Question about New Testament

[Steve]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Richelle Votaw" <rvotaw at i...>
wrote:
>
> ...edited...
> 
> In other cases, (2 Peter chapter 2, for example) the New Testament 
> reaffirms things from the Old Testament, such as the sins of Sodom and
> Gomorrha, which when one refers back to the Old Testment scriptures, 
> homosexuality is found there.
> 
> Richelle


bboy_mn:

Again, I will yeild to those with superior knowledge, but I have read
the section in the Bible on Sodom and Gomorrha, and I can't find
anything that confirms homosexuality.

There are many Biblical scholars, who, on this issue, do not believe
that homosexuality or sex at all played a part in the downfall of S&G.
They believe that it was a general meanspiritedness and
inhospitableness that lead to their downfall. I'm pretty sure that
they are in a minority in this believe though.

My take on S&G is that these cities had degenerated into an
unrestrained state of decadence which included a basic lack of a sense
of humanity toward the fellow citizens. The society had become about
taking for pleasure, rather than loving, caring, and helping. Fellow
human beings became objects for pleasure, and in that, they lost their
humanity.

In this unbridled decadance I have no doubt that act of homosexuality
occurred, but then, just like today, a majority of those acts of
homosexuality were commited by hetrosexuals. In fact, every wave of
moral doom to ever sweep across the earth was, for the most part,
perpetrated by hetrosexuals.

So than and now, it has never been about the state of being
homosexual, but the actions and attitudes of selfish unbridled
decadance, moral corruption, and the basic lack of humanity,
compassion, and caring for other people that brought the downfall. And
that indeed is what will bring the downfall of our current society and
all future societies until we become sufficiently enlightened. 

I have to believe that it is the selfish self-serving decadent quest
for earthly pleasure that is the true sin. To abandon the spirit, and
serve only the body, surely that must be the real sin.  

I must believe that love can never be a sin, for a man to love a man
and express that love physically in a caring, loving, commited, and
compassionate way just can't be a sin in my eyes.  

As far as sin in general, I see no difference in the behavior of
hetrosexual and homosexuals. They both go to the bars on Saturday
night hoping to 'hook up'. Why should we condemn one while we ignore
the other, if the underlying intent is sin in both cases? 

For further thoughts on my views on this issue, see...

http://www.homestead.com/asian_lovr/files/issues/sodgom.html

Just a few thoughts on a subject that I realize, much like gun control
and religion in general, has the potential to skyrocket out of control
into an impossible to resolve debate. 

Let us proceed with caution.

bboy_mn