Originally posted by: Zysoclaplem
Originally posted by: NuclearNed
Christians follow both the New and the Old Testament, although a minority of Christians erroneously believe that the Old Testament is no longer relevant.
The Jewish faith follows the Old Testament, but not the New.
Okay. So why are certain things ignored from the Old? I was told Jesus came and made the Old Testament no longer relevant.
They pick and choose. Homosexuality is an acceptable prejudice, so they hang on to Leviticus re: homosexuality. They reject a heap of other sh1t in Leviticus. I have come to believe that a majority of christians are dishonest hypocrites.
http://www.mcwilliams.com/books/aint/309.htm
There are basically two Biblical prohibitions cited repeatedly and forcefully by those claiming homosexuality is condemned by God, hence should remain illegal. These two are Leviticus, chapter 20, verse 13 and Romans chapter 1, verses 26 and 27. Let's take a look at each.
Taken out of context, Leviticus 20:13 would certainly seem to prohibit homosexuality:
If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
A quick look at the violations punishable by death in the same chapter of Leviticus, however, tells a very different story:
If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. (Leviticus 20:9)
I wouldn't even have a chance to get to verse 13; I'd be dead by verse 9.
If a man commits adultery with another man's wife?with the wife of his neighbor?both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. (Leviticus 20:10)
Bye bye Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker.
If a man sleeps with his father's wife, he has dishonored his father. Both the man and the woman must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. (Leviticus 20:11)
Poor papa!
If a man sleeps with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. What they have done is a perversion; their blood will be on their own heads. (Leviticus 20:12)
Poor son!
If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal. (Leviticus 20:15)
Poor livestock!
If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. (Leviticus 20:16)
Note the man has to do it, but the woman need only approach.
A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. (Leviticus 20:27)
O, the carnage at the Psychic Hotline!
It's easy to see that, in context, the always-quoted-out-of-context admonition against homosexuality is hardly God singling out gays for special punishment.
It was, in fact, one of the laws of Leviticus that was responsible for the death of Jesus:
[A]nyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. (Leviticus 24:16)
Jesus was tried by Sanhedren, the ruling religious body of Jerusalem, and found guilty of blasphemy. According to the religious powers that were, to claim he was the son of God was blasphemous. The charge of sedition was added so the Romans would approve of and carry out the death sentence.
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