end please |
Author:
Rusty
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Date Posted: Fri, September 05, 2008 8:24:10
In reply to:
Rusty
's message, "I'm at work and don't have the resources to answer you fully now James" on Fri, September 05, 2008 12:37:08
Christianity:
Ist Corinthians 6:9: Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
But the Good News is found two verses later: Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Romans 1:24-27: Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
JESUS’S WORDS:
Matthew 5:17-18: Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished
What does this mean? The Law handed down to Moses (see below) has specific rules against homosexuality. (as well as many, many other sins). Christ came to fulfill the law meaning that He lived a life in perfect obedience to the Law of God. This perfect obedience to the law including not giving into the temptation of homosexuality is what made it possible for him to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins! This verse shows that Christ endorsed and believed in the Law handed down to Moses including its ban on homosexuality. The great thing about his forgiveness is the fact that he knows you will continue to sin after you become saved. Sometimes intentionally and sometimes just because you become lazy and let your guard down. Doesn’t matter in that He still loves and forgives. It is possible to be gay and be a Christian. However one has to come to conviction that their sins are wrong.
Judaism & Christianity (though Christ frees us from the Law and its penalties):
Leviticus 18:22: ‘You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.
And
Leviticus 20:13: "‘If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
BUDDHISM:
This is open to several interpretations. The faith was founded by a human being and not a god though. But two of the steps of Siddartha’s Eightfold path can support an condemnation of homosexuality:
Step 2: You must renounce the pleasures of the senses; you must harbor no ill will toward anyone and harm no living creature.
Step 4: Do not destroy any living creature; take only what is given to you; do not commit any unlawful sexual act.
There are different factions within the faith. Some condone the practice. The Dahli Lama condemns it.
ISLAM:
Many passages against the practice:
Qur'an 7:80-82: “We also sent Lut: He said to his people: Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds. And his people gave no answer but this: they said, "Drive them out of your city: these are indeed men who want to be clean and pure!”
Qur'an 26:165-175: "Of all the creatures in the world, will ye approach males, And leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your mates? Nay, ye are a people transgressing (all limits)! They said: "If thou desist not, O Lut! thou wilt assuredly be cast out!" He said: "I do detest your doings:" "O my Lord! deliver me and my family from such things as they do!" So We delivered him and his family,- all Except an old woman who lingered behind. But the rest We destroyed utterly. We rained down on them a shower (of brimstone): and evil was the shower on those who were admonished (but heeded not)! Verily in this is a Sign: but most of them do not believe. And verily thy Lord is He, the Exalted in Might, Most Merciful."
Qur'an 27:55-58: "Would ye really approach men in your lusts rather than women? Nay, ye are a people (grossly) ignorant! But his people gave no other answer but this: They said, "Drive out the followers of Lut from your city: these are indeed men who want to be clean and pure!" But We saved him and his family, except his wife; her We destined to be of those who lagged behind. And We rained down on them a shower (of brimstone): and evil was the shower on those who were admonished (but heeded not)!"
Qur'an 29:28-29: "And (remember) Lut: behold, he said to his people: "Ye do commit lewdness, such as no people in Creation (ever) committed before you. Do ye indeed approach men, and cut off the highway? - and practise wickedness (even) in your councils?" But his people gave no answer but this: they said: "Bring us the Wrath of Allah if thou tellest the truth."
Qur'an 4:15-16: "If any of your women are guilty of lewdness, Take the evidence of four (Reliable) witnesses from amongst you against them; and if they testify, confine them to houses until death do claim them, or Allah ordain for them some (other) way. If two men among you are guilty of lewdness, punish them both. If they repent and amend, Leave them alone; for Allah is Oft-returning, Most Merciful."
HINDU:
I’ll concede this point James, there are too many variations and sacred texts with opposing views to come to any real conclusion. Both sides can spin philosophical discussing about procreation, romantic love and the Kama Sutra, so OK, no real concensus on this one.
I guess the reason I have a problem with homosexual lobbyists and activists is that they want to change the institution of marriage in this country. I believe that marriage is an institution created by God. I also admit that since God hates divorce and I am on my second marriage that I have not remained true to God’s law on this either. In the effort to obtain civil equality, Christians are vilified by the Gay and Lesbian movement. Some of this is justified for reasons I mentioned in an earlier post: There are a lot of Christians out there who think their sins are less repulsive to God than the sins of others. They will have to deal with that hatred on Judgment day. I believe that we should have total equal rights and that civil remedies which insure all the rights to a homosexual couple can be contracted for between the state and those people through civil laws. Just not marriage!
I had a very close friend, a lawyer who died of AIDS. I spent time with him as he was dying. His religious family would not even claim the body, visit him or accept him. While it is not my place to judge, I believe that Cliff will be more welcome in Heaven than his family. The last time I saw him, a couple of days before he died in the hospital, Cliff asked me about Christ. In simple terms I told him that Christ was God in the form of a human. That he faced all the same temptations we did including Homosexuality. That he knew our pain and desires. That He loved us, but that we could not be in the presence of God the Father because we were of a sinful nature. That he died in place of us and would simply forgive us, unconditionally, knowing we would continue to sin afterwards, so that we could be with him. All that is required of us is to accept his gift and then do our best to love our brothers and sisters. HE did all the hard work. Cliff said it sounded too simple, too good to be true. A week later I ran into another one of Cliff’s friends. He was with Cliff at the time. He was shocked to tell me that Cliff was tring to tell him about the peace he had found in his last day. It didn’t come from me. It came from God who reached out to comfort Cliff in a way that his so-called religious family never did. Cliff was cremated with money raised by friends. His family never asked about him.
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