Response to a Doubting Friend

Amanda, the Bible can be twisted and turned to be interpreted in all kinds of ways. Anything can be. Keep in mind what Jesus said (and this cannot be twisted): "FOR THERE ARE EUNUCHS THAT ARE BORN THAT WAY FROM THEIR MOTHERS WOMB; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. HE WHO IS ABLE TO ACCEPT THIS, let him accept it." (Matt 19: 8-12). So the Eunuch that was born that way, would not that be homosexuals? This is pretty much the only thing that Jesus said (and Jesus IS God...let's not forget) about homosexuals...and never once did Jesus condemn anyone. And, Jesus knew there would be people that would not be able to accept this truth. This is clear!!! In black and white!!! What else did Jesus need to say for people to accept this? Did he need to wear a shirt saying: "I love Homos???"

So there are other parts in the Bible that talk about homosexuality, talk about eating pork, talk about killing in the name of God... We can go through the Bible and if we were to mimic the actions of its heroes we'd be put in jail and condemned as evil by the very same people that praise it and call it Holy. It all comes down to the fact that you have to choose to believe if God is a LOVING God, or if God is a capricious God. Would a loving God condemn homosexuals just because Ze felt like it? It's God we're talking about here! Why would Ze decide that everyone should be forgiven except a group of individuals that humans condemn because of who they LOVE. Isn't this the stain that cannot be washed from our history? Using holy texts against each other?

The Bible is a guide, written and breathed to life by God. But God promised, PROMISED us Free Will. And within that Free Will is not only the power of making decisions on what is right and wrong, but also the power of interpreting what is right and what is wrong for ourselves. This is of utmost importance! Without Free Will we would be puppets. Without it God would not be able to show us Hir's love for us! So, and this is my truest belief, if God gave us a Bible with a clear cut "Right and Wrong", our Free Will would be infringed. We would have no say in our lives. And this is the key...OUR LIFE. Our experience here on Earth, with one another. God left a lot up to us and we struggle with it because it is not supposed to be easy. Forgiveness would mean nothing if life was clear cut and easy. Forgiveness, Mercy, Grace, Love...these things would mean nothing. God's love would be a matter of rules to follow, of which we might as well kill ourselves should we defy. I choose to believe in a God that is beyond our understanding, more loving than we can ever imagine or sense or convey, more accepting and more inclusive than any of us (even Equality Riders!) will ever hope to be. ... See MoreI picture a perfect God. A PERFECT God.

Reference:

Matthew 19:8-12 (New International Version)
8Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."
10The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."
11Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage[a]because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."