by Arlos » Sat Mar 20, 2004 1:55 pm
Oh goody, Minidia is basing the anti-homosexual ranting on a prohibition given in Leviticus. Lets look at the Bible, shall we? Lets stick with the King James version, since that's been the standard reference version for a very long time, shall we? OK, sure, in Leviticus 18:22, it does indeed say "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." So, it would appear that if we are indeed going strictly by Leviticus, lesbian relationships are NOT covered, and are perfectly OK, it just talks about men screwing men being a big no-no. Remember, we're doing strict reading of the bible here, so no adding clauses or re-interpretations, you gotta go just on the words there, and nothing whatsoever about women-women is mentioned.
Now, lets go through more of Leviticus and see what else is forbidden, shall we?
Well, back when I was in high school and was having to go to Catholic Church (hey, Mindia, Catholics were the ORIGINAL christians. ALL protestant religions are descendants from Catholicism. What do you think "Protestant" comes from? Protesting against statuates of CATHOLIC religion. Martin Luther was a catholic at the time he nailed up his list on the church.), I put some money in the collection plate, thus "bringing an offering unto the LORD". Uh oh, Leviticus 1:2 says that if I want to make an offering, it has to be "of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock." Hrm. Do you think I'm damned for not following Leviticus in this instance? Should I have walked into mass with a cow, instead of 5 bucks? Please help instruct me here.
Uh oh, I just noticed another problem. A few days ago, I had a steak which had some fat on it, and I ate the fat. Oh, and I also recently had a french dip sandwich, with the au jus dip. Unfortunately, according to Leviticus 3:17, "It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood." And there I went eating both, eek! Actually, they bring up eating fat and/or blood a lot in leviticus, so it must be especially heinous. It's in there 4-5 times, so it must be MUCH worse than sleeping with another guy. So, Mindia, when should I expect the lightning bolt from on high to smote me down for daring to break such a inviolate commandment?
Hrm, reading through more Leviticus, I wonder if god favors butchers, cause there's a TON of clauses on which parts of an animal to cut up and give the priests. Lots of burning fat and kidneys, and which parts to give the priests, etc. Boy, yes, we sure do follow lots of these nowadays. Every church I go into is burning sheep kidneys on the altar, or at least all the TRULY holy ones do, right?
Uh oh, now I'm really in trouble, reading Leviticus 11. Leviticus 11:6 says "And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you." I've had rabbit before. Hrm. Now, Leviticus 11:7 says "And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you." Hrm, I guess those baby-back ribs I had the other night were terribly evil. Yoiks, now we have a TWIN prohibition! Leviticus 11:10 "And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you" and 11:12 "Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you." I've had shrimp and clam before. BOTH of those are an abominations, apparently just as bad as gay sex, another abomination! I must be doomed! DOOMED!
So, Mindia, ever slept in the same bed as a girlfriend who was having a period? You are UNCLEAN, as per Leviticus 15:19! Hrm, anyone ever had a shirt that was made partly of linen and partly of wool? That too is forbidden, as per Leviticus 19:19! Hrm, Anyone shaped their beard? That is FORBIDDEN by 19:27! Know anyone who's slept around on their spouse? Did you stone them to death? Why not, you were supposed to, as per Leviticus 20:10, why did you fail in your duty? Ever heard someone swear at "the LORD"? According to Leviticus 24:16 you're supposed to take them out and stone them. Why didn't you?
Ooooh, it says I can have slaves, as long as they're heathen, in Leviticus 25:44. Where do you think I might get some? Do you think the authorities might object to me buying slaves, even heathen ones? If they do, shouldn't they stop objecting once I show them that passage in leviticus? Do you own any, since you're allowed?
So hrm, that's an awful lot of Leviticus rules we're not following these days. What makes those non-followed statuates any different from the homosexuality statute? What gives YOU the right to decide which of those you will and won't follow? Why then do you pick that ONE restriction to try and enforce over all others, other than personal reasons? Aren't you being an awful christian for not following those other restrictions, since by your own statements following Leviticus is absolutely vital? Why should any of us listen to your pontificating and ranting when you're obviously cherry-picking statutes that you will and won't follow?
-Arlos