If this story is true the church members are a bunch of evil psychos who should be prosecuted and the church closed.
![icon_anger :anger:](./images/smilies/icon_anger.gif)
Moderator: Moderators
Interpreting scriptures from the Christian Bible to determine God’s will regarding our modern concept of human sexuality appears to be a contentious business plagued by competing theological assertions, confirmation bias, unsupported assumptions, and indeterminable contexts. Scholars cannot even agree as to the number of times same-sex activity is referenced in the Bible or if issues pertaining to gender identity can be found at all. The irreconcilable confusion revealed by textual criticism alone should have been enough to discourage most reasonable people from asserting the reliability of any Biblical claim much less those specific to homosexuality or transgenderism.JehovahsWitness wrote: [Replying to post 3 by benchwarmer]
Homosexual activity is condemned in the bible and while someone may always have to struggle with such urges they can break free from a homosexual lifestyle and become Christians and still lead happy and productive lives. It happened in bible times and it happens today.
FURTHER READING Is Homosexuality Wrong?
https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/t ... ity-wrong/
What was actually said:JehovahsWitness wrote:Who are you to tell me or anyone else what I may claim and what I may not claim. Your not the boss of me and the last time I looked freedom of speech was a basic human right.Zzyzx wrote: ...and, above all, stop claiming knowledge of proposed supernatural entities
You are free to decide how you react to any claims you hear but if someone wants to claim to be the estranged son of Xerkraz the souvereign King of the planet Vlog, they are free to do so. As long as they don't incite to violence that's just part of this crazy world we live in.
BTW, those who claim knowledge in honorable debate are expected and required to provide substation if challenged.Zzyzx wrote: If concerned about happiness and productivity we should refrain from minding the personal business of others -- and avoid imposing religious beliefs on others -- and, above all, stop claiming knowledge of proposed supernatural entities
bluegreenearth wrote: Would you agree to engaging in a thorough and critical evaluation of every Biblical reference to homosexuality in order to determine if you have the only valid interpretation of them?
That implication was not intended. If you have already done this, then it should be no problem for you to demonstrate where you have the only valid interpretation.JehovahsWitness wrote:bluegreenearth wrote: Would you agree to engaging in a thorough and critical evaluation of every Biblical reference to homosexuality in order to determine if you have the only valid interpretation of them?
Are you implying that you don't think I have already done this?
I hold to the interpretation I believe to be accurate; "valid" is subject to ones values, ie what one person sees as "valid" what another might see otherwise. I would not speak in terms of "the only valid" interpretation, rather the reading/understanding that accurately reflects God's view as outlined in scripture.bluegreenearth wrote:
If you have already done this, then it should be no problem for you to demonstrate where you have the only valid interpretation.
Were Paul's references to "homosexual practices" alluding to temple prostitution?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 197#756197
Does the bible condemn homosexuality?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 130#979130
Does the God of the bible treat judge homosexuals unfairly?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 621#926621
Did David and Jonathan have a homosexual relationship?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 603#710603
Was Jesus secretly gay?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 477#768477
The arbiter of validity cannot be subjective or there would be no practical way to demonstrate a true proposition from a false proposition to other people. If the validity of a proposition is determined by your subjective opinion, then you could claim any proposition is true. We couldn't even use God's view because that would also be a subjective opinion. In any case, claiming to base validity on God's view renders the entire argument circular because it is God's view that we are attempting to determine. How can we determine if your interpretation of scripture accurately reflects God's view as outlined in scripture without presupposing knowledge of God's view?JehovahsWitness wrote:I hold to the interpretation I believe to be accurate; "valid" is subject to ones values, ie what one person sees as "valid" what another might see otherwise. I would not speak in terms of "the only valid" interpretation, rather the reading/understanding that accurately reflects God's view as outlined in scripture.bluegreenearth wrote:
If you have already done this, then it should be no problem for you to demonstrate where you have the only valid interpretation.
Moderator CommentJJ50 wrote: It is anti-gay bigots who the ones who are sick in the head.