As Christians, we try to familiarize ourselves with scripture. Some of us take time to memorize hundreds of verses a year, while others focus on at least memorizing their favorite Bible verse.
What's amazing in this day and age is that Christians aren't the only people who know scripture. Everybody knows the "basics" of what the Bible says.
I find it amazing how even atheists know how to quote scripture. And they don't even believe in God!
Especially with the Gay Rights and LGBT Social Movements, America has heard and quoted scripture more than ever! How great, right? Even those of different faiths have decided to dig into the Bible. Finally, Americans are delving into the truth!
With that, here are some popular pictures going around the internet:
So....what's all the ruckus about? Why aren't people getting along? What's with all the debates and hateful arguments? Why are Christians getting upset over quoted scripture?
The problem is that people are, or are becoming, Buffet Christians. Even those who don't classify themselves as Christian are enjoying the buffet styled life. They can pick and choose what they want to believe and when. If there is something mentioned in the Bible that is hard to obey, they can just ignore that part. Really, it's that easy. These Christians get to focus on the love and hope message of Jesus, but don't want to sign on for all the rest of the nitty gritty stuff.
The argument is no longer atheist versus Christian belief. It is True, Bible based Christianity versus Buffet Christianity.
As a fellow Catholic, I believe all the Bible says. If there is a part that I don't like, I ignore it and act like I never read it. Just kidding. If there is a part I find hard to obey, I remain obedient anyway. Why? Because the Bible is the Word of God. If I chose only to follow some parts of the Bible and not others, how would I know which sections were actually from God and which weren't? I can't know, because all the sections of the Bible are from God. Besides, who am I to decide what's valid and what isn't.
Some people think the Bible is just a good historical book. That's fine if they want to believe that. But they then have no right to throw Bible verses in our face about a controversial issue. We're always hearing "Jesus said to love your neighbor." "Jesus said not to judge" And they're right, Jesus did say these things. But you have to use scripture in the right context. You have to know the WHOLE story. There was also another guy who quoted scripture to try to convince someone a sin wasn't really a sin. That guy was Satan.
Matthew 4:1-11
4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’"
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
In this time of putting our beliefs to the test, we must remain like Jesus. We must study our scripture to know how to respond and act in attacking situations. Even the Devil tried to use the Bible against God Himself. And that is exactly what is happening in this world, today. Verses are being quoting to us left and right. People are trying to use scripture to change our beliefs. People are trying to tell us how to interpret God's Word. But we must be stronger and be able to quote scripture right back to them.
Jesus proved it best when He was tempted in the wilderness: that if you don't have the whole Bible, you have nothing. If the Son of God didn't know His scripture well, He would have been defeated- just as many Christians are being defeated today.
In relation to homosexuality, Jesus also said:
Leviticus 18:22
"Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin."
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people-none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Mark 10:6-9 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
Romans 1:27 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.
With that said, I'm not saying to hate homosexuals. We are to hate the sin, not the sinner. Homosexuality is a sin, just as having sex before marriage is a sin. No one is worse than the other. We are all sinners and we are to treat others with respect and love. BUT, there is a difference between acknowledging and embracing one's homosexual lifestyle.
For example, I acknowledge people who tell lies (except Obama---just kidding. Always respect the president!), but I don't embrace their untruthfulness. I love people who suffer from pridefulness, but I don't embrace their lack of humility. I acknowledge people who choose to live a polygamy lifestyle, but I don't embrace a flag representing their multiple wife marriage...Wait, they don't have a flag. Maybe they should get on that. Again, just kidding.
I know many people who are homosexual, and I STILL see them as children of God. I don't have a problem with them. It's when they start living a lifestyle that is against my Christian beliefs that a problem arises. You don't see people embracing their adulterous ways. You don't see people bragging about how many people they have killed in their lifetime. Why? Because they're sins. They're wrongs.
Yes, we're all sinners. But I don't see many of us embracing our sins, whereas homosexual lifestyle is celebrated. In fact, the Bible verses speaking against homosexual acts are ignored and, therefore, homosexuality isn't a sin! That simple! Living a homosexual life is almost something desired in this world.
That is something I cannot embrace. I will acknowledge that it exists, but I refuse to love the lifestyle. I'll love and respect the person, but I will not love the person's way of living. Just as I don't respect a criminal's way of life. It's against my beliefs. It's against God's Word. It's not a sin to be homosexual, but it's a sin to act on those desires. Just as it's not a sin to get angry, but it's a sin to carry out the actions provoked by anger.
What I'm trying to say is: Christianity isn't a pick and choose sport.
Buffet Christianity really isn't Christianity at all. It's pure ignorance of God's word. It's sin.
So to the pick and choose Christians, Atheists, and Agnostics out there: If you're going to quote scripture at me to convince me that I'm wrong, you will lose. Why? Because I have the whole Truth. I have thousands of verses to back me up. All you have is a verse you heard once or twice that you agree with. I have many friends and family members who will disagree with this post and my beliefs. All I can say is: Thanks for reading the Truth!
The Bible, as a whole, always wins. Always.
P.S. Even the President, at one time, believed in the Bible's teachings.