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There isn't the slightest doubt in my mind that the Bible finds homosexuality to be a highly immoral practice. However, when I am arguing with atheists or followers of other religions, especially over a political issues, it seems to be virtually impossible to quote the Bible in any way. If they don't believe in the Book, how can I use it in my argument?

Simply, you can't. If you can use the Bible to demand that society behave in a particular way; then the Koran may be used for exactly the same purpose. Please consider the following:

Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Simply stated, the bible holds no more, nor any less authority in the case of law than Wiccan, Buddist, Islamic, Satanic or any other religous practice. None, nada, zero, zip.

While the bible is God's word; and Christianity is the true way to salvation, we each are put on earth to make choices. Some of us will chose wisely and be rewarded for our decisions. Others will chose poorly and have eternity to consider the consequences of thier decisions. But, we all have these choices to make for ourselves.

>> Simply stated, the bible holds no more, nor any less authority in the case of law than Wiccan, Buddist, Islamic, Satanic or any other religous practice. None, nada, zero, zip.

While the bible is God's word; and Christianity is the true way to salvation, we each are put on earth to make choices. Some of us will chose wisely and be rewarded for our decisions. Others will chose poorly and have eternity to consider the consequences of thier decisions. But, we all have these choices to make for ourselves <<

While faith is necessary to accept the contents of the Bible as the word of God, its history and longevity is factual. Taken for its content on a non-religious basis, it is a collection of moralistic renditions that have survived as a basis for behavior and morality over a great period of time. Just as in nature where time is the anvil that natural selection uses to forge a stronger species, texts that survive the test of time gain validity on that basis alone.

I agree with Hodar - but, I would like to add something regarding what I think is a trojan horse to so many teens.

A debate would not have worked with me as a teen - and in fact, a debate is a kind of legitimization of the issue itself that it doesn't really merit. A Christ-based love from the heart is a love that is separate and unselfish. And very few Christians said to me then what I write below:

The "debate" is really about debating whether or not selfishness itself is legit. If you subscribe to the secular humanistic faith, then of course it is. But if you're Christian, all "debates" should be witness-based regarding the commands of Christ and our obedience to them. The "first and greatest" commandment is love God with all your heart, soul, strength. There is no room for debate as far as Christ is concerned.

First point: spending time with non-Christians "debating" a ruling in Mass. about marriage does not really serve the core of Christ's message. That core message is ""be separate" in your love, exclusive in your love to ME." Carving out that separateness requires we become unselfish. As a man who is married to a woman, I promise you, it is a great ground of practice indeed.

When I speak w/ teens today about this issue, I don't debate - I just make the following observation:

There is not a single study published by anyone reputable that shows any gay male couple that remain faithful to each other for more than a few weeks or months. On the contrary, all male gay relationships are essentially "open" relationships. Being holy is simply outside the gay mainstream experience.

The greek word for "holy" means to separate. Holy matrimony is a separate space - to practice being unselfish. Christ wants our spiritual attitudes to be married to him ONLY. It is this exclusivity clause that so infuriates secular humanists, and thus it is issues of sex that serve as the core "hot buttons" for debate to them.

If you are a gay man, knowing and understanding YOUR own desires is straightforward. Meeting them with another gay man is an extremely selfish road to take - for no effort is required to understand the base nature of the other man. I once mentioned this to a teen age liberal girl who thought I was nuts for saying this...and then I mentioned that abortion is the same thing. A selfish act, because bearing and raising a child requires distilled unselfishness.

If you are a straight man, marriage to a WOMAN is a mountain of extreme elevation. For crying out loud, how could a creature less like a man exist??

Thus, the genius of our Christ is revealed, He who created the mandate for monogamous, heterosexual marriage. We have to practice exclusivity with a creature completely unlike us - to get proficient at the giving of our unselfish love to HIM, per His commandment. And our kids get a big head start in life if they are fortunate enough to witness this.

From my point of view, gay marriage is strictly a trojan horse - there aren't that many gay people out there. The real issue is destroying "separateness", holiness, by getting polygamy legalized. Legal polygamy is the single best way to cloud the core message of the exclusive Christ.

Once that happens, institutionalization of secular humanism is permanent, that is, you drive out the SINGLE government sponsored trait of Christian faith: the accordance of legal privileges to persons who practice heterosexual, monogamous marriage. Then, we will REALLY become a nation of lawyers...

Hodar however is right: its like mandating prayer in schools. The government can't do that. But prayer itself won't happen unless individual, by individual, but within each of our marriages, we witness what Christ-based living is (and if it were easy, a lot more folks would be doing it, and doing it well - the fact gay marriage has arrived is a testimony unfortunately to poor results of so many of us in our own Christ-based living, me included).

As a teen, then your road is clear: spend time preparing yourself for that proving ground, that "holy" space. You'll need more than good debating skills to make it grow into the result Christ intended.

Then, your peers will someday not want to debate you - instead they'll ask you questions like "what is your secret to a happy marriage? You and your wife seem so close!"

That is the type of conversation Christ hopes to listen it on, and the type secular humanists most fervertently hope to prevent in your future.