News-Record.com

"Let there be no mistake about it, there is clearly no “version” of God. One either totally accepts God, or one does not."

Thanks for putting rules on how people need to worship, Earl.

"A Christian is defined as a follower of Jesus Christ, as one who accepts the entire message that Jesus left for this world and not just selected portions of his message."

I am not a biblical scholar, but I don't recall Jesus ever speaking of homosexuality.

"To allege that gay people are also a genuine minority is to allege that God made a mistake in regards to a few mere mortals."

What makes you think it was a mistake? Maybe it was part of his master plan.

Haven't you heard, Earl...it's hip nowadays to have your own God. One that approves of virtually any activity...as long as you carry Him around in 'your heart'. (and squawk about how the rednecks who suffer from an endless list of phobias, refuse to see this as a 'civil rights' issue on the scale of the Emancipation Proclamation)

Most who say that the Bible is the Word Of God, never studied its origins, translations, and history. They choose to worship a book, a clear form of worshiping a graven image.

Many Christians are just that, they follow the teachings of Jesus and it makes them better people. If your chosen religion makes you a better person, I think God is happy. If you choose a form of religion that makes you hurt others, judge others, and just generally a hateful person, I think it makes God sad.

Marriage is an institution of Man, not God. If you take the Bible literally and read the Old Testament, for men any form of sex is A OK. Several wives, concubines, family members. Looks like to me that the Bible was written by men for men. Worship it if you will. I choose to love God and my fellow man.

NanP said:
"Looks like to me that the Bible was written by men for men."

Then you go on to say:

"Worship it if you will. I choose to love God and my fellow man."

Except of course when you're up on your feminista high horse, showing just how truly ignorant you are of the theology contained in the bible.

If I understand correctly, the Bible is some kind of book that supports the mythical patriarchal oppression? Priceless. Truly priceless.

neocon said:
" Haven't you heard, Earl...it's hip nowadays to have your own God. One that approves of virtually any activity...as long as you carry Him around in 'your heart'. "

Are you talking about homosexuals who feel God approves their lifestyle, or Southern Baptists who feel God favors invasions of other countries, "shocking and awing" civilians, torture, et al?

Thank "god" we have education and books, and people who think and read and understand the sources of bigotry and intolerance. Now the paper has a venue for the preachers to keep their sheep and a platform to hood wink the flock. Morality came long before Christianity, the trinity developed out of paganism, and yes the country was not founded on Christianity, but from those who feared the church and its’ preachers. I end with the best of “all national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit”, Thomas Paine.

i havent been around for a long time and was thinking the DemonDeacon aka the LiberalConservative would be here.

someone kindly clue me in to the whereabouts of the omniscient one?

He was starkly absent soon after he made a barrage of posts concerning Dan's anecdote about his one-time recreational use of cocaine in the '80s more than a month ago. He made a slight reappearance for a couple of days not too long after trumpeting a link to a video of 'Republicans' making statements that were essentially, "I'm voting Republican because I like for the country to suck."

Too my knowledge, he hasn't been heard from since. I sort of assumed that he was sulking quietly in the corner--not by choice, but because he had been put in time-out by the Powers That Be.

Kornbluth, of course I was talking about the barbaric Southern Baptists. Why would I address the subject of the lte?

Whatever will you libs find to fret and worry over if and when we are (a) successful in Iraq, or (b) the Messiah wins in Nov.?

It's gonna take some serious counseling to make some of you realize that it was impossible for one man to be at fault for everything from world hunger to bad weather to severe menstrual cycles.

rahrah, THE LIBERAL CANADIAN is in hiatus because he outed himself a couple of weeks ago with a lte explaining how much he hated "Giddy" Dole and had his real name published...John Graham, I believe.

Gaytony, Jesus never spoke about gay bashing. Does that make that behavior morally acceptable? Homosexuality is mention in several places in the Bible and it is always condemned.

NanP, your statement about any type of sexual activity by men mentioned in the Bible is just plain silly. The News & Record reports murders and rapes. Does that mean the N&R endorses murder and rape?

I was "different" and called "queer" long before I knew anything about relationships, much less sex. I got married to a woman and hurt a lot of people in the process, including myself. My translation of the Bible is correct for me, just as your translation is what is correct for you. Being married to a woman did not come natural to me, and you have no right to tell me who I can or cannot spend the rest of my life with; nor do you have the right to shove your beliefs down my throat and call me wrong just because I am different from you.

Earl,

Did you know the first sin mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible is hypocrisy and the punishment was death?

"Homosexuality is mention in several places in the Bible and it is always condemned."

References please, ecuman. Where specifically is the mention of the word homosexual?

BTW, you know full well the Bible mentions men "begetting" and "knowing" their daughters, sisters, cousins, aunts, all kinds of family members.

I am amazed by those that truly believe God gives a crap about any of this .. or for that matter anything mankind does.

... self-centered smug egocentrics ... lacking confidence in their own abilities, they create a God to be placed on their side .. as in "With God on our side ... then they create a list of God's "commandments" - the first five repeatedly stating "God is above all else" ... higher priority than killing which comes in as #6 ... not even the in the top five as the Bishop so wisely and so recently reminded us.

"According to the scriptures the following crimes were punishable by death.

1. Murder (Gen 9:6, Ex 21:12, Numb 35:16-21).

... whatever Murder means ..

2. Abuse of father or mother (Ex 21:15).

.. I would have killed my children many times over.

3. Adultery and fornication (Lev 20:10-12, Deut 22:22).

.. no comment

4. If two people have intercourse when one of them is engaged. (Deut 22:23-24).

... see above.

5. The daughter of a priest practicing prostitution (Lev 21:9).

So you kill the daughter but the John's are free to spend their cash? OK !! Maybe I'll make a snuf-film ...

6. Rape of someone who is engaged (Deut 22:25).

... but one can rape anyone else?

7. Having intercourse with animals (Ex 22:19).

.. never tried it.

8. Incest (Lev 20:11-12, 14, 19-21).

... so molest any child as long as it's not your own.

I always thought it was important to read the Bible with regard to the cultural and historical context it was written in....

Rockyfellah...count me in for 7 death sentences

Agreed, rahrah .. read the Bible with regard to the cultural and historical context it was written in....

... a bunch of crazed monks sitting in a room scribing "God's Story" as interpreted by of horny polygamous Bishops who held "evil was not in the sexual act itself, but rather in the emotions that typically accompany it".

I have this vision of handsome red hat wearers going over the short hand notes taken in earnest by dedicated scribes sitting next to Jesus as He was lecturing on the mount ... and debating if he said eight beatitudes .. or was it nine .. hmmm.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Bloch-SermonOnTheMount.jpg#file

http://www.fastfancydress.co.uk/FancyDressCostumes/Monksvicarsnuns.html

"Ego sane fateor, me non posse prohibere, si quis plures velit uxores ducere, nec repugnat sacris literis."

==

"On February 14, 1650, the parliament at Nürnberg decreed that .. every man was allowed to marry up to ten women. The men were admonished to behave honorably, provide for their wives properly, and prevent animosity among them."

http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/Rg/images/Ger_BMD_RefDoc_HandbookGermanResearch.pdf

JDR,

Thanks much for the humor and biblical referenced narrative. They gal at the other end of the leash got a chuckle too. As a descendant of a Huguenot master, I sure hope we do not have to paddle back across the big sea to escape persecution. I prefer to bite, than swim so far!

Yvonne:

Here are the references to homosexuality in the Bible. You can look them up yourself. Genesis 19:1-13; Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9.

Also, I NEVER claimed that the Bible doesn't mention the other sexual activities you cite. However, those activities are not ENDORSED in the Bible. Please read my posts and don't waste your time and mine knocking down straw men.

I dont think the Almighty had anything to say about 2 women together..because, like most men..He liked to watch. I have no qualms with a gold like that.

I dont think the Almighty had anything to say about 2 women together..like most men, He likes to watch.

Hey Molly .. if you don't know how to do it, I'll show you how to walk the dog.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=8512332&searchid=807c2f6c-de3b-412a-a683-203aae6a9ef1

ecuman:

Can you send us to the definitive record of those activities ENDORSED and not ENDORSED.

Thanks in advance.

==

Genesis 19:1-13

So you are to offer your virgin daughters to ban men rather than let the bad guys tey to have their way with angels? Like angels, under the protection of God cannont fend for themselves? JEEZE .. or more appopropriately: Jesus !

Leviticus 18

So God has to tell people not to schtup their own mother .. or sister ... or mother in law (but only because it would dishonor your father). My God are you people really that incapable of thought?

I'm scared to look further .. but to think folks know that stuff (4 specific places to look in the Bible) ..

"You are not your own; you were bought at a price."

The Socialist Slaves Momma Perdue is so afraid of.

It's not just the Southern Baptists who frown on extracurricular activity:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,386789,00.html

Be careful where you land if you do have to swim back across...

maybe ECU Man and Southern Baptists are Really MUSLIM .. OMG ... the secret's out!

JDR, finding out what God endorses or does not endorse in the Bible is a relatively simple task. You can look at the specific punishments prescribed by God. You can look out the consequences suffered by those who engaged in those activities. You can also look at other passages that may clarify the issue.

Time does allow me to deal with your "thoughful" interpretation of the passages I cited. I'd be happy to arrange a email correspondence to have a more thorough conversation.

JDR, finding out what God endorses or does not endorse in the Bible is a relatively simple task. You can look at the specific punishments prescribed by God. You can look out the consequences suffered by those who engaged in those activities. You can also look at other passages that may clarify the issue.

Time does allow me to deal with your "thoughful" interpretation of the passages I cited. I'd be happy to arrange a email correspondence to have a more thorough conversation.

Sorry to be so late getting in on this one...have enjoyed the comments. Seems to me that as individuals we can't choose "our version of God", we must choose the version of Earl. Is he the guy from TV??? My Name is Earl.

ECUman - thanks for your kind response. I confess to being unkind with you and therefore sincerely appreciate your reaching out.

I'll do some pergatory time for my beliefs .. and while I truely believe in the message of Jesus (do onto others type stuff) - it is beyond me to accept that several hundred years after His death folks are able to restore His exact words. It is beyond me to accept that several centuries after these writings .. and rewritings .. folks take so literally the words written down by mere men.

OK the written words were "guided by the hand of God" .. but they threw out entire Books - rearranging and rewritting, etc. - so either the hand of man was still involved or God was making mistakes. Since God is all knowing, I believe the former.

Ultimately I am an impossible sell, but if you want to try I promised reasoned and thoughtful discourse. Cybernalt@triad.rr.com

JDR, let's give it a shot. I'll email you later today. Please be patient, answers normally take longer to formulate that questions.

JDR, let's give it a shot. I'll email you later today. Please be patient, answers normally take longer to formulate that questions.

fine .. understand I'll be out of town for a week .. not reading e-mail .. starting this afternoon ..

JDR,

Please do not allow a debate to be off the blogg. Ecuman requested an email response. This is not about he and you, but about salvation and well as Marlon Brandon said the minute before he died “pooff! what was that all about?”. We welcome public discourse. Let it hang! the humor is better than late night, and the logic perfecto! And respect grows to the young man.