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I for one don't blame Yahweh at all for
the actions people commit. I don't believe he or any other gods
exist. It's not as if I think there's some entity named Religion that
goes around murdering children. However, as I've argued in past
posts, religious beliefs regarding ultimate authorities not only
enable evil-doers, but make their actions more likely.
I would urge you to read more than the
red text to put Jesus' teachings into the correct perspective. When
he says “Do not think that I have come to abolish
the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish
but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest part or the smallest part of a letter will pass from
the law, until all things have taken place.” (Matthew 5:17)
It's important to recognize that the laws against homosexuality are
included in the laws and the teachings of the prophets. So yes, Jesus
did address homosexuality. I would say that Jesus would support much
of Fred Phelp's message. “I tell you that it will be more bearable
for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” (Matthew 11:24)
Jesus is addressing cities that have not repented after witnessing
his miracles. This quote is interesting for two reasons. The first is
that he is threatening those who don't accept him with violence. The
second is that he's using Sodom as an indicator of how badly they
will be punished; implying that they are even worse than the great
evil that was Sodom. Why is this relevant? Sodom was destroyed for
being full of homosexuals. Thus we can surely say that Jesus saw
homosexuality as a sin.
To use a metaphor: Hitler's beliefs on
Judaism were well known long before he started putting Jews into
camps. Some people entirely agreed with his beliefs, let's call those
people fundamentalists. They supported his rise to power
whole-heartedly and funded the Nazis. Then there were others, let's
call them moderates, that didn't like what he said about Jews but
they found his political platform to be sound. At the very least they
thought he could add some structure to the economy so they gave no
resistance to his rise to power and contributed in some ways. Maybe
they passed out fliers. Though they themselves didn't believe that
the Jews should be killed, their complacency and the fact that they
agreed to an extent supported Hitler and his fundamentalists. In the
same way, moderate Christians give fundamentalists credibility.
Those things aren't necessarily innate,
but it's not like Jesus was the first person to say it and it's not
as if his words are necessary to learn it. Although, I have a bone to
pick with Jesus on this one (as would most psychologists). Letting go
of the negative emotions surrounding past abuse or “forgiving”
abusers is a very healthy thing. Loving your abusers, however, is
not. Loving those who abuse you is a sign of serious psychological problems. It's a coping mechanism developed by those who are abused repeatedly.
<Standing Ovation>
Take a bow......
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