Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[mtnlady]

"Homosexual behavior is a sin" - I think we have found the crux of our disagreement. You interpret Scripture to proclaim homosexuality as a sin (and about 1/2 to 2/3 of the Christian community agrees with you) and I do not (the other 1/2 to 1/3 of the Christian community agrees with me).

Studying the further you will find that the different interpretations revolve around the follow:

1. The interpretation of the word "arsenokoitais" found in 1 Cor 6:9-10 and again in 1 Timothy 1:9-10. You interpret that word to mean "homosexual" while I interpret that word to mean promiscuity.

2. The interpretation of the word "phusikos" (Strong's #5446) and "phusis" (Strong's #5449) which means "natural" found in Romans 1:21-31. You probably interpret that word to mean what is "natural" for you (I presume you are heterosexual) is what is "natural" for everyone. While I interpret the word to mean 'that what is natural for each individual'. i.e. For a homosexual being with another partner of the same sex is what is "natural" for them while for a heterosexual being with a partner of the opposite sex is what is "natural" for them.

3. The interpretation of the Sodom and Gomorrah story. You probably see the acts of the men of Sodom as some sort of homosexual activity while I see it as an ugly and violent gang action in which sexual orientation had little relevancy.

We could go further into the holiness codes found in Leviticus. However while that study is interesting. I think we both agree that we are no longer under these laws anymore with the coming of Christ.

Have I correctly summarized our differences of interpretation? If you would like to discuss any of these I would be more than happy to do so. Perhaps off-line so we don't bore anyone else on this thread? Normally I wouldn't get into minutia of Biblical interpretation like this (except during my work with Church activities or during my own personnel study time) but when your discussing discriminating and alienating roughly 5-10% of the human population through an interpretation of 2 words and 1 story we are talking some pretty serious stuff!