Gays in fraternites (pt. 2)

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by GreekChatObserv

Are you referring to Levitical law? Your bible has also been used to justify slavery. It also advocates the stoning of disobedient children and adulterous wives.

It is interesting how people pick and choose from religious texts that may or may not govern other people.

Do you eat shellfish?

Funny, that plank in your eye.

As he noted, he's referring to more than the levitical law.

But as for shellfish, c'mon. The church has, say for about 2000 years, distinguished between the ritual law (such as the levitical laws regarding food or clothing materials) and the ethical law (such as laws governing moral, including sexual, behavior). There's actually some discussion about it in Acts, including the decision of the council in Jerusalem that Gentile converts did not have to be circumcised and the revelation to Peter that all foods were permissible. Paul discusses this as well, along with his not infrequent discussions about the degree to which the Law is binding in general. (And his condemnation of homosexual behavior in Romans.)

As for slavery, yes many did use Scripture to condone slavery. Unlike the passages regarding homosexuality, though, I don't think anyone has ever plausibly contended that Scripture affirmatively sanctions or commands slavery, just that it seems to accept it as a fact of the ancient world and does not condemn it. Using this lack of condemnation as justification for slavery is really not the same thing as relying on passages that expressly disapprove of homosexual conduct.

Granted, many Christians of good faith disagree on exectly how the relevant passages in Genesis, Leviticus, Romans and elsewhere should be interpreted and applied today. And perhaps you find the church's long-standing distinction between the ritual law and the ethical law one that misses the mark.

But to argue that anyone is picking and choosing which rules to follow bases one's argument on ignorance and a very shallow understanding of the totality of Scripture -- it sounds catchy, but it doesn't hold up to any close examination, IMHO.

[Tom Earp]

And, now I am coming to the conclustions, who really gives a damn?

This Poster had become a thorn. He is an independent think as it were and no matter what he thinks or says will not change anything.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

But to argue that anyone is picking and choosing which rules to follow bases one's argument on ignorance and a very shallow understanding of the totality of Scripture -- it sounds catchy, but it doesn't hold up to any close examination, IMHO.

You mean, it doesn't hold up in a Biblical Court of Law? LOL.

A lot of people don't understand the "totality of Scripture" so they do pick and choose. That may not be what's going on in this thread but, as always, the things being typed here are said everyday off of the internet.

[Thetagirl218]

I personally know several people who were openly gay or lesbian when they were collegiate in their respective fraternities or sororities. They were true to themselves and that is all their brothers and sisters expected of them. Even though some may not condone homosexual behavior, they were never rude nor disrespectful toward their brothers or sisters.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

You mean, it doesn't hold up in a Biblical Court of Law? LOL.

We understand each other well.

A lot of people don't understand the "totality of Scripture" so they do pick and choose. That may not be what's going on in this thread but, as always, the things being typed here are said everyday off of the internet.

Yeah, I'll agree that too mqny people do pick and choose, on and off the internet every day. And a lot of others think that the theologians and others who have actually studied all of these things must have been picking and choosing.

Education is a wonderful thing.

[RushLeader08]

=jlenoconel

hahahahahha!!!

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by RushLeader08

=jlenoconel

hahahahahha!!!

Oh the irony.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Oh the irony.

I agree.
Has anyone else wondered about this:
Signed up Feb 2005
First posting today, April 28, 2008

[SWTXBelle]

I didn't wonder - I knew. Sockpuppet.

Or a realllllly patient person.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

We understand each other well.

Yeah, I'll agree that too mqny people do pick and choose, on and off the internet every day. And a lot of others think that the theologians and others who have actually studied all of these things must have been picking and choosing.

Education is a wonderful thing.

That's because they do not know what it means to be a theologian and to have studied religious text.

It's funny because my family member and friends who are theologians and in divinity school do not debate interpretations of text or discuss homosexuality according to the Bible. We discuss historical context and the connection and disconnection between texts for every religion. Kind of like social scientists do when gender, sexual orientation, and other classifications are traced through historical events and text from all religions.

[macallan25]

Originally Posted by GreekChatObserv

My original post was intended to point out some of macallen25's often contemptuous views of brotherhood. For example, he picks and chooses who he considers to be his brothers, simply because they initiated in a different chapter. See a theme here?

But hey, that's his right.

Please enlighten me on my contemptuous view of brotherhood. If you don't feel like it then you can keep your shitty comments to yourself. Your remark about who I consider to be my brothers in SAE is completely idiotic and wrong. Try again smart guy.

By the way, your original post was completely off base considering the quoted post of mine that you referenced.

Are you referring to Levitical law? Your bible has also been used to justify slavery. It also advocates the stoning of disobedient children and adulterous wives.

It is interesting how people pick and choose from religious texts that may or may not govern other people.

Do you eat shellfish?

Funny, that plank in your eye.

This is was my response to you:

Genesis, Romans, Corinthians, and Leviticus all speak about homosexuality.

That's besides the point though.

I'm not trying to justify anything. I'm not sitting here saying "you're wrong for being a homosexual because my King James pocket bible says so". I didn't say that at all actually, nor did I try to "pick and choose" a certain text from the bible to rationalize my beliefs. My statement had nothing to do with my beliefs as a Christian.

I simply stated that you can't call a bunch of people fools or hypocrites because they consider themselves Christians and are not accepting of homosexuality. You could certainly argue the Bible's stance on homosexuality if you wanted too but that's another discussion entirely.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by GreekChatObserv

I don't really need an education in Paulist theology, but thanks anyway. You could have identified exactly which church this "long-standing" distinction between ritual and ethical law comes from, because the last time I checked, many different churches believed many different things.

I wouldn't have thought that someone who doesn't need an education in Pauline theology would need to have any further identification. It's pretty much right there.

Meanwhile, it runs through many of the writings of the Church fathers and other theologians of the early Church, including Justin in his Dialogue. The concept is found in one form or another in Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Classical Protestantism -- and, I would suggest, pretty much any church that doesn't practice (as a religious matter) circumcision, abstinance from pork or shellfish or observance of a Seventh-day Sabbath rather than Sunday (the Lord's Day). But you knew that, of course.

To borrow a phrase, your dogma ran over my karma.

I always did think that was a stupid phrase.

My original post was intended to point out some of macallen25's often contemptuous views of brotherhood. For example, he picks and chooses who he considers to be his brothers, simply because they initiated in a different chapter. See a theme here?

No.

[RushLeader08]

ugh
i dont know what a sockpuppet is but i am not troll dity or sockpuppet good grief!

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by RushLeader08

ugh
i dont know what a sockpuppet is but i am not troll dity or sockpuppet good grief!

*pats the troll*

You don't even serve your purpose anymore... it's just time to let go.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by RushLeader08

ugh
i dont know what a sockpuppet is but i am not troll dity or sockpuppet good grief!

I find it interesting that you stood up-I can not speak for any other but I was thinking more of:
GreekChatObserv