I think that it is disrespectful to others, and really not much different than Moslems, to declare that only what you believe has any value. I mean that is exactly why the Islamists tell us they are going to kill us and force the entire world to submit to their ideology! I am not saying that it is disrespectful to *believe* that you have the only true path – but to refuse to listen and learn from others is not only arrogance, it is deeply disrespectful. You should not be surprised that those who believe differently from you – do not respect you or your views – since you make it so clear that you don’t respect them. You can’t expect a double standard to apply where you are *assumed* to be right and others are *assumed* to be wrong. Just because you can point to words in a book to back you up will not be persuasive to most people. You need to teach through example – that’s what people really learn from.
I would encourage you to look within – for it is there that you will find Jesus and the kingdom of heaven. Reading a book is all fine and good – but it is not enough – especially when the validity of the book is in doubt. The bible is a book. It has some truly beautiful passages in it and it has some ugly ones as well.
I think where the fundamentalists hurt themselves on the issue of homosexuality is that they come across as a bunch of sinners pointing their fingers at other sinners - condemning and attacking them. If one looks at only the bible – there are two great commandments and there are 10 lesser commandments in which homosexuality is not even mentioned. So the fundamentalists elevate what they think of as the *sin* of homosexuality beyond where it is. Homosexuality lists with sins such as pride, malice, adultery etc.
My view, with those kind of things (pride, malice, adultery, homosexuality etc) is that if they are not against the law then it is not the business of government to interfere with them. Government should do only a limited number of things, imo, and do them well.
Because YOU so much as told us you are. Remember the post #153 and you used a link from Gay and Lesbian Adventists? Then Petronski told you to tend to your own church in post #186. Why didn't you correct him about that? Why haven't you corrected others that have assumed you are gay? I don't have any problems. You've defended homosexuality and said it wasn't an abomination since you first entered the discussion. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what your sexual orientation is.
No, I did no such thing. You assumed – which is an unloving and disrespectful thing to do. If you were to think for even 10 seconds – how could I be a member of a church called “Gay and Lesbian Adventists” if I am not a Christian? And I am not a Christian. That I linked to an article from them is not meaningful, I linked to a couple of bible passages as well. That doesn’t mean that I’m a bible thumper.
Most of Petronski’s posts to me I just ignored. They did not warrant a response. But more importantly, I am talking with YOU. I am not talking with Petronski. In fact, it seems to be just you and I here now. And YOU assumed rather than ask. That reflects poorly on you as does your response when confronted with it. Rather than take responsibility – you tried to pass the buck.
My prayer for you is that you look within and that you learn that we are never going to all agree but that we can listen to each other, learn from each other and respect each other.
Most of Petronski’s posts to me I just ignored. They did not warrant a response. But more importantly, I am talking with YOU. I am not talking with Petronski. In fact, it seems to be just you and I here now. And YOU assumed rather than ask. That reflects poorly on you as does your response when confronted with it. Rather than take responsibility – you tried to pass the buck.
Huh? I didn't try to pass the buck, I gave you the reasons why I thought that. Look, let's face facts. You have been here for days defending homosexuality, saying you don't believe what the Bible says about it, and now you want to play the injured party because someone assumed you're gay? How is it unloving and disrespectful to assume that about you since you think it's okay to be homosexual and have been a staunch defender of it?
I can't read your mind nor your relationship with Petronski since I'm fairly new here. How was I to know you just ignore his posts? Besides, you have used that Gay and Lesbian Adventist site in another thread. There are certainly plenty of secular gay sites you could use to beat up the Bible with, why do you keep choosing that one?