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Chencheya · #15 [ ] 05-01-2008, 10:06 PM

I'll requote myself and bring up the argument I had last time we had a homosexuality debate.

Quote:

You know, I've often heard people quoting two particular verses that seem to be against gay people. These two verses, both of which appear in the book of Leviticus, are rightfully said so in the Bible.

"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination." (Leviticus 18:22)

"If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them." (Leviticus 20:13)

True that. It certainly says so, indeed. Still, let's look a little beyond that since Leviticus is the word of the day and that's all that one needs to say. Below, we'll take a look at other scripture verses that are in the exact same book (Leviticus) as the above verse. This exercise will prove that those people who are so enthusiastic about quoting the book of Leviticus to affirm their personal prejudice against people who are gay or lesbian, become awfully quiet when it comes to other verses that appear in the very same book. They choose the Christian Bible as the tool with which they attempt to affirm and legitimize that pre-existing prejudice.

"For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon him." (Leviticus 20:9)

Imagine what would happen today if we killed every child who was disrespectful to his parents. Yet I'm sure some people will attempt to explain this verse away, saying that it is part of the Old Levitical Holiness Code and, of course, not meant to be taken literally.

But the above verse is just a mere 3 verses before Leviticus 20:13, one of their favorite anti-gay scriptures which, of course, they do choose to apply literally.

It's just incredible, isn't it?

People who change their entire methodology of scriptural interpretation when it suits their purpose, even when dealing with verses that are a just couple of sentences away from each other!

"If a man lies with a woman during her sickness and uncovers her nakedness, he has discovered her flow, and she has uncovered the flow of her blood. Both of them shall be cut off from her people." (Leviticus 20:18)

Imagine what would happen today if we deported every man and woman from society who had ever had sex together while the woman was having her period. Yet I'm sure that people decline the opportunity to take this verse literally, which is merely only 5 verses after Leviticus 20:13.

"Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property." (Leviticus 25:44-45)

Did you ever wonder where racist, uneducated and ignorant people in the 19th century got the idea that slaves were mere property and not people? Directly from the above verse, which I'm sure that good Christians do not, of course, take literally.

"Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard." (Leviticus 19:27)

Golly, well I've never heard a Bible-believer preach against the evils of shaving, as they do not take this verse literally for our day and age. Of course, they most certainly would do so if they had a personal bias against shaving, but apparently, they do not.

"...and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you." (Leviticus 11:7)

As you can see, the book of Leviticus also prohibits the eating of pork (a swine is a pig, you see). Of course, I'm sure good Christians do not choose to use this verse to preach against eating pork. Sadly, however, they have no problem using and choosing bits of the Bible to condemn gay and lesbian people.

"...do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. Do not wear material woven of two kinds of material." (Leviticus 19:19)

Farmers (in most countries anyway) almost always grow more than one kind of crop in their fields. In fact, they often must do so for ecological reasons. Yet I'm sure good Christians do not apply this verse literally. If they were to preach against farmers, then there would be an uproar, and rightfully so.

Good Christians also seem to ignore the Biblical command to not wear clothes that have two different kinds of material. The shirts that many fundamentalists are often seen wearing must be a cotton/polyester blend, the most common in the United States of America. They may be "Bible believing" Christians, but this is yet another verse that they don't believe should be applied to today. Certainly not looking good now, is it?

An "abomination?"

Good Christians also like to use Leviticus 18:22 to justify their anti-homosexual prejudice. That verse says, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination." Perhaps you have heard some people refer to gay people as an "abomination." They get the idea directly from Leviticus 18:22. But did you know...

* The Bible also says that eating shrimp and lobster is an abomination?

"But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination to you." (Leviticus 11:10)

"They (shellfish) shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination." (Leviticus 11:11)

"Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales; that shall be an abomination to you." (Leviticus 11:12)

So, in conclusion . . .

The above exercise proves that some people selectively quote the Bible. They enthusiastically and openly embrace those parts of the Bible which affirm and justify their own personal, pre-existing prejudice against gay people, while declining to become as enthusiastic about verses like the ones listed above. After all, how many times have you heard somebody say that eating shellfish was an abomination? Bet they sure don't hesitate to preach it out about gay people, do they? What does that tell you about their faith and standards?

I've never, EVER heard a decent argument against homosexuality or same-sex marriage. The only argument I keep hearing is that God doesn't like it, and that's from the religious side. I hear nothing except personal dislike against it, and you know what? That is the ****tiest reason to want something banned. I mean, I don't like guinea pigs, loathe the little things actually, yet it would be idiotic of me to want people banned from keeping them as pets merely because of my personal bias. The same applys to homosexuality, it affects nobody but the people doing it themselves, so what right has somebody got to deny two consenting adults from having a relationship together? None, I think.

So religious peeps, religious gays, whatever. You don't have to have homosexual relationships if you don't want to, or because you think your god doesn't like it, but leave others to make that decision for themselves, especially if they don't share your faith. Let others be, aye?

And... I think America has no right to ban homosexuality/same-sex marriage, since it's not built on a Christian nation. I think I proved that when I pulled the Treaty Of Tripoli into a previous debate. The priests are the only ones who can decide if marrying gays is okay or not, since it's in their churches, but if they've progressed a little and feel like it's okay to marry off gays, well, isn't that nice for everyone involved?

P.S: I fail at quoting.