Aslan stop getting your extracts from your rabid ring wing christian sites and actually read the actual paper.

Aslan. If christians are going to push an intolerant world view by not including gays in our society, then it is probably a good thing if they don't get an opportunity to impolement their beliefs. That goes for any belief system.

By the way, as an atheist (or cynical humanist if you will), the thought that one can declare atheism a religion is laughable, we don't have a 'good book' we don't congregate, we dont have special ceremonies we use scientific facts instead of blind faith to support our position (i.e. we just are, nothing more, nothing less).

But I will also say that it is a bit rich for you and your fellow commenters to use a religion that espouses tolerance as your excuse to be intolerant of your fellow citizens. Don't hide behind your religion, stand out in front and declare to us all that you are intolerant of the way other peoples live their lives, and we can then look at that and ignore you.

Asian, Gays and athiests and other minorities are not telling you that you need to adopt their ways or views. It is evangelical Christians who want to tell the rest of the world what to believe, how to live and what they can do with their own bodies.

Matt.. let me set u very straight on one issue.. 'Tolerance' in Christianity.. READ THE BOOK ... u will find that Jesus was very loving.. very inclusive (tax collectors, hookers, terrorists, fishermen) but he was NOT..NOT...NOT tolerant of sexual immorality or political/social injustice or sin in general. His acceptance as disciples of a tax collector who was scamming people did not suggest that he wished them to remain like that. He came to turn people from sin. John the baptist condemned it.. Jesus condemned it. When the woman who was busted in adultery was brought to him, he was compassionate, but not tolerant "Go.. and sin no more".
If I hear the shallow unthinking and uninformed 'Christianity espouses tolerance' again .. I'll call Azlan to 'discipline' you all :)

For those with a literal interpretation of the Bible:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's law. I
have learned a great deal from you and try to share that knowledge
with as many people as I can.

When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I
simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an
abomination. End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other
elements of God's Laws and how to follow them:

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and
female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not to Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in
Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair
price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in
her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense. 4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates
a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors.
They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus
35:2 clearly states that he should be put to death. Am I morally
obligated > to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?

6. A friend of mine feels that, even though eating shellfish is an
abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there
"degrees" of abomination?

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I
have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the
hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes
me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two
different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing
garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them (Lev. 24:10-16)? Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws (Lev. 20:14)?

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy
considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can
help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Kenno all that you posted is worthy of discussion, it would probably be more fruitful if u just posted 'one' controversial bit at a time.

Lets look just at one for now. "Slavery" its a beauty... specially when my wifes grandparents used to keep slaves.. and had a great life relaxing (except of course when the were out slicing heads of and taking MORE slaves, which they could then sell)

But then.. an 'AWFUL' thing happened.. these 'culture wrecking missionaries' came along, and strange as it may seem, my wifes people, having heard about them..and the Jesus they were proclaiming, INVITED them to come and teach them about Christ. So they did, and this is the really annoying part.. it dawned on these new Christians that there was no place for a lot of things in their lives now, such as being drunk for more days of the year than they were sober, and SLAVERY. So, under the influence of the Gospel, they not only set the slaves free, but also gave them independance and property. I visited that area late last year, and with this kind of debate in mind, enquired about the relations between former slaves and former owners, and it turns out that they regard the former owners as FAMILY, not only this, they still look to them for assistance and guidance in matters of marraige etc. Yep.. all that 'literal' understanding sure messed up those people.

Bottom line, there is a lot more to the texts you quoted and one of those things is..shock horror..CONTEXT.. (perish the thought) and not just the actual verbal context, but the chronology of various events, not to mention the actual social cultural and political conditions of the day. I think you would be wise to read the context of each passage you posted, then do some background reading of an archeological/historical nature. Also, to give you a better picture of the general social situation of those days.. read the whole book of Ruth, (Old Testament) you will meet my namesake in there 'BOAZ' see what kind of person he was. How women were treated, there is 'much for you to learn'... before u can be a true atheist Jedi.