In which I no doubt am preaching to the converted

[conuly]

I'm not a Biblical scholar. I don't even know that much about Christianity. I do, however, have a vague idea that somewhere in the New Testament Jesus says "the most important rule is that you love each other". I can think of several quotes which follow that theme of loving one another. Unfortunately, I can't cite chapter and verse.

I *can*, however, tell you where the most commonly quoted verse in the Bible comes from. And it's not the New Testament. Yes, it's that one that may or may not mean that God Hates Gays (thank you, crazy person!), and it's right by the verses that say God Hates Shrimp and God Hates Mixed Fabrics. Nobody worries about those, I guess.

Now, here's a problem. Either God is a hypocrite, or somebody is mistaken about what God really cares about. Or maybe God changed his mind. That's possible, isn't it? Well, if God can change his mind, wouldn't it be more reasonable to follow his more recent (not to mention explicit) commandments instead of the older, vaguer ones?

Comments

[maladaptive.livejournal.com]

Because it's a lot easier to do the same thing your parents did, who in turn did what their parents did... and believed what they believed. I know there's often a case of "my family was this way and I broke from the mold." But really it's not that common. My grandparents tried to raise me Catholic, and one of the major factors of their familiar is my father's agnosticism, and my mom telling me "Maybe it's just not for you. There are plenty of other religions. You just have to find the right one for you." Which, as a Catholic, I call a pretty open minded move.

I always considered that a lot of things got lost in translation between God and people. Like all the, you know, hate issues. And the "petty sins" (homosexuality, etc). But even when I was little God seemed like the ultimate Libertarian. "I love you and accept you for who you are." I just had a hard time reconciling the issue of this loving God who disapproved of such pointless things like who you slept with (beyond adultery, because that's just mean, even to God!) So I attribute those things to the pettiness of man, and the clinging to it, along with the "I'm friends with ________, so that absolves me when I talk about how dirty they are!" rather than to God.

I don't think that answered your question, but it's 1:30 in the morning and it's my two cents.

[maladaptive.livejournal.com]

Failure, not familiar.

Oh, my brain is fried. Too many Oreos and too much Neil Gaiman will do that to ya.