How do you reconcile homosexuality and Christianity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Not to "go there" but this could be an argument for a lot of bad actions. Some people like cutting themselves with razors, what of it? Some people like starving themselves, what of it? Some people like watching porn all day, what of it? Some people like overeating and then throwing up all their food, what of it? That's just not an argument. We all have good and bad urges. Arguing that something is a "natural" urge and why would God create you with an urge you can't fulfill... that's just not how reality works. And yes, I know you can argue that most of the above are mental illnesses of some sort, I just didn't think of better examples that weren't outright "destructive." Some things may not seem spiritually damaging, but they are.

Love is not the equivalent of destructive acts. If you can't see that, you are the one who is spiritually damaged. My gay married friends are not damaged by their loving relationships with their partners. They are sustained by them.





1. You don't need to insult anybody, I am addressing an argument.

2. I am not arguing for or against homosexuality, I am saying that "it is a natural urge/feeling/state" is not an argument in Christianity. Christianity does not advocate for the natural order. Loving your enemy goes against your instincts and impulses. Giving away your possessions and living in simplicity goes against our natural impulses. Only having sex within the bounds of marriage goes against our natural impulses. THAT is what I am arguing. If someone says sex outside of marriage is a sin, you can't say it's not a sin because it is natural.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But it's not just Leviticus talking about homosexuality... Paul does too.

I don't know any pastors that would dismiss Paul.

Have you read this thread? A lot of pastors appreciate Paul for his testimony about meeting the early Jesus. But I know several pastors who don't take him literally because he's doing something different from repeating the word of God: instead, he's forming the early church and in the process he's addressing things Jesus never had to weigh in on. Please don't respond with "but God spoke directly to Paul" because we've also had several iterations of that discussion. Re-read the thread if you want to refresh your memory about why people disagreed with you. You don't have to agree, but let's not have yet another iteration on that one. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But it's not just Leviticus talking about homosexuality... Paul does too.

I don't know any pastors that would dismiss Paul.

Paul also told women to be quiet. And he told them to wear a veil. Do you follow those rules?

It's a good question, right? There are a lot of churches currently in existence where women cannot preach or lead, and where they have to cover their heads at certain parts of the service. What is our reason for not listening to Paul?

Because Jesus addressed this very differently. He invited women out of the kitchen to come hear him speak, and he didn't add "so long as you keep quiet". He allowed a woman to wash/oil his feet with her hair, and it was included in the gospels partly because an un-veiled woman was shocking at the time. Women were witnesses to key events in his life, despite their testimony being worthless elsewhere in Jerusalem.

There is a pattern here. Paul's teachings are sometimes at odds with those of Jesus'. This is another reason why many of us appreciate Paul for some reasons, but not because we think he speaks the literal word of God.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But it's not just Leviticus talking about homosexuality... Paul does too.

I don't know any pastors that would dismiss Paul.

Paul also told women to be quiet. And he told them to wear a veil. Do you follow those rules?

It's a good question, right? There are a lot of churches currently in existence where women cannot preach or lead, and where they have to cover their heads at certain parts of the service. What is our reason for not listening to Paul?

Because Jesus addressed this very differently. He invited women out of the kitchen to come hear him speak, and he didn't add "so long as you keep quiet". He allowed a woman to wash/oil his feet with her hair, and it was included in the gospels partly because an un-veiled woman was shocking at the time. Women were witnesses to key events in his life, despite their testimony being worthless elsewhere in Jerusalem.

There is a pattern here. Paul's teachings are sometimes at odds with those of Jesus'. This is another reason why many of us appreciate Paul for some reasons, but not because we think he speaks the literal word of God.

From what I have learned, the reason Paul stated this to those women was because back then, women were not educated, and they were apparently trying to "teach" in the church, so he told them to be silent. I think this is why so many people have a hard time with the Bible and its teachings. We are missing the context.

It's kind of like the verse about slaves obeying masters. Again, from what I have learned, back then slavery was not like slavery as Americans know it from a few hundred years ago. Slaves were supposedly workers in exchange for food and housing. There are bible versus that indicate slaves should be treated kindly. Also, the NT references to slavery is supposedly an analogy of how we as Christians are supposed to obey our master, that is Christ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But it's not just Leviticus talking about homosexuality... Paul does too.

I don't know any pastors that would dismiss Paul.

Paul also told women to be quiet. And he told them to wear a veil. Do you follow those rules?

It's a good question, right? There are a lot of churches currently in existence where women cannot preach or lead, and where they have to cover their heads at certain parts of the service. What is our reason for not listening to Paul?

Because Jesus addressed this very differently. He invited women out of the kitchen to come hear him speak, and he didn't add "so long as you keep quiet". He allowed a woman to wash/oil his feet with her hair, and it was included in the gospels partly because an un-veiled woman was shocking at the time. Women were witnesses to key events in his life, despite their testimony being worthless elsewhere in Jerusalem.

There is a pattern here. Paul's teachings are sometimes at odds with those of Jesus'. This is another reason why many of us appreciate Paul for some reasons, but not because we think he speaks the literal word of God.

From what I have learned, the reason Paul stated this to those women was because back then, women were not educated, and they were apparently trying to "teach" in the church, so he told them to be silent. I think this is why so many people have a hard time with the Bible and its teachings. We are missing the context.

It's kind of like the verse about slaves obeying masters. Again, from what I have learned, back then slavery was not like slavery as Americans know it from a few hundred years ago. Slaves were supposedly workers in exchange for food and housing. There are bible versus that indicate slaves should be treated kindly. Also, the NT references to slavery is supposedly an analogy of how we as Christians are supposed to obey our master, that is Christ.

Also, all slaves were freed every 7 years in Jewish custom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But it's not just Leviticus talking about homosexuality... Paul does too.

I don't know any pastors that would dismiss Paul.

Paul also told women to be quiet. And he told them to wear a veil. Do you follow those rules?

It's a good question, right? There are a lot of churches currently in existence where women cannot preach or lead, and where they have to cover their heads at certain parts of the service. What is our reason for not listening to Paul?

Because Jesus addressed this very differently. He invited women out of the kitchen to come hear him speak, and he didn't add "so long as you keep quiet". He allowed a woman to wash/oil his feet with her hair, and it was included in the gospels partly because an un-veiled woman was shocking at the time. Women were witnesses to key events in his life, despite their testimony being worthless elsewhere in Jerusalem.

There is a pattern here. Paul's teachings are sometimes at odds with those of Jesus'. This is another reason why many of us appreciate Paul for some reasons, but not because we think he speaks the literal word of God.

From what I have learned, the reason Paul stated this to those women was because back then, women were not educated, and they were apparently trying to "teach" in the church, so he told them to be silent. I think this is why so many people have a hard time with the Bible and its teachings. We are missing the context.

It's kind of like the verse about slaves obeying masters. Again, from what I have learned, back then slavery was not like slavery as Americans know it from a few hundred years ago. Slaves were supposedly workers in exchange for food and housing. There are bible versus that indicate slaves should be treated kindly. Also, the NT references to slavery is supposedly an analogy of how we as Christians are supposed to obey our master, that is Christ.

Also, all slaves were freed every 7 years in Jewish custom.

OH, that I did not know. So, kind of like an indentured servant in that their dues are paid in 7 yrs?