Onion Peeling

Posted on Sep 4, 2023 in Opinions, Uncategorized |

Knowing and understanding people is like peeling an onion; the amount of layers you will end up with may astound you.

 

Christianity Today has an article on same-sex marriage and the fact that the supreme court ruled in 2015 that the law of our land must extend marriage and the rights of a married couple to those same-sex couples who choose to do so.

I think the article was well written.  It acknowledges that this is the law of the land and we should put our own lives in order rather than dictate to others how we believe they should behave.  From a Christian perspective and following the strict teachings of Jesus as quoted below (and many other quotations of His) I think the author should get a gold star.

Jesus said:

“Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.”  John 7:24 (NIV 1984)

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1-2 (NIV 1984)
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37 (NIV 1984)
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Luke 6:41-42 (NIV 1984)
 

The subject of same-sex couples being afforded the same courtesies as opposite sex couples makes most evangelicals wince like someone just poked them with an ice pick in the butt.  I understand that they believe their stance is how God would have them address the matter I just wonder if they are right?  I also wonder how they expected the gay issue would resolve itself with them at the helm.  

Evangelicals would have us believe that being gay is a choice, which is why they insist it is a lifestyle.  Perhaps someday they will understand the truth, but I don’t think today is that day.  Only God can prove me wrong on this.

Let’s talk about the sin of being gay, because it’s the central point and I’m sick and tired of everyone avoiding it and refusing to see how that avoidance is keeping men and women from finding their way to Jesus.

 Litmus Test 

 Kissing

 

Is it a sin for two women or two men to kiss?  Does the answer depend on the type of kiss?  A peck on the lips is okay, but French kissing is too much!  Please open your bible and tell me where it addresses kissing. 

Hand

Holding

 

When I was a young girl, it was perfectly acceptable for girl friends to hold hands in public, no one thought a thing about it.  Is handholding between two men or two women a sin?  Please open your bible and tell me where it addresses handholding.

 Cuddling

 

I’m guessing that cuddling in front of the television with your same gender friend is sinful right?  Just show me where in the bible it says that, please.

 Spooning

 
So, you “spooned” in bed with your same gender bestie, huh? Surely the bible says something about that. How about French kissing, while cuddling in front of the television?
 

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24
Aug '23

Sorrow

Posted on Aug 24, 2023 in Opinions, Uncategorized | 0

24
Aug '23
I chose the above photo to display because it represents what I see in the world around me.  A young girl sitting on the floor of a room empty of items or decorations, but for a lone teddy bear about an arms length from her that coincidentally looks as forlorn as the you might imagine the child’s face if her back was not to the camera.  She sits cross legged on the floor facing a bare wall with a small window in its center through which the daylight streams into the room.  The visual, to me, reeks of sorrow and emptiness.  I don’t know what the photographer wanted to express when creating the scene, but if it was sorrow and emptiness, I say he or she was on point!
 
In the garden of Eden after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit God said that Eve’s punishment would be increased pain in childbearing and that her desire would be for her husband.  If you research the Hebrew word for “desire” you will learn that this was not a simple word implying a normal, healthy desire for her spouse, but rather a unhealthy type of desire.  This should be obvious from the perspective of this being part of her punishment.  God went on to say that Adam (man) would rule over Eve (woman) or rather have dominion.  As for Adam, he was told that the land he was responsible to work was now cursed and he would spend his days working in pain and toil.  I know you know all of this, most everyone on earth knows this … it seems to be the only thing everyone agrees on.  Women bear children in enormous pain and man works his butt off until his body hurts for little reward.  As for the serpent (Satan) we’ll leave that for another time.
 
The picture painted in scripture is one of the men working while the women had babies and cared for them and the men.  I’ll tell you now that the worst part of the punishment metered out that day has been completely missed but let me show you where we do see it almost every day.
 
As the world grew and men got sick and tired of being sick and tired, they went from being leaders to being dictators.  They went from caring about others to caring about themselves.  They went from being gentlemen, to being abusers of all those weaker than themselves.  Please, hear me out before you write me off and hear me clearly … I don’t hate men in any way, shape, or form!  I am writing this in sorrow for what I have witnessed over sixty-seven years of life.
 
Lately I have been helping a friend who is facing the need to get away from an abusive spouse after almost thirty years of marriage.  It is a sad situation that involves several adult children and one teenager.  That is not what I want to share with you because it is not my story to share.  The story I want to share incorporates my story and the story of millions, perhaps billions of other women who have walked this earth. 

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15
Aug '23

Division

Posted on Aug 15, 2023 in Opinions | 0

15
Aug '23
I don’t want to talk about math, I want to talk about war!  In the New Testament (NT) Jesus tells us that He did not come to bring peace on earth, but He did come to bring division (Luk 12:51).  I’m sure you’ve all heard the expression, “divide and conquer”.  It’s not a new concept in scripture, in fact it was among one of the first things that happened in chapter three of Genesis.  Satan pitted Adam and Eve against each other and it is that division that is tearing families apart at the seams to this very day.  
 
If you do not carefully think about the details of Genesis chapters 2 and 3 you are likely to miss the fact that Eve had not yet been created when God told Adam not to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  That conversation was between God and Adam.  When Adam told Eve about the prohibition he told her it included just touching the fruit.  Satan knew all of this because he was present (Gen 1:25) when God spoke with Adam (Gen 2:16-17) in fact he was created long before Adam, but that’s another story.  
 
Satan went for the weak link.  If Adam had not expanded upon God’s warning things could have unfolded differently, but enough conjecture.  
 
Please remember that Eve was created as a help mate for Adam.  All other creatures were given help mates and just in case that wording seems odd (as I often read in commentaries) think about the task that God handed to Adam and the work that would be entailed in fulfilling his duties.  In addition Adam was given the same command as all other creatures … procreation.  Eve was to be a helper to Adam and bear children … Help + Mate! 

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