Politics & The Bible

Monday, November 10, 2008

Guest blogger Political Dad on chapter and verse.

I'm amazed how misinformed most people are about their religious faith. Few die hard opponents of California's Proposition 8, the ban on "gay marriage," know the historical context or chapter in the Old Testament that refers to homosexuality as an abomination. For the record, it's Leviticus 18:22. In the passages before and that directly follow, the Lord also lists the following rules that must not be broken:

Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.

Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it.

Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths.

Do not turn to idols or make gods of cast metal for yourselves. I am the Lord your God.

Years ago, there was a scene from the the NBC show "The West Wing" where President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) argues my point.

The book of Leviticus is filled with 2000-year-old Hebrew Midrashic laws. There are literally hundreds of examples that do not apply in our modern world. It's simple hypocrisy that religious people point to just one of them as an excuse to discriminate. I'm sorry to have to say it, but it's bigotry, masking itself as faith -- and it's an abomination.

The second half of the Bible tells of the coming of Jesus Christ and his beautiful message: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." It was that idea that changed the world. He spoke of tolerance, justice and love. If you voted Yes Tuesday on Proposition 8, then perhaps you're not paying enough attention on Sundays because you seemed to have missed the true message.

Bigotry is bigotry. Intolerance is intolerance. Discrimination against someone because of who they choose to love is the only real sin.

What do you think of Political Dad's viewpoint? Comment in the momlogic community.

29 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

Amen. My fiancee and I are pretty much non-religious. We joke with his dad (a born again Christian of the tolerant variety) pretty often. One of my favorite dialogs went like this: Dad: I’m gonna take Sona (my daughter) to get baptized this Sunday, while you kids are sleeping. Me: Laughs. Dad: Just kidding. Do you think you’re going to bring Sona up in some kind of Religion? Me: Probably not. But we’ll teach her biblical values. You know, don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t mark thine body in remembrance of the dead, lest ye be exiled from the city and stoned at the gate… Dad: Laughs.

- Anonymous

Posted 11/09/08 01:01 PM

Here’s my opinion… I will make my own personal decisions about how I will live my life. I will decide whom to date and marry. I will decide whether that person will be a male or female. I will decide if I will have an abortion. I will will do all of these things, and then, I believe, I will answer to the God that I pray. What my neighbor chooses to do will not change my decision. What my neighbor does will not change how I personally fell about the about topics. What my neighbor does, does not affect how I will love my own husband and raise the children I chose to have. You are not my mother, so don’t tell me what to do. But this is just my opinion :)

- Anonymous

Posted 11/09/08 02:12 PM

if you are willing to cut and paste from the bible and say things like “well that does not apply today”, then you are not a christian because by very definition. If you are saying that “no I am not a christian” then when a christian tells you that what you are doing is wrong (be it bank robbing or homosexuality)- then they their correction is in vein because it makes no difference because you are not Christian and are not saved because that is the very base of believing in God. It is not obstain from sexual perversion and you shall be saved its believe that Jesus is our lord and savior and you will be saved. Following God’s laws are only important if you love and fear God. If you dont call yourself a christian and someone critiques you for being homosexual it is really none of their concern. Remember when Jesus met Mary Magnelan ( know spelt wrong) he did not tell her she was a prostitute and is going to hell he told her about the important thing: God’s love and power. If you are a non christian and someone approaches you on your lifestyle they are not witnessing to you in the way God meant us to.

- Anna

Posted 11/09/08 02:51 PM

So I’m confused. I understand that Political Dad is saying here that banning gay marriage is not showing Christ-like love to our neighbors in the gay community, but I’m a little unclear on his Biblical opinion of homosexuality. Political Dad, are you arguing that homosexuality is not a sin? Please bear in mind here that there are many more sins that just discrimination. Your last line seems to suggest that discrimination against homosexuals is the only form of sin. Please clarify.

- Kate

Posted 11/09/08 02:52 PM

Leviticus isn’t the only place in the bible that condemns homosexuality. Romans 1:26-27 “26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 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 recompence of their error which was meet.” This is in the New Testament, the second half of the Bible so isn’t as easily dismissible as the arguments in Leviticus.

- Anonymous

Posted 11/09/08 03:41 PM

There are so many different authors and editors of the bible, in its various translations and interpretations. The same-sex relationships in the Old Testament are presented as strong, loving relationships that God did not treat as an abomination. The social justice lessons taught by Jesus can only point us toward equality. Those claiming their hate is justified by the bible should spend a few minutes reading up.

- Christy

Posted 11/09/08 07:26 PM

Kate, I think it is clear Political Dad is saying that there are many elements in the bible that were originally written as sin, but because we live in modern society, we no longer see them that way. He’s including being gay, saying that it is outdated and insane to see this is a sin. He is saying that it is discrimination and he is right.

- Anonymous

Posted 11/09/08 09:25 PM

The Bible isn’t a buffet. You can’t take what you want and leave the rest. Either you believe it is what it is and is infallible, or you do not. If you do not, then how can you really claim to believe in God? Prop 8 in CA, 102 in AZ, etc. are not about “hate” but about what the majority (you know, what a Democracy is all about) feel is the right choice for their state. After seeing what is happening in MA (Adoption centers closing, churches forced to perform “gay marriages”, etc.) these states have decided they don’t want the same happening in their state, and that is their right. If you don’t agree, move somewhere more in line with your views, or work to change the law.

- Charles

Posted 11/10/08 11:21 AM

Ok, so Anon, because we live in a modern society, sin is different? So like, murder… that’s cool now? Adultry, incest and rape… those are good too? No matter how society changes, sin is sin! You can’t say that something is ok now because society deemed it that way and still call yourself a Christian. Charles is right: the Bible is not a buffet. Either you believe it all, or you reject it all. That’s not to say that you can’t be gay and be a Christian. We all struggle with different sins. By nature, we are all sinful, according to the Bible. You might have certain sinful desires, but you don’t have to act on them! When a homosexual who claims to be a Christian decides to join a same-sex relationship, engage in same-sex intimacy, or lust after someone of the same gender, THEN he or she is committing a sin. A sin that, like all others (save blasphemy), is forgiveable. It’s not different than me lying to my husband or me gossipping to a coworker. It’s all sin. You cannot change the words of the Bible, and you cannot determine that it is irrelevant and still call yourself a Christian believer!

- Kate

Posted 11/10/08 11:51 AM

How about the verse that you’re not supposed to JUDGE OTHERS, everybody? Seems to me that many Christians conveniently forget that one!

- April

Posted 11/10/08 01:03 PM

I love when people who have no knowledge of the actual Word of God attempt to interperate and adivse using it. A true student of the Bible knows God hates sin. Homosexuality is a sin. Just like adultry, lieing, stealing, etc. I am sure most of you know at least a few of the 10 commandments. God treats them all equally and hates them all equally! The issue with the homosexual lifestyle being shoved down my throat and that of my kids is the real issue. The “live my life as I see fit” only applies to non-Christians. I am sick of it! Jesus did not teach tolerance and to judge others as you yourself should be judged. I can and should as a Christian point out a choice is wrong and work equally as hard to live a rightous life myself. And no Christian gets it perfect, ever. We are called to judge the fruit of one’s life. I think Kate said it best today at 11:51 AM.

- LaNae

Posted 11/10/08 01:45 PM

I assume then, that you take every word of the bible as holy law and don’t pick and choose what you’ll abide. Do you cut your hair? Do you allow women who menstruate to be in the same room with you and go to church? Have you pierced your ears? Had a glass of wine? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are considered in violation of holy law. I’d call that picking and choosing. Gay people aren’t going to force your kids to be gay. They aren’t going to make you come to your wedding. All they want to do is get married without bigots like you getting in the way. Hypocrites—look in the mirror.

- To those who say the bible is not a buffet...

Posted 11/10/08 03:07 PM

Kate, there’s no law against you gossiping and lying to your husband (thought why you would is beyond me) There is however, a law against gays getting married. Regardless of all of it, RELIGION HAS ZERO PLACE IN THE CIVIC FORUM. That’s right in the effing constitution. You don’t want gays forcing their lifestyle on you. return the g.d. favor.

- Anonymous

Posted 11/10/08 03:11 PM

There’s something I don’t understand—why are “sins” being cherry-picked into laws?

- Barb

Posted 11/10/08 04:38 PM

To Anna: Speaking of cutting and (specifically) pasting words from the bible, Jesus didn’t tell Mary Magdalene that she was a prostitute because for one thing she wasn’t a prostitute. She is only considered such because Pope Gregory I wrongly identified her as being both Mary of Bethany and the unnamed woman sinner that anointed Jesus’ feet. She is actually considered a saint.

- birdsfly

Posted 11/10/08 04:48 PM

what does the Bible say about homosexuality? three examples come to mind: Romans 1:24-27. 1 Timothy 1:9-11, Jude 7. Read them people. wrong is wrong and right is right. It’s not an “alternative lifestyle”. that’s just modern speak for oh, I don’t want to offend by agreeing w/ my creator ( who incidentally has every right to designate how our Sex organs be utilized- I mean he made them and all…)so i’ll pretty it up and water down the truth of the matter. Another example- Malachi 3:6 says I HAVE NOT CHANGED. It is very clear. He hates the act not the person, 1Corintians 6:9-11 help us to see a person can change. Many don’t want to and therefore won’t, but that won’t change what his word says.

- cg

Posted 11/10/08 08:14 PM

Awesome ~ finally something I can truely stand behind. I’ve been shouting that for year. Judge not lest ye be judged. You (indeed!) shall love your neighbor as yourself. I know I will. I know I am.

- Jessica

Posted 11/11/08 12:12 AM

Awesome ~ finally something I can truely stand behind. I’ve been shouting that for year. Judge not lest ye be judged. You (indeed!) shall love your neighbor as yourself. I know I will. I know I am.

- Jessica

Posted 11/11/08 12:22 AM

agreeing w/ something factual is not judging- stating your opinion based on your own personal beliefs is judging. The problem is that Christendom today accepts, promotes and practices homosexuality-a far cry from the things taught by christ. You cannot pick and choose what you want from God’s word and if you choose to you are deceiving yourself, but the truth is the truth and Jesus(who was born a jew-living under the law of Moses)knew about Lev. 18:22 obviously embraced this command of God.

- cg

Posted 11/14/08 01:05 PM

God created life. God created people to be different. God created homosexuals. The greatest gift God created was the ability of humanity to reason. The arguement of whether or not homsexuality is a sin is clearly defined by looking at the ancient texts of religious groups. Lev. 18:22 IS a buffet that is the point of the article. We as an evolved society have recognized many of the rules laid out are not reasonalbe. We ALL pick and chose what we interpret to be reasonable laws. The story of Lot is not about homosexualtiy but forceable rape. READ the bible. Homosexuals are the Samaritans of today. Outcast by mainstream society because their beliefs are different. Christ would reach out to them and teach their acceptace. As he did with so many outcast groups, lepers, travelers, prostitutes, tax collectors. There is no valid arguement against homosexuality and marriage. Gay parents do not influence their children’s homosexuality anymore then their own heterosexual parents influenced theirs. As for LaNae, wake up! All Jesus taught was tolerance read the Beatitudes and all of his other teachings. Noone is forcing homosexuality down your throat. Peace.

- Chris in AZ

Posted 11/15/08 07:53 PM