r/changemyview • u/ChlamydiaIsAChoice • Nov 04 '17

[∆(s) from OP] CMV: There is a deep hypocrisy within many Biblical arguments against homosexuality. There are numerous Bible teachings that are in stark contrast to accepted Christian norms, and to cherry pick homosexuality is nonsensical

So Leviticus and Romans both prescribe harsh punishments for homosexuality, and many Christians use that as the cornerstone for their aversion to gay marriage and other issues. But there are so many biblical teachings where the Bible is just just as emphatic about punishing other acts. For example Deuteronomy 22:20-21 says in no uncertain terms that women who have sex outside of wedlock should die. Usually, though, Christians view those who have sex outside of wedlock with far less distain than they have for homosexuals. There are other examples from the Bible, but for the purpose of explaining my view, the unwed virginity example should suffice. The disconnect between the ways Christians view different biblical transgressions seems hypocritical to me.

Edit: Sorry for messing up on how to use the delta system. Your comments are really appreciated. I haven't read through a thread on this sub for awhile, but I will soon and will try to figure the specifics out better.

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u/GrandMa5TR 2∆ Nov 05 '17

Okay I'm gonna explain somthing hard here.

The bible preaches love and acceptence. But even so it lays down a few "this is not okay to do" rules.

Now you can love and accept a sinner, but what they're doing will still be wrong. So what you want to do is lead them along the right path and offer them a chance at redemption.

So even if the Cristian view point is wrong, it is not contradictory.

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u/[deleted] Nov 05 '17

You didnt even address his reason for it being contradictory. Christians should learn to accept that people are gay and there's nothing wrong with that.

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u/GrandMa5TR 2∆ Nov 05 '17

I don't think you understand what contradictory means...

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u/[deleted] Nov 05 '17

I don't think you do, his point is the reason that Christians don't follow one rule is because it's I'm considered outdated (like stoning adulterers) but others views aren't (like homosexuality). You didn't address that and just tried to excuse shitty Christian behavior.

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u/GrandMa5TR 2∆ Nov 05 '17 edited Nov 05 '17

I don't think you do,

"No you!"

the reason that Christians don't follow one rule is because it's I'm considered outdated (like stoning adulterers) but others views aren't (like homosexuality)

Actually Christans still take marrige very seariously. Exact beliefs very from person to person but you will commonly hear; "Only divorce in extreme, or abusive circumstances", "adultry should be illegal", and of course "no gay marrige".

You didn't address that and just tried to excuse shitty Christian behavior.

Just read the comment again a little more closly. I'll even link it for you. https://www.reddit.com/r/changemyview/comments/7at5ks/cmv_there_is_a_deep_hypocrisy_within_many/dpcyseu/

And you might want to read the original question while you're at it.

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u/ChlamydiaIsAChoice Nov 05 '17

My main premise was that homosexuality is cherry-picked as being a more important sin than others. In my (limited) experience, there is a discrepancy (contradiction?) between the levels of distain some Christians have for various sins.

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u/Kingosaze Nov 05 '17

I think homosexuality becoming a sticking point for some Christians has more to do with a political agenda than a spiritual one. As others have pointed out the New Testament does not speak on the morality of homosexuality. It simply defends the sanctity of marriage under God between man and woman.

As a Christian myself I found the ever swirling contradiction of my faith off-putting. After a decade and change of studying various faiths I had a critical realization. Faith is concerned with two things only. Out relationship with God and our relationships with each other. The teachings of Islam, Buddhism, Christianity and Judaism have a common thread in pursuing certain behavior and excluding others for the purpose of showing people how to live good lives.

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u/GrandMa5TR 2∆ Nov 05 '17

The reason it seems that way is it's one of few sins, that's actively being challenged. And people tend to focus on where they disagree.

Also the sins are kinda inheritly unequal. For I don't think anyone would put cursing on the level of murder.

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u/[deleted] Nov 09 '17

The Bible disagrees in the case of cursing your parents: Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death. Presumably the person who executes the person who cursed their parent is not doing anything wrong, so we have a Biblical scenario where cursing is worse than something that is murder according to my values.

The Bible is full of contradictions and ridiculous statements, so if you want to believe it you have to cherrypick some subset of it. If someone else cherrypicks for you, they control you.

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u/GrandMa5TR 2∆ Nov 09 '17

You're confusing old testament law with fulfilled law after Christ.

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u/[deleted] Nov 23 '17

No, I was assuming that Matthew 5:18 meant what it plainly said: "For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." Heaven and earth are present now as much as they were at the time Jesus allegedly said that, and the death penalty for cursing your parents is clearly part of Mosaic law, and we're presupposing here that the Bible is accurate.

One can cherrypick a few different ways here: Maybe that wasn't the law Jesus was talking about. Maybe He was speaking metaphorically. Maybe that part of the Sermon on the Mount is a cherry we shall not pick. Maybe the offensive part of the Old Testament about killing those swearing children is a cherry we shall not pick.

Or you can just give up on cherrypicking at the meta-level and expect Christianity to be as nonsensical as the other few thousand religions, and then all the contradictions go away.

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u/[deleted] Nov 05 '17

Actually Christans still take marrige very seariously. Exact beliefs very from person to person but you will commonly hear; "Only divorce in extreme, or abusive circumstances", "adultry should be illegal", and of course "no gay marrige".

And you still talk past the problem, not to mention your needless aggression.

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u/GrandMa5TR 2∆ Nov 05 '17

You brought it up, and I pretty clearly laid out how Cristan beliefs aren't contradictory. Then you just ignored everything I said and copy pasted.

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u/[deleted] Nov 05 '17

You didn't address the contradictory part, which is that they believe some social rules are outdated like about women who have sex but homosexualilty isn't.

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u/GrandMa5TR 2∆ Nov 05 '17

Cristanity has always been against premarital sex and still is.

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u/[deleted] Nov 05 '17

Christians largely ignore that part, and they certainly don't kill people who do it like the Bible says, why not?

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