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9/15/11  8:30 am
Commenter: Michael

Christian view...
 

As a citizen of Virginia I hold with our State Constitution;

VIRGINIA DECLARATION OF RIGHTS--1776

(Written by George Mason and James Madison)

SECTION 16, That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and therefore all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other.

As a Christian the dictates of my conscience are derived from scripture.

Biblical teaching on the question of homosexuality is found in the following passages:

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. (Leviticus 18:22)

If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them. (Leviticus 20:13)

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature [Greek para physin]; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. (Romans 1:26-27)

Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, no idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

Understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disodedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liers, perjurers, whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine. (1 Timothy 1:9-10)

The Bible views homosexual conduct as morally wrong in all cases, something contrary to God's moral standards. The words of the New Testament do not allow these prohibitions to be limited or narrowly defined to a particular type of homosexual conduct and as can be seen condemns all kinds of homosexual conduct as something "contrary to nature" and morally wrong.

None of these biblical passages allows any distinctions or says anything indicating that it is only talking about certain types of homosexual conduct.

Clearly the words themselves as they are written apply to all kinds of homosexual conduct and show that all homosexual conduct is morally wrong.

So as a matter of conscience I support discriminating against prospective parents based on sexual orientation.

While I continue to, "practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other", I find no place in Christian scrtpture to support with homosexual conduct in any way.

 

CommentID: 18317