Am I reading too much in this to say that it distills down as, "It is better to be a slave on a plantation, than a practicing homosexual," or is that misinterpreting?
There is only one truth. Most denominations understand them exactly the same way.
Then why not find ways to merge, and present a more united voice? Now, you have mainline Protestant denominations on the verge of schism over whether or not to ordain gay people, much less marry them to each other. In a hundred years, there will probably be 20,000 denominations. All because of a few differences.
You are throwing up smoke screens. What you are doing is transparent to me.
What I'm trying to say is this: Times have changed in the last two thousand years. The way that people lived at the time of Paul included slavery, women as property, and the need for people to procreate, unless they were the holy men. Most of us have gotten used to no slavery, and letting our women vote, and nearly all Christian denominations have allowed clergy to marry.
I grew up Catholic, left it as a teenager, rejoined it as an adult, and left it again after a divorce. I couldn't find a biblical reference to it in the site I Googled, but I did remember the words of a folk hymn,:
"Whatsoever you do, to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me"
Maybe that's why half of the Catholics polled by the Boston newspapers don't oppose the Court's decision, in spite of what their bishops say.
Am I reading too much in this to say that it distills down as, "It is better to be a slave on a plantation, than a practicing homosexual," or is that misinterpreting?
Your argument is specious.
"It is better to be a slave on a plantation, than a practicing homosexual gambler?" I would say no. Yet gambling is still immoral according to the Bible. Do you believe differently?
Many pro-homosexual soi-disant Christians like to use the fact that Jesus never spoke of homosexuality per se as being immoral. But he did speak on marriage. You can't deny that. And you can't misinterpret his words to mean homosexual marriage is acceptable.
I don't understand why people insist on remaining Christians while blatantly defying Christ's own tenets. It's a shame.