Why do people pick and choose parts of the Bible to enforce, expecially conserning homosexuality?

Question

So, to those of you who say homosexuality is a sin (according to Leviticus 18:22), here are some other things that are a sin, according to your bible...

Shaving (Leviticus 19:27)
Shrimp (Leviticus 11:10)
Tattoos (Leviticus 19:28)
Working on Saturday (Leviticus 19:30)
Polyester (Leviticus 19:19)
Bunnies (Leviticus 11:6)
Vegitable gardens (Leviticus 17:10)
Hamburger (Leviticus 19:19)

Why do you condemn homosexuality, but not these things? They are all abominations to the lord, according to the Bible. Is it unreasonable for me to not take anyone seriously who says "Being gay is a sin!" but who shaves, works on saturday, wears polyester, or has a pet bunny? Your thoughts?

Hey Don, why is one part of the Bible more truthfull than the other? Leviticus is a part of the Bible too, isn't it?

ac28, why is it any more of an abomination than the other things?

Oops, got the verses about hanburger and vegitable gardens switched. Just flp them around, people! :D

Answer 1

Christians will point out Romans as well and say that Jesus fulfilled away Leviticus, but that gayness is still bad because Paul said so.

But Jesus said divorce was wrong, yet people who divorce and remarry are welcome with open arms into church even though they are living a life of adultery from a Biblical perspective. Quite the double standard I'd say.

Adultery actually hurts innocent people, whereas gay sex doesn't. Which one is actually worse?

Answer 2

You already know some of the answers you're going to get. Jesus' coming established a new regime for His religion. Much of the rules of the law of Moses were done away with. There are references in the New Testament that talk about homosexuality. There is also a reference in the New Testament that explains that a Christian doesn't have to become a practicing Jew before he can become a good Christian. The thing is that some of what was given to Moses was for then and some was for always.
Granted, you can argue that Christians simply pick and choose, but they would argue that it's not them, it's God who decides what is sin and what isn't.
You know that's what you're going to end up with, right?

Answer 3

These are LAWS that the Israelites were supposed to live by. After Christ came, the Law was abolished. We are no longer supposed to WORK for our salvation because God did all the work for us. Besides, our best work is still just filthy rags to our Holy Father. Homosexuality is a sin just as adultry is, gossipping is, lying is, etc. If you choose to LIVE in that sin, then you are not a Christian. Christians will WANT to live a life pleasing to God...although it is not required. It is a desire of a Christian's heart. However, we fall short of this on a daily basis as a result of our fallen nature. That's why Christ died...so, we could be forgiven of our sins.

Sexually desiring the same gender is a sin, plain and simple. Just as a pedaphile desires children sexually. It is a sin - wickedness.

Romans 1:26-27: "For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error." In this passage Paul obviously takes it for granted that homosexual acts between men or women are wrong because such passion is unnatural and a form of lust rather than love.

Answer 4

I can already hear their answers - there are parts of the NT that say homosexuality is a sin too.....

There really is nothing unique about Christianity. Jesus was yet another preacher, of which there have been many; Christianity is just one of many religions that have come and gone; it will also disappear when its time has come. The only thing unusual about it is the remarkable amount of havoc -- cultural and environmental -- its adherents have been able to wreak all over the globe.

Answer 5

This is why there's so many denominations... they all pick and choose which parts of the bible they wish to follow, and the parts they don't follow are dismissed by some creative rationalization like:
"It's just old law that was thrown out when Jesus came/died."
(So does that include the 10 commandments?)

"It was mistranslated and doesn't really mean that. We know it really means THIS..."
(So what makes you think your interpretation of everything else is right? Language is pretty mutable, especially things written down thousands of years ago by largely unlearned people).

"You're just taking it out of context."
(Don't fool yourself, the bible is a book filled with an alarming amount of hate and conformity to a draconian system of belief. It's hard to take something out of context that speaks clearly about the abhorance of homosexuals and advocates their death).

Answer 6

There are three types of laws that the Bible talk about: Moral laws, ceremonial laws and common law.

Moral laws are the only Old Testament Laws that are still in affect after Jesus came.

Answer 7

i couldn't find the part about vegetable gardens but the rest of it was right there. thanks for the laugh. reminds me just how outdated that book really is.
oh, and pet bunnies are ok i think. it's eating them that's a sin!

Answer 8

People pick and choose parts of ANY sacred text to enforce what they want-it lends validation to their point of view. And they know that most people do not know how full of contradicitions ALL of these texts are.

Answer 9

Well said!
Most christians see thier religion as a salad bar. They take what they like and leave the rest. When someone points out what they left, they accuse them of "taking things out of context". How can we take it out of context? It's THIER rules that they are ignoring!
Honestly, I pity them...

Answer 10

I don't, I could care less.
Each person will face the ramifications for his or her own actions.