U.S. Representative Raul Labrador (R-ID) is re-introducing a vicious bill target at the LGBT community that in reality will target many Americans and goes against everything that Jesus stood for. The bill will affect not just same-sex couples, whether legally married or not, and it will also affect single people and potentially children.
What is most repugnant about this is that it comes wrapped in the sulfur-laden cover of religious freedom.
As someone who studied the catechism, I am always shocked at how so-called Christians interpret Jesus. At the same time that Jesus is dubbed “the Prince of Peace,” the most horrendous and heinous acts are attributed to His teachings. Labrador’s legislation is an example.
When it comes to the laws of the Christian god, only two sets were issued.
The first one came in the form of tablets with 10 commandments.
The second came in the form of spoken word when Jesus said to love God above all, and each other as we love ourselves.
Any other laws or condemnations found in the Bible come from men. Not God. Not Jesus.
These laws, including what to do if a person kills a goat, were designed to bring order to a group of people. They were rules of interaction in a society. Nothing more, nothing less.
Therefore, when we read in Leviticus that same-sex acts are an “abomination” we need to keep in mind that these are laws of men and not laws of God.
One of the tricky part is the word “abomination.” An abomination is not a sin. There is a great difference between the two.
A sin is a trespass against God.
An abomination is a trespass against society.
This is why murder is a sin according to the Ten Commandments.
This is why both eating shellfish and same-sex love are abominations.
And please do note that eating shrimp is as bad as being gay. Then, why aren’t there stone throwers at Red Lobster?
Jesus is said to have spoken:
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” - Mathew 7:15
What we are seeing with the Xtian movement is ravenous wolves destroying the fabric of Christian philosophy.
I say Xtian, because these people aren’t Christians at all! Anyone who uses the name of Jesus to harm, hinder or limit anyone is not a true Christian. They are Xtian.
Xtians adore quoting Bible verses that are not applicable to anything that Jesus preached.
For instance, Jesus uttered no words whatsoever about homosexuality, yet this is the gravest issue for so many Xtians.
They like to quote pre-Jesus Leviticus:
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. – Leviticus 20:13
They also like to quote post-Jesus Romans:
"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet." - Romans 1:26-27
But Peter’s letters to the Romans were after Jesus, therefore it must be what Jesus thought of as well. Right?
Wrong!
The entire cast of the Bible, from Adam and Eve to Revelation, was Jewish. Christians considered themselves a sect of Judaism. Many ideas and interpretation of this exist, but the fact remains that early Christians considered themselves Jews.
This is why in depictions of early Christianity, preachers wear the tallit, a religious garment used by Jewish Rabbis.
Therefore, absolutely everything in the Bible that comes after Jesus is still Jewish law and tradition.
When Paul writes to the Romans chastising them, he does it from a Jewish perspective, not a Christian perspective. After all, if Jesus found homosexuality to be so horrendous, so deviant, then why didn’t he say anything about it? Why are Christians taking clues from those who are not Him?
The reason for this is that there are many false prophets out there wearing sheep skin. They are leading good people through a path of hate. And this path also includes the ungodly notion that it’s the Xtian duty to force others to comply.
Let’s be very clear! Jesus told his followers to share the word, not to impose it on others. Jesus leaves it up to the individual listening to the words to make a decision, but it never instructs the sharer to force anyone to live according His teachings.
Namely, he said:
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. — Mark 16:15-16
Jesus leaves it up to the individual to follow His teachings. Period. No one is to be forced to do so.
Thus, what Rep. Labrador is doing is not Christian in the least.
Jesus spoke of another kind of false prophet: the kind who speaks in His name, but does not have Him in his heart; the kind who does evil in His name.
He put it bluntly:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ — Matthew 7:20-23
Labrador and other Xtians who tell us their version of the word of Christ are such prophets.
If they really knew and understood Jesus they wouldn’t advocate for the oppression of anyone. They would not be in agreement with the sordid military spending in the US while people are homeless and hungry.
Most importantly, they would understand that Jesus made it clear that there are two sets of laws: those of God and those of civil society. Never did he ever advocate for one replacing the other. As a matter of fact, he made it very clear that both are separate.
This means that what Labrador is doing would be frowned upon by Jesus because of his irrational desire to impose his religious beliefs on others by using the civil laws of society.
Those who say they ascribe by his teachings do not. Instead of sharing the word, they seek to impose it regardless of the cost.
Those who don’t know Jesus, tend to adore the opposite of his teachings. Labrador is one of these people.
Labrador and his ilk better change their ways. Jesus had stern words for those who oppressed their fellow humans:
And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ - Matthew 25:40
Least of these my brothers = oppressed peoples = people in same-sex unions (among others).
