Yes, turnRight, that seems par for the course. I guess we can't go on and on posting stuff here but I would like to point out that, in a discussion which has included posts from a number of "Christians" who believe the Bible is the word of God, I have asked three questions and have had no answers to them:

1) Is the Old Testament regarded as the word of God as well as the New ?

2) Did Jesus himself make any pronouncement on homosexuality ?

3) Why does the "Christian" right focus on desperate women killing unformed foetuses while failing to campaign on mass killing of innocents in current war zones ?

I am disappointed that the "Christians" have not given answers to these genuine questions.

Hey TRTL,

2000 years ago, people believed that richness was a blessing from God for being God-fearing. Thus they reasoned that those who were the richest were some of the most God-fearing, and thus most likely to see heaven.

(Matt 19) 23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

What He was saying is, nobody can get to heaven based on their own rights, even the ones you think are the most likely to get there. However, with God, all people can get to heaven. C.F. John 3:16 .

Kang, thanks for your response. I mentioned that the NT upholds the belief that homosexuality is a sin, I didn't particularly mention Jesus, so that doesn't exclude Paul's teachings. Jesus often said things about upholding the Law of Moses (except for those things He had fulfilled), obeying the commandments, etc. As He was walking and talking with Jewish people they would have understood what He meant in terms of sexuality. Some people say "Jesus never explicitly mentioned homosexuality, that means He wasn't against it." I think that's a silly statement. For one thing, he didn't mention beastiality either, but we assume He didn't support that. Also, one could argue conversely "Jesus never explicitly nullified the OT law against homosexuality, so we assume He supported that law".

I don't know how much credence you give to the book of Acts, but after praying about how to interpret Jesus' life and the OT in regards to keeping Jewish law, they decided that keeping one's self sexually moral [as understood in the OT] and abstaining from idols were the key Jewish laws to uphold. Everything else was summarised in "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your body and all your soul" and "Love one another as you love yourself".

I'm really interested as to your interpretation of Paul being a sexist, and of not considering his writings as authoritative Christian sources. I read a really good book last year, "Why not women" by Loren Cunningham and David Joel Hamilton. One is the head of the largest mission organisation in the world, (and has women in leadership), and the other did his thesis for his Ph.D on women leadership according to the Bible (including Paul's writings). Both came to the conclusion that the Bible was not anti female leadership.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1576581837/103-1745587-2231841?v=glance&n=283155

But I'd be interested to talk about this with you further one on one.

Kang,

the Greeks, Romans & Bible have little to say on specific issues such as Industrial relations, so the absence of JC talking about homosexuality is not so much an oversight, but, in the bigger picture, not immediately relevant to his mission of love.

So, this concept - God is Love - is the basis of Christianity and provides the context of reading & understanding the Bible. Love, as an expression of care & concern is best reflected in proper parenting. Children often fail to see the curtailing of their freedom / independence as fair or 'loving.' Sexual restraint for the protection of individuals and society is such a restriction.

What the 'political right' are doing is responding to circumstances like the European Parliament being unable to acknowledge the place of Christianity in its Constitution, society undervaluing & commodifying life as research material or disposable on the basis of lifestyle choices, devaluing sexuality and family life etc.

That they, like most everyone else, have been unable to unpack their camel and share their resources with the less fortunate, ameliorate war and famine etc, is unfortunate, however, compare Church agencies responses to those of the UN and you will see that 'modern' 3rd millenium methods have nothing over (or better) than 2000 years of sometimes imperfect,but, overwhelmingly beneficial, Church activity.

The article author's criticism is both skewed and fair. Right or Left, both perspectives are needed to reflect compassion & tough love.

YngNLuvnIt, you could also say that Jesus never explicitly nullified the OT law commanding that disrespectful children be put to death and that he did not explicitly nullify a variety of other OT laws. There is some nasty stuff there which he seems happy enough to have left in place.

R0bert

You have to remember, that OT law about stoning youths wasn't just a flippant "if they don't eat their vegies". 1 parent was to discipline them. If they didn't listen, another parent would discipline them. If they didn't listen, the religious leader would be called. If they didn't listen to the religious leader, the whole community would be called.

If they didn't listen to their parents, their religious leader (who held a judicial role in those times) and their community (i.e. democracy), they would put them to death.

You have to understand, it would be a pretty serious crime for a youth to not obey his mum, dad, priest and community and repent.

As I said before, the early Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit felt that abstaining from sexual immorality and not eating food offered to idols were the two explicit laws to keep from OT apart from what Jesus said "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind body and soul and Love your neighbour as yourself- all the prophets and law are summarised in these commands".