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Originally Posted by sperry
I always wonder why so many "Christians" are against gay rights whereas a true follower of his teachings would embrace equality for gays the same way Jesus reached out to lepers and prostitutes who were the shunned people of his time.
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I don't really understand this statement. Are you saying that homosexuals are a shunned people? That might have been true years ago but, today society feels that if you don’t accept homosexuality, you are the one with the problem. Also, Christianity is a very broad term. There are thousands of groups who claim to be “Christian” yet they all believe something different and have a wide range of standards.
You also mentioned that Jesus reached out to prostitutes. You imply that by doing this he accepted a prostitute’s way of life. This is not true. Just because someone may currently be living a life of sin, does not mean that they can’t change and leave their former way of life. Rahab was a woman mentioned in the bible as being a prostitute that abandoned her former way of life and was forgiven because of her faith backed up by her actions.
I also don’t understand why you brought lepers into the equation. Leprosy was the most intense disease someone could have and it needed to be controlled so it didn’t spread. They were not shunned because of a lifestyle. It was Israel law that a person with leprosy be isolated so as not to infect others.
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Originally Posted by sperry
The whole WWJD crowd never seems to actually apply their motto to the situation.
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Are you talking about the Christian groups that accept homosexuality or those that reject it? I agree that hypocrisy abounds in most religions and that is the biggest reason most people are turned off from organized religion. Some churches have very lax standards because they want everyone’s money. As you stated, some Christians say one thing and do another but, the bible is pretty cut and dry on the matter.
(1 Corinthians 6:9) What! Do YOU not know that unrighteous persons will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men,
Going back to what you said about Jesus reaching out to prostitutes and lepers. Luke 8:1 says “…he went journeying from city to city and from village to village, preaching and declaring the good news of the kingdom of God.” He also gave this command to his disciples. (Matthew 28:19) “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations.” In that time period those people were viewed as sinners(prostitutes) and unclean(lepers) and were “shunned” by the religious leaders. Jesus was showing that all people (sinners included) could have a relationship with God if they changed their actions and lived according to godly standards. This holds true today. The bible is not a-la-cart. You are either living by God’s word or you are not.