If someone was looking for justification, the bible is not the only place one could look. It all depends on the honesty of the individual looking for it.

Peace.

I did read the interview that you are talking about. The funny thing is that no name was given by the accuser, yet you have assumed that the story is accurate.

Let me be clear here, I or YOU cannot account for what McC does in his own private time. Until the facts come out, all you and I are left with are his words. If the story does pan out to be true, then he is a hypocrite and in violation with the word of God on the matter.

What you have left out of your comment is that there have also been MANY, MANY individuals out there who have completely left the gay lifestyle starting with the woman mentioned in this post. What I find funny here is that anytime someone leaves the gay lifestyle they are automatically considered being a victim of brainwashing by the gay community even though some of them have been happily married to someone of the opposite sex for years.

The word “homophobic” suggests that I am afraid of anything that pertains to homosexuality. Sorry to break this to you, but there is no fear coming from this end. Like you, I have an opinion on the chosen lifestyle and ask no more for you to respect that, just as you want me to respect your opinion.

Also, if you notice I left all the links up you placed in your comment. Folks should be free to make up their own mind on the matter. If I was a “homophobic”, your links would have been removed.

There is nothing wrong with questioning someone’s faith. Unfortunately we live in a society today that considers it an offense if you have serious and pointed questions about how someone chooses to believe. Fortunately I am not one of them.

Since we are talking about homosexuality in the Bible, I am going to be brief with some of the other things you brought up. Not because I can’t answer them piece by piece, but because I will take this conversation in many directions.

The book of Leviticus is part of what is referred to as “The Law of Moses–given by God”. Back in those days, one could not simply say a prayer and be forgiven of sin. It was a process. If a person sought forgiveness, a certain animal sacrifice had to be made.

God was (and still is holy) which meant that not just anybody could come into His presence in the temple. This was the roll of priests–to offer up sacrifices in the very presence of the Lord. If God disapproved, oftentimes the priest did not survive the encounter.

Enter Jesus. His main role was to become a fulfillment of the law. In other words, he himself became the one sacrifice needed for all of mankind. So no longer did we have to go through all the tedious steps to receive forgiveness. Nevertheless, the spirit of the Law which had no tolerance for sin or defilement was and is still kept intact. So when you read about Menstruating women or handicapped folks not being welcomed into the temple, please keep in mind that such laws were needed at the time if someone was to even come close to the very presence of God. There is a passage in the Old Testament that talks about how if false prophets (prophet$) are to be stoned to death. There is another one that suggests the same fate of children who are caught lying to their parents. God still hates these things, but thanks to His grace (as described in Romans 6 and throughout the New Testament, we are given another chance to get it right. Thanks to Jesus, all mankind is granted access to the Father by accepting Christ as Lord and Saviour and the repentance of sin. Romans chapter 6 is a great chapter that explains the relation between Law and Grace.

So much for being brief

Now as far as homosexuality goes, you will find that both in the old and new testament is was never sanctioned as an acceptable sexual act. The only times sex is mentioned in the Bible as an acceptable act is between and man and woman within marriage. As a Christian, I am called to love all of mankind just as Jesus does. But I am also called to hate sin (starting in my own life) just as Jesus does. That is the part of the Gospel message folks don’t like to talk about.

Look I’m trying to questions anyones faith or belief in the Bible or whatever. I just don’t like hypocracy. Here are a few of the verses i was referring to:

Leviticus 18:22 – Homosexuality is an abomination to God. 18:22

But there is also:

Leviticus 15:19-30 – Menstruating women are unclean to God.

Leviticus 19:19 – Don’t mix seeds when sowing a field or wear a garment with mixed fibers

Leviticus 19:27 – Don’t round the corners of your head or mar the corners of your beard.

Leviticus 20:9-12 – Children who curse their parents, adulterers, and homosexuals must be killed.

Leviticus 20:27 – Woman with “familiar spirits” must be stoned to death.

Leviticus 21:16-23 – Handicapped people must not approach the altar.

Leviticus 24:16,24 – Cursers and blasphemers must be stoned to death.

Leviticus 25:45-46 – God’s instructions for buying slaves.

I think the problem is people have their different views, but then to come out and make hate comments is just plain wrong and not christian- this is what not only McClurkin did but also MAry Mary as well.

Some people are bisexual and were once with one gender and then meet someone else of another- many of these ex-gay organizations and people refuse to mention anything about bisexuality. Living a life of celibacy isnt exactly not being be gay either. Everyone should know that almost all of the ex-gay ministry leaders out there have left and denounced reparative therapy or have been caught having gay relationships…EVEN MCLurkin check out this to read an interview with his ex-lover of resent past linkclaycane.blogspot.com/.

These organizations DO NOT keep statistics on the long term sexuality status on any of there patients!

The following are people who left ex-gay ministries or were caught in a gay relationship/situaton Michael Busse & Gary Cooper now in a relationship(exodus founders), Colin Cook (founder of Homosexuals anonymous), John Paulk (focus on the family/love won out) and Chris Austin of NARTH and Evergreen international- convicted of having sexual relationships w/patients.

Also 10 major medical and mental health organization in the US oppose the use of reparative therapy because you do not need to “fix” something thats NOT wrong, and it has damaging effects on the client. Check out this link to learn more http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/justthefacts.html

Also here are a list of churchs that are GLBT inclusive- why not talk to them about Homosexuality and the bible and see what they say

http://www.rainbowbaptists.org

Rainbow Baptists

http://www.integrityusa.org

Integrity – LGBT Episcopalians

http://www.dignityusa.org

Dignity -LGBT Catholics

http://www.mlp.org/about.html

More Light Presbyterians

http://www.glbtjews.org

GLBT Jews

http://www.galva108.org/

GLBT Hindu

http://www.forusa.org/ArticlesandResources/Wink-homosexuality.html

General Bible & homosexuality

http://www.mccchurch.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home

Branches Nationwide- follow link to find nearest branch

http://www.Soulforce.org

Dedicated to GLBT inclusion in all churches

The text of the bible simply is what it is and no amount of wishful thinking or exquisitely tortured parsing of that text is going to change it into something it isn’t.

…

Ultimately this all comes down to the morally relativistic notion of “I’ll do what I want, then find a way to morally justify it later”

Morally justify it like everything else that is condemned in the bible and is common place today? The very chapters used to attack gays contain several other things that for some reason people don’t give a damn about anymore. Somebody PLEASE tell me what is the difference between those things and being gay? So far no one has answered this question.

I find that many people are only open to diversity of opinions (gay or not) only when that opinion is the same as thiers.

If Donnie McClurkin believes that his gayness has been “cured”, then all power to the man. It’s his life. Associating or being friends with him, doesn’t automatically make a person a homophobe.

They can have their own opinion, but not their own facts. The text of the bible simply is what it is and no amount of wishful thinking or exquisitely tortured parsing of that text is going to change it into something it isn’t.

The guy wanted you to perform semantic alchemy for him when it simply wasn’t possible.

Ultimately this all comes down to the morally relativistic notion of “I’ll do what I want, then find a way to morally justify it later”.