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BY SHAY DAWKINS
COMMENTARY
Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s anti-gay “Strong” TV advertisement has been getting a lot of air time in Iowa in the run up to the Jan. 3 Republican caucus. It’s also getting some surprising reaction among his fellow conservatives.
I, for one, am happy to see that his ad failed to win the endorsements of a couple of key anti-gay groups: the American Family Association and Family Leader. Because Perry’s Christianity is not my Christianity.
I’m a heterosexual raised in the Pentecostal and Baptist faiths deep in the Bible belt state of Alabama. I studied the Bible in search of the Scripture that commands Christians to judge homosexuals and I didn’t find it. Instead, I found just the opposite. For my book, "The Good News: How Revealing Delusions in Christianity Will Bring Peace to All," (www.thegoodnewsbook.com), I also looked for the biblical basis for other “Christian” beliefs, including opposing abortion. I didn’t find it.
In the “Strong” ad, Perry says, “I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a Christian but you don’t need to be in a pew every Sunday to know there’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military.”
Really?
Why would it matter whether a soldier is homosexual or heterosexual? If he or she is ready, willing and able to defend us, our country and our freedoms – including Christians’ freedom to be Christian – isn’t that all that matters? Perry’s Christianity brands gays as evil. It seeks to turn “God-fearing” heterosexuals against their fellow man. That is not my Christianity. The true message of Jesus and the Christian Bible is to bring people comfort, not misery; promote unity, not division; and bring hope, not fear.
It’s not Jesus or the Bible that teaches Christians to be intolerant – it is other Christians. The Bible says that we should judge/condemn only people who act with the intent to hurt or harm other people (Romans 14: 13). It tells us to love our neighbors, welcome strangers, and even to love our enemies.
Jesus states that “his commandment is to love one another” (John 13: 34). The Bible goes as far as stating that “all the law of the world is fulfilled in one command: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5: 14) and that “without love a person with everything has nothing” (1 Corinthians 13).
Perry likes to conclude his speaking engagements with “Here is what I want you to leave with: Somebody’s values are going to decide the issues of the day … somebody’s values are going to be installed. The question is going to be whose values? Is it going to be those of us of faith or somebody else’s values?”
He does not understand that his “religious beliefs/values” are based on other men’s beliefs and values; clergy often are taught what to believe in seminary. Perry’s “faith” is based on man-made, false religious doctrine -- “somebody else’s values,” as he likes to say. I’ve combed through the Scriptures and rather than finding support for Perry’s stand on homosexuality, I found a half-dozen verses that tell us homosexuality is not “sinful” for everyone.
what we are under is christ's grace, the love of his grace.(god is love) his love is the summation and fulfillment of the law. therefore under the new covenant, the law is to reaffirm what we already know in christ and his love, not the other way around, as in forgiving a woman caught in adultery rather than stoning her, that healing onthe sabath did not violate the sabbath and that slavery(directed in lev) now is an intolerable evil because it comes against christ's love.
being gay does not come against christ's love. those who are gay live the fullness of god's love in their lives and marriages in the same way as do heterosexuals.
the wrong transposition of the word homosexual into scripture was an attempt to put being gay under the law. how is it that believers think that "love one another as i have loved you" is putting others under what we are not under.
Even if you don't believe the Bible, an intelligent person whose brain isn't filled with worms, viruses, Trojans ad-bots brain hijackers can easily see that homosexuality is unnatural, perverted, and deviant.
When have you see two male pit bulls messing with each other? How about two male stallions? Two male Bulls? Two Tomcats> Or even two female cats? The only animals that attempt to do that are brain damaged. Animals generally run off, or kill another same sex animal that attempts to copulate with it. In the science of electricity, two positively charged magnets REPEL each other and two magnets charged differently strongly attract each other. In cultural Anthropology, MOST societies TOLERATE homosexuality at best. Many societies, such as Iran, Nigeria still put them with death. For over 150,000 years this has been a behavior that is strongly condemned worldwide. What has happened in the last fifty years to SUDDENLY make it a normal behavior?Only about 3% of Americans practice it exclusively. So it is a very abnormal lifestyle, and should not be given the same respect as heterosexual couple. Now I presented my supporting evidence. What do homosexuals have to support what they believe? NOTHING! Just their silly, crazed, brain damaged OPINIONS. No evidence at all showing that this is a good, needed, and normal thing to do. Where are we going to draw the line? There is another group even more insane than homosexuals waiting in the wings clamoring that we approve what they want to do. That is the group of crazed Pink Africans who want bestiality legalized. They want the right to screw farm animals, Groundhogs, Raccoons, dogs, and cats. As homosexuals gain political power and judicial power, I can see them quickly legalizing that disgusting life style also. The Bible also strongly condemns that. So are we going to throw out the Bible and allow the critically mentally ill make the laws in this country? Either these people go under treatment, or they should be expelled from the United States permanently. You listen to whatever you want. I'll take the wisdom found in the King James Original Bible any day over these disgusting, amoral, unethical, Human beasts who want to practice these sick things and they then even have the nerve to want them legalized. Legalize infidelity! That would be a lot more normal than what homosexuals want.
Amen-RA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf3p1mXHfqY
stupid christians actually think the bible has never been changed, rewrit, censored, added to and/or edited.
look people, we live on a 4.6 billion year old planet called earth and man has roamed this planet for around 200,000 years and this "god" the the zoroatrians, jews, christians, muslims and mormons believe in didn't show up on the scene until almost 4000 years ago. this is not rocket science here, who made who? its painfully obvious.
may i begin by thanking you for a concerted and compassionate approach to this debate that demonstrates a willingness to study and investigate, rather than take what is wrote by a seminary and simply regurgitate it verbatim; without question or qualification.
To the Bilious Hate-Mongers who have posted comments so far:
If you want to regurgitate all the hatred and bile you have been taught, do it somewhere else.
Your parroting of inaccurate interpretations of scripture based upon the bias of those interpreting them; are both offensive and demonstrate a lack of both intellect and any form of scholarship.
Cherry-picking your favourite pieces from the bible does not constitute "Study" as Paul writes to Timothy. Instead it is a lazy, fast-food approach to the "Living Word of God".
BTW. You might want to rethink your diatribe on Sodom an Gomorra. Ezekial 16:49 outlines very clearly that the Sin that caused the destruction of Sodom and Gomora had nothing to do with sexual immorality but their disobedience to the rules of Hospitality.
Perhaps it would do you a favour to think for yourself once in a while.
Remember: The Mind, Like a Parachute, Works best when OPEN."
In short, who cares what an ancient book of barbaric morality and ridiculous mythology has to say about anything? The real tragedy is that a potential leader of a modern nation can quote from such a book and not be ridiculed into obscurity.
It's about time your ridiculous religion went the way of all the other outdated superstitions that have plagued mankind. As a christian, you belong to an institution that has demonized and persecuted LGBT people for two millennia. A few nice sounding words won't make up for that. Then again, it seems like your words are more about making you feel better about yourself. Good luck with that.
Sorry, bible thumpers, but you need to thump a little bit harder to actually understand the bible...
Shay, this is very well argued and an excellent article overall. Thank you for trying to put some sense into this.
is sin and Homosexuals [and Lesbians] will not go to Heaven
...they will go to Hell. 1 Cor.6:9,10.
God's Word calls homosexuality degrading of the body, shameful,
indecent and perversion!! Romans 1:24-32,
"Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves
up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example
of those who suffer the punishment of Eternal Fire." Jude 7.
The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was homosexuality!
So according to God Homosexuals are going to suffer the punishment
of Eternal Fire!!!!! Ouch! [bring a lot of suntan lotion! Ha!].
Jesus DID speak against homosexuality. When he condemned "sexual
immorality" in Mk.7:21-23. This word means all sex outside of marriage:
Adultery, incest, animal sex, LESBIANISM and HOMOSEXUALITY.
This word sexual immorality also means, "to prostitute one's body to
the lust of another." This word also means Pornographer, Whore and
Whoremonger. Jesus says sexual immorality makes a man "unclean,
defiled and polluted." Mk. 7:23
Jesus says, "Anyone who LOOKS at a woman lustfully has already
committed adultery with her in his heart!" And it will send a person
to Hell! Mt.5:27-30. Lusting with your eyes is "adultery of the heart"
that sends one to HELL!!
According to God's Word a Homosexual is degrading his body!
He is SHAMEFUL! He is INDECENT! And he is a PERVERT!!!!!!!
A Homosexual is SEXUALLY IMMORAL! And a PORNOGRAPHER!
And a WHOREMONGER! According to Jesus a Homosexual
is UNCLEAN! And DEFILED! And POLLUTED!
According to God's Word a Homosexual is going to Hell!
God TOTALLY loves and loves and loves and loves and loves the
Homosexual! He died for them! They cost his blood! The Homosexual
costs the blood of Christ! God highly, highly, highly values them! God
deeply, deeply, deeply loves and cherishes them! They are extremely,
extremely, extremely important! The Homosexual is greatly, greatly,
greatly, GREATLY LOVED! LOVED! LOVED! LOVED! LOVED!!!!!
Nothing in all creation can separate them from God's love! Rom.8:38,39
The Homosexual should quickly rebuke Satanic & Demonic strongholds!
Then hit his knees and BREAK his heart before the Jesus Christ of the
Bible get washed forgiven by blood. He should and repent and change!!
And call on Jesus to be 100% Lord of ALL his life and set him free!! Free!!
FREE!! FREE!! FREE!! And then fall into God the Father's arms of eternal
love and compassion! Then he should "SELL OUT" 100% and then he
should get RADICALLY "ON FIRE" and then GO CHANGE THE WORLD!!
2, you sad [ ("Love your neighbor as yourself") is the ENTIRE Christian Law.] For you, other than this sentence in the Bible is waste and vain.
3, [gay friendly] it is not even written, You are interpreting Bible to do sin, You can interpreting Bible as much you can but don't interpreting Bible to do sin or encourage sin.
3, we must love all Humans around the world, and must spread the good news to all, But be careful, not to be endup one among them, thats why Bible teach us [Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. ] Christians fellows, is it worth loosing our salvation because of anything of this world ?
2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
I know Word of God is a joke and Jesus is joker for you, i don't get surprise even you say "Jesus was a sinner" or "the 12 pillars of church[disciples of Jesus] continue in sins.
It is not about what i think or you think, its about what ever it is written, if it is written believe it with a pure heart, On the judgement day this is the same Word of God[what ever it is written] use to judge us.
Do you know the meaning of [wicked] ? wicked means a person whom know the truth and not following it . you are not a sinner, Bible call you wicked.
Deadly sins are what ever written in the Bible, say[ Don't, you will not see the kingdom of God], example........1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the Wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor HOMOSEXUAL OFFENDERS.
[1 Corinthians 6:10]nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. Leviticus 18:22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination Rom 1:27 In the same way, their males also abandoned the natural sexual function of females and burned with lust for one another. Males committed indecent acts with males, and received in themselves the appropriate penalty for their perversion. Wicked People like you are the people whom killed the prophets, disciples of Jesus and Jesus, not sinners.
But you continue what you are doing,
Matthew 23:31 “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
Matthew 23:33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?
By the way, if you'd like to know how the Apostle Paul really felt about homosexuals, check out www.PaulOnHomosexuality.com
Paul was much more gay friendly than most people think.