BTW: I believe it was our local Hindu taxi drivers at the airport who were refusing to ‘transport alcohol’. Not even a sealed and wrapped gift bottle! Some didn’t have trouble transporting the alcohol if it was already INSIDE the person…just those damn bottles! Alas, differences of interpretation aren’t unique to Christians.

2. the gay ‘rights’ movement?

I would say in exactly the same way that you treat Hindus. Obviously Hindus are worshiping false idols, but we spend exactly zero time trying to legislate that. And we believe that Hindus have the same rights under the government that we have.

Surely you would have to agree that idol worshipers are more offensive to God than gay Christians?

Your question does not trip me in the least, I will answer it happily. If you’re interested in having a tiny bit more insight into me (surely you must be, I’m fascinating 🙂 ), I just wrote a too long entry to Stephen Black over on the “OneNewsNow” thread.

I do not have to “imagine” for a “minute” that I am in those shoes…I wore them for 35 years. I believed I had it “right” also all those years, so the idea isn’t new or foreign to me. I was asked to pastor a church 8 years ago and turned it down, just to give you a little idea of where I was. I haven’t been around this site very long, but I am beginning to think I may be the odd man out here. I deconverted a year and a half ago, but my unbelief is the new thing, not the belief. But to your questions:

your question:

How SHOULD we respond to:

1. individuals who practice homosexual acts?

2. the gay ‘rights’ movement?

My answer: (as a person imagining I’m a believer)

By the Spirit.

your question:

What WOULD walking with God look like under such circumstances?

my answer:

I don’t know. If one were truly, literally “walking with God” vs. say, some code carved in stone, that would remain to be discovered on a moment to moment basis.

Forgive me for butting in, but assuming that all the passages must be interpreted as we read them without taking their context, the problem with translations, and the history into account, then you should:

1) Respond to those who practice homosexual acts in the same way you would treat any other sin. This doesn’t mean however, you should try to legislate your beliefs. You don’t tell a group of people who have different beliefs than you that they shouldn’t have the right to get married, or have any of the benefits that you enjoy, right? That’s a big difference for me. You wouldn’t do it with Buddhists or Hindus or Jews, so don’t do it with homosexuals.

2) Treat the gay rights movement as people you don’t agree with, but, again, don’t prevent them from having the same rights as you. You don’t have a right, just because you believe differently, to force, through politics, your beliefs on others.

I hope you will answer this question for me. It’s not meant to trip you up or be an affront. I really want to know what you think.

For one minute I’m going to ask yourself to put yourself in our shoes. (This will probably be very hard for you but I hope you will bear with me.)

Imagine for a just a minute that we’ve actually got it right.

1. The god of the Bible actually exists.

2. The biblical passages regarding homosexuality ARE meant to be taken literally. Homosexual sex acts are sinful and an abomination to Him.

I know it’s probably difficult for you to even imagine this, but let’s say for a minute all of the above is actually true.

How SHOULD we respond to:

1. individuals who practice homosexual acts?

2. the gay ‘rights’ movement?

What WOULD walking with God look like under such circumstances?

Wow..that is just flat wrong. How ridiculous to assert. Maybe pick up a copy of Biological Exuberance? That’s someplace to start to maybe act like he’s looked at some research. We know that homosexual behavior/mating/pairing exists across numerous species…

Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but I do believe that penguins that choose a male partner aren’t doing it because they have poor relations with their daddy. Many of the species (like insects, dragonflies) note homosexual behavior and function completely on instinct…

but I suppose instinct is not enough biology for some?

ugh…I’m a christian, and sometimes when others speak in the name of christianity, I just want to hide my head in embarassment.

Not only is that deniable, it’s downright ridiculous. We all know that there are children who are effiminate from the very youngest age. And I would go so far as to say that the vast majority of effiminate boys actually learn and affect behaviors to downplay their effiminacy.

Again you are speaking from a lack of knowledge. And again it is showing.

Okay, here’s Paul tip toeing…I find you way to attractive to risk getting into a scrap with you (is that to much for a family site?). The thing is Michael, I don’t really believe these people are actually following “God” as little children or adult children. I don’t question their sincerity, just the reality of them actually following “God,” even sometimes. What I do see is people, some smarter, some less so. Some more educated, some less so. People who employ their wits to try and convince others of their sincerely held beliefs. That’s just fine with me, so far the ground’s pretty level. When, however, someone claims that the creator of all humanity has sanctioned their words (e.e. “you’re going to burn in hell for all eternity because…etc., etc.” hey, you’ve heard all the lines), they just raised the bar, not me. We both know the damage being raised and living in such an atmosphere that can cause, were no longer talking harmless squabbles.

In the I Cor 6 passage, there are two words used. In the KJV, they are rendered “effeminate” and “abusers of themselves with mankind”; in the NIV, you see “male prostitutes” and “homosexual offenders”; in the ESV, the two are combined in the phrase “men who practice homosexuality.” Gagnon suggests they are the word for the submissive and dominant sexual roles. So those interpretations of the Greek into English should begin to shed light…

I think we all know an effeminate man when we see one — a man whose grooming and dress, speech, walk, mannerisms, etc., emulate that of a woman. It’s undeniable that [a significant percentage of] effeminate “gay” men learn and affect behaviors to signal their proclivities.

I believe that God considers it an affront to His creative power and authority when a man exchanges his masculine identity for an effeminate one (and likewise, when a woman exchanges her feminine identity for a masculine persona). There are clues in scripture about this: the warning not to dress like the opposite sex, the warning about a man wearing his hair like a woman’s, etc.

When we assume a nature or identity contrary to the one God created (“He created them male and female”), or when we employ the parts of our body for purposes contrary to their divine design or abuse/destroy our bodies, we are expressing grave disrespect to the Almighty Creator.

I wish it were that simple, Paul, but Children of God are just that — children. And as children, we are imperfect in our “follow-the-leader” skills. We sometimes squabble with each other and lose sight of the path. And it’s been that way since the Church was born.