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Wow how boring your are!(Ok I'm actually boring enough to actually have a copy of the Aus constitution in my house)
andy,
So many people on this debate raise points that I think need further thought/research (including myself) My guess (I have no facts to be honest) is that "if" gay orientaton is biological then it would be on a spectrum (like height, weight) not just a simple gay or not gay thing. Infact I think it likely that there are multiple axis to this whole thing. Gender orientation might be one, with hetreo ond homo at either ends and maybe bi in the middle, Libido levels might be another axis. If that were true it may well be that s gay/low libido person might well be able just pray it away. (Our minds can often overcome our bodily instincts)
I would suggest one other thing, love and acceptance is bit more nuanced to. To love someone does not always mean having to accept all that they do. If someone chooses to follow Jesus command to love your enemies, it does not follow that they should accept all the actions of their enemies.
Let me make it clear, IMHO the bible teaches that God loves gay people. I happen to believe that if there was only one gay person in the world Jesus would still have died for that person. As best as I can I attempt to treat the gays I work with, with respect and diginity they are entitled to as people for whom Jesus died.
This for me is not an easy topic. I believe that as best as I can read it and for reasons that I may not fully understand God does not approve of acts of gay coitus. (To use Sheldon Coopers phrase) I have read a number of explanations supportative of GLTBI practices from a biblical perspective but do not find them to tis point convincing. The thought that through my misinterpretation of the bible, I might be excluding from full fellowship someone whom Jesus accepts, does trouble me.
As for if I should attempt to ensure my views on gay marriage are represented by my governments laws that is for me a very complex discussion that I don't know if a forum of this nature is designed to deal well with. (it is very easy to misunderstand someone's posts etc and many people on this forum from my experience are very combative rather then collabrative, I porbably come across this way, it is the nature of short posts and being not personally present so that the full content of expression not just words are transferred )
If Julia Gillard was to legalise marriage for GBLTI people (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual and Intersexed for those who don't know) in Australia, what's the worst thing that could happen to our country?
Leviticus 18 says that God will wipe out non-Christian pagan nations that engage in certain things.
An interesting read.
So how much do we care about our nation anyway??
So also Leviticus 21.
in Christ,
Bob
Well this topic can't even be discussed properly on this forum
Since anyone who doesn't disagree with gay marriage is considered as a person who is promoting homosexuality.
I already got a warning for stating my honest opinion on here so I'll just have to stop now.
well feel free to start your own forums!i know andy,,,I am silenced on this forum ( interesting how a certain group of people are under the gag clause,....freedom of speech for everyone except:..you know who) ..Im with ya buddy..if we truly had freedom of speech ( which we do not on this forum) things would be better for discussing as long as there is a good moderator to stop getting it out of hand
Just like in the letters of the NT the problems at hand get emphasized. It doesn't mean greed is good. Nor does it mean one must spend equal time condemning all sins. If that's your standard, you must really hate the NT.i have no problem with the teaching at my church. it was not my church I was talking about. point is the church spends most of its effort and time making public statements against homosexuality. how often do we hear public statements against greed? I don't remember one christian group making public statements against John Howard when he told the lie about the children overboard. Considering so many christians actively promoted voting for howard because he was putting forth ideas that were closer to christian teachings than others were for the most part I beleive they have a responsibility to call him on it when he told lies. however next election christians were happy to vote for him despite proof being there that he had lied. So why such a big focus on one sin rather than other sins that are much more prevalent and frankly cause bigger problems?
As far as the law goes... you won't find me pointing to Caesar as the standard. What was pointed out is that there are and can be laws against greed, not that the laws are perfect.Except you were arguing that we do have laws against greed. i was just trying to point out there are plenty of situations where greed is perfectly acceptable as far as the law goes.
Did you watch Seinfield when it was on? Remember the last episode where they all get arrested for breaking the good samaritan law by failing to help someone in need. Well in Australia you don't have to help. you can be selfish about it. you can watch a person drown and do nothing about it and that is not illegal. So being selfish is written into our laws.
If you stand for truth in gay marriage... you won't vote for it. What you are saying is I am light, but my light shouldn't get rid of darkness. I hate to break it to you, but that is inherently what light does. Truth necessarily cannot uphold a lie. Its why God cannot lie (Heb 6:18). Its why people who uphold sinful acts will be punished (Matt 18:7 2 John 1:11).i have no problem with people standing for truth. That is different to forcing a belief on a person.
Incorrect. And my last post already showed that there is no necessity to your claim that if Jesus and another person shared the same description for an emotion that they are exactly the same. I will repost what I wrote verbatim... please respond to it:Well if we don't agree then you must believe that Jesus sinned. The bible made it very clear that Jesus lusted. So if you disagree with me then you believe lusting is a sin and since Jesus lusted he sinned and could not therefore be a suitable sacrifice. There is no way around that if you do not agree.
as for the whole active/passive thing i don't think we are understanding each other so I'm going to drop it.
Greed is a massive problem at hand yet it is not being emphasized so your statement makes no sense. No way in any kind of reality is homosexuality as big a problem as greed. So why the obsession with homosexuality. The reason is simple. it is a sin people can easily avoid so they feel good about themselves for speaking against it but don't have to confront the sin in their own lives.Just like in the letters of the NT the problems at hand get emphasized. It doesn't mean greed is good. Nor does it mean one must spend equal time condemning all sins. If that's your standard, you must really hate the NT.
except you are only imagining that. i have not said that. What I am calling for is for the church in general to be more consistant.As already stated, pointing to a fault and then justifying why one should commit another fault doesn't wash. Both faults should be popinted to. I have heard plenty of sermons about greed myself.
Once again I don't vote for or against any law. i have already agreed with choosing who you vote for wisely. Thats why I didn't vote for Howard after all his lies yet so many christians did sadly. Same as many christians didn't vote for John Hewson even though he was actually honest about what he would do and his opponent just rubbished him rather than releasing policies. Yet peolple still voted for Keating. Guess christians in general don't value honesty and integrity as much as I do.If you stand for truth in gay marriage... you won't vote for it. What you are saying is I am light, but my light shouldn't get rid of darkness. I hate to break it to you, but that is inherently what light does. Truth necessarily cannot uphold a lie. Its why God cannot lie (Heb 6:18). Its why people who uphold sinful acts will be punished (Matt 18:7 2 John 1:11).
Except I never said it was exactly the same. i pointed out what the difference is. Your response did not respond to mine the first time round so I don'tthink it is reasonable that you demnad I respond to a bit of your post. Especially when we disagree on a basic principle that determines viewpoints.Incorrect. And my last post already showed that there is no necessity to your claim that if Jesus and another person shared the same description for an emotion that they are exactly the same. I will repost what I wrote verbatim... please respond to it:
it doesn't matter where his lust came from it is still lusting. So if lusting is wrong without question he sinned. if lusting is neither right or wrong then Jesus didn't sin. it really is that simple.Jesus lust/desire doesn't come from the world's flesh, but God's. It is the same difference between before Eve stopped living by God's word and after when she looked at the tree with the serpent's words in mind. The tree didn't even look good for her to eat until she listened to the serpent (Gen 3:6). It would have never occurred to her to eat it, because she did not desire it. But after stopping living by God's word, it was desireable and so she ate.
3rdHeaven,
just in case you've forgotten this is AU/NZ subforum, I can't speak for NZ but I presume you are not familiar with the Australian consitution. "EVERYONE was entitled to the same civil rights set forth under the constitution." the Aus High Court (the Aus equivalent to the US Supreme court) has managed to fund a number of implied rights but we actualy don't have a "bill of rights" in our constitution and given how hard referenda are to pass in Aus we may never have one.(Ok I'm actually boring enough to actually have a copy of the Aus constitution in my house)
ok just answer this one thing though if you don't mind. Define beneficial and why you have that definition. See I think your definition is flawed. i have already provided good evidence that it should not be measured by the possibility of having children.
A comment on the studies saying a mother and father is best. Any studies I have come across that conclude that I have found to be flawed as in the studies they do not define a couple as a mother and father but rather just two people. it is only in the conclusion that they bring in biological mother and father. This is drawing a false conclusion.
3rdHeaven,
just in case you've forgotten this is AU/NZ subforum, I can't speak for NZ but I presume you are not familiar with the Australian consitution. "EVERYONE was entitled to the same civil rights set forth under the constitution." the Aus High Court (the Aus equivalent to the US Supreme court) has managed to fund a number of implied rights but we actualy don't have a "bill of rights" in our constitution and given how hard referenda are to pass in Aus we may never have one.(Ok I'm actually boring enough to actually have a copy of the Aus constitution in my house)
It's not right but it's also not a Christian's priority to try to change the world through legalism or to try to change morality by introducing laws.
A Christian speaks out about sin, because they have confronted sin in their lives. They have come to Jesus in repentance and He has removed the log from their eye, so they can address sin (Matt 7:5).Greed is a massive problem at hand yet it is not being emphasized so your statement makes no sense. No way in any kind of reality is homosexuality as big a problem as greed. So why the obsession with homosexuality. The reason is simple. it is a sin people can easily avoid so they feel good about themselves for speaking against it but don't have to confront the sin in their own lives.
except you are only imagining that. i have not said that. What I am calling for is for the church in general to be more consistant.
Sorry if I don't sound overjoyed that you have heard a sermon. it misses what I said. The church in general makes plenty of public statements and press releases against homosexuality. yet when talking about greed they keep it strictly in the church and lets face it most people in the church are believers. Why not keep the homosexuality talk in the church as well. Why do we give special attention to that.
Let's use the term "uphold" then. Do you uphold laws against homosexuality? Do you think they are good for society? Are you active in saying homosexuality is good for society or active in saying it is bad.Once again I don't vote for or against any law. i have already agreed with choosing who you vote for wisely. Thats why I didn't vote for Howard after all his lies yet so many christians did sadly. Same as many christians didn't vote for John Hewson even though he was actually honest about what he would do and his opponent just rubbished him rather than releasing policies. Yet peolple still voted for Keating. Guess christians in general don't value honesty and integrity as much as I do.
Except I never said it was exactly the same. i pointed out what the difference is. Your response did not respond to mine the first time round so I don'tthink it is reasonable that you demnad I respond to a bit of your post. Especially when we disagree on a basic principle that determines viewpoints.
[...]
it doesn't matter where his lust came from it is still lusting. So if lusting is wrong without question he sinned. if lusting is neither right or wrong then Jesus didn't sin. it really is that simple.
well, no one is going to die because it and no innocent children going to get hurt, that is for sure!
but it is agaisnt the scripture, and it is not ok for christians to support gay marriage.
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