Written by 11points
Yesterday, I found myself in a discussion about the anti-abortion people. The reason: It’s just incomprehensible to us that people get so zealous about that issue that they’ll go as far as to murder doctors who perform abortions and bomb abortion clinics.
The conversation then took its natural turn to selective, self-serving interpretations of the Bible… finding a few verses that you can use to justify a position that lets you impose your morality on someone, and riding those verses hard and fast for the rest of your life.
So I thought it’d be a good time to find a bunch of stuff that the Bible bans… stuff that’s a lot LESS convenient. Don’t worry, though… just because I’m pointing it out, that doesn’t mean you now have to follow it. It’s a lot easier to keep discriminating against gay people for no particular reason than to stop eating bacon, after all.
Here are 11 things that are technically banned by the Bible. (All quotes are translations from the New American Standard Bible, but, because I’m actually trying to maintain serious journalistic integrity here, I cross-referenced several other translations to make sure I wasn’t missing the point.)
- Round haircuts. See you in Hell, Beatles… and/or kids with bowl cuts, surfer cuts or (my favorite) butt cuts. Leviticus 19:27 reads “You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beard.”
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Football. At least, the pure version of football, where you play with a pigskin. The modern synthetic footballs are ugly and slippery anyways. Leviticus 11:8, which is discussing pigs, reads “You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.”
And you’re doubly breaking that if you wake up, eat some sausage then go throw around the football. Or go to the county fair and enter a greased pig catching contest.
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Fortune telling. Before you call a 900 number (do people still call 900 numbers, by the way?), read your horoscope or crack open a fortune cookie, realize you’re in huge trouble if you do.
Leviticus 19:31 reads “Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.” The penalty for that? Check Leviticus 20:6: “As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.”
Seems like a lifetime of exile is a pretty harsh penalty for talking to Zoltar.
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Pulling out. The Bible doesn’t get too much into birth control… it’s clearly pro-populating but, back when it was written, no one really anticipated the condom or the sponge, so those don’t get specific bans.
But… pulling out does. One of the most famous sexual-oriented Bible verses… the one that’s used as anti-masturbation rhetoric… is actually anti-pulling out.
It’s Genesis 38:9-10: “Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother. But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord; so He took his life also.”
Yep — pull out and get smote. That’s harsh.
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Tattoos. No tattoos. Leviticus 19:28 reads, “You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the Lord.”
Not even a little butterfly on your ankle. Or Thug Life across your abdomen. Or even, fittingly enough, a cross.
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Polyester, or any other fabric blends. The Bible doesn’t want you to wear polyester. Not just because it looks cheap. It’s sinfully unnatural.
Leviticus 19:19 reads, “You are to keep My statutes. You shall not breed together two kinds of your cattle; you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor wear a garment upon you of two kinds of material mixed together.”
Check the tag on your shirt right now. Didn’t realize you were mid-sin at this exact second, did you? (Unless you checked the tag by rolling off your neighbor’s wife while you two were having anal sex in the middle of robbing a blind guy. Then your Lycra-spandex blend is really the least of your problems.)
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Divorce. The Bible is very clear on this one: No divorcing. You can’t do it. Because when you marry someone, according to Mark 10:8, you “are no longer two, but one flesh.” And, Mark 10:9 reads, “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”
Mark gets even more hardcore about it a few verses later, in Mark 10:11-12, “And He said to them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.'”
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Letting people without testicles into church. Whether you’ve been castrated or lost one or two balls to cancer isn’t important. The Bible doesn’t get that specific. It just says you can’t pray.
Deuteronomy 23:1 reads (this is the God’s Word translation, which spells it out better), “A man whose testicles are crushed or whose penis is cut off may never join the assembly of the Lord.”
Oh, and the next verse says that if you’re a bastard, the child of a bastard… or even have a great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchild of a bastard, you can’t come to church or synagogue either. Deuteronomy 23:2 reads, “No one of illegitimate birth shall enter the assembly of the Lord; none of his descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall enter the assembly of the Lord.”
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Wearing gold. 1 Timothy 2:9 doesn’t like your gold necklace at all. Or your pearl necklace. Or any clothes you’re wearing that you didn’t get from Forever 21, Old Navy or H&M.
“Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments.”
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Shellfish. Leviticus 11:10 reads, “But whatever is in the seas and in the rivers that does not have fins and scales among all the teeming life of the water, and among all the living creatures that are in the water, they are detestable things to you.” And shellfish is right in that wheelhouse.
Leviticus 11 bans a TON of animals from being eaten (it’s THE basis for Kosher law); beyond shellfish and pig, it also says you can’t eat camel, rock badger, rabbit, eagle, vulture, buzzard, falcon, raven, crow, ostrich, owl, seagull, hawk, pelican, stork, heron, bat, winged insects that walk on four legs unless they have joints to jump with like grasshoppers (?), bear, mole, mouse, lizard, gecko, crocodile, chameleon and snail.
Sorry if that totally ruins your plans to go to a rock badger eat-off this weekend.
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Your wife defending your life in a fight by grabbing your attacker’s genitals. No joke. Deuteronomy actually devotes two verses to this exact scenario: Deuteronomy 25:11-12.
“If two men, a man and his countryman, are struggling together, and the wife of one comes near to deliver her husband from the hand of the one who is striking him, and puts out her hand and seizes his genitals, then you shall cut off her hand; you shall not show pity.”
That’s impossible to misinterpret. Ladies, if your husband is getting mugged, make sure to kick the mugger in the pills. Do not do the grip and squeeze (no matter what “Miss Congeniality” might advise). Or your hand needs to be cut off.
As a final note, I know that nine of these 11 cite the Old Testament, which Christianity doesn’t necessarily adhere to as law.
To which I say: If you’re going to ignore the section of Leviticus that bans about tattoos, pork, shellfish, round haircuts, polyester and football, how can you possibly turn around and quote Leviticus 18:22 (“You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.”) as irrefutable law?
But that’s me trying to introduce logic to religious fanaticism (or, at least, trying to counter some mix of ignorance, bigotry and narcissism with logic). And I should probably know better.
I loved your article. I am a born again Christian with a very strong faith, but a lot of the things my “fellow Christians” do, say and profess are beyond me. Some times it becomes very tough to be a Christian and interpret the Bible, though I really do try, but at those times I give it up to God and move on.
I don’t know any fellow Christians who would kill an abortionist or bomb a building so like all groups we are tarred by the same brush as the fanatics.
Again, thanks for the article, I got a good giggle out of it.
Masturbation is my fav.. but bible dont approve..
I just love to look at porn and all hot booties and just fap fap fap !! lol
Unfortunately most people do not understand the book of Leviticus. Most of the laws in Leviticus are purely directed towards the priests or the Levites, the ones who entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple. It is not until the book of Deuteronomy that laws begin to be directed to the regular people.
It is true that the Old Testament is 100% true and nothing should be left out. Jesus himself says, “I did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.” However, in the Gospels, it says the veil in the temple was torn, this is symbolic in the fact that no longer do only the priests, the Levites, get to enteract with God and have to apply all the levitcal laws (one’s about pigs and haircuts, the little things etc), but everyone, through Jesus, since he was the perfect sacrifice and atonement for everyone’s sins.
In relation to hating abortionists and gays, the Bible says quite the opposite. Jesus says the greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbor. Neighbor in the Hebrew translated in that context means everyone. So we should not hate those people who sin, rather love them and help them understand to turn away from sin and repent, like Jesus says, “you are forgiven, now go and sin no more”. That is the true context of the entire Bible, repent from your sins and turn to God. If you do, God will forgive you because of His amazing mercy and love. However, God is Holy and because of that anyone who will not repent must suffer the conseqeunces of sin.
Anyone hating anyone is not a true Christian. The Bible says that many will come in Jesus name (Christians) and that they should be proven by their actions not their words.
I hope this helps. God bless you.
If Genesis were to be 100% true, then the earth is only about 7000 years old, and were all inbred.
http://www.lds.org
http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/
http://www.mormon.org
All your questions will be answered <3
You know it’s funny how you don’t actually give any answers, rather you give a few websites with the most broad amount of information possible. I have read the book of mormon and nowhere does it talk about any of these things. I used to live in Utah and it seems ignorance is rampant. When I read the book of mormon, I knew much more than most people in my neighborhood that went to the local ward. My suggestion to you is rather than believe blindly, which is what the Bible says not to do, read your book of mormon and compare/contrast it with the Bible. See where that leads.
Yep. Pull out and get smote. That’s harsh! ROFLMFAO
Alot of these come from the Old testament. With the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, a new covenant was established that did away with many old testament regulations. STUDY.
So when Jesus died he said “You can do away with that silly stuff like grabbing your hubby’s attackers testicles, but keep the part about the homos?” Eh? You can’t pick and choose which parts of it you want to follow…you either follow it all or not at all.
I disagree Melly- it is not as simple as “follow it all or not at all.” We can not be reductionists who simplify in such ways. We need to understand the context and culture in which the books of the bible were written. The problem is many people forget the bible was written for them… not to them. In the first century, middle eastern culture short hair on a woman was considered a sign of prostitution… and so scripture spoke against it. Today in our culture short hair isn’t a sign of prostitution and so this verse is not as applicable. The problem comes when people read the scripture but leave their brain at home. This stuff is not simple, but it is important.
so what you’re saying is we can pick and choose from the old testament depending on societies norms? so over 80% of Australians say gay marriage is acceptable… isn’t it itme to pick and choose and delete a certain leviticus proverb now? the old testament was a sexist doctrine written to exclude women… we changed that to include women… now it is time to include gays…
the picking and choosing of the law by the church never made sense to me, especially with those who believe the bible is the perfect word of God. 76coopers, you are sooo right. i’ll just add to your point about the exclusion of women…that was also part of the NT too (paul’s teachings).
i have massive respect for those christians who still TRULY adhere to the bible and actually read and what it says.
The argument you put forth does not make sense. I understand that your belief is that the Bible is the literal word of God. If it is in fact the “word of God” then by what basis do you, as a mere mortal, discount some of its parts but at the same time uphold other parts literally. It is either the Word of God, and therefore your selective disregard of some of its tenants is tantamount to heresy, or it is merely a series of writing by normal human beings, some of which have topical allegorical significance; in which case you can choose to follow or not. So you are either living in mortal sin or following what is really a series interesting fable’s assembled by the early churches in order to control the populace in much the same way the Greek Gods were invented or the Roman Gods or any number of other imaginary deities created from the fertile imaginations of human beings. What you fail to acknowledge is that you are in fact an atheist, as I am, as you do not believe in Thor, or Zues or Wotan or numerous other “spiritual super-powers”. I just choose to extend my atheism to one more god than you do
This should be called 11 things Jews can’t do. When Jesus died, the old law was put away and the new was brought. The new law was LOVE. If we love God we keep his commandments. The New Testament mentions homosexuality as a sin in countless places. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says
9 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 male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
I’m not picking and choosing.
Notice that it specifies, “nor male prostitutes”. I think it’s interesting it leaves out female prostitutes.
hey dude just saying in corinthians 6:9-11 it says “homosexual offenders”. this does NOT mean that homosexuals are offenders. here in this common construction of an ADJECTIVE describing the following noun, it means any offender who IS ALSO A HOMOSEXUAL. NOT homosexuals are automatically offenders. For example if I said that neither deserts, nor braces, nor funny-looking cars are cool, I would NOT be saying that all cars are funny-looking.
so its not just about picking and choosing, u kind of have to UNDERSTAND what these parts of the bible is actually saying.
also God is theoretically omnipotent so has the power NOT TO MAKE GRAMMATICAL ERRORS. Also there’s a pretty big difference in the wording if God wanted the guy who wrote this bit or whatever to make it say that all homosexuals are offenders its kind of a ridiculously big mistake to make.
hey dude just saying in corinthians 6:9-11 it says “homosexual offenders”. this does NOT mean that homosexuals are offenders. here in this common construction of an ADJECTIVE describing the following noun, it means any offender who IS ALSO A HOMOSEXUAL. NOT homosexuals are automatically offenders. For example if I said that neither deserts, nor braces, nor funny-looking cars are cool, I would NOT be saying that all cars are funny-looking.
so its not just about picking and choosing, u kind of have to UNDERSTAND what these parts of the bible are actually saying.
also God is theoretically omnipotent so has the power NOT TO MAKE GRAMMATICAL ERRORS. Also there’s a pretty big difference in the wording if God wanted the guy who wrote this bit or whatever to make it say that all homosexuals are offenders its kind of a ridiculously big mistake to make.
ok im sorry i was correcting an error and accidentally posted twice also this is unrelated to the above but I find it funny http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/02/things_that_make_creationists.php
Lovely! This is so true, and while many people say it, you put it in an indisputable way. Thank you.
Not also that the word “homosexual” wasn’t invented until the late 19th century. It is literally impossible for that to have been the word of God.
^ WIN.
Christ came and fulfilled the ceremonial law. We are free from doing the ceremonial parts of the law to get to heaven. We have NEVER been released from the moral requirements of the law….DEMANDING that we live holy, for example the ban on sodomy. Christ elevates the law. In Matthew, he says that living in grace requires more….not less. Giving the example of, “the law says…don’t commit adultery”…. Christ raises the bar and says “don’t even look on a women with lust in your heart”. Its not a matter of picking a choosing. Christ never freed us from the moral commandments given in the Old Testament
Yeah, but not all of them. What do we do with the New Test quotes? Well, we usually ignore them.
I agree, you need to study more. Like Dchama said, some of the old testament is still alive, but you just need to open your eyes and read the Bible to know. You can just go off one scripture and know what it means. nice try though, good luck with your studying.
Lets all remember that the bible was used by a bunch of assholes to control people for hundreds of years so I don’t suggest beliving everything you read unless you want to be as smart as those dumb ass people who don’t belive in evolution.
This is a pretty sad comment. Can’t people disagree respectfully anymore? We could learn from eachother if we could open up respectful dialogue. I hear contempt for Christianity in your comment yet as you are hurling insults and calling them dumb, you don’t even spell believe correctly. (twice) I see the irony in this.
Dchama and Greiner have it right.
God is both omnipotent and omniscient. He set up a system in the garden where Adam and Eve could remain in paradise if they would only avoid the fruit of one tree.
God could have set it up any number of ways, but chose this one, knowing that Adam and Eve would fail.
Then he threw them out of the garden, where they had kids and eventually their descendants covered the earth. Some of them were sinful. God could’ve handled this any number of ways, but he decided to flood the earth and save only Noah’s family (he knew this was going to happen long before the creation). He then made a “covenant” with Noah and promised he would never again destroy the earth with a flood.
Humanity got ambitious again, and tried to build a tower that would reach to heaven. God stopped construction by giving everyone a different language. (He could’ve done this back in Eden, but chose not to.)
Then God gave his chosen people an elaborate system of sacrifices that he knew ahead of time wouldn’t work. If you sinned, you gave up a dove, a goat, or whatever. This was very troublesome.
A few thousand years later, God appeared on earth to become the perfect sacrifice for sin. (The fact that Jesus was acutally a 3-part God wasn’t figured out until around the year 400 A.D.) This is known as the New Covenant. It’s how God wiped out all of the earlier false starts and defective covenants that he already knew weren’t going to work. God could have revealed to Adam and Eve that he was a “Trinity” – 3 in 1 and 1 in 3 – but he chose not to do so, since this would later be one of the things that distinguishes Jews from Christians.
Like Dchama says above, this event wiped out most (but not all) of the Old Testament regulations. The Old Testament regulations that remain relevant are the ones that we like. The others are obviously irrelevant.
Understand???
I understand that you just admitted the only reason certain verses are believed while other verses are discounted is because you dismiss the one you ‘don’t like’ and choose to believe the ones you ‘do like’.
So, in other words, you’re a hypocrite.
I like how no one understood the sarcasm in that comment. Well done.
Flying Spaghetti Monster…Got it!
The reason that some parts of the Old Testament law no longer apply to man is that God deals with man differently now than He did then. God changed how He deals with man by sending His son, Jesus Christ, to earth. This is noted in Romans 6:14, which reads:
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Conversely, the reason some Old Testament law still applies is that God said it does, through Jesus and the men who recorded the New Testament. There are many verses in the New Testament condemning homosexual behavior, for example, and they provide the link back to parts of Old Testament law.
Interesting, I agree that more consistency is needed from the faithful when interpreting scripture. Leviticus was specifically rebuking practises of the pagans who worshipped Moloch, and not general commandments to be read out of context, for example a man lying with another man was from a ritual where two pagan priests would reenact sex acts between Moloch and Astarte and hence the commandment is not a rebuking of homosexuality. Unfortunately, instructions on homosexual acts (acts not state of mind) being sinful are repeated in less gender specific and more general terms in a few other places.
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law” ~ Galatians 3:13
Christ redeamed us from the curse of the law? The law was not for Gentiles but for the Jewish people, so, we as Gentiles didn’t need redeaming from the law because we wern’t Jews. gets rather confusing doesn’t it?
OK, so your god changes his mind about how things should be done every 400 years or so (give or take a couple of centuries) and you have to re-interpret what he meant? … or does it work the other way around? Sounds like a democracy to me … where people mindlessly follow whatever the majority agree on – complete with its set of in-fights about how to interpret what and what is constitutional and what isn’t.
Your god was created in your image and not the other way around.
Psst thats how government works too, bro. Its a little something called the elastic clause.
JAYX, why would we create a God with such controversial things as sending people to hell, condemning the practice of homosexuality (Romans Chapter 1), teaching that the first shall be last, and teachings that no one can earn heaven?
We didn’t create the God of the Bible, nor did anyone in history. It doesn’t make sense to create Him like that. Why create a God that demands total surrender of your life (Luke 9:23)? A made up religion would allow you to do what ever you wanted, when ever you wanted, to whom ever you wanted. It’s a good thought, but I encourage you to keep looking. Christianity cannot be so easily debunked.
As for the arguement that Leviticus 18:22 shouldn’t stand as an example of the Bible condemning homosexuality we see the same text in Romans Chapter 1. Although the kosher laws were overturned in Acts, the rules against homosexuality weren’t. Please don’t look at this as the Bible ‘hating’ on homosexuals. The says we have all fallen short. Lying, adultery with the mind, hating our brother, and denial of God are all equally condemned alongside homosexuality. All are guilty and all need a Savior.
so God made me in his image and i am gay? is God gay? are my straight friends going to hell?
God didn’t make gay people…..that is a choice….but if you make that choice, one day you’ll regret the day you born…and we all sin…the bible said “there is none HOLY FOR I AM HOLY…” but the bible also said ” BE YE HOLY FOR I AN HOLY”,meaning there is a standard that we all should live by…God didn’t create sin…..before the devil was Satan or wicked…he was Lucifer meaning ‘Light-Bearer’… God Created Lucifer meaning Light-Bearer not Satan the devil…we all live by choice…God did create us in His own Image and Likeness….but Romans 3:23 “For ALL have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” ALL meaning Adam, Adam meaning Man or MANKIND, when Adam sinned against God in the Garden of EDEN. and when we sin daily against God…there is a standard of living…the bible said Let not Fornication be once named among you…so sex before marriage is a sin…homosexuality Revelation 21:7-8…partying, drinking till you get drunk, listening to music that is not of God…we will be judged for all these things…and all that the bible speaks against….GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND hope that you all live a life that is pleasing to GOD ..
@Ben
For control. Want people to not steal? Threaten them with Hell.
For homosexuality? Possibly to increase the population. A man and a man or a woman and a woman can’t have children (naturally at least) but a man and woman can.
First shall be last for control purposes. “It is easier for a camel to fit through the eye of the needle than for the rich to enter the gates of heaven.” “The meek shall inherit the earth” The poor think that they are going to be rewarded after they die and that the rich wont be. Thus they wont revolt.
“teachings that no one can earn heaven?” Not sure…but modern Christianity teachers that anyone can. No idea where the idea that it taught that no one could enter heaven is from.
“Why create a God that demands total surrender of your life (Luke 9:23)” Control. “My people, God demands that we ______ and it is our duty to fulfill his task.”
“A made up religion would allow you to do what ever you wanted, when ever you wanted, to whom ever you wanted.” There are plenty of religions that go against each other and plenty of denomenations within one religion. So tell me, are none of those made up? After all I have not heard of a single religion that teaches “Eh, do whatever you want. Steal, murder, rape. I don’t care.” And even then why would one create a religion like that when they could create one to control people so that they will do what they want them to do and not do what they do not want them to do?
@Romario
Choose to be gay please. Just for a day. Prove you can to it.
Oh wait, you can’t.
Go fuck yourself.
Thanks for the good laugh, I really needed that. I can see there being stupid people 2000 years ago that bought into this crap, but it’s hard to believe that there are still people today that believe like primitive man did. Religion was made to control people and sadly people still can’t think for themselves and are buying into this crap. SCARY!!!!
Oh great; this is all we need is more fuel for the Christians.
Haha rounded off haircuts, I almost want to make a few posters with these on there and just put them up all around town.
Ben,
Why doesn’t it make sense to create him in our own image? Use logic, not religions.
Why send people to hell in religions? It’s essential that a punishment exist in a religion. Otherwise, all the rules that exist in religions are pointless. No one would follow any rules given to them if there’s no punishments/rewards given to them. Accept it, no one in this world is truly an altruist.
To condemn practice of homosexuality? Because the society doesn’t accept homosexuality back then. It’s that simple. If the society accepted homosexuality back then, no one would accept the Christianity, because it is conflicting with their current belief.
No one can earn heaven? Where did you get this? I’ve been trying to believe and Christianity for ages. I’ve been to churches, catholic schools, and I still don’t know how to believe. One thing I know from my walk with “God”, if you repent, you go to heaven. Heaven is a type of “reward”. It’s where you’ll be able to get “salvation”, whatever that is.
Why create a God that demands total surrender of your life? How do you think cult works? Ever heard of “The Peoples Temple” ? Try google-ing the term. They “surrendered” their lives for their God. Why people create a God who demands total surrender of their lives? To see how far people are willing to go in search of God?
No, a made up religion would not let you do whatever you wanted. No religions would allow you to think for yourself. What you’re referring to, is “Freethought” or “Freethinkers”. These people believe what they want to believe, do whatever they want, whenever they want.
“All are guilty and all need a savior”
“Cult religion traffics in guilt and shame”
See the irony?
So, here I ask, what’s the difference between Christianity and other Cults?
Even if you leave the bible out of it, how is homosexuality right? It is like a puzzle, the pieces don’t fit together, literally. Now we can do things that are similar to sex, and our culture considers it all sexual acts, but a man cannot be inside his man-lover’s vagina. Why? Because his man-lover does not have a vagina. Likewise, a woman cannot be inside a woman. Why? Because the woman does not have a sexual instrument created to be inside a woman. And think about this, if homosexuality was right then is heterosexuality wrong? And if heterosexuality were wrong, then in 100 years there would be no more humans left on this earth.
I also do not believe that people were born homosexual. If it were true that people are born that way, then why would a woman, after 20 years of marriage and 2 kids, suddenly realize that she was gay? If she were born that way then she would never have had sex with her husband because it would have disgusted her so much or wouldn’t have felt right. And some would use the argument that people are afraid to come out of the closet. Now, while that argument might have been relevant 30 years ago, it is hardly relevant today, when homosexuality is so widely accepted. It is when we open our minds to sin and a feeling arises in us that we want to try it out. At that point, it begins overtaking us. Our minds become so polluted that this is usually a no turning back point. Think about this, if a group of people suddenly decided that they wanted to have sex with a horse, would it be right? And if they wanted to legally marry the horse, should we allow it? But guess what, if more and more people caught onto it and accepted it, and maybe even allowed human-horse marriages, that still wouldn’t make it right or natural.
i may not have a sexual instrument created to be inside a woman…but strap ons are pretty nice! 😉 and besides, i’d rather be licked and sucked, than fucked any day.
homosexuality is right just as much as heterosexuality is right. there is no wrong. a woman, 40 years old does not one day “realize that she was gay” like you said. perhaps she was brainwashed by a family, much like you, who always told her that homosexuality was wrong. you have no idea how it feels to be living your life as a lie, having desires for other people who you were raised not to love. when you finally come to terms with who you really are, it feels amazing. it’s scary as fuck, but amazing.
you said it yourself “homosexuality is so widely accepted” and yet here you are, being an asshole. homosexual marriage WILL be legal, and LGBT citizens will have the same, equal rights that you have. there is no way to go back to being straight, like you say, because typically people aren’t gay for their whole lives and then one day decide to just go straight. I dated men all throughout high school. I started liking girls my junior year of high school but was too scared of how i was feeling to do anything about it. Now, 4 years later I am the happiest that I have ever been, dating the woman of my dreams. I will never date a man again, because I know that I am meant to be with a woman.
As far as your human-horse argument, i’m not even going to address how stupid you’re making yourself sound.
oh, and don’t even bother praying for me to come back to jesus. don’t pray that i seek answers, and realize that i really am straight. because im not. I love women and i am not ashamed to admit it.
Seriously though, why does either have to be wrong? Isn’t the whole story of god that he loves all of his creations and will accept them as they are and forgive their faults?
1. Men have sex with women in other ways that just vaginally. Is that wrong?
2. A human is a human, not a horse. Comparing a human loving another human unconditionally, to a human loving a horse is just proving your intolerance.
2. Obviously homosexually is not wifely accepted. Yes there are hundreds of thousands of supporters, but there are still limitatations on their rights. People are still tormented and hated for who they love. So yes, it can be hard for a person to come to terms with it, especially if they were raised in a home where it is not accepted and was not accepted in their generation.
Thank you.
I forgot to post the url for the quotes above. That’s probably why you didn’t see the irony… =)
http://www.namb.net/site/c.9qKILUOzEpH/b.695725/k.AA1F/Ten_Marks_of_a_Cult_Religion.htm
Point No. 3
Another question that boggles my mind. How do we know that Jesus wasn’t another “Jim Jones” or “David Koresh” ?
The original article is funny and well-written. I’m a Christian, but I am wary of “legalistic” Christians who pick and choose which Old Testament laws to follow in order to condemn others.
That being said, the comments here are a bit silly.
God doesn’t “send” people to hell. When you die, your soul stays in the same state it was in when you died. You enter eternity- non linear space time, and if you are in a state of oneness with God when you die, you remain so. It’s a universal law. Those who love God will continue to love God. Those who hate God won’t. God and hatred cannot exist together, because, as St. John puts it, “God is love”. YOU choose whether to love God or hate God.
The legal system of the ancient Israelites is in the Bible (a collection of many different books written at different times and places), as well as history, poetry and prophecy.
The old testament laws were written for nomadic people living in a desert thousands of years ago. Unlike the surrounding peoples, who practiced human sacrifice and had unjust laws, the Israelites had just laws. They established legal practices, such as having eye witnesses. A person couldn’t be condemned without 2 or more eyewitnesses (unlike the American legal system, which convicts people due to circumstantial evidence or hearsay evidence!).
Under such circumstances, certain foods which were unhealthy in those circumstances were prohibited, and practices of the surrounding people- like tattoos- were prohibited. This was for health reasons, as well as keeping people culturally unified.
The MORAL laws have NOT changed. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (If only we would follow these laws!)
The early Christians were all Jews, and followed all of the Jewish laws, including kosher food, the Sabbath, etc. When more and more gentiles came to the faith, it was decided for practical purposes to let the pork-eating, tattoo-wearing, beardless, shaggy haired gentiles keep the Jewish moral laws, and not be burdened with the Jewish customs.
God didn’t CHANGE his mind, He merely allowed the gentiles to come to a greater truth without having to change their eating habits. So eat a ham sandwich if you like!
The idea of God having different aspects, or being triune, is a concept found in Jewish mysticism. This is probably why St. Paul (Sha’ul, a Jewish Pharisee) would have had not trouble embracing it.
Sorry, but the author is naive. He fails to distinguish ceremonial laws from moral laws. Ceremonial laws have indeed changed. Moral laws are unchanging. It is also naive to consider Church teaching only in the light of scripture. To do so is to fall into the Protestant fallacy of “sola scriptura.” Catholic teaching on homosexuality is subtle and stands on several legs, only one of which is the scriptures. See the following for more info: http://www.catholic.com/library/Homosexuality.asp.
Text, without context, is pretext. While your article is amusing and thought provoking…it is far from the truth.
I knew the moment that I read this blog, there would be this reaction. The moment you start talking about religion, people get all worked up about the fact that someone doesn’t think the same…
The Jews and the Muslims still try to uphold the law of he Old Testament. The Christians don’t hold onto the law of the Old Testament because of the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus. The Jews and Muslims don’t accept the New Testament or the teachings of Jesus. So why knock the Christians.
People puh-leez, Jesus says:
For truly I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass, one stroke or one pronunciation mark shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 5:18
But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail. Luke 16:17
How do you go around picking and choosing which parts of this ramshackle anthology do you want to follow, if not all then which, if not all then why not none?
I thought this article was hilarious! When I was translating the Bible into rhyme, I was thinking the same things. How can anyone pick and choose which pieces of the Bible they want to follow and which they’re going to ignore?!
I invite you to download The Bible in Rhyme in PDF free on my website (www.thebibleinrhyme.com). It’s been an amazing exercise in furthering my understanding of God’s word and will for me, and sharing it with nominally and non-religious people, as well as deeply committed Christians.
Damn, are people stupid or what..
Jesus said
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
fulfil means— to make replete, that is, (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.: – accomplish, X after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full (come), fully preach, perfect, supply.
An example of this:
Mat 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Mat 5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
KIDRoach,
You wrote a lot, so I’m going to take the biggest issues you’ve said to keep the post as short as possible.
For your first comment “why doesn’t it make sense to create him in our own image, use logic, not religions.” If you want to look at logic, lets look at motive. Why would you create a religion? Two reasons: money and power. So if you want to maximize these you need to have as many people as possible in your religion. To maximize people, you need to look at your religion like a political campaign. You need to be generic enough that as many people as possible will feel welcome. You need to suck up to the people. To do so, one needs a religion that is flexible, that focuses on finding something within each of us. Like all those self help books, or the Secret by , or those religions where we do stuff to win God’s favor. You need to be broad enough and generic enough that as few people as possible are offended and so that as many people as possible can relate to your ‘hopes, aspirations, and ideals for the future’. The way to get to catch the most fish is to cast as broad a net as possible.
I stand by the Bible’s claim that no one can earn heaven based on Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9. Please allow me to explain as the idea that repenting is not an act of earning salvation is not immediately obvious. Here’s what the Bible says about it: Repentance is the act of turning from sin to God. Here’s an analogy to the whole thing. What if I invite you to swim in my Olympic size pool free of charge? You are so excited about the invitation that you take a shower before getting in the pool. Since you showered, was swim really free? Yes. You didn’t do any thing for me that required me to invite you to swim with me. So from an earning stand point, there is no cost. Now, in an economic sense there are costs to salvation, sure. You did have to give up whatever you would have been doing for that time block instead of swimming to go swimming, but you didn’t have to pay anything. You did take a shower before you got in, but you wanted to do that. So economically there is an opportunity cost (you can’t swim and go to the mall like you originally planned at the same time).
It’s a matter of doing what you want more. You want to shower (repent) and you want to swim (love Jesus). You can’t earn heaven because to earn it you’d have to do something worthy to get in. Repentance doesn’t make you worthy of heaven, Jesus’ blood does. Repentance is simply how we respond to His love. No one who is given a gift says “ah, I earned this gift because I took it from your open hands” That’s the point of my favorite verse, Ephesians 2:8-9. I hope that clarifies a little bit. I definitely struggled with receiving something totally free, too. To this day, it is difficult for me to receive charity because I think I don’t need it.
I am sorry that you only think “all religions don’t let you think for yourself.” As far as I’m concerned, nothing in life lets you think for yourself. Do you think you have ever had an original thought or do you think everything you have ever thought or done is simply a result of all the input stimuli into your brain over the course of your life? I would say the latter. How is “free thinking” actually independent thinking? Many people ascribe to this worldview, so it’s not unique. Most first read about ‘free thinking’ in books or are told by friends. Even if some do dream it up, the only logical conclusion is that it’s wired in your brain and thus, again, not an independent thought. Free thinkers would simply be slaves to their own genetic make up, thinking as they are programmed to think. Be careful with totting the “I’m a free thinker” montague. At best it’s slavery to genetics, at worst it’s simply another ideology ploy to make you think you are in control.
As for the guilt and shame that some cults rely on. I can tell you that true Christianity has little guilt or shame. True, we are all guilty (by a court rooms standards) of rebelling and betraying the Creator God. But do I feel guilty day to day? No. I feel joy, freedom, liberation, satisfaction. Though I am guilty, I am counted forgiven, and even declared ‘not guilty’ (this is called justification before God). What ‘keeps’ me following God? It’s not guilt and shame. God’s love for me makes me love Him back. How has He loved me? He gave me the one thing I can’t earn—eternal life with His Son. There are many other ways He has shown me love that keep me in Him, too. He’s forgiven me. He’s freed me from being a slave to my desires (I can tell you that sin is desirable as I’ve been a gambling, porn, and work addict but I speak from experience when I say that compared to knowing God and His love, these are empty, fleeting, and only mildly entertaining.) So though in God’s court of Law I am guilty, as you know, His Son paid the blood debt I owe that I am free from feelings of guilt and shame.
Of all your objections, you are most logical when questioning Jesus compared to these lunatics. He cannot simply be a good man, or a teacher. He made claims about being equal with God so He is either a lunatic or what He claims to be. I could recite church history how unlike Jones and Koresh, Christians are still around today. I could tell about how Christians are most often killed by other people, not each other. But if you’ve been in the Word and to Christian schools, you know all about the perseverance of Christianity through the ‘best’ arguments over the past 2000 years. Unlike cults, Christianity isn’t a passing fad, it perseveres.
I’ve been in your shoes. The longer I spend in my head without talking my ideas out with people who oppose my thoughts, the more I convience myself I am right. Shot me an email with your responses or keep posting here and we can dialogue about this more. If what I believe is true, it has to stand up to scrutiny, right? The same goes for any truth. If have questions, or, if you think I am absolutely crazy and need salvation from my belief in Jesus, email me ben.hornback at gmail dot com
i agree with this 100% and i believe that God is too….continue in the faith of Jesus Christ and see you one day When we will all meet in Heaven.. John 14:2-3
Very well put! Thanks Ben!
Well done!
Your article brought out the nutters, the ones who utterly misunderstood your point and commented not because they wanted to dialog but primarily to bust out their unused vocabulary. Religion – particularly Christianity – simply cannot be discussed rationally in public, but only in a room with people one knows.
Yes, banning homosexuality is as silly as being refused entry to a particular building because you’re a eunuch or the result of congress out of wedlock, or laws against touching pig skin or cutting one’s hair in a bowl, or cutting off a woman’s hand for defending her husband’s life.
Have a nice day.
I thought this article was great–funny, and not senselessly religion-bashing (tho anti-fanatic). Having grown up Christian and been over-religionized, though, I have to correct you on one thing: “pulling out.” The law in the Tanach required a brother to “help” his sib if the guy died before he impregnated his wife. The idea was indeed pro-procreation; if you got married, the idea was to spread your seed, so to speak. If a guy died, his bro (if he had one) was legally required to give the poor widow a share of the family genes so there’d be an heir.
Onan pulled out, just fucked his late bro’s widow for the fun of it, and since God thought that was selfish, so to speak, he smote the guy. It was more for missing the point and just satisfying himself than for simply pulling out.
Thought I’d add something neither strident nor evangelical to the conversation.
Religion is the greatest hoax perpetrated against mankind. It is so obviously man-made for one because it is clearly derived from our fear of suffering and death. It has been disproven time and time again yet the poor and uneducated are easy fodder for its soothing words.
I can only hope one day we have a president who isn’t afraid to say “I am an atheist” instead of pretending he (or she) goes to church, fears God, etc…
So, are you saying i’m uneducated? That’s hilarious. I went to school just like anyone else. I work hard every day and support my family, along with my husband. I am involved in my community and volunteer work. I live in a 2 story brick house and own 2 nice vehicles, etc. But because I believe in Jesus Christ who helps me be a better person, I’m uneducated & poor? That is very funny, honestly. I know lots of “wealthy and educated” Christians. And what is wrong with believing in something that gives me hope? What hope does an atheist have? That one day they will die and that’s it? Sounds like a dull existance to me, but whatever floats your boat. I have personally seen things happen that could never be a coincidence or explained by science. That’s what keeps my faith. Have you ever witnessed a miracle that told you that beyond any shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ was NOT the son of the living God and Christianity was a sham? Just curious.
And if I die and never wake up, then I was wrong. But if you die and wake up again, then what lies ahead for you?
“God is Good” you make a good point, not all people that are Christian are uneducated and poor. Some are stupid and rich.
So you are saying I should be a Christian for fire insurance. Got it
What still no one has addressed here, is New Testament’s stand on divorce. I want to understand why many Christian denominations aggressively reject homosexuality while not even making an issue of a divorced and remarried person. Divorce and remarriage according to most denominations’ interpretation is considered perpetual adultery. Why is one “sexually deviant” act considered acceptable while the other is treated like the black plague of morality?
Niki, those of faith twist, revise and (in some cases) completely ignore these so-called absolute truths to meet their own ends.
Thou shall not murder? Oh, it’s okay if it’s in the name of God.
BOTTOM-LINE: Religion is man-made and in almost all cases, we can emphasize MAN because these are a set of beliefs that take on a decidedly masculine perspective on life.
Religion’s cop-out logic:
Something good happens, it’s God’s blessing. Something bad happens, it’s God’s will or he’s testing you.
On another note, for those of you who gamble (I’m assuming not many of you do) – bet against the player’s team who says that God is on their side. In the past year, God is 0/2 in major sporting events. Dwight Howard claimed divine blessing and his team lost to the Lakers in the NBA Finals 4-1. Kurt Warner and Ken Whisenhunt placed their faith in the Almighty and they were absolutely heartbroken in the Superbowl (I guarantee they were thanking the Lord after that incredible Larry Fitzgerald TD… too bad their Lord “works in mysterious ways” lol)
It is like a parent. What decent parent gives their child everything they want? None because it doesn’t help them grow. It doesn’t help them learn how to get through difficult times. We can all praise God in the good times, but how many of us praise Him in the worst times? God doesn’t give us absolutely everything that we want, otherwise I would be a bazillionaire. That is no basis to say there isn’t a God though, just because I don’t get everything I want. Sometimes He says no because it is a learning experience for us. Sure, we don’t win the superbowl but we had the greatest experience of our lives playing in it. Why don’t we thank Him for the experience instead of the outcome?
So, I suppose all of the starving and disease-stricken children and other humans in dire situations throughout the world should be thanking “Him” for such a great learning experience? Or does that only apply to Super Bowl games, you becoming an bazillionaire, and other superfluous middle-class wants?
I know that I thank “Him” everyday for those awesome experiences like Concentration Camps and Hurricane Katrina.
I take issues with some Christians… they follow the rules only when they want, so then why follow any rules at all? This person I know is a single mother of 2 children by 2 different fathers. When her family suggested to abort her 2nd child, since the father could not be found and she was having all kinds of financial and personal difficulties, she said no, she couldn’t do that, because she was Catholic. WTF?! She wasn’t acting Catholic when she had pre/extra-marital sex, but suddenly becomes Catholic when presented with a choice.
I’ll say be like Jesus: not in everything, but his main beef with the Jews was that culture of exclusion (i.e., not letting eunuchs or bastards in the temples; they excluded people who were sick as well). Jesus thought that was wrong, and he said so. That’s why he introduced the “love thy neighbor” culture. If you really do unto others as you would have them do unto you, if you don’t judge, if you let people be happy, make people happy yourself, you’ll be guaranteed a spot in heaven, whatever version of “heaven” you believe in. I’m just saying…
i dont know who wrote this or their reasoning but it was amazing! i swear i have been preaching that last line since the miss california incident! i love it!!! thank you! im forwarding this to EVERYONE!!!!!
Interesting take. I am a Christian. I believe in Jesus Christ. I try to study and live by the Bible. I am not perfect. Only Jesus was perfect. It is not my job to judge anyone. That is god’s job.
Smile Jesus loves you!
Wow! Another article pushing an agenda by misquoting or misapplying the Bible. You not only don’t understand the whole message of the Bible you even came up with some new interpretations of your own. Welcome to the zealot world of which you condemn. Too bad you really don’t want to know the truth because as you may know, it will set you free.
Yes, it could set you free to give money to a rich white guy that accidentally gets busted having sex with a male prostite. Ted Haggard was a real inspiration. He understood the whole message of the Bible.
*prostitute
Re: your question: It would help to start off with the fact there are multiple categories of law handled in Leviticus, of which you’ll also find that anti-homosexuality law handled in a new testament book (it’s authored by Paul, but I don’t recall which letter it was). I think that’s more than enough to demonstrate it as a moral law, rather than the ceremonial or cultural laws that were cited in this article (sans divorce… that truly is only an option for those who are being abused in a relationship and no one else)
BTW, I’m beginning to think the comments are more screwy than the usual misquoting of Leviticus, honestly…
Yawn stupid thread…
Christians know they are right and everyone else is wrong. Take one shot or look at something different and the defenses come up full steam!
Non-Christians think the Christians are ignorant and stupid. They make sure to let them know at any given opportunity.
Gets boring
You can’t dismiss this by saying that only the new testament counts. Jesus said, in the Sermon on the Mount, no less, that you can’t ignore the old testament. So all that has been said counts, and, as I’m sure we all realise, is complete nonsense
AAAAHHHHHH!!!! I cannot believe I just read so much comment rubbish. I am feeling more stupid as time passes. Ben!! FEAR Ben! FEAR is the answer!!! Geez you were killing me with your idealistic bull!! I want to shake some of you. Shake the stupid right out of you. I need a smoke! Why have I done this to myself today? I try to never read this stuff, what was I thinking? I am actually surprised that I still find myself surprised.
So many people miss the point entirely…
I’m glad logic is what is fueling your arguments, because that is encouraged in the Bible. We Christians can be very judgmental, which is wrong, but it’s because, like everyone else, we are sinners. Just brush the offenses off your shoulders if you can.
If you want to judge the Bible, make sure you really find out what it is saying. Most of us aren’t Jews and that’s who the old testament law was for. A lot of the Bible’s text that people site to make a point was actually meant for a very specific situation. Instead of getting caught up with what is a sin and what isn’t, start with the basics. What’s important is a relationship with God, and then out of love to him, we strive to live our lives as pleasing to him.
to make this comment easier and short, no reason to ramble, you cannot take rules given to a group of people in the old testament before Jesus died on the cross to make life for believers much easier, and apply them to people today. Especially when every warning in Leviticus was given in warning about Pagan rituals. Yes, looking to a fortune cookie for guidance is sin, but why ridiculous? Your references to Mark… COMPLETELY taking one section and making a new story from it. Post surrounding texts of those verses, or understand the whole thing yourself; you have meanings there completely distorted. As far as deuteronomy, i honestly haven’t read it. but i sure will and will get back to this on it. (no attitude or harsh tone intended here)
You know what’s funny?
A lot of christians are anti-abortion while the bible is pro-abortion (well, in 1 specific way).
If a women is suspected of being unfaithful to her husband, she is to drink a ‘bitter water’.
Numbers 5:11-31 http://www.biblija.net/biblija.cgi?Bible=Bible&m=Nu+5&id32=1&id7=1&pos=0&set=3&l=en
edit: I checked. She won’t have an abortion specifically, but won’t be able to have children if she is defiled… “and her belly shall swell”
This was kind of like a lie-detector test of the day. When she drank the bitter water, if she had been unfaithful then she would miscarry. If she was not unfaithful then the bitter water would not do anything but be like drinking water. Of course, to believe in this story you would have to believe in the power of God’s words and laws.
Kinda the way the pilgrams that came to the US would through women suspected of witchcraft into the water. If they floated they were witches, and if they sank they were not. Yet people didn’t understand the science that holding your breath will make you float. Religion is man’s answer to what they can’t understand. Why else would religion speak out against almost all cutting edge scientific technology?
throw*
Just loved your article….
Wow, with the url from Xamon, just learned the bible is really a book of spells!! The cheating wife brings an “offering” to the “ceremony” to drink the “bitter water” that has a “curse” in it! WOW! and all this time I thought voodoo was against god’s beliefs!!!
It was only a curse if she had been unfaithful.
Yes, it’s ok for God’s magic water to abort the fetus… but no-one else can. The modern day equivalent would be that it’s ok to be falcon-punched by Rev. Johnny Hamfist so that you miscarry but, whatever you do, don’t get that abortion.
The reason that God created most of these laws was to protect the Israelites from things that would have harmed or even killed them during that time period. Take eating pork for example. Today, we can eat pork and with the way that meat is processed and sold today, no one will necessarily die from it. But, back then, it was a very “unclean” animal, in that there was no way for them to make it more healthy to eat (And honestly, it probably still isn’t that great for you), and it carried with it diseases that often killed people. So most of the food laws need no longer apply. On the other hand, the sexual laws are still very valid under this argument. As we all know, homosexual practices still lead to STDs, as do adulterous practices. Also, Paul address homosexuality in Romans, as a New Testament law as well. (Just so you know, “New Testament” means “new covenant”…this is the reason we regard the laws separately from the Old Testament).
As for not letting certain people into church, most often in that time period and that culture many things were a sign of the pagan people in the surrounding areas. God did not want them to associate with these people and begin to take on their religious beliefs, as they had done in the past, so he made this law to hinder that. I have not studied these specific laws in detail, but I believe that is what they are referring to.
Finally, I’d like to comment on the masturbation/pulling out and gold thing. Because, while you probably don’t see them as related, they are basically first cousins. For the pulling out argument: that one, specific, out-of-context example that you pulled (no pun intended) was about a man who had his own agenda he was trying to push, and when he did this, he was being very selfish. He wanted a child for himself, not for his brother, so he prevented a child from being made at all. This is why God took his life. You missed the point entirely.
For the gold, this was causing pride among the women. Paul was saying that the women needed to be less concerned with themselves and the possessions they had and more concerned with the things of God. So, because those material things were causing them to be prideful, they should have not been wearing them at all. Again, you missed the point. God does not care about your physical state. He cares about your intentions. In both of these situations, the people had bad intentions, so God was telling them that they were wrong.
Even with your lack of insight into your subject matter, I will say that your argument is fairly well written. Just lacking any in-depth intelligence about the Bible.
I just have to say, any promiscuous act could lead to STDs. You’re not more likely to get an STD if you’re gay, only if you’re sleeping around/using contaminated needles/poor health conditions.
I’m a christian, but I laughed myself silly with this article! Love it, God can be pretty funny at times! You’ve got some things a little out of context but funny anyway.
This article was very interesting. Doesn’t the bible also say you should not have sexual intercourse except for procreational purposes only when a man and a woman are married? This means that almost every young man and woman sin today. What are peoples comments on this. I would like to hear everyone’s opinions.
Not sure where you got that from. Procreation is one reason He invented sex between a husband and wife, but that is not the only purpose. Read Song of Soloman sometime. He talks very sensuously about his woman and vice versa. It is very romantic and shows how a man and woman should adore each other. If sex were just on the basis of procreation, where would be the enjoyment of sex between a husband and wife? It is for their enjoyment and pleasure.
Hey, i sense you’re being sarcastic or something of the sought..All those things you’re talking about are all found in the law that Moses was given by God..But when Jesus came, he sunnarised all to 2, Loving God, and your neighbour as yourself…Yet again, Paul said in Romans 3:21-26 “21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all[h] who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” God looks at the heart, and your faith which credits your righteousness..Not to say that the law is useless but God does not judge the way men do…That because u’ve eaten bacon you’ll face God’s wrath…No way, thats not how He reasons, like man.
very good point Mel, you clarified that for me very well. Thank you for your insight
This is old Testament stuff, Jesus payed the price for all this.
So many “christians” commenting here claim that the old testament no longer applies (except when it suits their agendas). Why? Because they’re embarrased the utter ridiculousness of it all. Well, if that is the case, then throw out Genesis as well and creationism. I want all of you christians to go to your bibles right now and completely rip out the entire old testament and throw it in the trash. Never gaze upon it again!
Get real people, it’s the 21st century.
Hey great article! I don't know anyone in my church who shares this view so it's nice to have someone who agrees with me n_n
I think it would be cool if you did a focus on the new testament (as this is where I have lost points in an argument) on how Paul is the only one in the new testament who talks against homosexuality, but how he also said women could not speak in the church (1 Corinthians 14:34—36) and must submit to men (1 Timothy 2:11—15) and that we dismiss that now.
Let me tell you about the power of God. My husband’s coworker is married to a woman preacher in the Lutheran church. They met at a church in Minneapolis to make the decision about whether or not to allow gays to be members of the clergy. Right when they were making the decision, a tornado swept through the area and severely damaged the roof, split the steeple and knocked over the cross on the church. It was a totally unexpected storm and even the forecasters were baffled. And then as soon as it damaged the church, it lifted. Tell me there isn’t a God and that He approves of homosexuality! Just because it may be what we want to hear, it doesn’t make it truth.
Well aren’t you self-righteous! I’ve never seen someone so furiously defend the truth and superiority of their religion in such a passive aggressive way. Really, it’s adorable! I’m not sharing my beliefs with you or anyone else because it’s not your business, it’s mine. But thank you for the repeated reminders that we, who don’t think like you, are wrong. I would love to tell you all the reasons why you are “wrong” by my doctrine, but it’s not my place, right nor privilege. And the truth is, I don’t think you are wrong, I don’t think anyone is wrong; I think it is impossible and beyond human capacities to be right in this matter.
I am a Christian, but I think that it’s weird how you are still picking and choosing what you want to believe. You passionately attack homosexuality but you are completely ignore the fact that these verses (even in the New Testament) are right along side those that say: “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.
And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:34-35 KJV) So are you condemning the woman preacher that you are speaking of as well? Where was the tornado when she became a preacher? You can’t just skip of those verses and highlight those that back your argument. So, as you are a woman I see, do you talk in church as well? If so I do hope you confess that sin.
I'm sad that you have written such a thing…Really my friend, I pray God that the eyes of your spirit may be enlighten and you that you may understand what Jesus did on the cross for you…The reign of God is among us.. We are now led by the Spirit…Jesus is the end of the law but He didn't abolish it..I'm not telling you that Jesus has granted us grace so that we may continue to sin..NO..Moreover grace has even a higher standard that law..The law said “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot”, but Jesus says “love your enemies and forgive”…The law said ” do not commit adultery” Jesus says ” only by coveting a lady is enough to commit sin” If our righteousness does not surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees we will not inherit the kingdom of God, says Jesus.If you want to follow the law than you'll may covet a lady, and practice eye for eye and tooth for tooth…The ritual and traditional sides of the law is abolished once for all by Jesus. No need to be circumcised..its the circumcision of the heart that Jesus is looking for. The Lord, in the book of Acts, gave Peter a revelation and asked Peter to eat a swine (this animal was considered as impure under the law)…The Lord gave Peter this revelation because Peter was mixing the both covenant…Peter thought that the Gentiles must be circumcised in order to walk with the Lord.. But it isn't the case…Please my friend go through your Bible. Bless you
You seem to have forgotten to ad one thing; the fact that the Tora is ment to show us what sin is so we understand how much we need a savior (Galatians 3:19 and Galatians 3:23). I used to be a Messianiac Jew for a long time, and we were taught that if we didn't adhere to the Tora, we would be cast out from God's Kingdom eventhough we had faith in Y'shua (Jesus Christ). The old covenant that YHWH had with the House of Judah was broken because they (the Jews) would not keep it. Now we are under a new covenant through Christ (Matthew 26:28) because he fulfilled the Tora (Matthew 5:17 and John 19:30) when he declared “it is finished.” The truth is that no man can follow the Tora completely, and everyone sins against YHWH (GOD), but through the sacrafice of his SON we can receive eternal life and not eternal shame and damnation.
All right
Old, new, it's all nonsense. The bible is a twisted collection of myths and fables. There's no magic ghost in the clouds, waiting to grant the wishes you send to him telepathically. People don't have babies without having sex. People don't die, then come back (well, only in a good zombie movie). People don't live to be over 700 years old. Seas don't split in half. Animals from around the globe didn't all meet in one place and get on a boat together, in a climate that couldn't support many of them. Religion is a mental illness, which explains the violent reactions, or the cheerful ignorance you get from religious people. Anyone who believes in any of that stuff has no credibility with me, and their words are worthless. Wake up, it's 2010. If you're over 5 years old, it's time to lose your imaginary friend.
fantastic
A practicing Christian that uses common sense with his religion. . . I am impressed. I don't agree completely with what you are saying, as in “god allowed” but the same can be said that you do not agree with me. . . but at least we can agree that man made the choices and changes in the religion. . . that “god allowed” to happen. I can deal with that. . .
It is those Christians that will not accept by any stretch of the imagination i.e. “The Whited Sepulchre” with his god knew they would fail, he planned it that way theory. . . That is just making excuses for your God.
To bring up the fact that rules were made by man for man such as they were unhealthy makes sense. But even back then, you are going to have people that had certain outlooks on life with personal beliefs, just as we do today and their personal moral beliefs had influence on what they wrote.
Those moral laws such as “Love your neighbor as yourself.” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” are moral with or without religion. . . People know instinctively that murder is wrong, that taking something that is not yours is wrong, because they can sense how they would feel in this case. . .whether or not they wish to listen to their inner voice is another subject altogether. . . but how am I supposed to know not to eat pork, or not to get a tattoo, not to have relations with the same sex. . . these are taught not known. I can learn that I do not like something in my rear, but I am not going to know instinctively.
You wouldn’t know instinctively that the pieces don’t fit together? You don’t know right off the bat that you don’t want something in your rear?!?! How do you learn it? By it happening and then you realize you don’t like it? That is learned. Nobody has to teach me that, I know that I know that I know, that I don’t want something in my rear! And if you have an “inner voice”, does that mean you are the god of yourself? Because I know that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob sent his Holy Spirit to live in me to give me direction in my life and to help keep me on the right track. Otherwise, what would keep me doing the wrong things? Why not go out and kill somebody, other than getting arrested? What would keep me from sleeping with thousands of men, or women for that matter? Why be good, if I’m not directed and led to be good? And isn’t it better for all humanity that I am led to be good? We don’t need anymore murderers and haters in the world. So, why down something that causes true Jesus followers to be good? What harm in Christianity causing? We aren’t blowing up buildings and killing people. So, why is everyone so against Christians?
Yes “God is Good” again you have hit the nail on the head. I too would be a murderous raping steal-monkey, stabbing babies and leaving fridge doors open, if not for that fantastic Invisible Man in the Sky to keep my infinite rage in check. Thank Yahweh he has the time to pay attention to every single trivial detail of every christian on the planet.
A law is a law. . . Where does it say anything about follow this law until it is no longer Ceremonially accepted. For that matter where does it even mention that this law is moral and that one is ceremonial? Where does it say that any of them are no longer relevant?
If this were the case don't you think that Jewish Rabbi Jesus would have said so, it would not have to been decided somewhere between the mid 4th to mid 5th Century. If you are not going to follow the majority of them, why follow the couple that are left.
Ok so god the “omnipotent and omniscient” knew that when the old testament was written he would visit the earth a couple thousand years later. You would think he would have the foresight to actually write what he really wanted the masses to know BEFORE he decided to change his mind, a couple hundred century's later! For this all knowing all seeing 3 part god head who has a plan from start to finish…..to change his mind about the written word that his zealots would follow…..shows maybe he didn't know what he was doing. That or these doctrine that the zealots follow to this day was actually written by a man not a god. Maybe to install fear into the masses and make them bend to the will of the current government or maybe to drive the normal person crazy with questions.
It wasn’t that He changed His mind. He knew He would need to send His son to earth to save the world. Otherwise, the prophets of the old testament wouldn’t have prophesied His coming. But we are a people who have to go through things to learn them. Just like a child is told not to touch the stove because it is hot, and they do it anyway and realize it really is hot. It’s the same thing. God wanted us to realize that we can’t keep all the laws by ourselves. We are selfish and sinful. He wanted us to realize that we NEEDED a savior because we couldn’t do it ourselves. Just like it says that we can’t make it to heaven just based on works, but by faith. The old testament is all about works. It was alot of doing, but we as humans failed at that and we needed someone who could do it for us. And Jesus did. But some laws still need to be in place to instruct people how to live their lives. If Jesus came and died for our sins and then said, ok now the law is void because I died for your sins and now there is no law, people really would go crazy with sin. So, laws still needed to be in place.
I was going to type a long reply, defending the Bible — The difference between the New Testament and Old. I think Romans 3:28 is all that you should know.
“Even the devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.” – Shakespeare
The value of many of the laws in the Old testament is not that they afford a moral standard for all time but that they afforded the best standard for their age and were precursors of a better standard in the future. I.E We are looking at the precursors in an evolutionary process. If you like, the OT represents God’s gradual education of humanity starting with the lowest rudiments of knowledge, which are at first crude and imperfect but are eventually summed up in the ‘Ultimate Generalisation’ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart mind and soul and your fellow man as those you love yourself”. That is what the Law and the prophets are all about. In interpreting the OT we must evaluate it from the point of the ‘Ultimate generalisation’ there are positive and negative aspects of the generalisation in the OT. We can learn from both the positive and negative. In fact in many of the parables of Jesus there are positive and negative aspects e.g.The Good Samaritan, The Samaritan Positive the Priest and Levite negative.We can learn from both the +ve and -ve. In the OT we have stories/laws which +ve and -ve when evaluated against the ‘Ultimate Generalisation’. We learn from both +ve and -ve.
How come atheists have such a deep need to disprove something they claim not to believe in? And why do they try to “debunk” Christianity and not other religions?
I’m just asking…
Well Toni, in answer to your two-part question:
a) Atheists want people to stop killing other people in the name of “insert favorite deity”. It’s not that every religous person is a killer, it’s just that it is a vehicle through which killing is done.. and it is an imaginary vehicle. A great man once said “Without religion good men will do good things, and evil men will do evil things, but only with religion will good men do evil things”.
b)I would imagine that Christianity is the most popular religion in the regions close to the fine people of this website. America, England, and Australia are all english speaking countries, and would probably have large Christian populations.
nice article.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
As others have previously stated, Christ said that He came to complete the law. This means the contract has been completed, and God no longer requires us to be so strange. God told the Jews to do all of these odd things because he wanted to keep them holy–which doesn’t mean righteous, it means SEPARATE or KEPT SAFE. This law is no longer binding because Christ carried it. The night of the Last Supper, the New Law was enacted and “sealed” at the crucifixion and resurrection. The things we are told to do in the New Testament do not give us salvation, but rather keep us wise and help us stay out of harm’s way. (:
Sad: sad that anyone coulc misquote the Bible that way, especially since they obviously did not read or study it. Sad that only a couple of people responded that actually quoted from the Bible correctly. Chritianity is the only belief ( I do not like the word religion, as you can be “religious” about anything) that has endured through everything and came out the same. It is only misinterpreted and misquoted. Christianity is the only belief that can blend into any custom and not change it’s beliefs. The essence of Christianity is salvation by grace. No, we cannot earn salvation, We receive it by grace. God gave us free will, to choose Him or rebuke him. All of us are sinners. Jesus says in the Bible that Christians will act worse than nonbelievers at times, and I know a lot of them!!! Christians that act holier than thou, are acting less holy than thou!! People that love the Lord, want to please Him and act as much like Him as they can. This means loving everyone!! Trying to do the right thing all day and every day, which is God’s will for us. Of course we fall short every day, but if our heart is in the right place and we truly try for God, and not for ourselves, or only for our own glory, God will forgive us. No one knows all the answers, we weren’t meant to. God made the universe, how complicated was that!!! I do not know all the answers, but I do know that God is real, I know, because He lives in me. It is such a beautiful feeling that I cannot even begin to tell you, I just want it for everyone. I have been blessed to have been given several miracles in my life. For one, my son was instantly delivered from drugs, with no withdrawls whatsoever. He is now helping others,& I have seen God work through him in so many ways. well, I could go on and on, I pray that this helps someone! God Bless!!!
I just want to say, that there is nothing in the Bible that has been misproven. Mainly because it can’t be, because it is from God. Everyone judges, before they even know the facts. No one should judge, only God can do that. How sad the world has become so judgemental and everyone hates this person or that person, This is not God’s way. Jesus is all about love, and forgiveness. If everyone lived this way, than there would be no wars, and no hate. God Bless everyone:-)
I can do what ever I want as a true atheist and it feels great to love my partner even if it is homosexual love! Even my most religious friends some Catholics, Christians, Muslims and Hindus none have ever said anything to me about how the way I live is wrong, they enjoy not only my company but that of my wife.
I dont usually get caught up in religion as I say each to there own and I’ve seen the comfort it brings them. I just can not believe in a higher power I believe I make my life and world what I want it to be.
The world is made up of many different people, all I want is to have the same rights that are given to others, I am happy for people with what ever religion they choose, as long as they don’t interfere with my life!
Gay marriage is being opposed because as I heard it marriage is between man and a woman, as noted in the law from what ever bible they were reading!
The last two weddings I went to had nothing to do with god, not mentioned once so as the bible has evoled I think laws regarding marriage should as well!
Now I am hungry for some crocodile with aside of bacon!
So, if I am in love with a horse and want to marry a horse then by all means, let me marry one? There has to be standards set or anything living and breathing would get married. And no, I’m not comparing homosexuals to a horse, although I’m sure someone will misconstrue what I’m saying. But I’m making an exaggerated point. Where would it end? And honestly, a lot of people have accepted homosexuality. And if your friends really had a problem with it you wouldn’t be friends, therefore, they aren’t going to say anything to you about it. And we are also taught to love one another, so just because I don’t agree with how you live your life, I can still love you as a person and pray for you and still be friends with you.
Please stop comparing homosexual human beings to beasts of burden. It is truly insulting. My sister isn’t a horse, she is a breathing, thinking, feeling human being and her love for her partner, who sadly cannot be her wife because of state laws (not because she is a horse, but because she is a human lesbian), is not to be mocked and dehumanized. Shame on you. And as I continue to read this thread and see your name so frequently, I feel my previous observation I posted regarding your self-important preaching is proving only more and more correct.
And I’m not misconstruing anything. My offense is very real. Throw out this argument; it is exaggerated and therefore irrelevant to the conversation just as much as the statement: “well what if God is a giant sky wizard?” A judge in a court room wouldn’t allow a lawyer to exaggerate a hypothetical situation for an arguments sake, why should I accept your exaggerations?
all these things are over spiritual…and it is of the laws of Moses….if u read your bible Jesus came and broke the sabbath law…when he did a miraculous healing work…..the second thing FOOTBALL…..foolishness….get your facts straight….there are some things here that i totally agree with and have no problem with like Divorce or tattoos….but everything here is on what WISE people and PEOPLE OF GOD call the old law of Moses…i am not saying that it is wrong, or we should not read it or live by it but..well then anybody here who read or posted there comments on a Saturday sinned and should be killed..Saturday you should keep the sabbath. you should not work, be on the internet or computer or what ever because it’s the sabbath day..the day of rest….Football,wearing gold…I am a Jeweler today because of God…i had over 6 people came to me and told me that God said i will be what i am today A JEWELER…and i wear gold. gold is a symbol in the bible..a symbol of divinity..when Jesus was in the manger and the three wise men came to bring gifts….gold was one of the gifts….Matthew 2;11….Round Haircuts… i don’t have one and it sounds foolish…Fortune telling…i agree with the Pulling out…but Polyester come on…LETTING PEOPLE WITHOUT TESTICLES IN CHURCH….so you don’t intend to heal people…JESUS HEALED A MAN IN THE BIBLE WHO WAS WITHOUT TESTICLES,AND MANY PEOPLE TODAY WITHOUT A LEG OR WHAT EVER THE CASE MAY BE, GOT HEALING. PEOPLE DONE HEAL PEOPLE, GOD HEAL PEOPLE. shellfish? i didn’t mind you said Selfish meaning greedy or you want everything for yourself…but SHELLFISH…on the beautiful island of Trinidad and Tobago, where i live, crab is one of our best dishes …American food taste like junk…any body from any other country will tell you that..and how i know because i have been to America and ate Burgerking, Mc Donalds and many other stuff…i agree with BEN 100%….get your facts straight….
these things are in the bible. you can’t just sit here and say “get your facts straight” because you think some of them are silly. they are silly. and they came from the bible. that’s the point.
Islam is the truth. go and study it you will find out. Thank God i am a Muslim.
I would argue that Jesus was imperfect in many ways. most noteably for doing nothing to stop slavery and apparently he could cure blindness you think he could have eradicated it entirely. And i did some research and for all the improtance placed on JC i find it VERY interesting that he didint think to say ANYTHING about homosexuality or abortion at all and considering how todays right wing american evangelicals go on about it youd think it would have been equally important to him…oh well an oversight im sure.
Thank you. Very well-written.
You are a good writer and with a great sense of humor. It all depends on how you read the bible. Not much in the bible can be truly understood by it’s literal meaning. Also doing that time some words had a different context than they do now. Also, remember that much of what Jesus preached was not in line with what the old testament said and that often had many either having a hard time grasping his teachings or in an uproar because his teachings often were seen as opposite the old testament words.
With some things you stated I do agree. Like for example, the cutting of hair. BUT do you know WHY it is saying that you should not even trim your hair even just to even it up? Because hair holds vibration. Vibration is the speed at which energy moves. To increase your vibration is to be higher and closer to God. So actually cutting your hair or even dying it does affect the hair vibrations. The overall translation of it was for no reason cut your hair. To fully understand some of what is in the bible you must study and increase your knowledge and then through meditation, just as Jesus taught the disciples to do, gain an understanding of that knowledge. Before you can teach you must first at least start out on the path toward true divine enlightenment and then you can be a great benefit to others…you seem to want to sincerely help and that is why I say that and why I respect what you say. I understand though where you are coming from in the literal meaning of the words…however they are not the true meanings of the words.
Thanks for you humor…enjoyed it.
Sherry XOXO
Oh and Jesus did not die for our sins. He was to get the full mortal experience during life including a mortal death. However that death did not have to happen in a certain way. It was not God that dictated the way Jesus died but was man. Without Jesus asking for intervention, which he could have done and had the power to do, it played out the way it did but not because HE wanted to suffer but because so many during that time were not true believers and did not believe in what Jesus taught or in the Kingdom of God. But what Jesus’ death did give us was what his whole life gave us…an example of how to be a son of God and not just a son of Man. In his death see how he stayed true to himself and God until the very end, never complaining, and having nothing but compassion and love for the son of Man right up until the end. That is the example he gave. If someone what in your face saying all kinds of nasty things could you react only with love? Could you still see them for who they truly are a child of God? The gift of his life and his death was him by the way he lived showing us the way to the Kingdom of God.
Are you kidding me? He didn’t die for our sins? Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice that allowed us to not have to follow the laws of old and to only have to believe in Him. I mean, why would Jesus need to come to earth just to get the full mortal experience? What would be the point if it was not for a purpose? And how would His coming to earth only for the experience create a new covenant with His creation?
I don’t know why everyone tries to give their opinion about the bible and Christianity. Either you believe or you don’t. Why try to prove it wrong? Maybe the reason you don’t want it to be true is you know the way your living now isn’t right. You have to read the whole bible to get it’s full understanding. Lets say your right and there is no God, then either way I believe it don’t matter…If I am right and there is a God, then I’m still okay are you? The belief in God has been around for thousands of years and millions of people believe in God in some way. So in your own understanding about the bible just reading a verse here and there come to the conclusion of it’s not real? I’d have to agree with the millions of people over the stretch of thousands of years that there is a God. Not from the opinion of a few people who say he’s not real. Sorry…
Wow everything in the old testament those are laws for Jewish. When God died for us thats when we became part of the Jewish community so we have to follow the new laws that he established all in the new testament.
WOW! First of all, I am a PROUD atheist and I am sorry my ancestors have created monotheism and F***ED the whole world.
Second of all, I grew up in Iran and studied Koran in school….you guys are SERIOUSLY WAY MORE F****ED UP. No kidding, I wish I was joking. Koran is BY FAR more civilized of a book with less nonsense. You guys need to look in the mirror next time you wanted to criticize Muslims…seriously.
That is the Old Testament. That’s why God sent his son Jesus to shed blood for our sins. He already paid the PRICE. All we have to do is call on him and accept him as our Savior and we will have everlasting life.. You fool, don’t you know God forgives you for posting all this? Take this off the interent because none of us are buying it. You have a lot of evolving to do, but hey, don’t we all. God bless!
Jesus gave one commandment, interpreted with slightly different wording but always boiling down the same: Love one another as I have loved you. No buts, no ifs. He didn’t say, “Love everybody who agrees with you, and everybody else can go fuck themselves.” There is no way to continue calling yourself a Christian if you discriminate, or bear hatred in your heart. Love one another. It’s pretty simple.
Read properly, the bible is the most potent force for Atheism ever conceived.
yes, you can probably justify bad behavior by picking and choosing verses in the Bible. The old testament was the book of laws, before God saw how mankind had disobeyed him and fell into sin. He sent his Son Jesus to redeem mankind and the new testament fulfulls Jesus’s mission on earth. But, anyway you want to paint it sin is sin in God’s eye and he does not put one sin as greater than another sin except with the denial of him. Man puts sin into groups as they see fit not God.
As a Secular Humanist, since I started to think for myself many years ago, I’m pleased to reveal that I don’t have to worry about the mythology of religion texts. Freedom to think is wonderful.
ok you need to put your self into what was going on in that time. God told not eat pork cuz they cant cook it right and if u dont cook it right it will mess you up. When cooking got better the new test said ok u can eat it now. God didnt have to say dont eat this cuz u can get sick he just said dont eat this and when god says dont eat it thats good enough. Now lets a number 12 to the list and all of u including the author are going to hell since ppl who eat pork are. Old test says if u sin cut out the eyes, hands, penis ect. So if u were following the old test word for word like you claim you do you wouldnt have the ability to write this article or comment on it. Like ppl who say pants are for men. pants came out after the old test and guys wore robes. The men wore dressing like female pegan gods and that is what the bible was addressing and the mixing of the clothes was just a teaching lessing. and the laws were to protect the israleites from danangers. god killed that guy cuz he spilled his seed on the ground, not he pulled out. This is how the pharises were acting. they were the religious ones back then as they caled themselves but Jesus condemed them because how extreme they went with the laws. your just being like the rules police/pharises. ill eat my pork and ill be in heaven because Jesus is how you get there no longer the laws and nobody can keep all the laws thats why God sent his son. So if u think i go to hell for pork ill see you there cuz you didnt cut ur hands, tounge, penis, eyes, cuz you wrote this so you didnt keep that law now did you buddy
the bible is the biggest hoax in the history of this earth. the bible was invented to scare people thousands of years ago and obviously still does cuz people still follow it for some reason. can a christian or somebody tell or expalian to me why are dinosaurs tall as buildings arent mentioned in the bible lol that shit is ridiculous… i honestly believe in aliens before i believe in the bible, if stars are really suns i believe there has to be some form of life other then the ones on earth
A long post, but one I hope you’ll at least skim through.
Those who believe Christianity has never changed, please check a list of the various denominations of Christian beliefs, or otherwise view the following image:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ADZN_AIhns8/TQr6OhB1f1I/AAAAAAAAHJw/cOAt_UChLmo/s1600/Christian_denominations_tree_ENG.PNG
Those who believe Islam doesn’t follow the New Testament, please know that this isn’t true. According to “The Truth About Islam”: “Muslims believe in the Divine Revelations of many Prophets, including Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad…” Since from what I know, the New Testament is the Divine Revelation of Jesus, this implies that Muslims follow the New Testament. This is the only source I could find right at this moment, but I have heard and read from many credible resources the truth of this statement.
Islam is in fact a very admirable religion, as long as you ignore some of its less charitable beliefs regarding women. The extremist factions that make up the Islamic terrorist are a rather small percentage of the Muslim population and are no different from the Jewish persecution of Christ, nor the Crusades or Inquisitions initiated by the Catholic Church. Religion is not a factor in the ability or desire to cause harm, merely a catalyst that only becomes so when combined with fanaticism, which itself can happen with any set of strongly-held beliefs. It just so happens that monotheism encourages fanaticism. Perhaps this is inadvertent. Perhaps it’s intentional. However, there is not one religion that hasn’t committed some mass atrocity against human rights at some point in its history, and if it still exists, even now. Atheists can’t claim innocence either- China’s official religion is atheism, after all.
For those of you who’d like fair and relatively impartial renditions of the various interpretations of the Bible, as well as of various religions other than Christianity or monotheism, please check this site and its subsections:
General Interpretation:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_inte.htm
Women Rights:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/women.htm
Homosexuality:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/homosexu.htm
This site also offers an analysis of the various translations of the Bible from the original Hebrew in its articles. It’s surprising how very similar some are, and how completely different others are- to say the least. This passage on Leviticus 20:13 exemplifies this:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_bibh3.htm
I am a lesbian and an atheist, not a Christian. However, I have never understood the intolerance and hypocrisy of many Christians. On the other hand, I’ve often marveled at the kindness and generosity of many other Christians. I myself am somewhat ashamed to admit that I have little patience with people who quickly become defensive when someone points out some small flaw in their belief system, especially when no offense was meant; a common malady amongst many religious factions, but most noticeable amongst Christians. However, neither do I understand why many atheists constantly belittle the beliefs of religious Christians who’re perfectly content to live and let live, even if they privately believe all homosexuals are going to Hell. It’s interesting how those who attack others for intolerance and hypocrisy display the same characteristics themselves; I believe Freud called it projection?
I prefer to try and understand religious beliefs. Perfectly normal and otherwise intelligent, reasonable people have believed in higher beings for centuries, and I don’t necessarily mean the Christian God. Pagan philosophers once had great and sophisticated knowledge of the world; in fact, they knew many things that took Christians hundreds of years to discover- or rediscover, as it were. Hinduists, Buddhists and Confucianists (although Confucianism is actually more of a philosopher) were also home to many great and intelligent mathematicians, astronomers, philosophers- the whole lot.
Aside from all of this are my personal beliefs, which you may attack as you wish- only a clear and reasoned argument against my beliefs may actually sway them. There is no proof that God exists except for a book that is, at the very most recent, almost two thousand years old, and at the oldest more than three thousand years. The miracles written within it read like old pagan myths and the morals like old pagan philosophies, and in many cases they are. It’s a strange and powerful book that had us killing uncountable innocents over the centuries. I’d like to believe that there was a reason for it, like all those Christian inquisitors must have, but belief requires faith, and faith is just another word for having no proof. I cannot have faith in a God that is both omniscient and omnipotent, yet is not benevolent enough to prevent suffering. Perhaps you say we suffer because we sinned. That is not an acceptable explanation: we sinned because He created us so that we were capable of sinning. The only explanation I have, then, is that humanity was formed by evolution. Evolution is governed by Nature. Nature has no morals. Thus, at its core, neither does humanity. Pagans killed because they were human. So did the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages. So do the Taliban today.
One last word, which you may take as you will: How deeply you must believe, that you immediately attack an opposing view without first considering what it might have right, instead of focusing on what you believe it has wrong. I’ve always thought that true faith should require no justification. Perhaps that’s
Here it is, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that anyone who ever believes in him SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVER LASTING LIFE. Can somebody shout Praise the lord? The one thing that can keep you out of heaven is what? Unbelieve don’t get causght up. Do the best you can do to be a better person in all ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path.
“For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished”. says jesus in matthew 5:18
then he goes on to say “Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
also in isaiah 40:8 this is said “the word of our God stands forever.”
so the idea that the old testament no longer applies is completely idiotic jesus him self says not one stroke of a letter will pass from the law. So every law is to be held with the same regard as the commandments. to this day according to the bible slavery is alright with god Exodus 21:1
I’ll admit to being glad none of this applies any longer :-)… Old Testament.
Sorry wasn’t clear:
I’m glad this doesn’t apply because it’s in the old testament, in the law. And we no longer live by the law according to the new testament.
Wow, so many people claim they know the Word of God yet lack the understanding and history. First – a majority of these are aimed at the Jews – one of which specifically is the Tribe of Levi. I’ll leave it up to the so called intellectuals to find out WHO/WHAT is the significance and role of the Levites.
Secondly – you state that Christians are fanatics and ignorant – yet the language and tone is that of a fanatic – if not a bigot toward those who love God and actually STUDY the Bible. The folks who misinterpret the scripture and have no background of what was going on back then is laughable. Get in church and sit with a Minister who can aid you in your spiritual handicaps.
I find it odd how non Christians have no idea about anything about Christianity or Christians in general. I know no Christians who hate homosexuals themselves. I know some that say it is a sin, but none that hate the people. So many of these verses are taken out of context (Onan was punished for his motives for doing so, not for the act itself. He did not want to provide his brother with an heir). Next time you criticize people, learn more about what you’re saying and then state the facts accurately
Hi, your main problem is that almost all the OT quotes you made have been abolished by Jesus fulfilling the law through his crucificition where he paid for our sins.
The reason for what seemed like silly laws to us was to show the Israelites that to come before a Holy God they had to be Holy, but in actuallity they could never completely do that so God made them a way to take care of their failure to meet his perfect law, and that was their sacrifice system. This again was pointing to Jesus who would be the perfect sacrifice.
So, 1,2,5,6,8,10,11 fall under fulfilled law.
3 is still operational (Creats a false God.)
4 had nothing to do with masterbation or anti pullling out, it had to do with being disobedient to God. He was to take his brothers wife as his own wife at the death of his brother.
7 Divorce is still operational, only allowance for divorce is adultry by your partner. That breaks the marriage covenant. Also one reason marriage is so sacred to God is because it it a picture of Christ and the church.
9. It appears here to be talking about when they are in Church, and it is talking about modest apparel.
However, your initial comment on abortion is a totally different matter. If life begins at conseption then abortion can only be one thing, and that is murder. You may say well I don’t know when life begins, well then you should treat the baby just like you would a person on the street who you don’t know whether he/she is alive, you do everything you can do to keep that potential life alive. You don’t kill him/her.
Why don’t we just make gay marriage legal, and leave the “sinners” to do what they’re doing anyway? Seriously. Why does it matter to you all? They’re doing it. Whether you approve or not, and no one’s making you participate. In fact, if you just allow them to make their choices in the matter, take religion out of politics, and live YOUR life, I’m sure God will love you just as much.
““Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven” -Luke 6:37
Cathy Proctor .. never be a born-again Christian, instead, grow up. 🙂
your wrong about the pulling out thing, that story is ment to be read in context, what he was punished for was disobeying god, not pulling out.
To the agnostics and atheists- It is clear in creation that God exists. To deny this is to suppress the truth that is written in your hearts.
To the mockers and scoffers- Leviticus was written to the Levites, the priestly line of Israel. If these are the things that were required of the Levites, who are you to mock God and what he requires of His people. The God of Israel is the creator of all things. He makes the rules.
To the no believers- I hope and pray that by reading this post that the Holy Spirit will tug on your heart and you will find the truth and the life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
I would like to say that the old testament does not apply to Christians, there are parts of it yes, but that is just because they are repeated or endorsed by the New testament….
Christians have reason to be against homosexuality but not against the people who are homosexual,
as paul says in his letters that homosexuality is a sin (a repeated command from the old testament, repeated in the new)
however we can eat, dress and cut our hair however we want because the new testament does NOT state anything about it, so the points that are still to be followed are 3 and 7 and very possibly but highly doubtfully 9
Jesus made us a new covenant one that is spiritual and not of the flesh like the old one
WHOEVER WROTE THIS HAS THE WRONG ASPECT OF HOW LIFE IS TO BE LIVED.. WHEN YOU ARE READING THE BIBLE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW IS WHO THE BIBLE IS SPECIFICALLY TALKING TO…. THATS ON ANOTHER SUBJECT THOUGH…..PRAY FOR UNDERSTANDING IN READING LEARNING AND LIVING IN THE WORD….
Let’s not forget that while the Bible may have been dictated by God, it was written and repeatedly interpreted by man, leaving lots of room for error. Fighting over trivial details only serves to diminish the true message of love & grace for all people that Jesus embodied.
And I have all that rock-badger cooked up for the church social, well they’ll never guess my secret ingredient- evil…
Wow.
I don’t believe this. You can choose to believe that the Bible says this, but don’t force it on other people because you took everything for face value, when the context of most verses needs to be addressed and studied. There are some parts which cannot be compromised by context either, and some parts you should take for face value because the context deems it allowable.
This was a very religious type article, of which I am not a great fan. At 15 years old, I can tell you, that Christianity is not a set of rules. You obey them because you love Jesus, and you just want to be where He is all the time.
The list is good, most of the things are not bad to avoid, but not what the Bible tells us as the NT Church to do. Obviously, if doing these things causes people you live with/hang around to stumble or just the fact that your authority tells you not to do it then you shouldn’t do it.
These rules were set for the israelites because God wanted to set them apart from the world as HIS people. If we were to obey every rule God imparted to the Israelites, we would have to do so many more things than just this list.
You can believe these things, but don’t write articles on it please. It’s misleading.
God Bless and I love you.