@cowanon The scripture is ambiguous in nature. What it intends to say is a matter of opinion and can easily be twisted in either direction on most issues

Until you read the parts where it clearly labels homosexuality as an "abomination".
@freemo

@cowanon No part of the bible is "clearly labeled" The best you can hope for is taking a quote out of context and assume that it is intended as a directive, which is rarely the case but often claimed.

Even then it takes a great deal of assumed interpritation.

Take for example the quote "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman" Two issues with how we interprit that.. 1) it doesnt say you cant have sex with men, only that if you "lie" with a man you must do so differently than with a woman, it is not explicit beyond that. 2) It does not explicitly state that this is a directive delivered by god and many have interpreted it as an assertion of legal/social codes at the time and not a directive of what god demands.

Have you looked up the differences between ceremonial, moral, and civil/judicial laws?
@freemo

@cowanon I'm familiar with the ideas, yes.

I have a short, funny video for you: https://invidio.us/watch?v=4r2m_cffRjI

P.S. I’m no fundie xian who hates gay, etc. It’s because of their anti-homosexual doctrines that (during a period of my life one could call “religion shopping”) that I ultimately turned my back on the Abrahamic faiths.

Just thought to point that out so you don’t think you’re arguing with a right-wing gun nut who still hates Obama for legalizing gay marriage.

@cowanon I think there is a huge difference between the distilled religious knowledge available in the bible and the christian faith that has grown around it with specific interpretations.

There is even further separation between the religious wisdom the authors of the bible were trying to describe, and the actual text they wound up writing (which would be tainted by their own biases).

Its for these two reasons that when I try to study any religion, christian included, I try to study its origins and pre-organized writings/history first and foremost. To help separate those elements.

I'll check out your video once i am done getting sound working on this new machine.

I once heard that in the oldest-we-have writings of Genesis, there isn't any of the guilt-trippeling tone in pretty much every translation: it more-or-less says "so this is the path you choose? Alright, go give it a try, then."