Chick-fil-A and the simple solution to the Gay Marriage question:
Chick-fil-A isn't particularly interesting to me in terms of a (very successful) cooperate gimmick to stir up controversy and free press, but what is interesting to me is the reactions to their anti gay rights stance. There are those who simply find homosexuality to be gross, and don't want GLBTQ rights in America because of pure hate which is disgusting but at least I can recognize it as a sort of logic. What I am continually bewildered by is the lack of Christianity practiced by Christians who try to claim GLBTQ rights are against their religion, so maybe it's time to stop thumping your bible long enough to read it because you'll find you'll be in hell just as quick as any GLBTQ person.
First of all let's get it out there- In the old testament Leviticus 20:13 (and no where else) homosexuality is mentioned as a sin. “Do not lie with a man as you would with a woman” and it's even punishable by death. Okay- but what does Jesus say about GLBTQ? … nothing of course. Not a single mention in the entire new testament (perhaps because Jesus was a confirmed bachelor who spent his life traveling with 12 other “single” men?). Jokes aside Jesus did have a few things to say that you should keep in mind; first of all everyone is your neighbor (and remember- Love thy neighbor) especially the people who you might not want to consider your neighbors. Second of all let he who is without sin cast the first stone- and when we're talking strict biblical sin remember we are all sinners.
Back to Leviticus where we learned that homosexuality is a sin- if we are going to strictly enforce the biblical laws of Leviticus let's think this through for a minute. Right now the Christians who are using the bible to justify being anti homosexuality are playing a game of picking and choosing what laws are important. Leviticus has some more rules for you to follow:
Leviticus 19:27
Don't cut your hair or Shave
Leviticus 19:19
Don't wear clothes of more than one material
Leviticus 20:9
Anyone who curses their mother or father must be killed
Leviticus 20:18
If a man has sex with a woman during her period they must both be shunned by the community
Leviticus 21:17-18
People with flat noses, or who are blind or lame, cannot come to the alter of the lord
...or for a laugh
Deuteronomy 25:11-12
If two men are fighting and the wife of one o the men tries to help him by grabbing the other mans... genitals... you must cut off her hand.
There are many many many other old testament laws (most of which Christians are not clamoring to follow) that main stream Christianity has decided to let go of, so why die in a ditch over a single line chosen out of many and why go so far as to use that one sentence to try to curtail the rights of your biblical neighbors (whom you have a commandment to love)? When your neatly groomed (cut hair and shaved) priest tells you hell awaits homosexuals while wearing a cotton-wool blend stole (mixed materials) it's just arbitrary, mean, and unchristian. Jesus came to the people who were held in low societal regard- the detested minorities of the day- and to those who were called sinners. He was the prince of peace, the lord of love and preached acceptance and universal neighborliness, yet his followers are practicing the exact opposite on GLBTQ rights.
Now as promised I will simply solve the whole issue without any major problems. Marriage is a holy sacrament- it is religious, and we have a very important separation of church and state. The state cannot dictate how churches handle their holy sacraments... so gay marriage should not be legalized. Neither should marriage. The rights involved in present marriage should be conferred only by a civil union between consenting citizens (so no animals, or children ect). This would mean religious ceremony is completely up to each individual religion to determine without interference from the state, and it means that every citizen has the same rights and terminology under the law. Grandfather in the statuses of those who are already recognized as legally joined, and well isn't this easy? The only issue I can see is that cooperations are people, so they might start getting civil unions... wait is Chick-fil-A seeing anyone?
Chick-fil-A isn't particularly interesting to me in terms of a (very successful) cooperate gimmick to stir up controversy and free press, but what is interesting to me is the reactions to their anti gay rights stance. There are those who simply find homosexuality to be gross, and don't want GLBTQ rights in America because of pure hate which is disgusting but at least I can recognize it as a sort of logic. What I am continually bewildered by is the lack of Christianity practiced by Christians who try to claim GLBTQ rights are against their religion, so maybe it's time to stop thumping your bible long enough to read it because you'll find you'll be in hell just as quick as any GLBTQ person.
First of all let's get it out there- In the old testament Leviticus 20:13 (and no where else) homosexuality is mentioned as a sin. “Do not lie with a man as you would with a woman” and it's even punishable by death. Okay- but what does Jesus say about GLBTQ? … nothing of course. Not a single mention in the entire new testament (perhaps because Jesus was a confirmed bachelor who spent his life traveling with 12 other “single” men?). Jokes aside Jesus did have a few things to say that you should keep in mind; first of all everyone is your neighbor (and remember- Love thy neighbor) especially the people who you might not want to consider your neighbors. Second of all let he who is without sin cast the first stone- and when we're talking strict biblical sin remember we are all sinners.
Back to Leviticus where we learned that homosexuality is a sin- if we are going to strictly enforce the biblical laws of Leviticus let's think this through for a minute. Right now the Christians who are using the bible to justify being anti homosexuality are playing a game of picking and choosing what laws are important. Leviticus has some more rules for you to follow:
Leviticus 19:27
Don't cut your hair or Shave
Leviticus 19:19
Don't wear clothes of more than one material
Leviticus 20:9
Anyone who curses their mother or father must be killed
Leviticus 20:18
If a man has sex with a woman during her period they must both be shunned by the community
Leviticus 21:17-18
People with flat noses, or who are blind or lame, cannot come to the alter of the lord
...or for a laugh
Deuteronomy 25:11-12
If two men are fighting and the wife of one o the men tries to help him by grabbing the other mans... genitals... you must cut off her hand.
There are many many many other old testament laws (most of which Christians are not clamoring to follow) that main stream Christianity has decided to let go of, so why die in a ditch over a single line chosen out of many and why go so far as to use that one sentence to try to curtail the rights of your biblical neighbors (whom you have a commandment to love)? When your neatly groomed (cut hair and shaved) priest tells you hell awaits homosexuals while wearing a cotton-wool blend stole (mixed materials) it's just arbitrary, mean, and unchristian. Jesus came to the people who were held in low societal regard- the detested minorities of the day- and to those who were called sinners. He was the prince of peace, the lord of love and preached acceptance and universal neighborliness, yet his followers are practicing the exact opposite on GLBTQ rights.
Now as promised I will simply solve the whole issue without any major problems. Marriage is a holy sacrament- it is religious, and we have a very important separation of church and state. The state cannot dictate how churches handle their holy sacraments... so gay marriage should not be legalized. Neither should marriage. The rights involved in present marriage should be conferred only by a civil union between consenting citizens (so no animals, or children ect). This would mean religious ceremony is completely up to each individual religion to determine without interference from the state, and it means that every citizen has the same rights and terminology under the law. Grandfather in the statuses of those who are already recognized as legally joined, and well isn't this easy? The only issue I can see is that cooperations are people, so they might start getting civil unions... wait is Chick-fil-A seeing anyone?
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