by Tim Bonney » Sat Apr 06, 2013 8:39 am
Sandy I appreciate your clarification. But I hope you will note that while Jesus most certainly accepts the inspiration of the Old Testament he often interprets it in a different way than it had been previously interpreted. So you still have to watch about pre-Jesus interpretations of the Old Testament sneaking their way into Christianity because they may not jive with how Jesus views the OT. We interpret the OT in light of the teachings of Jesus, we don't interpret Jesus through the OT.
If Luter didn't say what he was understood to have said than why did he retract it? Face it Sandy, he goofed. He agree with a right wing nut, maybe without thinking or maybe he really agrees with him, and then he got pressured and retracted an embarrassing statement. It is quite similar to recent gaffs by Republican candidates who ended up saying wild things about women and rape and then received pressure to recant.
I appreciate that you and I disagree on what the Bible says about homosexuality. You and I obviously disagree. I too have studied this issue for many years, read exigetical arguments, examined the meanings of the relevant words and phrases in the New Testament Greek, read commentaries etc.
I can appreciate your different opinion. What I can't understand is that if homosexuality is a sin as you believe it is that you, and may conservative Christians, raise this sin above all others as a "wake up call to Christians" or as causing death and destuction. My heavens why aren't you going after heterosexuals on the divorce rate or the rate of cohabitation?
If anything scares me about this country it isn't the possibility that my gay friends who have been in long term relationships for years might be able to get a legal marriage contract. (Which they can already do in Iowa and the state has not fallen into the abyss). What scares me is that so many people would rather protect their right to have WMD in their home under the guise of the second amendment than protect the lives of US citizenry.
We have a lot bigger problems in the country than people who love each other wanting a legal arrangement to share their lives, family, and assets.