True enough-- Though the whole thing is still an interesting read.
The cherry pickers tend to go outside of context. There's a reason why I provided links to whole chapters where appropriate. Many apparent contradictions are actually the consequence of cherry picking outside of context, with what is actually supportive, not negative additional context elsewhere.
Take for instance, the 1 Corinthian's notation. It says that idolaters, and sexual deviants are not going to be in heaven.
If you look at the other context, this is fundamentally still true-- Idolaters place their faith in some object of worship other than Jesus, and thus do not get the holy spirit, and do not get the eternal body needed to live in heaven-- BOOM-- NO ADMITTANCE. You likewise will not find sexual deviancy in heaven-- BECAUSE THERE IS NO SEX THERE. (as pointed out.) Additionally, due to the necessity to have been granted the holy spirit's divine nature with the new body, and the necessary death of your old, sin-inducing one, the people in heaven have NO DRIVE to do kinky wild sex IN THE FIRST PLACE. So-- Again, No sexual deviants in heaven. No brainer.
The difference, is in the implication and tone of the statement. 1 Corinthians asserts that doing those things will prevent you from entering heaven. This is somewhat supported and somewhat not supported. Jesus asserts that you have to TRY to walk the walk while on earth. You *WILL* still sin, but you are (through faith) doing your very best to overcome sin, and trusting in christ to help you, because you cannot help yourself. If you are biologically gay, you are going to be gay as long as you are still alive. End of story. The holy spirit just gives you the additional impetus to fight against it, rather than revel in it, at least as long as you are still alive. So-- Gay people are gonna be compelled to be gay. Until they die, and they get a new body. Per the bible.
If they trusted Jesus, and got the holy spirit, they go to heaven. Once there, they stop having sin nature, do not desire gay sex, and cease being gay.
That is the biblically supported narrative, backed up in pretty much every area Jesus gives mention to sin, resurrection, and going to heaven. (While the antecedent material is all over the place, Jesus is remarkably consistent.)
These days, without the benefit of this "Fuller context", the cherry picked 1 Corinthians notation is used to try to exclude people from heaven. (which as I pointed out, is not up to humans to decide. That's between each individual sinner, and Jesus, exclusively.) There's also a further condemnation in the bible about passing judgement-- This is also often take out of context, so the whole thing will be cited here--
[1] Judge not, that ye be not judged.
[2] For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
[3] And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
[4] Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
[5] Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
[6] Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
[7] Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
[8] For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
[9] Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
[10] Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
[11] If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
[12] Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
[13] Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
[14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
[15] Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
[16] Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
[17] Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
[18] A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
[19] Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
[20] Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
[21] Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
[22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
[24] Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
[25] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
[26] And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
[27] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
[28] And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
[29] For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Taken in context, Jesus is telling people the following things:
1) Do not try to condemn other sinners for their sins--Not unless you TOO, want to be judged according to your sins, and be likewise condemned. (EG, don't go railing about sexual deviancy, all sin is treated the same by God, and it does not matter that you never even touched yourself inappropriately in your whole life-- You did other things to sin. EG, "the plank in your own eye.")
2) Giving lipservice to following a spiritual life, while living a carnal one in reality, will have jesus rebuke you hard at the door and kick you to the curb. You have to do your best to walk the walk too.
3) If a sinner comes to Jesus, and asks for help in overcoming their sin nature to better obey God's will, it WILL be given. No exceptions.
4) Jesus knows his shit, because he's from heaven himself. He's not some ideologue in the priesthood trying to interdict his own biases into what is meant to be sacred; he's laying it flat out.
In terms of compounding context, Jesus emphatically asserts, over and over and over again, that religious dogma is not how things work. ONLY THROUGH HIM, and-- ONLY WHEN YOU WALK THE WALK TOO.
Naturally, this message is VERY unpopular with people who seek to use the bible for purely political (eg, to control other people) reasons. It is therefor no surprise to me that this full context is very rarely, if ever stated; the "Do not judge" statement is taken out of context to mean "You cannot judge me!"-- What it really means is "If somebody professes Jesus, and REALLY IS TRYING, you should withhold all judgement; You want jesus to be equally merciful to you in turn, because you too are a hopeless sinner, and he is YOUR ONLY HOPE." The "Really *IS* trying" part there gets .. how many verses in that chapter? more than 12? out of how many? 29? Maybe Jesus kinda felt it was important, no?
Now, remember I am an agnostic. I just am intimately familiar with this religious text from exposure as a child. It just irks me when context is completely ignored for political reasons; The bible really says something vastly different, when read in context, 9 times out of 10.
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Topic: Things that made you go "WTF?" today o_O (Read 13180945 times)