While working on the latest post for the Church of Jinnyosity, I came across this webpage. It reminded me that I’ve been meaning to write an post for a while about why I’m not a big fan of hard core Christianity. Now, please, do not get me wrong. I believe strongly that the word of Christ is truly important. But Christianity is about living a Christ-like life, and there are too many preachers who think that being Christ-like means wearing a Rolex, an expensive suit, and being on TV.

The above webpage is an excellent example of what is wrong with Protestant Christian Fundamentalism; it deals with how the Bible is selectively quoted, in this case, in reference to condemnation of homosexual behavior. If you take the Bible literally, you have to take it all literally. You can not select which parts of the Bible to take as fact, and which parts to chuck in the trash, or to soften with “What it means is…”

Leviticus is a great book of the Bible to investigate, because so much of the New Testament (thank you, Paul of Tarsus) sweeps it away. Yet it is the exact book that is quoted in reference to anti-homosexual behavior.

For example:

1) Male homosexuality is a capital offense (Leviticus 20:13). (Note that there is nothing wrong with lesbians)
2) Cussing out your parents is a capital offense. (Leviticus 20:9)
3) Have sex with a woman on her period and be forced to leave the country. (Leviticus 20:18)
4) Feel free to buy and sell slaves from the countries around you. (Leviticus 25:44-45)
5) Don’t cut your facial hair. (Leviticus 19:27)
6) Don’t eat pork! (Leviticus 11:7)
7) Do not plant more than one crop, and do not wear clothes consisting of more than one type of fabric. (Leviticus 19:19)

Now, you’re going to tell me that Paul of Tarsus and the groovy guys of the New Testament made 2-7 a-okay. But how is that? I see nowhere in the Bible where it says that homosexuality is still wrong while eating bacon, wearing a cotton-polyester blend shirt, and earning your “red wings” is okay now. There is Colossians 2:13-17, which says it’s okay to eat ham, and that because Jesus died on the cross you don’t have to do all the silly things on the sabbath, etc. But then, in Galatians, in not so plain language, it actually says that to follow the of the laws of the Old Testament is tantamount to denying that Christ died for your sins. Since Christ has died, all is well! And that means that if you believe in Jesus, then

YOU CAN’T GO AROUND QUOTING LEVITICUS AS A REASON TO HATE GAY MEN.

10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no man is justified before God by the law; for “He who through faith is righteous shall live”; 12 but the law does not rest on faith, for “He who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us–for it is written, “Cursed be every one who hangs on a tree.” 14 that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

In fact, to kill homosexuals, or have slaves, or not eat bacon, is bad! And it’s all right there in Bible!

Some of you might ask, well, then, what does the New Testament say about homosexuality? Honestly… virtually nothing. It does talk here and there (Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6:9) about pedastry, which involved forced male rape by heterosexuals and slave boy prostitutes. This has much more to do with pedophilia than with homosexuality. And pedastry and pedophilia are both of course bad– not because of the homosexual aspect, but because it involves unwilling or coerced participation in underage sexual acts.

So, to conclude, to all fundamental Christians everywhere:

Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.