Be Consistent.

Here we are just a little under two years from the next presidential election and what is coming out of the mouths of the republicans? Religious faith. However how is this religious faith manifested in the last twenty years? Hate and intolerance towards homosexuals, atheists, deists, agnostics, science, woman's rights, stem cell research, non-evangelical beliefs and anyone who dares to think for themselves without the priest craft telling them how to live their lives. Of course their disdain for the aforementioned is not publicly espoused except for the homosexual issue.

Take homosexuality for example. The evangelical right utilizes such scripture to justify their persecution of those who have a different sexual preference. Leviticus 18:22; 20:13 the later chapter and verse prescribes death, Romans 1:26-27, and 1 Corinthians 6:9. However the problem with this is the cherry picking which occurs within Evangelical circles when it comes to this issue as well as others.

If a majority of Evangelicals believe in the inerrancy of scripture and 2 Timothy 3:16 then ALL scripture is inspired and is useful for reproof, correction etc. then you just can't pick the scriptures you like that fit your particular religious political issue and discard the rest as one would discard a bad grape in the bunch.

However it is done on a consistent basis utilizing the theological calisthenics of hermeneutics. This is a fancy word for interpreting the bible to suit your own needs be they political or religious. If you want to use the above scriptures to condemn homosexuality, then please be consistent in obeying all of it, or at the very least pastors should preach it all.

Marriage shall not prohibit a married man from taking for himself concubines in addition to other wives (II Sam5:13; I Kings 11:3; II Chron 11:21), a husbands wife has to be a virgin otherwise the marriage is not valid and she should be executed (Deut 22:13-21), divorce is not permitted for any reason (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9), if a man dies without children then his brother is obliged to marry the widow. If not and as a result no children are forthcoming it would be a time for a visit to a local shoe store for the brother has to pay a fine with one shoe. (Gen.38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10) However Deut 22:13-21 must be obeyed in this instance and finally it is perfectly ok to sell your own daughter as a slave. (Exodus 21:1-11).

On the abortion issue if you are going to continually utilize (Exodus 21:22-24) as a case against it then by all means please also explain Hosea praying for miscarriage (Hosea 9:11), ritualized induced abortion (Numbers 5:11-21), Moses commanding the killing of women who might be with children (Numbers 31:17), and God killing the unborn (Hosea 13:16, 2 Kings 15:16).

I realize reading this may be hard to swallow and may conjure the usual response such as "Christian persecution", but remember if evangelicalism can critique Mitt Romney and the religion of Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, Hindu, Krishna and of late the Muslim faith etc. then by all means be prepared for your beliefs to be critiqued with a critical eye of logic and reason.

Learn more about this author, Jack Evans.
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