Please read this Huffington post article before reading further!
Okay, perspective the first, you can say the bible was written by God but it was written down and interpretted by man, and actually, before the council of Nicea (around 180 A.D. when anyone who actually knew Christ was long dead) it was a collection of scrolls, and verbal traditions and these men who decided they should decide what should and shouldn't be in the Bible, edited said scrolls, threw out whole books and by the way, thought the earth was flat and if you sailed to far you would fall off the edge. Furthermore, the council of Nicea was a Roman council and wait? Weren't they the guys that killed him in the first place. They compile most of what is now known as the Roman Catholic bible in order to have something uniform to teach the people they conquered. The Irony is not lost on me.
Second, the Old testament, originally written in Hebrew, has been translated to Greek, Latin and back again so many times that it's original meaning is all but lost. (As is the New Testament, if you read a translation from Aramaic you'd be surprised what you find.) And the parts that most people go to to defend their bigotry against gay people, not only are subject to interpretation (One group will refer that line in Leviticus saying that it means God hates gays, another will say that line is actually about male prostitution and still another will point out that at the time Leviticus was written women were considered naturally sinful and property so it was okay to beat your wife or rape her or psychologically abuse her because she was a woman and you shouldn't treat a man that way cause they are holey. Anyone with any sense knows that's Bull Hockey. If you've ever been in a good gay/lesbian relationship, you know that rape and sex are two different things, and while some gay sex can be rather ... athletic, it is not about brutality no matter what Marcus Bachmann) but most people don't even pay attention to the laws of Leviticus until they are talking about something they don't like like homosexuality. Kind of sad, because if you listen to all of Leviticus Nancy Reagan would have been stoned to death the first time she went out in public in that red dress and even Jews eat shrimp cocktail, which is shellfish which if you eat you should be drowned for. Oh and btw, If you are a woman who gets married and your husband finds out you are not a virgin on your wedding night, he gets to kill you. (see Deuteronomy)
Perspective the third. The word homosexual wasn't even used until the late 1800s so if anyone says it's in the bible they are full of shit, and please tell them so. The term gay wasn't used until the late 1960 as well. Furthermore, although many people would say homosexuals have been around since air and you need to get over it, the kinds of relationship between two men or two women, where they live together as spouses as well as sexual partners, has not existed in history until recently. The first I personally know of on record was Oscar Wilde and his boyfriend. So what we are talking about did not exist when the Torah was first written between 600 B.C. in Babylon. and 400 B.C. in Persia. Nor did it exist in 180 A.D. in Rome. Two men did not live together and neither did two women unless they were relatives or spinsters. I'm not saying that there haven't been men who wanted this kind of relationship but on penalty of death or imprisonment they didn't dare.
Perspective the fourth. I really doubt this woman who evidently looked quite manly, came up to this couple and said "Hi I'm Daniel, I'm a lesbian." or "Hi, I'm Daniel, I'm transitioning." Her "lifestyle" was an assumption by this couple. Some people can't help but look opposite their gender. I've known women who look quite ridiculous with curly teased hair, and in pretty dresses. It doesn't make them look feminine, it makes them look like they are trying to hard. Similarly I've known skinny, pretty men who can't help look feminine. They are just pretty.
I saw on the news recently a discussion about a proposed bill that would make it illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation in the work place. One man's argument was that it would prevent him from exercising his religious freedom. I'm curious where in the bible it says you have to know who a person is fucking before you hire them? Is it legal to not pay your landscaper after they've completed their work because you've found out they are gay? No, it isn't. So by what right do you deny this waitress her livelihood because you assume she is a lesbian?
Perspective the fifth, and this is why I believe in Jesus but don't consider myself a Christian, Jesus hung out with thieves, women of questionable virtue, and people who others thought were scums of the earth. (Remember the Good Samaritan, the Sumerian woman he met at the well, or "let he who is without sin cast the first stone.") Why do some Christians think they need to judge people and make them pay for living their lives? He didn't even like Jewish religious leaders. He got up in their faces at every turn and yet some take their holy book and still use it to persecute others. Even most Jews don't pay that close attention to it any more.
I know all Christians do not think this way. Some of you I consider friends. I call on you to be as vocal as your less than enlightened brothers and sister, and tell them you are no longer letting them talk for all Christians. Don't apologize for them after they act like ignorant pieces of feces. Speak out now before another ignorant phrase passes their lips. Let them know that you don't see how letting two men, or two women (or in some cases three in any combination) prevents you from practicing your religion. Let them know you pay a days wage for a days work, whether you agree with whom they go home to or not. Do not oppose them, instead speak out for what you believe in as well. If not you are like the Germans that did not speak out against what was being done to the Jews. First, they didn't think it mattered because it didn't effect them, and a lot of the changes Hitler made in Germany benefited many. Then, they didn't speak out when they realized what was really going on because they were too afraid. Lastly, they didn't speak out because they were ashamed they didn't speak out sooner.
Lastly, at one point the Jews came to Jesus and asked him how to defeat the Romans. He told them to love them. They didn't get it. Make sure we get it today. Love this family in spite of themselves. Just don't be silent, while you try.
I would actually love it if this woman doubled as a volunteer fire fighter and some time in the future these people owed their children's lives to her bravery. I mean probably they already do and don't know it but in the previously mentioned scenario I would laugh myself silly at their discomfort.
