Dealing with Christian bigotry against Homosexuality?

Question

"Who loves gay people more -- those of us who warn of the medical (and spiritual) perils of their lifestyle, or those people who enable such a medically dangerous lifestyle?"

Found this in response to an earlier question of mine that doesn't even mention homosexuality. Curiously enough, it seems to have come from email correspondence with another who preached the same argument (someone I found preaching in the Gay, Lesbian & Transgendered group).

I've spent nearly 30 years defending persecuted minorities, including gays. Seen Christians argue more openly about their beliefs. This business of 'worrying about their health' is a new tack obviously intended to obfuscate their true motivation: religious bigotry.

Considering this 'health' concern is based on inapplicable stereotypes invented to disguise religious zealotry and bigotry, what do you recommend as a response?

Everybody loves Chris: Beautiful! I've seen that before (from you, no doubt). If you've no objections I'll use it (with credit to you).

Thanks.

btw, I've placed this question in the Religions & Spirituality group, getting a whole different set of answers there ;-)

Michael: The United Church of Canada embraces gay marriage. I hope you found my question specific enough to not feel I'd painted all Christians with the same brush.
Some are, indeed, inclusive.

I must add, being Canadian, I was never so proud of my country than when we embraced homosexuality as a valid and valued loving relationship. I wish the rest of the world would get over their bigotry.

lavendergirl: "Bigot" - n. one obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his own church, party, belief or opinion.

The shoe fits...

Answer 1

use what i use, its nrly 100% and i never get a decent responce!...............................



Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law.
I have learned a great deal from you, and I try to share that knowledge
with as many people as I can.
I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other specific
Biblical laws and how to follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a
pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors.
They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in
Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price
for her?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her
period of menstrual uncleanness (Lev.15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell?
I have tried asking, but most women take offense. If I come into contact with
a woman who is menstruating and she doesn't tell me until afterwards, must I
kill her immediately or can I just beat her?

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female,
provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims
that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify?
Why can't I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2
clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill
him myself? Also, is Sabbath on Saturday as Seventh Day Adventists
(Christians, like us...or are they?) or is it on Sunday as Baptists and
some other faiths agree? I am beset by not knowing who to kill and when
to kill them...please clarify this for me.

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination
(Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality (Lev. 18:22).
I don't agree. I'm also confused about how homosexuality can be an abomination
when Jonathan and David were married in the Bible (1 Samuel 18:1, 3 - 4).
Here, I'll quote it - "And it came to pass, when he had made an end of
speaking unto Saul that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David
and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Then Jonathan and David made a
covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself
of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even
to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle." and also Ruth's relationship
with Naomi is suspect, (Ruth 1:16-17) "And Ruth said to Naomi, Entreat me not
to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest,
I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people,
and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried:
the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part three and me.
" Can you settle this?

g) Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a
defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my
vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around
their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19:27 and even
though 1st Cor. 11:4-6 says that it is a shame upon a man to have long hair.
How should they die?

i) I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me
unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves? Also, since it is
strictly forbidden to "eat neither fat nor blood" in Lev. 3:17 & Lev. 19:26,
does that mean that I must be a vegetarian and must I smite those who choose
to eat meat?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different
crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two
different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse
and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of
getting the whole town together to stone them (Lev.24:10-16)? Couldn't we just
burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep
with their in-laws (Lev. 20:14)?

k) I know that it is an abomination for a man to wear a woman's clothes or a
woman to wear a man's (Deut. 22:5), so does that mean that since my wife
borrowed my boxers once, she's going to hell?

l) An unbeliever sent me an email telling me that God is an ABORTIONIST? It
says, "In Num. 5:11-31, God commands a husband to get an abortion for his wife
if he suspects she has been impregnated by another man. A priest is to make her
drink a potion and tell her, "If any man other than your husband has had
intercourse with you, may the LORD make an example of you . . . by bringing
upon you miscarriage and untimely birth." To deliberately cause a miscarriage
is to perform an abortion. And who brings about this miscarriage? Who performs
this abortion? It is the LORD who does so. God is an abortionist. In Ex. 21:22-25,
God tells us what to do if a man who is fighting knocks against a pregnant woman.
If the woman dies, the principle of "life for life" is invoked and the man
responsible for her death must be killed. If she lives but has a miscarriage,
then the death of the fetus is to be compensated for by the payment of a fine,
as demanded by the woman's husband. Thus, God has revealed the status of the
unborn fetus: it is not an independent, full-fledged human life, whose
destruction amounts to murder. It is a thing owned by the woman's husband, a
thing whose loss, like that of any other thing, may be compensated for with
money." How can this be true?

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can
help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and
unchanging and also for the reassurance that the Bible is infallible.

Answer 2

It's sad to say that there really is no response that will get through to these types of people. They think what they want to think and no amount of evidence to the contrary will change their minds. I'm amused by the turn in tactics myself. The hell fire and brimstone approach doesn't work so now they're concerned for our health? Sorry, not buying it. When the can show me actual facts from the AMA, the CDC or WHO I'll listen. Until then, it's just bigotry in a warm fuzzy wrapper.

Answer 3

The hatred and arrogance of the bigots is disgusting, especially when they pretend to be showing concern and how they have "the answer" about "curing" gays. Intolerance and prejudice come in a wide variety of disguises! And it's all done in the excuse of doing the work of god.

The response posted by Everybody Loves Chris is perfect! Chris deserves "best answer" points !!

Answer 4

Truth is, I've read some of the "medical evidence" they talk about. If I believed it, I wouldn't want my friends to be gay either. I don't blame people for that, necessarily; I think they need to be educated that at least half the stuff they've been told is utter bull. That's my response.


RB, isn't it just a little bit trite to say "don't have sex before marriage; tsk tsk" to a group of people who are denied marriage?

Answer 5

I am a gay Christian, a proud member of the United Church of Christ, and active in my church.

I deplore that some Christian groups use any means they can to put us down, and what troubles me is that many young people who grew up in Christian traditions find themselves turning away from the church and from God, because they evidently believe some of these extremists!

As Christians, we follow the ways and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christ was always INCLUSIVE of minorities, and those who appeared to be at the fringe of society. He was not exclusive of anyone. He preached that we should love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. In fact, he repudiated the old hebrew purity codes and other laws, and said everything is new, there is a new Covenant, LOVE.

I fear that some GLBT people have internalized some of the hatred that comes from these right-wingers, believing that it is God's hatred. But God loves all his children and all he asks of you is love in return.

I urge gay LBGT persons not to abandon their faith, but rather to embrace God's love, and let it shine. Walk away from a community of faith that does not value your life, and find one that does. The Human Rights Campaign has a list of various denominational and faith traditions (Christian and other) and their position on the validation of gay and lesbian people I've posted a link below.

Answer 6

Well we are who we are and people are always going to find things that do not fit in their "norm" as wrong. I have been trying to teach people about self-focus and self-recognition. I tried teaching acceptance, but I think that the person needs to find themself before they can accept anyone else. There is a lot of hatred out there, but I think that there are more people who hate themselves. I don't know what the outcome will be, but I hope its a good one!

Answer 7

Their are plenty of ways to interpret the bible. People are busy interpreting it the way they want all the time. Just arm your self with the quotes you need. Find out how some pro-gay christians approach christianity. I think you will be surprised. It is never what you say it is how you say it. As long as you know what message you want to promote, you could twist the bible to get what ever message across you want.

Answer 8

I think that people are stretching the meaning of "bigotry". You're not a bigot if you disapprove of someone's lifestyle.

Answer 9

I love the people but hate the sin. I offer my views to those who listen, but leave it to them to decide.
Medically speaking, if people only had sex in marriage, then there wouldn't be STD's.

Answer 10

love the answer everybody will put it on my blog ...love it love it love it