I know I've been on a big biblical kick in the last few posts, and I'm sure whoever is reading this is getting tired of it. So go ahead and let out your collective groans now, because here's one more. But it's the last one, and then I'm going to move onto other things.
Really, I just want to explain why I've been putting so much focus on this topic. As I said in an earlier post, I'm pagan, so you'd think that I would just let the christians do their thing and leave it at that. But when I see how so many of them take what is, in reality, a very good book with some very good lessons and pervert it, I can't just sit by and watch. And that's precisely what's happened. Over the centuries since the bible was first written, it has been translated, re-translated, interpreted and re-interpreted like crazy. Many of those efforts were simply done to allow people who couldn't read the original to be able to study it. Others were done at the behest of corrupt men, mainly religious figures or monarchs in order to ensure that it said what they wanted it to say. Sadly, much of what was tweaked and manipulated stuck around.
Why would someone do that you ask? Control. They recognize that people respect the bible and its teachings, and take its lessons to heart. So if you can control what those people read, you can control how they live. Especially in societies where most people didn't know how to read, you could get away with saying anything. Look at the Catholic church. To this day it still does everything in Latin. How many of us actually know or understand old Latin?
The thing that makes it so much worse though, is you have people today, people who are intelligent and can read and write who still look through the bible for the sole purpose of finding ways to control the people around them. They look for specific rules to guilt people into doing what they say, or they twist the meanings of what's written into something completely opposite the teachings that they're supposed to be basing a good life on. I won't blame the followers, except to say that maybe they should do their own reading for a while. Who I blame are the manipulators. The misrepresentors. The outright liars. The folks who intentionally twist the hearts and minds of people who are simply looking for a better existence than the one they have. Whether they do it for personal wealth, to legitimize their own hate and bigotry, or worst still, because they truly believe that the bible is as hateful as they make out to be, it saddens me to see something that was written to be inherently good twisted into a device for deriving personal power.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Lesbians of the World, Rejoice!
After writing my little rant yesterday on the way certain individuals enjoy taking snippits from the book of Leviticus in order to legitimize their bigotry and tell us how to live our lives, I did a little more reading. Leviticus chapter 18 is all about sexual relations and immorality. It's where you can find the famous passage denouncing homosexuality. But if you read the actual text, you'll notice that it was very specific on just who it was talking about. Don't know what I'm talking about? I'll show you.
Leviticus 18:22: “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.
See it yet? It says do not have sex with a MAN as one does with a woman. The person that wrote this was very obviously writing this law with men in mind. With that said, there is absolutely nothing wrong, per Leviticus, with women having sex with women.
I suppose this has a lot to do with the fact that, in that time period, it was normal for a man to have more than one wife. And since there's no law precluding a man having sex with more than one wife at a time (trust me, I looked), it wouldn't make sense to make it wrong for two women to have sex together. After all, what fun is a woman-man-woman threesome if the ladies can't play too?
And for those of you who would try to make the argument that the word "man" in that sentence meant "mankind", try re-reading that sentence. It is very obviously gender specific. If you still don't believe me, here's another law from the same chapter of Leviticus that pretty much proves that everything in there is gender specific.
Leviticus 18:23: “‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.
Here, the author was very specific by differentiating between a man and a woman. So with all that, it's fairly obvious that the law about homosexuality applies only to men. Which means, dear bigots, that if you're trying to shame gays and lesbians out of being what they are, you have failed.
Sadly, there was another omission in Leviticus that, frankly, disturbs me. While there are plenty of laws forbidding the act of sex with children within your family, be they blood or step children, there is nothing specifically prohibiting the act of sex with very youngchildren. While I understand that, at the time, many of the people were married and having children even into their early teens, there is still nothing in those laws that specifically prohibits having sex with very young children.
What's the point of all this study on Leviticus? The point, my friends, is that a person can't simply choose one or two laws from a portion of the bible, wave them in your face and say "See? See? The thing I detest is wrong according to the bible, so you can't do it!" and forget the rest even exist. And even if they did try to apply the whole of those laws to everyone, it's the height of hypocrisy for them to not apply those same laws to their own lives.
So for a person to insist on living per the laws set down in Leviticus, they would have to a) accept that there is no law forbidding lesbianism, and b) no law forbidding the act of sex with young children. If you don't believe it, look for yourself. Personally, I think it would be better if you just read my previous post, or better yet, the rest of your bible, and took those lessons to heart instead of desperately digging through scripture in an attempt to legitimize you bigotry.
Leviticus 18:22: “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.
See it yet? It says do not have sex with a MAN as one does with a woman. The person that wrote this was very obviously writing this law with men in mind. With that said, there is absolutely nothing wrong, per Leviticus, with women having sex with women.
I suppose this has a lot to do with the fact that, in that time period, it was normal for a man to have more than one wife. And since there's no law precluding a man having sex with more than one wife at a time (trust me, I looked), it wouldn't make sense to make it wrong for two women to have sex together. After all, what fun is a woman-man-woman threesome if the ladies can't play too?
And for those of you who would try to make the argument that the word "man" in that sentence meant "mankind", try re-reading that sentence. It is very obviously gender specific. If you still don't believe me, here's another law from the same chapter of Leviticus that pretty much proves that everything in there is gender specific.
Leviticus 18:23: “‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.
Here, the author was very specific by differentiating between a man and a woman. So with all that, it's fairly obvious that the law about homosexuality applies only to men. Which means, dear bigots, that if you're trying to shame gays and lesbians out of being what they are, you have failed.
Sadly, there was another omission in Leviticus that, frankly, disturbs me. While there are plenty of laws forbidding the act of sex with children within your family, be they blood or step children, there is nothing specifically prohibiting the act of sex with very youngchildren. While I understand that, at the time, many of the people were married and having children even into their early teens, there is still nothing in those laws that specifically prohibits having sex with very young children.
What's the point of all this study on Leviticus? The point, my friends, is that a person can't simply choose one or two laws from a portion of the bible, wave them in your face and say "See? See? The thing I detest is wrong according to the bible, so you can't do it!" and forget the rest even exist. And even if they did try to apply the whole of those laws to everyone, it's the height of hypocrisy for them to not apply those same laws to their own lives.
So for a person to insist on living per the laws set down in Leviticus, they would have to a) accept that there is no law forbidding lesbianism, and b) no law forbidding the act of sex with young children. If you don't believe it, look for yourself. Personally, I think it would be better if you just read my previous post, or better yet, the rest of your bible, and took those lessons to heart instead of desperately digging through scripture in an attempt to legitimize you bigotry.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
The Holy Bible (pronounced bib-lee)
Seems to me a lot of people lately have been digging deep into the bowels of the book of Leviticus to show us heathens that we truly are doing bad things. For the longest time, they've pointed at a passage that speaks against homosexual relationships (Leviticus 18:22). Now, someone has taken to posting about a new rule in Leviticus. Leviticus 19:28 says "do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves, I am LORD". So I guess the person who brought this up, and all those who have reposted really don't like tattoos. Go figure. Someone that doesn't like tattoos. I suppose there are still a few left. To them I say, if you don't like them, don't get them. Also, how's it going living your life according to the book of Leviticus?
That's the kicker, isn't it? Leviticus is a huge book with all the old testament laws about sacrifices, who you can and can't have sex with, and all sorts of other stuff. And yet, the only things that people take from Leviticus are the rules that would tell those of us who don't live in the ancient middle east how to live our lives. They don't read through the book and say "gee. I haven't been preparing my sacrifices properly (Leviticus 22)" or "wow, I really need to stop wearing clothes made of two different materials (Leviticus 19:19)". In fact, they never once apply those laws passed down from the angels to the prophets to their own life. They see them only as a means to attempt to force us terrible unwashed heathens into their narrow view of the world.
I have a suggestion for these "good Christians". How about you read the rest of your bible? In particular, there's a book called Hebrews that has specific bearing on this whole matter. Shall I help you find your way? Alright. Here you go.
Hebrews 1:1-4: In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs
Here we see that God is saying Jesus is above the angels who talked to the prophets of old, and therefore, his word supercedes that of the prophets in every way.
Hebrews 8: 7-13:
7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8 But God found fault with the people and said[b]:
“The days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
9 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they did not remain faithful to my covenant,
and I turned away from them,
declares the Lord.
10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
11 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”[c]
13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.
Here we can easily see that God has told the people that, because the people of the old testament couldn't seem to get their act together, he would give them another chance, a new promise. And this promise, this covenant would override the old, along with the laws which the people of Israel just couldn't seem to follow.
There's quite a bit more in there regarding the mechanics of the whole thing, explaining the how and why of the transfer from the old ways to the new. I highly recommend that all those folks who enjoy pointing out a passage or two from Leviticus, and yet who don't even come close to living by its tenets, take a look at the entire text. And if you can't be bothered to do that, you might as well just shut the hell up, stop going to church, and stop calling yourself a christian, because you damn sure aren't doing what you were told to do.
Oh... and just so you folks understand... I'm a PAGAN. I'm not a christian, I don't go to church. I celebrate the turning of the seasons and follow gods you don't know or understand. And yet here I am, quoting scripture to those of you who are supposed to know it better than I. Personally, I think I have a better grasp on what it was that your God and Jesus were trying to tell you all those years than most of you do.
For those few who truly do embody the spirit you profess, thank you. Especially you, Pastor Schroer. I only knew you for a while, but you showed me that not all professed christians are closed minded, closed hearted hypocrites, who speak about living life one way, while doing the exact opposite. Thank you for teaching me the best way to catch a counterfeit and a liar is to study the original item as closely as possible so you can point out the fakes for all to see.
That's the kicker, isn't it? Leviticus is a huge book with all the old testament laws about sacrifices, who you can and can't have sex with, and all sorts of other stuff. And yet, the only things that people take from Leviticus are the rules that would tell those of us who don't live in the ancient middle east how to live our lives. They don't read through the book and say "gee. I haven't been preparing my sacrifices properly (Leviticus 22)" or "wow, I really need to stop wearing clothes made of two different materials (Leviticus 19:19)". In fact, they never once apply those laws passed down from the angels to the prophets to their own life. They see them only as a means to attempt to force us terrible unwashed heathens into their narrow view of the world.
I have a suggestion for these "good Christians". How about you read the rest of your bible? In particular, there's a book called Hebrews that has specific bearing on this whole matter. Shall I help you find your way? Alright. Here you go.
Hebrews 1:1-4: In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs
Here we see that God is saying Jesus is above the angels who talked to the prophets of old, and therefore, his word supercedes that of the prophets in every way.
Hebrews 8: 7-13:
7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8 But God found fault with the people and said[b]:
“The days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
9 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they did not remain faithful to my covenant,
and I turned away from them,
declares the Lord.
10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
11 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”[c]
13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.
Here we can easily see that God has told the people that, because the people of the old testament couldn't seem to get their act together, he would give them another chance, a new promise. And this promise, this covenant would override the old, along with the laws which the people of Israel just couldn't seem to follow.
There's quite a bit more in there regarding the mechanics of the whole thing, explaining the how and why of the transfer from the old ways to the new. I highly recommend that all those folks who enjoy pointing out a passage or two from Leviticus, and yet who don't even come close to living by its tenets, take a look at the entire text. And if you can't be bothered to do that, you might as well just shut the hell up, stop going to church, and stop calling yourself a christian, because you damn sure aren't doing what you were told to do.
Oh... and just so you folks understand... I'm a PAGAN. I'm not a christian, I don't go to church. I celebrate the turning of the seasons and follow gods you don't know or understand. And yet here I am, quoting scripture to those of you who are supposed to know it better than I. Personally, I think I have a better grasp on what it was that your God and Jesus were trying to tell you all those years than most of you do.
For those few who truly do embody the spirit you profess, thank you. Especially you, Pastor Schroer. I only knew you for a while, but you showed me that not all professed christians are closed minded, closed hearted hypocrites, who speak about living life one way, while doing the exact opposite. Thank you for teaching me the best way to catch a counterfeit and a liar is to study the original item as closely as possible so you can point out the fakes for all to see.
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