For Christians: Please explain this to me?

[Fillimore Topplecot]

So Im new to this site and I'm sure that similar topics have been discussed thousands of times here. I still feel the need to ask this question, to Christians especially, as it is something that has confused me greatly for a long time! I have many religious friends and family, and all of them are always railing on how supporting gay marriage is against God, or how reading Harry Potter is against God, or a plethora of other things. I always hear the same insistence that if the commands of the bible, namely what is sin and what is not, are not followed, then bad things will happen. But here's where I'm confused; the bible names a ****-ton of things as sins which basically everybody on the planet does. So why exactly is gay marriage still bad, but none of these other things? Here are some examples:

The book of Leviticus explicitly bans, and calls as sin;

-wearing clothes of mixed fibers (cotton...)
-growing multiple kinds of plants in one field (basically every farm ever...)
-Eating anything hoofed (pigs...)
-Eating fish without fins (clams, oysters, muscles...)
-Eating fat (fat is literally in everything. like everything.)
-Shaving (again, just about everyone shaves...)
-And many more...

*Note, these example came specifically from a buzzed article (I know, not typically the greatest source, although it gave specific directions to passages in the bible, which I read, which do indeed say what the article says they say) http://www.buzzfeed.com/omgitsanf/19-things-the-bible-forbids-other-than-homosexuali-b83k#.dmjWNXa6w

So basically, why is homosexuality, or Harry Potter, going to make us burn in hell when clearly, basically every single person on the planet has broken, and regularly continues to break, the commands of the bible? What makes some sins more important than other sins?

 

[Baladas]

So Im new to this site and I'm sure that similar topics have been discussed thousands of times here. I still feel the need to ask this question, to Christians especially, as it is something that has confused me greatly for a long time! I have many religious friends and family, and all of them are always railing on how supporting gay marriage is against God, or how reading Harry Potter is against God, or a plethora of other things. I always hear the same insistence that if the commands of the bible, namely what is sin and what is not, are not followed, then bad things will happen. But here's where I'm confused; the bible names a ****-ton of things as sins which basically everybody on the planet does. So why exactly is gay marriage still bad, but none of these other things? Here are some examples:

The book of Leviticus explicitly bans, and calls as sin;

-wearing clothes of mixed fibers (cotton...)
-growing multiple kinds of plants in one field (basically every farm ever...)
-Eating anything hoofed (pigs...)
-Eating fish without fins (clams, oysters, muscles...)
-Eating fat (fat is literally in everything. like everything.)
-Shaving (again, just about everyone shaves...)
-And many more...

*Note, these example came specifically from a buzzed article (I know, not typically the greatest source, although it gave specific directions to passages in the bible, which I read, which do indeed say what the article says they say) http://www.buzzfeed.com/omgitsanf/19-things-the-bible-forbids-other-than-homosexuali-b83k#.dmjWNXa6w

So basically, why is homosexuality, or Harry Potter, going to make us burn in hell when clearly, basically every single person on the planet has broken, and regularly continues to break, the commands of the bible? What makes some sins more important than other sins?

I am no longer a Christian, but I was one for many years and was fairly competent in theology.
I hope you don't mind my chiming in.

I have rarely met anyone so ridiculous as to think Harry Potter is evil.
My mother-in-law is among them though. She literally will not allow it in her house, as if it were a satanic ritual.
The most I can figure is that it has been tied to a spoof article about children being led to real witchcraft, or satanism through the books.

As far as gay marriage, the excuse is usually that Paul mentions it in one of his letters.
Thus, it still is forbidden according to the the NT (in their eyes).
This has been contested by many Christians who point out that Paul was actually talking about ritual prostitution...to little avail.

EDIT: Perhaps Jewish people could explain those other rules more effectively.
We have several learned Jewish members on these forums.

 

[George-ananda]

I hope you realize Christians have a diversity of opinion about these issues. And the book of Leviticus must be understood as being for an ancient Jewish society (there were logical reasons then for those rules). I have never heard of Christians following the above Leviticus rules today.

 

[Thana]

So Im new to this site and I'm sure that similar topics have been discussed thousands of times here. I still feel the need to ask this question, to Christians especially, as it is something that has confused me greatly for a long time! I have many religious friends and family, and all of them are always railing on how supporting gay marriage is against God, or how reading Harry Potter is against God, or a plethora of other things. I always hear the same insistence that if the commands of the bible, namely what is sin and what is not, are not followed, then bad things will happen. But here's where I'm confused; the bible names a ****-ton of things as sins which basically everybody on the planet does. So why exactly is gay marriage still bad, but none of these other things? Here are some examples:

The book of Leviticus explicitly bans, and calls as sin;

-wearing clothes of mixed fibers (cotton...)
-growing multiple kinds of plants in one field (basically every farm ever...)
-Eating anything hoofed (pigs...)
-Eating fish without fins (clams, oysters, muscles...)
-Eating fat (fat is literally in everything. like everything.)
-Shaving (again, just about everyone shaves...)
-And many more...

*Note, these example came specifically from a buzzed article (I know, not typically the greatest source, although it gave specific directions to passages in the bible, which I read, which do indeed say what the article says they say) http://www.buzzfeed.com/omgitsanf/19-things-the-bible-forbids-other-than-homosexuali-b83k#.dmjWNXa6w

So basically, why is homosexuality, or Harry Potter, going to make us burn in hell when clearly, basically every single person on the planet has broken, and regularly continues to break, the commands of the bible? What makes some sins more important than other sins?

What you've quoted is Jewish Law, And Christians don't follow Jewish Law. You might find a few who claim too, But it's not general Christian practice in any of the major denominations. As to homosexuality, It's mentioned in the NT under 'sexual immorality' and that's why some Christians feel justified in their beliefs.

As to Harry Potter, I know where you're coming from. My sister refuses to watch it and won't even let her kids. It's called fundamentalism, But don't let it taint your view of Christianity. Most of us aren't like that.

The thing is, Christian or Jew or Atheist, we're all hypocrites and we're all human. You have higher expectations of Christians but you shouldn't, We're no different to anyone else. We'll screw up and lie and make ourselves out to be better than we are because that's human nature.

We try, but we fail also.

 

[Unification]

So Im new to this site and I'm sure that similar topics have been discussed thousands of times here. I still feel the need to ask this question, to Christians especially, as it is something that has confused me greatly for a long time! I have many religious friends and family, and all of them are always railing on how supporting gay marriage is against God, or how reading Harry Potter is against God, or a plethora of other things. I always hear the same insistence that if the commands of the bible, namely what is sin and what is not, are not followed, then bad things will happen. But here's where I'm confused; the bible names a ****-ton of things as sins which basically everybody on the planet does. So why exactly is gay marriage still bad, but none of these other things? Here are some examples:

The book of Leviticus explicitly bans, and calls as sin;

-wearing clothes of mixed fibers (cotton...)
-growing multiple kinds of plants in one field (basically every farm ever...)
-Eating anything hoofed (pigs...)
-Eating fish without fins (clams, oysters, muscles...)
-Eating fat (fat is literally in everything. like everything.)
-Shaving (again, just about everyone shaves...)
-And many more...

*Note, these example came specifically from a buzzed article (I know, not typically the greatest source, although it gave specific directions to passages in the bible, which I read, which do indeed say what the article says they say) http://www.buzzfeed.com/omgitsanf/19-things-the-bible-forbids-other-than-homosexuali-b83k#.dmjWNXa6w

So basically, why is homosexuality, or Harry Potter, going to make us burn in hell when clearly, basically every single person on the planet has broken, and regularly continues to break, the commands of the bible? What makes some sins more important than other sins?

Those are all metaphoric. For instance, you are the clothing, the field is within you, the crops and fruit grow within you, think of them as seeds of knowledge, or a seed of thought, or a seed of emotion, etc. It isn't in ones best interest to be good and evil at the same time. Evil seeds will corrupt good seeds and good seeds will destroy evil seeds. It's also not about what one eats, it's about what one thinks. Think of a full head of hair, it represents that your lower self/mind is covered by your higher self/mind. Living more in the pure conscious of mind, rather than subconscious and ego of mind.

Everything is lawful for you, you're your own entity. Not everything is beneficial for you though. One creates their own heaven or hell(states of conscious). Just as we can choose to allow others to place rules and conditioning over us and be a servant to mankind by folks using the bible to oppress.

As marriage in text is something internal, not literal and outward.

 

[rusra02]

I often hear those supporting homosexuality cite passages in Leviticus about other Laws God gave the nation of Israel. These laws were given to one specific nation, according to the Bible, and for specific reasons. The Bible says the Law was replaced by something more permanent, through Christ. ( Colossians 2:14)
IMO, the Bible teaches no nation is now required to keep the Law God gave Israel through Moses. On the other hand, we can learn much about our Creator by study of that Law.
As to homosexuality, Leviticus makes clear how God feels about this practice. The Christian Scriptures also clearly condemn the practice, notwithstanding efforts by some to obscure what the Bible clearly says. (1 Corinthians 6:9,10)

 

[masterp48hd]

Because religious people love to cherry pick the things they like about their magical book, but i find more logical to take the whole thing or leave it entirely, if it has at least some comprobable lies in.it (eg: the sun orbiting the earth) then it is not a reliable source of information given the fact that it has virtually no evidence to any of the things it says

 

[BenTheBeliever]

First off since Jesus came down we don't live in the of law anymore. We love in the time of Grace. We are not to follow the laws of Leviticus since it makes it clear by Grace we are saved. As for gay part yes it is a sin like all other sins we are to take it to the cross and lay it there and pick it up no more. That is not always an easy thing to do. For some it will be something they will struggle with all their lifes. I have had my own issues. But once I learn to let it go and give it to God things begin to change. Cause we humans can not change our own self's. We need the power of Christ to do that

 

[BenTheBeliever]

I hope you realize Christians have a diversity of opinion about these issues. And the book of Leviticus must be understood as being for an ancient Jewish society (there were logical reasons then for those rules). I have never heard of Christians following the above Leviticus rules today.

I agree.