Well I disagree. But again, if this is all based on Scripture and Scripture is handled consistently in both cases, I would kind of like to see how you come to one conclusion and not the other and handle Scripture consistently. Lay it out for me.
Yes we do disagree. We disagree on how scripture is viewed. I do not believe scripture can be divorced from it’s time and culture in which it was written.
The story of Sodom, is it about rape and violence against strangers or is the focus on condemning same sex relationships…which it doesn’t address. In primitive cultures men victimized other men by sexual assault…similar to our modern prison system where men vicitimize and rape other men by assault…their assault has nothing to do with love, mutual respect or relationship…it has everything to do with violence and rape.
The Law…especially Leviticus…was written to instruct Israel to not engage in the pagan practices of their neighbors. This included sacrificing children to Molech…religious/temple prostitution, male or female, again, victimization of their captives through sexual assault…“not as your neighbors”.
Throughout some of Israel’s history you will find in the KJV and DR the word “sodomite”…in more modern translations it is rendered “male prostitute”.
In Romans, is Paul condeming loving same sex relationships or is he seeking to make a point that Christians who once engaged in pagan practices…worshipping birds and beasts and created things…men and women who once being pagans of Rome, engaged is religious pagan temple practices which involved engaging the priest/priestess sexually to gain favors of the gods?
In Corinthians is Paul condeming loving same sex relationships, or condemning pedastry and the sexual corruption of the young by older men? Is Paul condeming the male prostitutes who serviced these older men or loving monogomous same sex relationships?
While there is a great silence in scripture concerning same sex relationships…this great silence cannot be used to condemn others and rob them of the grace and mercy of God’s blessings upon their relationships…relationships dedicated and covenanted with Him by men and women who happen to be gay.
While scritpure is not completely silent in it’s portrayal of some same sex relationships…Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan, Daniel and the euncuh, the centurian who came to Jesus to heal his servant…neither does it condemn loving same sex relationships by it’s silence on the subject.
The Bible contains writings and stories based on the time and cultures of which it was written…they had no concept whatsoever of loving same sex relationships. Human sexuality is a recent science just now in the last 100 years being explored…modern sexuality was never considered 2000-2500 years ago…it has no ancient equivelent…but rape, violence, victimization and prostitution knows no time limits and scripture indicates the issues of rape and violence and victimization are as old as humanity itself
As I wrote earlier…I would rather err on the side of love and compassion by accepting the gay “stranger within my gates” than err on the side of condemnation and rejection from my faith community…rejection of those whom are loved beyond measure by this God who while we were yet a far off, ran to us and embraced us in His great mercy and love.