My editorial answer to a local homophobe:

[liberalitch]

This will NEVER make it into the local rag (Virginian-Pilot) so I'll post it here too!

On Sunday morning (July 16,2006) when I read the editorial by Leland D. Peterson of Norfolk regarding the Old Testament and gay marriage I was stunned. He wrote that he will support an anti-gay marriage amendment to the Virginia State Constitution, but that is not what stunned me as the language of intolerance is our new national tongue. What stunned me is the way in which he twisted the words in the Bible to meet his own needs and chastise Carl Hasen for his July 9 letter. His words made it sound as though intolerance brings us closer to God and that the Bible's (and Christ's) only concern was sodomy…. And not love.

Well, I went to Bible Gateway (http://www.biblegateway.com/) and did a little searching. I searched four different versions of the Bible. The beautiful, poetic King James, the New King James, The New International and the New American Standard versions. I searched two words: Love and sodomy (I had to switch to sodomites because apparently the word sodomy is NEVER used). In EACH AND EVERY VERSION love trumped intolerance (…and even sodomites).

In the King James and the New King James love gets between 442 and 494 uses. The references to love in the New International and New American Standard versions are even higher at 697 and 484 respectively. In the New American Standard sodomites gets one mention, but in the New International version sodomy (sodomites) get no mention.

Sodomy (actually sodomites) is referred to in a verse between two and four times in the King James and the New King James versions. It is in the New King James that I found the closest to what Dr. Peterson may have based his "interpretation" on. I Corinthians 6:9 reads: "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,…" This is the slim margin on which he bases his intolerance of others.

I kept reading, as Dr. Peterson should, and in Romans I found this: "So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? "(2:3-5 -New International Version). This sounds more like the Bible I've always read.

To Carl Hansen and his wife I refer to 1 Corinthians 13:1 when I say continue to speak with love, with the tongue of angels and ignore Dr. Peterson's "Clanging Gong".

I do not agree with Dr. Peterson who believes that Jesus came to add to the Old Testament not change it. The Messiah WAS a break with the past, when he came a NEW DAY had dawned and we must all follow him into the sunlight or remain in darkness.

[zbdent]

1. Why do the "Christians" (New Testamenters) always use the punishments

and intolerence of the Old Testament to contradict what they actually claim to be? (New Testamenters!)

I would think that they'd have to go to the New Testament to prove their bigotry ...

[liberalitch]

2. I'm guessing not really Christians.... which is why I...

imagine you used the """"

[zbdent]

7. I remember seeing plenty of copies of "The Good News Bible"

(in fact, I got mine in college from the dorm guy)

And it started out WITH THE NEW TESTAMENT ... so why are all the "Christians" (yes, that's why I used the quotes) so hung up on a few lines of the Old Testament? And not the rest?

[liberalitch]

13. They go back to where they're comfortable....

BUT as you know.... (Was it Mark or James) who spoke of bringing comfort to the afflicted and affliction to the comfortable.....
It may be time that the comfortable were afflicted.

[knitter4democracy]

3. Good one!

I always ask them if they want to bring back slavery, which is mentioned far more, even getting a whole epistle in the NT. They usually start stuttering then.

[liberalitch]

10. 'cuz the answer is really "yes"

[knitter4democracy]

16. Not the ones I've talked with

It makes them think, though. The Biblical case for slavery is much, much stronger than the one against homosexual behavior and/or marriage. Once you explain that it was Christians who started the abolition movement because of their understanding of the Second Greatest Commandment, the Beatitudes, and what we are to do for the least of these, then the light comes on. They don't always agree, but it does make them think.

[msongs]

4. "we must all follow him..." same thing was said about hitler

"...we must all follow him into the sunlight or remain in darkness."

or not.

Msongs

[liberalitch]

9. I'm just throwing a little fire and brimstone back....

I've actually studies Buddhism for years..... gave up on that whole monotheistic thing a LOOOOOONNNNNGGGGGG time ago.

[mrcheerful]

5. I respond to bible thumpers in just one way

Who are you following a prophet or Christ? It doesn't matter which old testament chapter they use, it comes down to who they are following, the teachings of Christ or the prophet from the old testament who the chruch decided to include in the bible.

[Touchdown]

6. Good letter, and no it won't get printed.

It's got too many facts in it. Too FACTY!:hi:

[liberalitch]

11. Like..... too many notes.

[misternormal]

8. How many times...

... have we all seen the self-righteous of the religious right throw fire and brimstone, and tell us all what sinners we are, and that we are destined for hell if we do not become more like them?

Just to turn around and be caught soliciting prostitutes, or in some cases be "sodomites" themselves?

No one, and I mean no one has the right, God given or otherwise to judge anyone else's actions, even IF one is actually a righteous person.

That's just my take on it.

[liberalitch]

12. The guy is apparently a little obcessed with the issue...

Registering his opposition to, well….. see for yourself:
http://www.catholic.net/RCC/Periodicals/Igpress/2001-01/letters.html

Here's his take on hunting with Uncle Dick:
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/letters/hunting/letter4.htm

[geniph]

14. The Old Testament-quoting fundies are kind of missing a point

According to Paul, Christ came to bring a new covenant, one which superseded the old covenant of the Jewish faith. The new covenant meant that Christians did not have to follow the rules of Leviticus; they did not have to keep kosher, they did not have to circumcise, etc. They only had to follow the teachings of Christ and believe in Christ as the Son of God and the savior of mankind.

And here's Christ's words, from the Gospels, on the subject of homosexuality:

...
...
...
<crickets chirping>
...
...
...

Not a word. Yet he preached many times on the evils of greed, selfishness, and covetousness. Why is it that the same people condemning homosexuality as "unChristian" are always, but ALWAYS, greedy, selfish, covetous people, accumulating personal wealth as fast as they possibly can rather than giving the very shirt on their back to the man without one?

[Pacifist Patriot]

15. Here is everything the Bible says about homosexuality...

...
...
...
<crickets chirping>
...
...
...

The word wasn't even coined until the 1890s. Same gender sexual relations is not the exact same thing as homosexuality. There was no understanding of homosexuality as a concept in the ancient world.

[liberalitch]

17. The version of the particular verse I quote.....

is from the NEW King James version

I Corinthians 6 reads: "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,…"

[Pacifist Patriot]

20. There is no Hebrew, Aramaic of ancient Greek word for homosexuality.

English translations that render a word "homosexual" or "homosexuality" in the Bible are mistranslations.

[liberalitch]

21. You are correct! That is why any reference to it in ANY....

Bible is a modern day insertion (ie: NEW King James Version) and NOT the REAL DEAL.

Throughout history the Bible has been twisted to meet the needs of the petty.

[Pacifist Patriot]

22. LOL! It's one of my pet peeves. Nails on a blackboard kind of thing.

Cheers!

[Swamp Rat]

18. EXCELLENT!!!

[Kurovski]

19. K&R.(nt)

[4_TN_TITANS]

23. Bring up some of the OTHER

old testament laws and ask if he adheres to those too or just the ones he selects. There are some bizarre rules that those people had to live by....