From: rbutera@owlnet.rice.edu (Robert John Butera)
Newsgroups: tx.politics,rice.politics
Subject: Re: Bible, Homosexuality, Translations, etc.
Date: 9 Sep 1992 19:20:07 GMT
Organization: Rice University

In article <BuBKuB.4qx@rice.edu> cathyf@is.rice.edu (Catherine Anne Foulston) writes:
>Why don't you tell the rest of us, then?  I've never claimed to be an
>expert.  I've read the Leviticus condemnation of homosexuality, but
>as has already been mentioned, most of the rules set forth in Leviticus
>are no longer followed (at least by Christians), so if you think that
>this one should, you will need to justify it by something more than
>saying "it's in the Bible."

Well, to "parrot" the fundamentalist line:  the OT consists of both
moral law and ceremonial law.  Through Christ,  Christians are not
"bound by the law" (see Acts) and its intricate lagalistic nature
(just read Deut. or Leviticus sometime).  The fundamentalists
consider the moral law as binding, and teh ceremonial law as that 
legalistic portion which we could never hope to fully adhere to on our
own.  IMHO, the fundamentalists are a little arbitrary as far as what
is moral law and what is ceremonial (but that's not the point of this
debate).

(Note: for definitional purposes, I'm describing a fundamentalist as
one who subscribes to the Chicago Statement on Inerrancy - which
basically says the the Bible is the word of God that came down from
God and is true in all matters unless there's a good reason (like
telling a story) to believe otherwise).

>
>As for Paul, I don't know what he said about it.  Tell us where and
>I'll look it up.

Romans, I believe.  Maybe 1 Corinthians as well.  I have it at home
...


>Here's a general question for you.  I suppose this has no bearing on
>the original subject here, which was what _the Bible_ says about
>homosexuality.  But it does relate to some other flamage that's gone
>by.  Do you think that a person can believe in the existence and
>teachings of Jesus, believe that following him is the one true way to
>salvation, and yet not believe that Paul, or some other prophet, was
>divinely inspired?  Who said Paul was divinely inspired?  Anyone I
                     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

A LOT hangs on how "divinely imspired" is defined.  The fundamentalit
position is that its the word of God inspired through various biblical
authors.  The liberal position is that it is the writing of man
seeking to define and explain his relationship with God.  Your
mileage may vary.

One's attitude towards divine inspiration and inerrancy shapes one's 
entire attitude towards Biblical interpretation.  I am not an
inerrantist, and am free to have the opinion that Paul was bound by
the cultural norms and prejudices of his time.  I don't think that
wonen should have to wear hats to church, I think they should have
short hair if they want to, and I think that homosecxuality is a
predominahtly biologically determined trait.  I'm a practicing
Christian regularly involved in worship, prayer, missions, and other
religious activities.

Jim Pritchett, on the other hand, would likely find some of my views
to be blasphemous. due completely to his different approach as to the
authority of scripture (and I have a feeling that Jim and I are
actually members of the same denomination, though its just a hunch).

What I'm getting at is that these debates are pointless, since the
underlying factor in all these discussions is one's biblical outlook,
a viewpoint that is quite firmly fixed in the minds of many people.

>can trust to know better than myself?  Anyone (besides Paul) who was
>there at the time?  What if I think Paul's teachings contradict those
>of Christ?  (Note that I didn't say whether I do think that.)  Can I
>not then be a Christian?

WWell Cathy, I agree with some of your questions, and think the answer
to your lats question is yes.  I'm sure others will say otherwise ...

>>-- 
>Cathy Foulston + Rice University + Network & Systems Support + cathyf@rice.edu
>Why throw stones even if your own house isn't glass?  Do you really want to
>wreck your friends' houses?  What if your enemy retaliates with a torch?
>And are you sure you don't even have a glass window somewhere?


-- 
Rob Butera - ECE grad student   Rice University, Houston, TX   rbutera@rice.edu

"Why should we subsidize intellectual curiosity?" - Ronald Reagan, 1980
"Why should we figure out how to fix your colon cancer?" - Me