Votes on Gay Rights Never Match Public Opinion.

[Iangould]

Well that does pose a conundrum. If not every single word in the Bible is true, that means either God is fallible or it was written solely by man without the influence of God. Personally I believe the latter to be true, but then I don't consider myself a Christian.

It's pretty simple: The Bible is perfect. Humans who've tried to interpret it are not. If something in the Bible contradicts physical laws (fro example) that just mans the previous human interpretation was wrong.

Not a Christian either and I hope that doesn't come off as too flippant or too cynical.

[USArmyParatrooper]

It's pretty simple: The Bible is perfect. Humans who've tried to interpret it are not. If something in the Bible contradicts physical laws (fro example) that just mans the previous human interpretation was wrong.

Not a Christian either and I hope that doesn't come off as too flippant or too cynical.

According to Christian doctrine the Bible was written for man. If the Bible is so easily misinterpreted then it really isn't perfect, is it?

[Kieran_Frost]

Well that does pose a conundrum. If not every single word in the Bible is true, that means either God is fallible or it was written solely by man without the influence of God. Personally I believe the latter to be true, but then I don't consider myself a Christian.

The Bible is NOT flawless. It it the word of God, written down by MAN, with MAN interpreting what God means (again, this leads to flaws). It is very much fallible. God is not. But God did not sit with pen and paper, writing out each chapter, nor did he dictate word for word. That was MAN. And man is flawed.

[Vibranium]

assuming there is a God in the first place

[Kieran_Frost]

assuming there is a God in the first place

Of course; but this was in reference to "how can you be gay AND Christian" which is entirely possible; if you believe the Bible is, in essence, a flawed vessel of God's word

[USArmyParatrooper]

The Bible is NOT flawless. It it the word of God, written down by MAN, with MAN interpreting what God means (again, this leads to flaws). It is very much fallible. God is not. But God did not sit with pen and paper, writing out each chapter, nor did he dictate word for word. That was MAN. And man is flawed.

If God wrote the Bible through man and the Bible is flawed, that would mean God is flawed. Should he not have been able to communicate perfectly with the chosen authors?

Think about it. You are essentially saying a perfect, omnipotent deity left behind a historic account of the universe, and a blueprint for living our lives that contains mistakes.

[Kieran_Frost]

If God wrote the Bible through man and the Bible is flawed, that would mean God is flawed. Should he not have been able to communicate perfectly with the chosen authors?
Think about it. You are essentially saying a perfect, omnipotent deity left behind a historic account of the universe, and a blueprint for living our lives that contains mistakes.

Ah, but I don't believe God wrote the Bible; I believe he imparted ideas; which man has (in some cases, such as homosexuality) changed/misinterpreted, take you pick. The same way "you need to except Jesus into you heart to get into heaven." BULLSH*T! God is not an idiot. An atheist who's led a giving, caring life won't get into heaven by a paedophile who accepts Jesus in his heart does? That's absurd. God is all loving. Why would an all loving being make rules shaming his own creations? God is not flawed, how man interprets his message is often a flawed message. God didn't write the Bible, he merely imparted the ideas. If that makes sense?

Bare in mind, I am religious, I believe in God but I put little value in the Bible, for that very reason. The Bible is the idea of God FOR IT'S TIME. I many ways it's now archaic in values and law.

[Shellhead]

If God wrote the Bible through man and the Bible is flawed, that would mean God is flawed. Should he not have been able to communicate perfectly with the chosen authors?

Think about it. You are essentially saying a perfect, omnipotent deity left behind a historic account of the universe, and a blueprint for living our lives that contains mistakes.

We don't even know if God is telling us the truth. We only have his word to go by. And we never even heard from the guy for a long time (if ever), while a whole bunch of other religions had their say.

[Michael P]

And then we get into the various possible definitions of "true".

[USArmyParatrooper]

Ah, but I don't believe God wrote the Bible; I believe he imparted ideas; which man has (in some cases, such as homosexuality) changed/misinterpreted, take you pick. The same way "you need to except Jesus into you heart to get into heaven." BULLSH*T! God is not an idiot. An atheist who's led a giving, caring life won't get into heaven by a paedophile who accepts Jesus in his heart does? That's absurd. God is all loving. Why would an all loving being make rules shaming his own creations? God is not flawed, how man interprets his message is often a flawed message. God didn't write the Bible, he merely imparted the ideas. If that makes sense?

Bare in mind, I am religious, I believe in God but I put little value in the Bible, for that very reason. The Bible is the idea of God FOR IT'S TIME. I many ways it's now archaic in values and law.

If your position is that God had no direct influence in the contents of the Bible, then why should you take any of it seriously? In that case it's just a collection of thoughts, ideas and opinions. Hell, I can get an endless supply of those through the Internet.

[Kieran_Frost]

If your position is that God had no direct influence in the contents of the Bible, then why should you take any of it seriously? In that case it's just a collection of thoughts, ideas and opinions. Hell, I can get an endless supply of those through the Internet.

Like Chinese whispers, the wording may change, but often the ideas can survive. Loving your neighbour basically means treat others well. Don't have affairs. Lead a good life, etc. All of these ideas a very much worth listening too, but ideas of slavery, women being inferior, homosexuality being a sin... all that is MAN'S interpretations/thoughts, not God's. God is all loving (and homosexuality was around long before the words of the Bible).

[USArmyParatrooper]

Like Chinese whispers, the wording may change, but often the ideas can survive. Loving your neighbour basically means treat others well. Don't have affairs. Lead a good life, etc. All of these ideas a very much worth listening too, but ideas of slavery, women being inferior, homosexuality being a sin... all that is MAN'S interpretations/thoughts, not God's. God is all loving (and homosexuality was around long before the words of the Bible).

That doesn't really answer the question. If the contents of the Bible are purely man-made with no direct influence or manipulation from God, then why should the Bible be taken any more seriously than other pieces of literature? There are tons of self-help books that contain great words of wisdom, but I'm not going to base my religion around any of them.

The Bible is supposed to answer many of the great questions and mysteries of the universe that will continue to baffle the world's greatest scientists and philosophers. And you're just going to accept this *man-made* publication to the point that you will base your religion around it?

[Matt Algren]

If God wrote the Bible through man and the Bible is flawed, that would mean God is flawed. Should he not have been able to communicate perfectly with the chosen authors?

Think about it. You are essentially saying a perfect, omnipotent deity left behind a historic account of the universe, and a blueprint for living our lives that contains mistakes.

Reverend Dr. Laurence Keene: "I have a soft spot in my heart for literalists because I used to be one. However, when someone says to me, 'This is what the Bible says,' my response to them is, 'No, that’s what the Bible reads.' It is the struggle to understand context and language and culture and custom that helps us to understand the meaning of what it is saying."

Archbishop Desmond Tutu: "The Bible is the word of God through the word of human beings, speaking in the idiom of their time. And the richness of the Bible comes from the fact that we don't take it as literally so, that it was dictated by God.”

[7thangel]

well, depending on which sect you are in, God also gave man (and women) free will, including the free will to distort.

anywho, about a possible way to get it in front of the supreme court, some are thinking it could be the repeal of DADT, i.e. a married military same sex couple facing discrimination in a specific state their stationed in. seeing how, much like the anti-choice laws, are getting more and more extreme, they're going to leave themselves open to more legal challenges (and not just for same sex marriage, but common law couples as well)

[Matt Algren]

Today's required viewing.



It's funny, and I want to gay marry the guy behind her, but I have heard many of her statements before.