by alice.in.wonderland 82 Replies latest social relationships
..."long hair" on men is also "unnatural" - and that's much more specific than anything else Paul had to say about homosexuality.
Before pretense to know what the Bible is "really" saying, you need to do a little scholarly examination of the words used.
Cheers!
Lets us not forget that eating shellfish is an ABOMINATION !!!
The bottom line is, we have to ask ourselves how we personally feel about such matters, rather than letting others do our thinking for us. Anyone who doesn't want to think for themselves can go back to the dubbies. The apostle Paul is on a par with Joseph Smith, as far as I'm concerned. Both men claimed to have a life-changing divine revelation and then saw fit to set themselves up as someone to be followed.
Paul never wanteed ANYONE to follow him and this he made clear a few times, as in the case of :
1Corinthians 1:
10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas a ”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into b the name of Paul? 14 I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
What would Jesus do TODAY? I don't know, I really don't know to be honest.
I don't know either. But I think that Jesus would condemn those who are being unmerciful and judgmental of others. I think he would remind us about the plank in our own eyes. That God desires mercy. About how 'love covers over a multitude of sins'.
Something I like to keep in mind is that maybe God is watching how heterosexual Christians react to homosexuals. Are we obeying the most important commandment of love? Or something else?
I think Jesus was silent on a lot of things for a reason. Because just following a rule does make it mean something for us; it doesn't make it true for us. But following love leads us to a place that is sincere, and therefore, less corruptible.
Hope I explained that all right.
Tammy
Well said Tammy, as always.
I especially liked the "love covers a multitude of sins".
I'm glad Paul didn't want people to follow him. So I won't.
JP,
Paul made have said some silly stuiff that gets take way out of context more often than not and we are to follow Christ and no one else, but Paul gave us this:
13 If I speak in the tongues a of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, b but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
I especially liked the "love covers a multitude of sins".
Someone said that on this forum once (I don't remember who or what thread) but it really opened my eyes and my heart.
Tammy
(And of course Peter said it first.)
