Friday, August 27, 2010
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
Forgiveness
To forgive is to remember that we have room in our hearts to begin again, again, and again. To forgive is to remember that we are so much more than our mistakes. It is a mental bath, something to set us free of the poison within ourselves. It will free you of the things that clutter your life. Like a snake shedding it's skin, forgiveness allows us to let go of what no longer serves us. Out with the old and in with the new. It isn't something that we have to do, yet it is something that flows through us coursing through our veins. Like you feel anger in your veins literally....high blood pressure, the feeling you are going to explode, shaking and even temperature rising. Now imagine the calming feeling of forgiveness. Which would you rather have coursing through your veins? It is about making room for something new and alive.
How? Be specific. Forgiveness is a creative act that changes us from prisoners of the past to liberated people at peace with our memories. No one says that forgiveness means to forget. It just means being at peace with the memories. You can never live in the present and create a NEW future for yourself and partner if you always stay stuck in the past. It really takes no strength to let go only courage. Courage and the willingness to give up resentment, revenge, and obsession - to restore faith not only in our self but in life. It really is the most important single process that brings peace to our soul and harmony to our life. It is not forgetfulness, but it involves accepting the promise that the future CAN be more than dwelling on memories of past hurt and guilt. There is no future in the past.
If you DO believe in God I leave you with this..... You must be able to forgive yourself for the mistakes or sins done, if not what is the point of asking God for forgiveness?
How? Be specific. Forgiveness is a creative act that changes us from prisoners of the past to liberated people at peace with our memories. No one says that forgiveness means to forget. It just means being at peace with the memories. You can never live in the present and create a NEW future for yourself and partner if you always stay stuck in the past. It really takes no strength to let go only courage. Courage and the willingness to give up resentment, revenge, and obsession - to restore faith not only in our self but in life. It really is the most important single process that brings peace to our soul and harmony to our life. It is not forgetfulness, but it involves accepting the promise that the future CAN be more than dwelling on memories of past hurt and guilt. There is no future in the past.
If you DO believe in God I leave you with this..... You must be able to forgive yourself for the mistakes or sins done, if not what is the point of asking God for forgiveness?
Why is Suffering in Life Necessary?
Question posed to me:
"If babies go to Heaven despite not suffering the trials of life, why is suffering in life necessary for the rest of us? If God exists and has the capability of sending babies
to Heaven despite the fact that they have no religion or belief, why doesn't God send everyone to heaven immediately, and therefore end all suffering?"
That's a good question & the one that probably places me in the agnostic rather than Christian category. I believe IF there is a God he certainly DOES “give us more than we can handle" at times, contrary to most Christians beliefs. And that's just basing it on my own life alone, lol!
Particularly growing up Protestant (where you are not baptized until you know why you are being baptized after you confess & repent first) vs. Catholics & others who baptize at birth. Does that mean Catholic, etc. babies are accepted into heaven (only if they make it to the baptismal first) and Protestant are not, if they die as children/babies? If everyone was just baptized at birth & didn’t have to worry about their sins why go to church at all after your baptized? That seems absurd to me!
When reading the scriptures it is really left up to interpretation like the rest of the Bible, otherwise we wouldn’t have so many religious denominations all within Christianity itself. Many interpret that babies go to heaven because there is simply no “original sin” which some denominations say is merely feeling inclined to do sinful things, not necessarily the sin itself and how could a baby “feel inclined to sin”? Then you have some teaching that sin is an individual, spiritual condition. Therefore, Adam being the “representative” for all mankind and has made us directly guilty for his sin, as if we had done it ourselves. Then there are those who believe it is unfair to be represented by Adam, but then isn’t it fair to say- it is unfair to be represented by Christ & have his righteousness attributed to us by God? So biblicaly speaking can you attribute one without the other? All babies could be considered in the same category as the mentally incompetent & have a place in heaven.
You could say that since God is all-knowing, He knows which babies will not have a chance at life outside the womb and if he wishes He can save them like David’s son (2 Samuel 12:23).
"If babies go to Heaven despite not suffering the trials of life, why is suffering in life necessary for the rest of us? If God exists and has the capability of sending babies
to Heaven despite the fact that they have no religion or belief, why doesn't God send everyone to heaven immediately, and therefore end all suffering?"
That's a good question & the one that probably places me in the agnostic rather than Christian category. I believe IF there is a God he certainly DOES “give us more than we can handle" at times, contrary to most Christians beliefs. And that's just basing it on my own life alone, lol!
Particularly growing up Protestant (where you are not baptized until you know why you are being baptized after you confess & repent first) vs. Catholics & others who baptize at birth. Does that mean Catholic, etc. babies are accepted into heaven (only if they make it to the baptismal first) and Protestant are not, if they die as children/babies? If everyone was just baptized at birth & didn’t have to worry about their sins why go to church at all after your baptized? That seems absurd to me!
When reading the scriptures it is really left up to interpretation like the rest of the Bible, otherwise we wouldn’t have so many religious denominations all within Christianity itself. Many interpret that babies go to heaven because there is simply no “original sin” which some denominations say is merely feeling inclined to do sinful things, not necessarily the sin itself and how could a baby “feel inclined to sin”? Then you have some teaching that sin is an individual, spiritual condition. Therefore, Adam being the “representative” for all mankind and has made us directly guilty for his sin, as if we had done it ourselves. Then there are those who believe it is unfair to be represented by Adam, but then isn’t it fair to say- it is unfair to be represented by Christ & have his righteousness attributed to us by God? So biblicaly speaking can you attribute one without the other? All babies could be considered in the same category as the mentally incompetent & have a place in heaven.
You could say that since God is all-knowing, He knows which babies will not have a chance at life outside the womb and if he wishes He can save them like David’s son (2 Samuel 12:23).
Don't Let Hate Blind You...
"A picture is worth a thousand words" ~ Chinese proverb
Hate is hate & if we dont start teaching our children compassion, tolerence & diversity, hate crimes & overall school violence will continue to manifest itself & when it does it won't take name, rank & serial number, just victims.
"The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed."~S. Biko
If we stop teaching & preaching hate we won't breed it. Hate consumes the heart until there is no room left for love, charity or compassion. That being said, if we teach a child to hate they will hate. Their brains are still growing & it's impossible for them to differentiate hating one person over another, so they just hate. That's a life of misery & outcast that can be saved if we just taught people to love one another no matter who they are, what their sexual orientation is, what race they are, etc. We teach people how to treat us, teach love & we will get love in return teach hate and we will all suffer the consequences. Tolerance isn't about belief, it's about action, we all need to do our part to make change. So, it's not about your personal beliefs, convictions or even about the doctrines of your religion, it's about what you can do to make society more accepting of diversity. A society filled with "cookie-cutter" people would make for a very boring world, one that people didn't think for themselves and were followers not leaders. If we didn't have people that went against the norm & thought outside the box we would live in a world that still believed in segregation & enslavery. I hope that our future generations can look back, years from now, at the treatment & silencing of our LGBT citizens & have the same utter shock of horror that we have today of past civil rights & predjudicial ways practiced by our forefathers.
"Be the change you want to see in the world." ~ Ghandi
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
"Hate is Power".... another youtube quote
The cyber world never ceases to amaze me. Someone left the following comment on my youtube station: "All what you gotta do is wait till you die, then you will know if spending you're life as a homosexual was the right thing to do or was it even worth it, and remember life is too short to waste. :)" "You must know that i'm not preaching hate i'm just saying that hate is a great power , anyway i know your not a homosexual but supporting the acts of homosexuals is just dumb as being a homosexual, many people like you claim to be open minded when it comes to things like homosexuality when you are actually being closed minded because you choose to ignore other peoples rights to live without homosexual propaganda in their community." If you've read my blog you probably have a pretty good idea what my feelings and reaction were to that comment. Why is it I keep seeing the use of the word "propaganda", if it is the dissemination of material that is an issue remember that all citizens of this country are covered under the Constitution and have the right to free speech. Are there materials I'd rather not see, of course there are, I would be lying if I said I was PRO everything, for instance the Westboro Baptist Church/ Fred Phelps is material I'd rather not see or hear. However it is their right to do so and my right to object to it in a peaceful manner.
In response to the comment I received on youtube I have the following to say. I hate NO ONE yet people seem to thrive on believing "hate is power". I feel inclined to share with my readers that hate & cyber bullying (or any form of bullying) is not power. I see it as ones lack of being partisan for not finding where they fit into society. Moreover it is an assiduous desire for attention and apparent self-loathing, hate can consume you like a fungus and blackens your heart. There is a lot of hate in this world, we see it everyday. It is much easier to hate and much harder to have love & compassion, for they require making informed decisions based on knowledge not ignorance. I'm probably one of the most open minded people you will ever meet. I make it a point not to judge, stereotype or type class people. Ask yourself this question, when did society's' sense of morality dictate law? Laws are set forth to protect the people within our society not to oppress them. Why exactly do people "need protection" from members of the LGBT community? We need to stop people, whether its the church, state or federal government, from impressing its sense of values upon us. If we do not we are nothing more than puppets to the masters. We would still live in times that practiced segregation, enslavery, ethnic cleansing and oppression of women as second class citizens. How is the exercise of authority over the LGBT community not unjust, and their lack of access to social equalities not the same as what women and African Americans suffered years ago? I hope that future generations will look back at the treatment & silencing of our LGBT citizens & have the same utter shock of horror, that we have today, of past civil rights & prejudicial ways practiced by our forefathers. There is no question as to whether or not there are ethical issues involved or harm to others therefore laws should not be involved.
I'll leave you with this question, did we vote before heterosexuals could marry? No because there is a separation of church and state, or is there?
A mind is like a parachute, it only functions well when open.
In response to the comment I received on youtube I have the following to say. I hate NO ONE yet people seem to thrive on believing "hate is power". I feel inclined to share with my readers that hate & cyber bullying (or any form of bullying) is not power. I see it as ones lack of being partisan for not finding where they fit into society. Moreover it is an assiduous desire for attention and apparent self-loathing, hate can consume you like a fungus and blackens your heart. There is a lot of hate in this world, we see it everyday. It is much easier to hate and much harder to have love & compassion, for they require making informed decisions based on knowledge not ignorance. I'm probably one of the most open minded people you will ever meet. I make it a point not to judge, stereotype or type class people. Ask yourself this question, when did society's' sense of morality dictate law? Laws are set forth to protect the people within our society not to oppress them. Why exactly do people "need protection" from members of the LGBT community? We need to stop people, whether its the church, state or federal government, from impressing its sense of values upon us. If we do not we are nothing more than puppets to the masters. We would still live in times that practiced segregation, enslavery, ethnic cleansing and oppression of women as second class citizens. How is the exercise of authority over the LGBT community not unjust, and their lack of access to social equalities not the same as what women and African Americans suffered years ago? I hope that future generations will look back at the treatment & silencing of our LGBT citizens & have the same utter shock of horror, that we have today, of past civil rights & prejudicial ways practiced by our forefathers. There is no question as to whether or not there are ethical issues involved or harm to others therefore laws should not be involved.
I'll leave you with this question, did we vote before heterosexuals could marry? No because there is a separation of church and state, or is there?
A mind is like a parachute, it only functions well when open.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Homosexuality vs. Bible
It seems that the more & more YouTube videos I watch that deal with homophobia the more fundamentalists & "Christians" I see that use their religion to justify their hate towards homosexuals. Why would any true "Christian" attempt to misuse the Bible to drive people away from the church rather than to it? First, let me start by saying that I grew up in a Protestant household & went to church several times a week until I moved out and got married at age 21. Since then I have branched out on my own to understand Christianity & answer questions I had always asked myself as a child. I am not a religious person now (heavily influenced by the "wolves in sheep's clothing" that like call themselves "Christians" and use the Bible to justify & breed hatred), I am more spiritual if anything. I am a firm believer that man & church have written what people today refer to as the Bible. Why do I say that?
1.) There are far too many versions of the Bible, why so many versions of the same book & why are there REVISIONS? (Example the NLT - New Living Translation Bible circa 1996-translated into plain English for ease of reading ... "Ninety evangelical scholars from various theological backgrounds and denominations spent seven years in revising the New Living Translation. This version is based on the most recent scholarship in the theory of translation. Entire thoughts, rather than just words, were translated into natural, everyday English. Thus, this is a dynamic-equivalence translation. Three scholars were assigned to a portion of Scripture, usually one or two books. One general reviewer was assigned to each of the six groups of books." quoted portion taken from http://www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/Scriptures/nlt.htm)
2.) I think it has been so loosely translated by man that the original context has been lost. Due to this I have decided to do my own research. What I've discovered is that many Hebrew & Greek words have been very loosely translated to meet mans version of moralities.
The word "homosexuality" didn't even exist until the late 1860's. It originated due to the sexual/emotional bond two same-sexed persons shared & had nothing to do with, at the time of its origination, same-gender sexual relations. It's very likely, that at the time when the Bible was written, no one knew of homosexuality as we think of it today.
I'm not trying to draw you from your faith or push anything down your throats, like fundamentalist Christian radicals (ex. WBC - Westboro Baptist Church/Fred Phelps)do, just that you explore the possibility that man himself has imposed many of the words/definitions/sense of moralities into today's Bible. You decide what seems reasonable & rational for yourself as I have and decided to share what I have found through my studies.
For instance I will discuss abomination, homosexuality, effeminate & sodomy according to today's Bible (KJV) vs. the original context of the words written in Hebrew or Greek:
(Old Testament)
(Leviticus 18 & 20)
18:22 “Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is an abomination.”
20:13 “If a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood be upon them.”
The rules set forth in Leviticus:18&20 are meant to prevent the Israelites from doing what the Egyptians and Canaanites did (fertility rites consisting of sexual rituals for crop & livestock production) which was idol worship. The passage doesn't refer to "gay sex" in general but to a specific form of male-cult homosexuality-prostitution in temples when it came to Pagan cult rituals.
(Genesis 6:4 & 19)
(Gen. 6:4)
The understanding that "sons of God" are angels from (Job 38:7). "Strange flesh" is a linking between angelic flesh and human flesh. As mentioned in (Gen6:4) the Hebrew word "nephillim" was used which translates to weird or "strange". The two visitors to Lot in Sodom were angels that is why they are referred to as "strange flesh".
(Gen. 19)
The sin here is of rape not sexual desire. "ALL the men, young & old, & ALL the people to the last man" the men at Lots door demanded that Lot turn over his two guests (angels). When Lot offered his two virgin daughters to the people of Sodom they attempted to barge in thus being struck blind by the angels. Lot lived in Sodom w/ his family. He would certainly know that "ALL" the people were homosexuals. Why would he offer his 2 daughters to "homosexual men" if he knew they were homosexual? It's rather unlikely that All the people or even ALL the men & boys of Sodom were homosexuals & if the verse was speaking to a portion of the men of Sodom then it wouldn't say "ALL" it would say many, several or certain, etc. "Strange flesh" refers to the flesh of angels & wanting to "know them" refers to having carnal knowledge of them. The angels appeared as men to the people of Sodom. The men didn't know Lots guests were angels, this is even more proof to the way the scripture is written "after-the-fact" as "strange flesh" because flesh of an angel would be "strange flesh". If it was strictly regrading same-sexed intercourse between males there was certainly a much clearer way to describe these as homosexual acts.
Ask yourself this question: "If homosexuality is a sin & sodomy is a sin why was homosexuality not listed in the sins of Sodom?"
Many translate "abomination" to mean enormous sin. The original Hebrew translation = "ritually unclean" if the writers of Leviticus would have meant moral violation, a sin, they would have used the Hebrew word "zimah". The verse says nothing about the same-sex practices of today but speaks to same-sex religious prostitution.
(New Testament)
(Romans 1:21-28) I'll cover 27 since that is specifically what passage people refer homosexuality to: 27 "And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet."
The homosexual behavior that Paul was referring to is that of idol worship, such as the temple prostitution because the fertility rituals (by the Egyptians & Canaanites in Leviticus) included adultery & sex with family members, etc. It also refers to individuals promiscuity by abandoning their natural sex orientation to find pleasures in having sex with anyone available. Paul is not referring to stable, loving relationships between people of faith. So, again here the sin Paul is referring to is promiscuity, adultery & prostitution, NOT that of consenting adults that are in relationships. Basically this passage refers to people that broke away from their natural sexual orientation to simply fulfill their sexual lusts & desires by being promiscuous & basically "sleeping around" with anyone.
(1Cor6:9)"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God". Note the use of "effeminate" vs. Old Testament language "homosexual", very different language used.
If Paul was referring to the act of homosexuality he would have said that or the Greek word "paederast" (which was the standard word at that time for sexual acts between 2 males) and not "arsenokoitai" which was never used before but was universally translated to mean masturbation at the time of Martin Luther. Today this is another case of a loose translation made by man & church.
For further information on Paul's use of the words malakoi & arsenokoitai follow this link, I found it go be a good read! http://fogarty.org/tim/gay_issues/word_arsenokoitai.html
Also loosely translated is the word sodomite which I quite frequently see used by fundamentalists. Sodomite was derived from the city of Sodom where the men supposedly would rape visiting men. Many Christians have also left this up to a loose translation to mean homosexuality...that's a very loose translation of the word if you ask me.
It was common practice for soldiers (in biblical times) to use homosexual-rape as a form of humiliation. When they wanted to break the spirit of defeated enemies they would "treat them like women" by raping them. The practice was not one of sexual desire but brutality & hatred towards their enemies. The sin in Sodom & Gomorrah was homosexual-rape NOT that of loving, stable faithful same-sexed relationships of today.
Do you remember playing that game in elementary school where you'd all sit in a circle & the teacher would whisper a sentence into one students ear and then they would repeat the process to the student next to the, all "repeating" what the teacher supposedly said to the very first student? By the end the sentence was nothing at all like it started out because of every ones interpretation of what was said. (Example: a teacher starts off whispering into the first students ear "mom sent me to the market for eggs, bread, milk & butter", by the time the last student gets the message it is "mom wanted me to go to the store to buy stuff to make french toast". In this example it is obvious that somewhere along the lines the sentence changed depending on the students interpretation of what was said to them & how they commit logic to memory. Many people have different ways of coping with memorization. In this example a student somewhere in the line decided it was easier to remember french toast than a list of ingredients since the ingredients are those used to make french toast & the word they commonly used was store rather than market.) I believe that this is exactly what has happened to today's Bibles. Words and phrases have been so loosely translated that the original context is lost.
The above is what I have studied & found in my research. I recommend reading "The Children are Free" (Re-examining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships) by: Rev. Jeff Miner & John Tyler Connoley. ISBN-13: 978-0-9719296-0-9, or going to www.jesusmcc.org
I always find it interesting that they are so passionate about knocking down homosexuality that they forget the other parts of the Bible that say to not judge, love thy neighbor, we are all Gods children, not to wear clothing woven of more than one fabric, not to eat shellfish, not to shave facial hair, and slavery would be acceptable if it were not for man who decided it was inhumane, etc. We are ALL sinners & judging others & persecuting others for their so-called sins is not going to cleanse them of theirs.
If we are ALL Gods children & ALL created in his image .........Just a little food for thought, as I find that many "Christians" don't ever read the Bible just listen to preachers, this makes them puppets & and the church/preacher/minister/priest the puppet masters. When else would you ever read one book (or not read & just nod in compliance with the church) & believe everything it says without attempting to understand the times/practices/traditions/languages, etc. during the time the Bible was written? A good example is - if you mention a "CD" to any child today they immediately think "music". However, 2o years ago if you mentioned the same thing people would think of $ saving accounts. Do you not think that the same can hold true of our interpretations of today's Bible without understanding the times? I am not asking anyone to abandon their religion but to challenge yourself.
1.) There are far too many versions of the Bible, why so many versions of the same book & why are there REVISIONS? (Example the NLT - New Living Translation Bible circa 1996-translated into plain English for ease of reading ... "Ninety evangelical scholars from various theological backgrounds and denominations spent seven years in revising the New Living Translation. This version is based on the most recent scholarship in the theory of translation. Entire thoughts, rather than just words, were translated into natural, everyday English. Thus, this is a dynamic-equivalence translation. Three scholars were assigned to a portion of Scripture, usually one or two books. One general reviewer was assigned to each of the six groups of books." quoted portion taken from http://www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/Scriptures/nlt.htm)
2.) I think it has been so loosely translated by man that the original context has been lost. Due to this I have decided to do my own research. What I've discovered is that many Hebrew & Greek words have been very loosely translated to meet mans version of moralities.
The word "homosexuality" didn't even exist until the late 1860's. It originated due to the sexual/emotional bond two same-sexed persons shared & had nothing to do with, at the time of its origination, same-gender sexual relations. It's very likely, that at the time when the Bible was written, no one knew of homosexuality as we think of it today.
I'm not trying to draw you from your faith or push anything down your throats, like fundamentalist Christian radicals (ex. WBC - Westboro Baptist Church/Fred Phelps)do, just that you explore the possibility that man himself has imposed many of the words/definitions/sense of moralities into today's Bible. You decide what seems reasonable & rational for yourself as I have and decided to share what I have found through my studies.
For instance I will discuss abomination, homosexuality, effeminate & sodomy according to today's Bible (KJV) vs. the original context of the words written in Hebrew or Greek:
(Old Testament)
(Leviticus 18 & 20)
18:22 “Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is an abomination.”
20:13 “If a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood be upon them.”
The rules set forth in Leviticus:18&20 are meant to prevent the Israelites from doing what the Egyptians and Canaanites did (fertility rites consisting of sexual rituals for crop & livestock production) which was idol worship. The passage doesn't refer to "gay sex" in general but to a specific form of male-cult homosexuality-prostitution in temples when it came to Pagan cult rituals.
(Genesis 6:4 & 19)
(Gen. 6:4)
The understanding that "sons of God" are angels from (Job 38:7). "Strange flesh" is a linking between angelic flesh and human flesh. As mentioned in (Gen6:4) the Hebrew word "nephillim" was used which translates to weird or "strange". The two visitors to Lot in Sodom were angels that is why they are referred to as "strange flesh".
(Gen. 19)
The sin here is of rape not sexual desire. "ALL the men, young & old, & ALL the people to the last man" the men at Lots door demanded that Lot turn over his two guests (angels). When Lot offered his two virgin daughters to the people of Sodom they attempted to barge in thus being struck blind by the angels. Lot lived in Sodom w/ his family. He would certainly know that "ALL" the people were homosexuals. Why would he offer his 2 daughters to "homosexual men" if he knew they were homosexual? It's rather unlikely that All the people or even ALL the men & boys of Sodom were homosexuals & if the verse was speaking to a portion of the men of Sodom then it wouldn't say "ALL" it would say many, several or certain, etc. "Strange flesh" refers to the flesh of angels & wanting to "know them" refers to having carnal knowledge of them. The angels appeared as men to the people of Sodom. The men didn't know Lots guests were angels, this is even more proof to the way the scripture is written "after-the-fact" as "strange flesh" because flesh of an angel would be "strange flesh". If it was strictly regrading same-sexed intercourse between males there was certainly a much clearer way to describe these as homosexual acts.
Ask yourself this question: "If homosexuality is a sin & sodomy is a sin why was homosexuality not listed in the sins of Sodom?"
Many translate "abomination" to mean enormous sin. The original Hebrew translation = "ritually unclean" if the writers of Leviticus would have meant moral violation, a sin, they would have used the Hebrew word "zimah". The verse says nothing about the same-sex practices of today but speaks to same-sex religious prostitution.
(New Testament)
(Romans 1:21-28) I'll cover 27 since that is specifically what passage people refer homosexuality to: 27 "And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet."
The homosexual behavior that Paul was referring to is that of idol worship, such as the temple prostitution because the fertility rituals (by the Egyptians & Canaanites in Leviticus) included adultery & sex with family members, etc. It also refers to individuals promiscuity by abandoning their natural sex orientation to find pleasures in having sex with anyone available. Paul is not referring to stable, loving relationships between people of faith. So, again here the sin Paul is referring to is promiscuity, adultery & prostitution, NOT that of consenting adults that are in relationships. Basically this passage refers to people that broke away from their natural sexual orientation to simply fulfill their sexual lusts & desires by being promiscuous & basically "sleeping around" with anyone.
(1Cor6:9)"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God". Note the use of "effeminate" vs. Old Testament language "homosexual", very different language used.
If Paul was referring to the act of homosexuality he would have said that or the Greek word "paederast" (which was the standard word at that time for sexual acts between 2 males) and not "arsenokoitai" which was never used before but was universally translated to mean masturbation at the time of Martin Luther. Today this is another case of a loose translation made by man & church.
For further information on Paul's use of the words malakoi & arsenokoitai follow this link, I found it go be a good read! http://fogarty.org/tim/gay_issues/word_arsenokoitai.html
Also loosely translated is the word sodomite which I quite frequently see used by fundamentalists. Sodomite was derived from the city of Sodom where the men supposedly would rape visiting men. Many Christians have also left this up to a loose translation to mean homosexuality...that's a very loose translation of the word if you ask me.
It was common practice for soldiers (in biblical times) to use homosexual-rape as a form of humiliation. When they wanted to break the spirit of defeated enemies they would "treat them like women" by raping them. The practice was not one of sexual desire but brutality & hatred towards their enemies. The sin in Sodom & Gomorrah was homosexual-rape NOT that of loving, stable faithful same-sexed relationships of today.
Do you remember playing that game in elementary school where you'd all sit in a circle & the teacher would whisper a sentence into one students ear and then they would repeat the process to the student next to the, all "repeating" what the teacher supposedly said to the very first student? By the end the sentence was nothing at all like it started out because of every ones interpretation of what was said. (Example: a teacher starts off whispering into the first students ear "mom sent me to the market for eggs, bread, milk & butter", by the time the last student gets the message it is "mom wanted me to go to the store to buy stuff to make french toast". In this example it is obvious that somewhere along the lines the sentence changed depending on the students interpretation of what was said to them & how they commit logic to memory. Many people have different ways of coping with memorization. In this example a student somewhere in the line decided it was easier to remember french toast than a list of ingredients since the ingredients are those used to make french toast & the word they commonly used was store rather than market.) I believe that this is exactly what has happened to today's Bibles. Words and phrases have been so loosely translated that the original context is lost.
The above is what I have studied & found in my research. I recommend reading "The Children are Free" (Re-examining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships) by: Rev. Jeff Miner & John Tyler Connoley. ISBN-13: 978-0-9719296-0-9, or going to www.jesusmcc.org
I always find it interesting that they are so passionate about knocking down homosexuality that they forget the other parts of the Bible that say to not judge, love thy neighbor, we are all Gods children, not to wear clothing woven of more than one fabric, not to eat shellfish, not to shave facial hair, and slavery would be acceptable if it were not for man who decided it was inhumane, etc. We are ALL sinners & judging others & persecuting others for their so-called sins is not going to cleanse them of theirs.
If we are ALL Gods children & ALL created in his image .........Just a little food for thought, as I find that many "Christians" don't ever read the Bible just listen to preachers, this makes them puppets & and the church/preacher/minister/priest the puppet masters. When else would you ever read one book (or not read & just nod in compliance with the church) & believe everything it says without attempting to understand the times/practices/traditions/languages, etc. during the time the Bible was written? A good example is - if you mention a "CD" to any child today they immediately think "music". However, 2o years ago if you mentioned the same thing people would think of $ saving accounts. Do you not think that the same can hold true of our interpretations of today's Bible without understanding the times? I am not asking anyone to abandon their religion but to challenge yourself.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
What ever happened to HUMANITY?
I am constantly baffled by the "wolves in sheep's clothing" that call themselves Prophets/Preachers of Gods word. I grew up in a Protestant household, my father was originally Mormon, but he converted before I was born. The God I remember was a loving & compassionate man. I am more spiritual now than I am religious, but I remember my fair share of scripture. And what I remember was that we were all created in Gods image, we are all his children, love thy neighbor, etc. None of which advise people to teach hate or intolerance. What I really cant wrap my head around is when people of so-called religious beliefs (Fred Phelps-WBC) picket the funerals of fallen soldiers & of homosexuals. Is god really looking down on them praising them for their efforts, I think not! What I don't understand is regardless of your religious beliefs where is the humanity?? You don't have to go to church to be a compassionate person. Once again this proves my point that hate grows inside people like a fungus & fills their hearts until they are so blinded by it that they have no room for love.
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