Yet the truth is, we never see this. There are no big Christian groups going after the people who eat shellfish without the slightest hint of shame. No religious sects are calling for the boycott of clothiers who mix fabrics. I watch as well-fed Christians go on and on about the destruction gay marriage is going to rain down upon America.... while they greedily chomp on pork in its varied fried forms. They don't go after these things because, even from their narrow perspective, that would appear.... looney.
I only seem to be able to perceive the Christian who condemns homosexuality in one of two ways. Either they give equal credence to the condemnation of mixed fabric, at which point I can't help but think of them as a bit looney - or they are simply grabbing a scripture to support a bigotry they already have... and leave mixed fabric alone because it is of no consequence to them. In this case, they are simply an asshole.
So, I am not finding room for middle ground. I know a lot of Christians who insist of their love for homosexuals and want to treat them kindly, but feel they still need to define homosexuality as sin. It sounds like a softer, more acceptable position.... and for a while, I tried to respect it... but I just can't. I don't buy it anymore. Because, again, you will not find that person taking that more metered view on any number of other abominations in the bible. They don't love the shellfish eater, but still feel the need to hold to the biblical truth of that person's sinfulness. You don't hear them trying to draw equivalencies like, "Yes, that person mixes fabric... but God hates my sin of gossip too... so we are all just sinners!"
No, you never hear statements like that because... well... the Christian knows they would sound completely moronic. Which just shows how cultural these things are. What Christianity has not yet grasped is that when they hold an anti-homosexual position, even when nuanced with as much grace as they can allow, it sounds to everyone else the way a biblically based anti-mixed-fabric person would sound to them.
A bit looney.
So, the choice is - take the whole "Word" and EVERYTHING that entails.... or, admit that you are selecting to separate certain verses because your religious culture directs you to do so.
But please stop acting like you have an acceptable, nuanced, middle ground because... like Jesus... that position just makes everyone else want to throw up.
3 comments:
I guess I would have justified it by the way Paul specifically mentions homosexuality but not any of the other abominations. But Paul is all over the place, too.
Well, Paul is all over the place as we know, because often it wasn't even Paul. :)
Pick and choose mentality irritates me to no end. But, you're right, they'll never see it until it hits them between the eyes........aka, "Mom (Dad), I'm gay."
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