Jon J

yes, maybe they did know God better that I do. But the Bible tells us that the law is made for the service of humanity, not the other way round.

My point was not that loving God gives me freedom to do what I want. Rather, faced with a choice of two opposing propositions (e.g. accept gays or reject them), the more loving alternative is more likely to be the appropriate choice for Christians. "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets".

Well, I've never heard cherry-picking defended with such breathless audacity before...

JonJ <" But the ancient Israelites didn't, so obviously they didn't love God, right? Even though they were much closer and better acquainted with him, interacting on a daily basis."

Is that right?
I was always led to believe that Jesus was the SON of a God, and not actually God?
I don't believe ANYONE has actually been proven to be physically 'acquainted' with a God, as such?

In any case, we only have the written words of humans, thousands of years ago, that a bloke called Jesus WAS a son of a God.
Why should we believe them? They also thought the earth was flat!

JonJ <"Well, I've never heard cherry-picking defended with such breathless audacity before..."

Oh come on Jon!
Who doesn't 'cherry-pick' from that Bible?
If we didn't cherry-pick from that fictional book, we would still be stoning adulterous people, never eating meat on a friday, or whatever other ancient lesson we are apparently supposed to live by.

People are not going to stop being Christian and Gay just because a 2 thousand year old fictional book says it is an abomination.
Like all Christians, the Gay Christians can just choose to ignore the part of the Bible that they think is out-dated now.

Rhian

'In God’s creation people are male and female, gay and straight. The law of love demands that that all are accepted and welcomed in God’s church. '

Does the 'law of love ' extend to paedophiles or polygamist or those practicing bestiality? If not who says so? Some claim they were born with these bents.

Dear oh Dear Runner, you appear to enjoy stretching an opinion way out of context, to try and sell your bigotry and social ignorance.

Thankfully Rhian's more inclusive approach is evolving within many religious groups. If a religious doctrine does not include unconditional love, how can it work for the greater good.

'Does the 'law of love ' extend to paedophiles or polygamist or those practicing bestiality? If not who says so? Some claim they were born with these bents.'

Paedophilia and bestiality do not involve the CONSENT of two mature adult humans.

It is disheartening to see this sort of intolerance, hatred and discrimination still exists in an enlightened age.

How is the love between two mature homosexual adults in any way anyone else's business and where there is clearly no harm to others.

Polygamy, while not enthused by it for other reasons, cannot so easily be lumped in with paedophilia or bestiality in the way you infer. There are some cases where the arrangements in certain sects involve an element of force - an argument for another time.