Bible Question:
To all of you on this forum, My boyfriend and I have been trying to spread the good news of salvation, but we keep getting questions we can't answer. One very close friend whom we love very much just gave us this excerpt from our local newspaper. Can anyone help us provide some convincing answers? Dear Editor, Can Christians be any more clueless about the what the bible says? Sadly shallow are those who profess to believe the bible but have no idea of its many difficulties. For example, while it says that homosexuality is an abomination, it also says the penalty is death for anyone caught practicing homosexuality; (Lev 20:13). Although we witness many so-called Christians opposing homosexuality, we don't see any of them pushing its penalty of death, do we? Eating of pork and shell fish are also abominations; (Deut 14:3-10). How about the evil of rape? God says that a virgin who is raped must marry her rapist; (Deut 22:28-29). What about the holy day? The sabbath day is a memorial of creation, sanctified and hallowed by God. The bible calls for death to anyone failing to observe the sabbath commandment, (Ex 31:15) do not engage in work or personal pleasure. Why aren't bible believers following the rape rules, boycotting Bubba Gumps and Red Lobster or correctly keeping the sabbath day? From this same set of Mosaic Laws which the Ten Commandments are a part, killing is not allowed; (Deut 5:17). Bible believers say this is a moral law applicable to all of humanity, however they disagree with God when He commands the killing of a family member who tries to entice his family away from the Lord; (Deut 13:9). How about children born to unwed mothers? Do Christians realize not only are "bastards" barred from the assembly of the Lord because of their illegitimacy, their descendants as well unto ten generations are also barred; (Deut 23:2)? Do we see any rational thinking anti-homosexual Christians applying their discrimination and hatred to bastards? Do we see any ordinary Christian promoting a holy war against a dissenting family member? Do we see any level headed Christians believing everything that God has commanded? I ask bible believers, how do you justify your cherry picking practices? If you say it is God's word and believe one part, why won't you believe all of it? How can you trust any of it when you can't trust it all? The truth is human decency and compassion are what guide us in following the universal law of love. It comes from the heart, love for all and judge not anyone. Submitted for the prevention of intellectual rape, Solomon Smith. Help help, these are some important questions that we would like some help in answering our very close friend. Thank you, kamschoolgrad |
Bible Answer: Hello Kam, The answer to the overall questions revolve around separating out the 3 classes of memos given from the Eternal to Israel. There are the commandments (remember the Sabbath, for example), the judgments (death sentences, for example), and statutes (observe the Passover, for example). The fact that the Ten Commandments were written upon stone tablets give us a clue as to their importance, compared to everything else. Everything else is not written in stone. There is no incompatibility in applying the Ten Commandments to individuals, regardless of whether they are citizens of Israel or not. The passage referred to (Deuteronomy 5:17) is traditionally quoted as: "Thou shalt not kill". The word "kill" is from the Hebrew "ratsach", primarily rendered as "murder". This realization removes the supposed contradiction of people, particularly the children of Israel, killing people in wars and doing so with the blessing of God. Murder is generally the result of premeditation or personal vengeance. Killing in war is generally done for the purpose of national self-defense. The judgments were in effect when the children of Israel constituted a genuine theocracy. People in that period of time knew they would be executed for profaning the Sabbath or engaging in homosexual acts. There are no genuine theocracies in existence in today's world. Therefore there are no governments executing judgments with the blessing of God. Therefore much of the imperatives, other than the Ten Commandments, are discontinued. Just about anything that attached to the theocracy of Israel faded away when the temple curtain was ripped in half at the death of Christ, and later when the temple was destroyed. After all, no temple, no temple service, no priesthood, no sentencing, etc. Forbidding Israel to eat pork was a way of consecrating them (separating them). However, an individual today may choose to be consecrated and adopt healthy eating habits. One may choose to honor Christ in a New Testament version of the Passover. He is the Passover Lamb. Has he changed? Not really. He was considered slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). That divine sameness is not a static state but a dynamic state in which all things become new (Revelation 21:5). Take care. -Wily |