From: haycock@marley.think.com (Anne Haycock)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Subject: Judgement (was Re: amendment 2)
Date: 9 Nov 92 09:52:49
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: marley.think.com
In-reply-to: "'s message of Sat, 7 Nov 1992 15:31:46 -0500

Ruth writes:

   Who do you think thought it out? That was highly insulting, Graham.
   *VERY* insulting, as in flamewar material.  The only quotes are the facts that
   the Bible condemns homosexual "realtions", and the command given that
   Christians are to love their neighbors no matter what.  You're pushing that
   one as far as it will give, ducks.  This is going to have to be my final
   word on the matter, because if you were in this room, I would most likely
   be hard pressed to resist slapping your face.  Of course, there's the odd
   chance you'd like it.....
   Would you like me to call you something nasty in return now?  To keep things
   going?  Christian-bashing is fun, isn't it?  Well?  About as fun as
   gay-bashing?

   >(Frank, you were wrong - I think we flushed one out...)
   In spades - accusations that a woman can't accept a religious docterine and
   have done so *after* questioning it....  Let's just put all the cards on the
   table and have done with it.  I believe what the Bible says - the whole
   thing, subject to interpretation.  I believe that the whole thing is the
   word of God, written basically as an instruction manual for how to know and
   follow the will of the Creator.

   Flame that, if you will.  It's a great way to prove how [in]tolerant of others'
   views you really are.  And yes, I really am angry, just in case you couldn't
   tell.

Apologies in advance for including the whole text, but I wouldn't want to
gratuitously edit to my own benefit...

Bottom line--the Gospel: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" and
"Thou shalt love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and
strength."  Christ, in Romans 12, commands us as Christians to spread the
gospel.  Where does He say He gives us the authority to judge? In fact, in
the parable of the woman at the well, He chastises the crowd, "Let those
among you who are without sin cast the first stone."  He admonishes them by
saying "Who are you to judge?"  Any Christian who can pass judgement on
another human being grossly oversteps his/her role as a child of God.  Can
you honestly tell me that the Christ you profess to love and who died for
you would turn his back on any one of His Children or help the Pharisees
create legislation to discriminate against them?  Not the Jesus Christ I
love and Who died for me.  The unmitigated gall of people to assume the
responsibility that belongs to Christ alone, on the Bema seat.  Thank God I
do not live my life trying to live up to the "ideals" of my "fellow"
Christians.  Yes, I agree with you, Ruth, that the Bible "is the word of
God, written basically as an instruction manual for how to know and follow
the will of the Creator", but I fundamentally challenge the inherent
assumption that we as fallible humans can understand the will of God for
anybody other than ourselves, individually.  To try and limit the infinite
nature of God through our own petty understandings is ridiculous; which is
why I agree with Graham (or was it Jim) regarding the hypocrisy inherent in
the fact that Christians are so supportive of restrictive legislation
regarding other human beings.  I repeat, "Who are *we* to judge?!"

//anne//
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