I ended my last blog about the oppression of gays by some black Christian churches by asking, "How did Jesus transcend all manner of hate?" This question has lived inside my heart and life for many years. It was the question that led me away from Christianity, as I could not find the answer in the religion of my childhood. I wanted deeply to understand the power of Jesus' love, and his command for us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to love God with all our heart and soul.
While I've found that some of the leaders of black Christian churches tend to be particularly staunch in their commitment to demonizing gays, other non-black Christian churches don't hesitate to join in, too. Recently, Oprah Winfrey sat down with Joel Osteen, the pastor of the largest church in America. Each Sunday Osteen speaks to at least 16,000 church members. When Oprah asked Pastor Osteen if he thought gay people would enter heaven, he answered, "Yes, if they repent for their sins." Pastor Osteen went on to say that the Bible defines homosexuality as a sin. These types of declarations and beliefs by some Christians conflict with what I've come to see as the deeper meaning within the teachings of Jesus.
In 1998 I left the Christian church and began a journey that started with the question, "How did Jesus transcend all manner of hate?" I'd heard hundreds, and maybe thousands, of messages pointing me to what Jesus did and why I should worship him. But after 30 years those lessons hadn't given me any real power or peace in my life. After years of religious and spiritual exploration and deep questioning, I discovered that unlike the Jesus espoused in the various mega-churches, the Jesus I'd found knew, owned, accepted, and declared his oneness with God. "When you see me, you see my Father who has sent me," said Jesus. Jesus' core message was love: love yourself, love your enemy, and love God. These teachings were my path from a dark night of the soul, a path that eventually led me to profound oneness.
Osteen says, "Wishing to be something that you are not is an insult to God. God made every one of us a masterpiece." Here's where I question Pastor Osteen's message. I say "yes" to this, and I ask, "Are these words true for gay people, or are they the exception to the message you offer the thousands you speak with weekly, and the millions who purchase your books?"
Even as Pastor Osteen's message is one of happiness and inspiration, I see it is as duplicitous and divisive at its core, like a wolf in sheep's clothing. In the world in which we live today, this concept of sin asks us to discard a part of ourselves. "Love the sinner but hate the sin" suggests that there is some part of ourselves we should reject or even hate. How can this be true if Jesus himself said to love your enemy? We're accustomed to viewing our enemy as something or someone outside ourselves, but in truth the greatest and only enemy is within. And Christ commands each to love himself as he loves God, no exceptions. Love in and of itself creates bridges and builds relationships with all people and all parts of ourselves. Love creates wholeness.
What if we all were taught (and believed!) that we are here as a representative of the Father, the creative force behind all that is? What if we knew that each person we encounter is a representative of the Father? In our understanding that each one of us is here on purpose as a representative of the Father, an experience of surrender and acceptance occurs. When we, like Jesus the Christ, know our oneness with God, an embrace of the self is realized. In an era post-Jesus the Christ, there is only one sin, and that is our denial of our true and whole selves.
In our world today there appears to be a great explosion of pain and suffering. We see oppressed people rising up and claiming their freedom. Freedom occurs once we claim every part of ourselves to the whole. Pastor Osteen's message is obsolete and oppressive in an age when people are awakening to their truest nature. We each have as our birthright the claim, "When you see me, you see my Father who has sent me." There, in the hearts, lives, and eyes of gay people, are all people. So there is only one thing to see and accept: gay people (like the Christ) are the living expression of love. They, too, are representatives of the Father. And our ability to fully love gay people and all people is directly connected to our experience of God.
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Joe Kort, Ph.D.: Joel Osteen: What He Fails to Realize When He Calls Gay People Sinners
Here is some more understanding about the things you listed above as one in particular is a ceremonial piece to the Jewish culture and not of Gentiles / Christians ( e.g. eating pork). Hope this information helps. It's a long article but its worth the understanding.
http://bible.org/article/mosaic-law-its-function-and-purpose-new-testament
You can't just change the word of god as you wish, unless you also decide to admit that the bible is not the true word of god. It is the word of men they interpret to be in line with god. So how about this I spoke with god the other day and will be publishing a new update bible, he came to me in a vision on top of the mountain in my backyard and spoke to me. We had a long heart to heart and went through the bible for revisions. Look for it to be on bookshelves by 2014 (lots of revisions to be made).
The Bible. If you want to discuss other types of issue and how they affect people we can.
No one is against anyone. You MUST offer reproof and rebuke for ANY sin. The Bible calls for it.
2 Timothy 4:3
For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.
You are the one that is ignoring your scripture. Learn the word of God before you start to get angry. I CANNOT as a Christian not rebuke you if you've sinned as I would hope that someone would do the same for me. PERIOD.
And therre is the crux of the problem. Those, like you and Osteen that accept some collection of historical tales as being the word of some mythical super being are equally gullible (and a danger to all others).
Yes, Osteen is right in what he says is written, but like yourself and millions of other readers they then turn around and pick and choose from the fables as to which ones are 'real' and completely ignore the fact that their are literally hundreds of examples of exact opposites being said in that collection.
Rid the superstition and you might just find that you have also gotten rid of most prejudices. aAsk yourself which is the goal, the demolishing of prejudice of homosexuality, or arguing which interpretation of a book that is at the root of the problem is the actual 'holy' word.
Shallow thinking never solves problems, usually it prolongs or exacerbates them.
I will plead with you christian brethren to do a diligent study of the Bible to know the mind of God on homosexuality. the is the major sin for which God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and there is no where the bible has changed His mind that abomination is now acceptable so unrepentant sinner may come in to the Kingdom.Many are called but few are chosen.
Pastor Tunde Eseyin
Nigeria
Ezek 16:49 (KJV)
I know many people and no sin is greater than the other. But please know that homosexuality is one of those sins. This is not a lie. One day everyone will see Jesus and have to face Him. Yet, for now, God has sent us as His messenger's to spread the good news that there is freedom in Christ. You can choose to love Jesus or you can choose to love the world. But in the end, you will have no one to blame - it's your decision. Be blessed.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:Romans 1:27
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Why judge when God has given them up. I don't need to judge, he's better at it.
Espousing "Chosen people"; "only one path"; middle men to help sell a story of unlikely redemption. Please, let's not ruin what God has set in motion here; it has such potential and it is sadly being destroyed. Not by devils; boogey-men; but, by dogmas, rituals, writers, who prey on ignorance, and greed for money.
It must be an affront to God and we are destroying ourselves. Be responsible for what you do and say. Do not look for a crutch on Sat. or Sun. morning. How ridiculous to brain-wash people into believing we are guilty of our fathers sins. God has instilled in our brains a super intelligence; a conscience, to navigate life's problems and bring happiness. How about a little confidence in ourselves and God?
Jesus take the wheel.
18 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
19 You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'"
20 And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth."
21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"