"Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, even against your own brothers! 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 men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God..."
-- Berean Study Bible, 1 Corinthians 6:8-10
I think the Berean Study Bible used a translation of 1 Corinthians 6:8-10 which was in line with most other translations, indicating men are the only homosexuals; if you're a lesbian you seem to get a pass. But, regardless, how dare we presume to judge?
I gleaned the following from biblehub.com, and direct you to this link for further study of the referenced chapter and verse, in context. Let's take a quick look at a few of these other translations, concerning 1 Corinthians 6:8-10, so you have a flavor of the rhetoric I'm going to cover in this post. In particular, I'm looking at the line "nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts":
I gleaned the following from biblehub.com, and direct you to this link for further study of the referenced chapter and verse, in context. Let's take a quick look at a few of these other translations, concerning 1 Corinthians 6:8-10, so you have a flavor of the rhetoric I'm going to cover in this post. In particular, I'm looking at the line "nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts":
Men who have sex with men, men who practice homosexuality, men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, males who have sex with males, is a pervert or behaves like a homosexual, practicing homosexuals, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor any who are guilty of unnatural crime, nor sodomites...
...and yadda, yadda, yadda, ad nauseam. Each one of these is another translation of "nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts..." Well, where are the women in all this? Is it that they're included in the "nor abusers of themselves with men" statement? We don't know, and anyone that thinks they do know had better explain why there are so many different translations of just these three very short verses. If it were clear there would be only one way to read it, and this one way would prevent heretics from judging the servants of another master, right? Oh, hell no! The perpetually offended would find some way to tell us all what God really meant to say, and why this was left off of the Ten Commandments as well as the list of seven cardinal sins.
1 Corinthians 6:9 is generally used as the argument against homosexuality; taken out of context, it is easy to see how. But, put into context and it is a statement against the "wicked" and how the "wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God." Now, I understand wicked to have a meaning synonymous, and in context, with the rest of the three versus, to wit: sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, verbal abusers, and swindlers. Taken in this context, "men who submit to or perform homosexual acts" would seem more in the context of whoring and sexual misconduct, than that of a loving relationship. It certainly does not concern itself with love as much as it seems to totally cover wickedness and sin. None of it intones the loving relationship between two people, much less anyone seriously searching for a relationship with Christ or God. But then, how are we to really know what was meant when there are so many different translations? Take it on faith? I think not. So much scripture has been removed, lost, or hidden from the faithful.
My faith prohibits me from condemning a group of people based on someone's interpretation of a questionable translation of a document written by men with agendas who say its the inspired Word of God, especially when said document demands that, as a good and righteous Christian, I will not judge.
One of my readers got into it with the person who posted the "header" graphic, above. The following was her reply to the posting:
If you can't be a gay Christian, then you can't be a remarried Christian unless the divorce was granted based on the grounds laid out in the Bible. If you can't be a gay Christian, then you can't be an alcoholic Christian or a tobacco-addicted Christian or a drug-addicted Christian. If you can't be a gay Christian, then you can't be a spouse-abusing Christian or an adulterer Christian. If you can't be a gay Christian, then you can't be an overeater Christian. Dang! It appears we're all doomed!
What am I missing in this life??? Why is being gay the end all be all where Christianity is involved? I’m divorced and remarried. According to the Bible, I live in sin daily, and quite frankly, I will do so until death do us part. Why don’t “Christians” pick on me or make memes about my situation?
He wasn’t budging! The most pathetic part is that he chose to completely ignore all of the examples I laid out of “daily living in sin”, but he stayed on the gay issue. It was as if that’s the worst possible sin. That’s just not how I interpret the scripture at all.
It is about heresy. It is about judging when Jesus said judgement was the purview of God. Your perceived "sin" is not as controversial, nor does it get the attention that the gay community gets from the League of the Perpetually Offended. Romans 14:4 might be a good response. "Who are you to judge another man's servant?" If being a gay Christian is wrong, then what does this say about his own heresy, his own sin, of standing in judgement of anyone? “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
I'll make this difficult for the League of the Perpetually Offended to understand: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Okay, I'll simplify it: We are all children of God, but it would seem only a few, abandoning all humility, rise above their station and presume to speak for the Almighty, but then, "the importance of a person or thing is the way it is; not because of what it is called." Stupid is as stupid does? Of course, if that's what's important to you. And calling someone a genius or clergy isn't going to make them any less a jackass, if that's what they actually are. You have to weigh the evidence set before you and ask, "Who is the real deceiver?" While you're coming up with that answer, ask yourself, "Who am I to judge?"
This is one of those subjects which I could write volumes on. I already have a pretty good start. It deals with intolerance and judgment, a lack of understanding and knowledge. Most of all it deals with our own prejudices and ignorance, most of which we allow people we trust to teach us, you know, those people we assume to be tolerant, understanding, knowledgeable, non-judgmental and smart. We assume too much of those we place our trust in. How about we try thinking for ourselves and get into that unerring balance and sweet reasonableness which is Christ the Lord.
An avid reader of my work has stated he doesn't let this subject rattle his cage anymore, and perhaps he has a point. Maybe, if we ignore the League of the Perpetually Offended, they will eventually go away, though I doubt it. As for me, I am doomed to remain perpetually offended by the perpetually offended whose only goal in life is to perpetually offend others with the offense of their ignorant and hateful rhetoric. I suppose this means I am either offended at my own inability to tolerate their bullshit, or I find some need to defend those who peacefully seek the love of their God, those who seek a greater faith and purpose than their detractors. I will probably burn in a hell of my own creation, but I will go down with the knowledge that I have fought the good fight.
Who we judge, how we judge, and why we judge, will be held as evidence against us when we are ultimately called to answer for our thoughts and actions against others, especially those we judge as weaker than ourselves. Humility is the hallmark of the meek, and the meek shall inherit the earth.
I'll make this difficult for the League of the Perpetually Offended to understand: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Okay, I'll simplify it: We are all children of God, but it would seem only a few, abandoning all humility, rise above their station and presume to speak for the Almighty, but then, "the importance of a person or thing is the way it is; not because of what it is called." Stupid is as stupid does? Of course, if that's what's important to you. And calling someone a genius or clergy isn't going to make them any less a jackass, if that's what they actually are. You have to weigh the evidence set before you and ask, "Who is the real deceiver?" While you're coming up with that answer, ask yourself, "Who am I to judge?"
This is one of those subjects which I could write volumes on. I already have a pretty good start. It deals with intolerance and judgment, a lack of understanding and knowledge. Most of all it deals with our own prejudices and ignorance, most of which we allow people we trust to teach us, you know, those people we assume to be tolerant, understanding, knowledgeable, non-judgmental and smart. We assume too much of those we place our trust in. How about we try thinking for ourselves and get into that unerring balance and sweet reasonableness which is Christ the Lord.
An avid reader of my work has stated he doesn't let this subject rattle his cage anymore, and perhaps he has a point. Maybe, if we ignore the League of the Perpetually Offended, they will eventually go away, though I doubt it. As for me, I am doomed to remain perpetually offended by the perpetually offended whose only goal in life is to perpetually offend others with the offense of their ignorant and hateful rhetoric. I suppose this means I am either offended at my own inability to tolerate their bullshit, or I find some need to defend those who peacefully seek the love of their God, those who seek a greater faith and purpose than their detractors. I will probably burn in a hell of my own creation, but I will go down with the knowledge that I have fought the good fight.
Who we judge, how we judge, and why we judge, will be held as evidence against us when we are ultimately called to answer for our thoughts and actions against others, especially those we judge as weaker than ourselves. Humility is the hallmark of the meek, and the meek shall inherit the earth.
Meaning of A Rose by Any Other Name: The importance of a person or thing is the way it is; not because of what it is called. Simply, it means the names of things cannot affect what they actually are. This line is, in fact, very profound, suggesting that a name is just a label to distinguish one thing from another. It neither has any worth, nor gives true meaning. Only an individual or thing has a worth when it deserves it; for example, even if we call a rose by an entirely different name, it would smell the same as it does by its name “rose.”
Editor's Note
(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)
Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint.
It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.
We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.
Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.
I don't let this subject rattle my cage anymore. There are people who think they are more Godly than others. And there are some Who add to and take away from the word of God and that is disrespect to what God said in Revelations. I'm not going to take the time to look up the verse but ya get my drift. There have been gay christian's for centuries. Some don't think of that. And many Gays in Ministry and are Celebrate. All we can do is pray for those who go on a Rant session of Gay folks. If God did not want us in Ministry, he would have not allowed it to happen. God Bless.
ReplyDeleteAs always, great to hear from you! Thank you for the comment.
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