Homophobia in the name of Christ: revised and revisited

[usregimechange]

This letter was printed in the Joplin Globe (SWMO):

Biblical knowledge
This letter is in response to David Smith’s and Lisa Jenkins’ articles (Globe, Nov. 11). It is obvious that they have no knowledge of the Holy Bible.
Please read Romans 1:26-28. If you have friends who are gay and lesbian, the only way you can love them is to tell them the Bible truth.
My friend, Rita Crowell, and I do not hate the gays, but the Bible condemns the gay lifestyle!
Out on the streets and highways,
when I confront these people, I always
say, “Aren’t you glad your Mom didn’t marry a woman, and aren’t you glad
your Dad didn’t marry a man? Think
about it!”

R.G. Slusher
Neosho

This is my response:

How many minorities have we claimed to not hate but treated differently based on a biblical passage? Do you believe that the people who opposed desegregation in Alabama would admit that they hated Blacks? Of course not, they felt that their stone throwing and cross burning was justified based on a biblical passage. Did they hate? You wouldn't find them admitting it.

Let God enforce biblical rules, let us concentrate on biblical principles. When we get that correct (hint, not possible) we can expand our mandate to include all the levels of self righteous that allows us justify heaven on the backs of those we could otherwise call brother.

Do you guys know why I am not a "Christian?" Because, in Southwest Missouri, I have been embarassed to call myself one. Then you might ask, why don't you get out of here... Because than I would be taking part in what I have just spoke out against. Also, because fundamentalism is in power here doesn't mean that it owns Southwest Missouri. The cross is not yours, the American flag is not yours, and neither is this part of Missouri. Yet today someone who believes in Jesus differently will be viewed as a non-christian because of the arrogance derived from religious fundamentalism that was not in any sense learned from Jesus.

:mad: :hide:

[shenmue]

1. I can't believe....

that the people like the one who wrote that letter, can truly feel that they are not hateful.

:(

[MountainLaurel]

5. Don't know them well, do you?

Trust me, I attended a fundamentalist church during much of my childhood and have accidentally come across some scary folks in church-shopping since then, and I can tell you that Fred Phelps is just an ugly face to the sort of hate you'd hear in many "mainstream" churches on a Sunday morning.

[donheld]

2. “Aren’t you glad your Mom didn’t marry a woman..."

Now why in hell would I be glad my mom didn't marry one thing or another?

[jbnow]

3. But Jesus forgot

to mention gays.

And even the old testament god that proclaimed against men who lay with other men never had a thing to say about women who lay with other women.

The joke would be that proves god is a man but since this isn't meant to be a joke, what does silence on the subject say?

And more seriously if we have to go to the old testament to be bigots against gays, what about the other things that god called an abomination? We can leave aside the loathsome shellfish eaters or those who sit in a chair a menstruating woman sat on or even those who work on Sundays.

Dishonest business practices is called an abomination to God many times. Oppressive treatment of others and a haughty attitude are an abomination to him.

How about these from Proverbs 6?
These six things doth the LORD hate:
yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations,
feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A false witness that speaketh lies,
and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Those who justify the wicked or condemn the just as "abominations". I could go on but you get the idea.

So even if we accept that what Jesus says (or doesn't say) is irrelevant to them because they like his dad better...how do they choose what abominations to God are abominable?

[Jamastiene]

4. Typical.

Like I have always said, the right wing version of love is hate. I pity anyone who knows them. They are miserable and they want to make the rest of us miserable. I, for one, don't want their "love." I've been there and done that over and over with those types and that is what led me to being raped years ago. Just remember, they say those types of things on the surface, but God help any gay person unfortunate enough to end up alone with them. I know that from personal experience. I would like to alert any gay person reading this to beware of people who talk like that. If you haven't already experienced it, and you probably have, you can never know what they will do to you against your will. Beware them. My motto has become "trust no one" because of those types of attitudes. I remember what happened to me and I don't want their version of the love of God. No way, no how.

[RedXIII]

6. Well i would like....

To know what their response would be, if there ever is a response.

[Boojatta]

7. What would they say? Maybe this. (It's possible!)

I regret having written these words: "It is obvious that they have no knowledge of the Holy Bible. Please read Romans 1:26-28." It is certainly possible to have some knowledge of the Bible without having read Romans 1:26-28.

For example, one might have read all of the alleged quotations of Jesus' own words without having read what seem to be the contributions of a man named Saul who wrote of seeing a light on the road to Damascus and becoming Paul.

Which parts of the Bible are most valuable or most "authoritative" is a legitimate topic of debate. However, I see no value in a debate about the meaning of the word "Christian". Does the word "Christian" have a special regional meaning in Southwest Missouri? I don't really know. Does it matter?