From: JLOCK00@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU (Joseph L. Lockett)
Newsgroups: tx.politics,rice.politics
Subject: Re: Bible, Homosexuality, Translations, etc.
Date: 8 Sep 92 03:33:20 GMT
Organization: Rice University

In article <17hDr*sX0@caleb.UUCP>
jdp@caleb.UUCP (Jim Pritchett) vents:
 
>Only because you don't like what he wrote.  That is not a very solid foundation
>for you to build on.
 
You're right. I don't like what Paul wrote. Do you? And will you follow it?
I have specifically quoted, with references, rather strict portions of the
Old Testament and Epistles.  You claim I'm 'perverting' the Scriptures.
I beg pardon, but is it written somewhere which pieces of the Epistles we
are expected to believe and which we aren't?  Maybe I'm missing something...
 
>Wrong.  Jesus was NEVER open-minded.  He never said a single word about "mutual
>respect" or "tolerance."  He did say:
 
A surprise to me.  What ever happened to meek lambish loving-kindness?
 
>"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets:  I am not come to
>destroy, but to fulfill.  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,
>one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."
>Matthew 5:17-18
>
>Those are not the words of someone trying to repeal the Old Testament.
 
My friend, you have just hung yourself by your own rhetorical testicles.
Fine, I quoted exact 'jots and tittles', and you've claimed they're
'perversions'.  You are insulting your own Holy Book.  NOW who is
'perverted'?  What of the Leviticus I QUOTED, not made up.  What of the
Pauline Epistles?  Or maybe you don't read those parts in your daily rites?
Handy, isn't it, to have a selective memory?  Or maybe you just don't have
enough brain to hold the whole thing....
 
>Note that he did NOT say that His "philosophy" is the path to the Father.  He said
>that HE was the path to the Father!
 
Gosh, Jim, did anybody ever teach you about metaphor, way back in whatever
misbegotten low-brow education you received?  As far as I know, from having
been a Christian for many years, we are to follow Jesus' writings, or, by
way of METAPHOR (since he doesn't show up physically any more to lead Essene
campouts and barbeque ventures....) 'follow him'.  And if we follow his
writings, we are following his philosophy.  Sorry, your knee-jerk must have
gotten in the way of your seeing the screen....
 
>Jesus said this.  There is no "tolerance" here.  There is no "philosophy" here.
>Jesus said that he is the Son of God.  You either believe him, or you are already
>condemned.
 
Well, there is no philosophy where YOU are, that's for sure.  Now, how about
that self-same passage in John, Ch 8 we were arguing about, where Jesus meets
the adulteress.  He keeps the crowd from stoning her, then tells her to go
and sin no more.  Pardon me, but isn't that rather tolerant of him?  After
all, by Old Testament Law she should have been stoned to death.  Didn't you
say Jesus came to fulfill the Law, not to replace it?
 
>This is why some try to pervert the Bible as you do.  They hate the light it shines
>upon them.
 
Beg pardon, but my interpretation is a damn sight more illuminating than
yours.  I have quoted specific, relevant, actual passages from the Bible,
and you're attacking me on generalities.  Might make a good Baptist sermon,
but a woefully poor piece of rhetoric.
 
>> >You are deliberately lying when you claim that the Bible condones homosexuality.
>> >You already know it condemns it in no uncertain terms.  That is why you keep
>> >trying to fend off the obvious rebuttals before they happen.
 
I never said the Bible CONDONES homosexuality.  I merely said that I didn't
see satisfactory evidence that it CONDEMNS it.  As for fending off rebuttals
before they happen, isn't that a mark of good argument?  No wonder you don't
recognize it.
 
>> As my post to Mr. Troth demonstrated, I find significant flaws in the
>                                          ^^^^ - you mean "invent"
>> portions of the Bible he chose to exemplify divine homophobia.  Neither
 
Um, Mr. Pritchett, are you claiming I wrote the Bible?  I fed you actual
quotes.  I certainly didn't write the Bible -- I would have done a better
job.... :-)
 
>More nonsense.  The Bible clearly condemns homosexuality.  You simply don't like
>that fact.  Therefore, you make up excuses about it.                           t
 
All right, dammit.  WHERE does it condemn homosexuality?  Or tell us WHY
it is legitimate to believe only the relevant passages Jim Troth quoted
from Romans and Leviticus, and not the other passages I provided.  Give
us an argument, not this vapid, inane tripe.
 
Joseph L. Lockett
jlock00@ricevm1.rice.edu
 
Rice doesn't speak for me, nor I for Rice.  At least not here.... :-)
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