During the time of Mose’s transcription, lawlessness was the norm throughout the world in all cultures as man pursued his own ambitions. It is a loving God who loves us enough to show us a better way–a way that is bigger than our own interests, opinions, and ideology. Who are we in our finite knowledge to say that we know what’s best for the world as a whole? Do we really want to go back to lawlessness–with everyone pursuing their own ambitions? If I had not allowed God’s transformative power to work in my life, I would not be married. Oh, and the government had nothing to do with my decision to get married.

And as for race…Race is a socio-political construction invented by man to exploit one group of people for the benefit of another. Any legal action to undo the legacy of the racial monstrosity embraced by this country (and the world) is simply JUSTICE! It’s not an accident that our first president of color is ‘BI-racial’ (actually ‘multi-ethnic’ is a more accurate term). So, to address the question posed by Sam, gay marriage and interracial marriage have nothing to do with each other.

Finally, does the Bible say that a ‘gay person’ is an abomination or does it say that homosexuality is an abomination? Should we have a conversation about that? How are we representing or misrepresenting the origin of the scripture?

Sam’s first post asked if this was an issue of church and state and if “religiosity and ignorance” went hand in hand in the context in which I was talking. For one, yes I did bring this into a church and state issue, the government should have no right to discriminate against anyone in who they choose to marry, and I feel biggest group of people objecting to a shift to common sense rights, is religious people. But I do not think ignorance and religiosity are one in the same. This is sort of where this whole conversation has headed, but I want to answer that question in conjunction with you asking,

“Where do we draw the line between sexual morality and social ignorance?” My answer. I have no idea. I don’t think it matters really. Whether it is a man/woman’s choice or born predisposition to be in an intimate relationships with people of their own sex is it not ignorant to deny them that right? If you truly believe that your all powerful god thinks that homosexual behavior is an abomination, is it not your duty to follow that command? I think what we need to decide as a country that we have the ability to believe/not believe in god or be ok/not ok with homosexual behavior, should we all also have the ability to marry/not marry who we want?

I don’t really understand how the church themselves can justify choosing homosexuality as “THE sexual sin.” How is that not picking and choosing? I thought no one sin was more or less offensive than another? This kind of thing is one of the main reasons why I stopped going to church and started to really think about what I truly believed.

To be honest, I don’t know that much about the book of Leviticus. But having said that, it seems like you might be suggesting that the period passage is taken out of context. Why would this passage be different from the passages in Leviticus that speak to homosexuality? What context are those written in? (This is just Old Testament ignorance, and I honestly really do want to know.) Why is one passage excused as antiquated and the other is not?

I honestly don’t know of any reason that people state for being against gay marriage aside from faith-based reasons. If there are other reasons, I really would like to hear them. Since Jesse and I have had previous debate concerning the meaning and connotation of the word ignorant, I felt the need to look it up in order to carefully respond to your questions concerning social ignorance. Not to give an unnecessary vocabulary lesson, but the term ignorant, according to the dictionary, means “having little knowledge, education, or experience; uneducated; inexperienced.” I don’t personally feel that you are any of these things. You also haven’t explicitly stated how you really feel on the topic. I think that for some people it is a matter of social ignorance, and for others it might be a case of willful ignorance or confirmation bias.

on being socially ignorant, i would say no. We all have the right to think and feel the way WE want to. I would never force my choices on someone else as I would like to not be forced to believe something I do not believe in. It is our right as humans to have free will.
Would I like for people to look past one aspect of my life (this is just one of many ) and see me for the person I am? TOTALLY…but I am not ignorant to the fact that it will not always happen and I will be judged on the spot.

The act of sexual intercourse, according to scripture, is for procreation…so could we go as far as saying, anyone who has sexual relations for pleasure without procreating is sinning? Why is that not the ultimate sexual sin?
That is one of the main arguments with gays and sex…that we are not procreating, but what about a one night stand between a man and a woman and they use a condom? what about the man who masturbates alone? what about a woman who has had her tubes tied having sex with her husband? I thought that was why the church is usually against birth control and contraceptives?

Bringing up heterosexuals and their sexual escapades was not trying to justify my abominations, but to simply point out that EVERYONE has something floating around in their closet that someone else, whether it be one person or a whole race of people, find perverted and immoral.

I am not denouncing your blog in any way. I actually am very passionate about this topic for obvious reasons, but where do we draw the lines with sexual morality and socially accepting things you might not believe in…Not that I am, but would I be socially ignorant to be against interracial marriages if I used my interpretation of scripture to back me up?

I personally do not believe in marriage anymore. Does that me socially ignorant?

Off my soap box!

I don’t understand the defense of homosexuality by pointing out sexual sins in heterosexuals. Yes, these people are hypocritical, but can that be used to justify another person’s actions?

That said, I again ask – I wonder where we would feel comfortable drawing the line between sexual morality (developed through one’s faith) and social ignorance?
Am I socially ignorant because I follow in the way of Jesus? Maybe your answer is yes…but I would like to know your thoughts on this.

David, you pointed out the passage from Leviticus; where do you draw the line on what Scripture to accept and what to deny? Do you buy into what Leviticus is saying – which is explaining ritual cleanliness for the Israelite nation? How would you reconcile New and Old Testaments, or authors within the books?

Thanks all for the conversation so far.