I think it's MUCH more complicated than that, since Christian scripture never actually lists sexual orientation as a sin, despite what the radical right would have everyone believe. But that's an argument for another time and place.
As she did after the Matthew Shepard hate crime murder, singer Melissa Etheridge has responded to this tragedy with her deep heartfelt emotional music. Sharing it with you all here because for all the problems in the world, I do so want to hold on to some optimism and think "love will always win." And I do think overall that love and acceptance IS winning, just with some nasty backlashes along the way. The very fact that so many people in the world care about what happened is progress. Murders in the LGBT community have not always been met with such media attention, widespread sympathy and outreach outside to us from outside our community. Have a listen, there is an article with the music video so it won't embed. http://ihlive.org/melissa-etheridge-pulse/ And on a lighter note, this clip from an old movie is making the rounds on Facebook amongst LGBT sites in response. Apparently this is causing some controversy. But I take it as a big statement with the humor my community typically has. We will get past this, those that go to the clubs will still go, we will still be out in public with our partners. I predict record numbers for our Pride Parades this year. This will not make us go back in the closet. Also sharing it - like I did on Facebook - because it made me laugh. And I needed that! [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5u4TpQDhSA"]Meet The Spartans - I will survive march - YouTube[/ame]
:saz: Right wingers dont follow the bible. jesus was a pacifist socialist with dark skin from the middle east. Those types arnt popular with the right wingers.
Interesting. What Chapter of the bible does Jesus identify himself as a pacifist socialist? The earlier point I was trying to make is that as a "right winger" it does not make me happy that the victims were gay, and I don't know any others who feel that way although I'm sure there are some fringe idiots out there who do. There was a time when people in our society could respectfully disagree with one another, not so much anymore. Both sides are responsible for that.
Turn the other cheek? Feeding of the 5000 by gathering all the food and sharing it out amongst everyone.
Texas Lt. Governor's are not fringe whackos: http://www.chron.com/news/article/Texas-Lt-Governor-Dan-Patrick-tweets-reap-what-8076147.php When was this magical time? People say things like this and I don't even know when they're talking about.
Please give me this time frame. Are you referring to the sixties when hippies were getting the crap beaten out of them for their preaching of love for everyone, or perhaps the 30's, where being gay was a hangable offence. The 1600's where you could be killed for suggesting there is no God? Or maybe you mean the Greek empire?
Luke 12 displays a Jesus delivering parables of a successful businessman. He is so successful that he cannot find enough room for all of his harvest. So the wealthy business man undertakes a massive building project to protect his wealth and plan an early retirement. Jesus in his parable considers this an antithesis to success. He instead says God considers this man a "fool" BECAUSE he only used his wealth for his "own" benefit. Jesus goes on to admonish the selfishness and lack of communalism of the businessman. In ultimate renunciation of the man, Jesus advocates the man should have redistributed his wealth to the poor. James 5:1-3 "Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that will come upon you. Your wealth will rot, and moths will eat your clothes. For your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You who have hoarded wealth in the last days!" Luke 14:13-14 "But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just." Matthew 19:23 "Truly, I say unto you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." Proverbs 22:16 "He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich - both come to poverty." There are many, many other examples if you read the New Testament of the Bible, but those should give you an idea of the general feeling behind it. As opposed to the message sent out by televangelists and radically right wing "wealth preachers", Jesus was very much about socialism and quite vocally against wealth hoarding.
Wait, he's a wacko to you because every Sunday he tweets a Bible verse?! Maybe that is what WCrane was referring to. :thinking: I don't really think that's in line with the first 1900 years of Bible tradition ... but inventing new religions under the name of the old is certainly very popular.
I honestly don't see how you can read scripture and not see that Jesus and the new testament in general espouses a socialist ideology.
We could play Protestant and say that the Roman Catholic Church isn't "Christian" by our definition, but I'd rather say for argument sake that it is now and always has been a Christian church. With that foundation -- as far as I know the Vatican has rejected socialism as inconsistent not just with the religion, but also with Natural Law. Maybe you know something different, but, hey, there you go.
I'm not talking about Christianity, I'm speaking about the biblical teachings of Jesus Christ. The two could not be further apart.
. Socialism is when group A( The Government) takes from group B what ever they believe is fair to give to Group c, while keeping a nice chunk for themselves. Jesus was teaching us to give willingly to help those in need. Jesus was not Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative, Socialist or Capitalist. He was not political.
So like using taxes to pay the military? I think you just described basically every action the government takes as socialist.
The Bible verse he quoted was "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." The legislator in question has a history of being anti LGBTQ. Context is kind of important here - although he approved the tweet several days before the shooting occurred, one wonders whose fault of judgment it was that it still went up. If there's any doubt that there is an anti-LGBTQ strain in mainstream Christianity, well, we can find a host of pastors applauding the shooter, praying for the wounded to die and saying that it was God's judgment. I'm very happy though that yes, these are a minority, and there's a ton of religious leaders lambasting those furnicula wads.
