Sitting here thinking about the world we live in....the country we live in....we are so very far from living as God has told us quite clearly in His word to live. Today the Supreme Court handed down two decisions.
The first was to rule that the federal same sex ban called DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) , signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996 as unconstitutional. It prevented same-sex couples whose marriages were recognized by their home state from receiving benefits available to other married couples under federal law.
The second was to was to say that Proposition 8 on California ballots in 2008 was unconstitutional. Prop 8 was a same sex marriage ban. It was voted on by the California voters and was passed. That meant the majority of voters wanted a BAN on same sex marriages, they did not want that for their state. Now the Supreme Court is going against the will of the people. That is serious! The judges who voted to strike it down said that the activists who put it on the ballot originally did not have constitutional authority, or standing to do so. California voters added the ban to the state's constitution in 2008 through a ballot initiative that reversed the state Supreme Court's recognition of same-sex marriage earlier that year. So basically California voters did NOT like or agree with their state Supreme Court's decision and took matters into their own hands....We do live in a democratic society and I (along with 4 other Supreme Court judges) believe in the right of the people!
If anyone knows me or my husband personally, you will know we love everyone. I have no hatred against homosexuals. In fact, I have some I consider as dear friends....HOWEVER that does not mean I condone their behavior or agree with it.
The bible calls it sin, society has called it sin for all of recorded history in all societies world wide.
This may not be a popular stand but I feel compelled to write about this today. As a Christian, I can not close my eyes and not address things. As much as I address the church's role in orphan care, this is troubling!
Because both the Old Testament and the New Testament tell us that homosexual behavior is sin, I believe it is sin. That is the bottom line. I believe all of the Bible, I don't pick out the parts that meet my need and discard the parts I don't like. Nope, I take the whole Bible and do my best to live by it. If you want scripture and verse....then here goes...Leviticus 20:13, Genesis 19:4-9, Romans 1: 24-27, and 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11. There are certainly more verses, but that's just a few.
Hey to be fair, I think ANY sex outside of marriage is SIN! For my friends who are living together with their boy/girl friends or sleeping around....I think that is just as wrong according to the Bible. And YES there are MANY other kinds of sin besides sexually sin too.....but since the government wants to get involved in this debate, that is what I'm blogging about right now. And NO I do not think I'm better than anyone else, we are all sinners BUT even tho I am not perfect, I try and govern my life in all areas as the Bible instructs and just because I may miss it in one area, I realize it is ME who is in the wrong, not the Bible!
So I'm not happy with the direction America is choosing to go in. Other nations have gone that way and it does not look good. America is different than other nations, we were founded by Christians who would turn over in their graves if they knew what America is like today. Other nations do not have the heritage of being founded primarily as a Christian nation. Not that America is the best nation or the only one with God's blessing...not at all. In fact, I get concerned with some Christians who, in my opinion (IMO) elevate America to be "God's nation" I don't like American flags inside churches ....that is for another post.....
I think the in the day's ahead, our freedom to express ourselves, to say what we believe is sin or wrong will be gone. Certainly in other countries ministers are fined for reading some of the scriptures I put on my blog today......
There are dark days ahead for the Church in America but in darkness, the light shows even brighter!
"Our life maybe a crazy life but it's our life" I'm married to a pastor of a small rural church, who is also the prison chaplain. We have 5 kids, each with their unique story. I love gardening & we all love the outdoors. Our life is not the way we planned it to be, but we are learning to trust God in every area. Come and read about our life as we live it to the fullest!
I get information from Prop 8 all the time and they sent out an email today saying that the supremes did not rule against it but sent it back to the legislators
ReplyDeleteto fight over it....They said that the news medias all
said the supremes struck it down, but they did not...And the group will still fight it out in Cali for the 7 million or so people that voted for one man and one woman in Cali's election 4 or 5 yrs. ago...
I thought I had the email still, but just looked and I had already deleted it...
It is a slippery slope to evil and this country is certainly gone awry and the supremes, less three, are on the LEFT OF LEFT on most things....Not Constitution defending going on there....
Just sayin' But the Book of Revelation pretty much says it all...
Love from NC
I don't know whether to 'like' your sentiment or 'dislike' the decisions that worldly-wise men have made...so I will just choose to pray.
ReplyDeleteSlavery was condoned throughout the BIble. Is it okay today? Jesus never ever said homosexuality was wrong. Granted, other parts of the Bible say it is, but not the Gospels. I pray every day that my church (Catholic) will change their stance on homosexuality. I have a cousin that committed suicide because she just never fit in. She was a woman who always felt like she was a man. I can attest she was this way as a two year old. I have a nephew who was effeminate as a very young child. He is gay. He was born that way. He deserves to be in a committed relationship. I try to be obedient, but I also believe God would never ask me to go against my conscience.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I am very sorry you have not seen more progress with Selah and the fish oil. She is in my prayers every day.
Thank you for the very nice tone of your remarks. And thank you so much for your prayers for Selah!
DeleteThe bible doe not condone slavery. There is NO verse that tells people to take slaves. However there are verses that tell people how to treat slaves nicely and fairly and even as part of the law, in the year of Jubliee (every 50 years) the bible told the Jews they must release their slaves!
Slavery in the OT and even NT times was different from the kind of slavery the world had in the 1800's. Often it was indentured slaves, someone who promised to work for another person for X amount of years. Sometimes it was slaves that were captured from battle....however the Bible never told the Jews to do that, it was a cultural thing it happened in many cultures in that time. In fact often the Jews were THE slaves such as the 400 years in Egypt and Daniel wrote the book of Daniel as a "slave" It seemed the bible more REPORTED on what was going on than commanded them to do it.
The BIBLE talked about marriage ONLY between a man and a woman, yet reported of the various ones who took many wives and concubines. The bible clearly showed the outcome of that behavior and there was always heartache involved such as in the case of David and Solomon (both took many wives and it caused their down falls)
I have much sympathy for people who struggle in that particular area, it is not a sin that I've dealt with in my life but I know I've struggled in other areas and it is hard. I do not believe God "makes" anyone gay or transgender. I do think some people have besetting sins, things they have to deal with throughout life...... the church should be there as a support for folks with those issues, with any issues. The church should show love and acceptance and help them work through things.
Actually, the Bible calls it an abomination.
ReplyDeleteI wish you and your family only health, wellness and healing. I have to respectfully disagree with your stance against allowing homosexuals to marry. Our government is is the business of performing marriages outside of religion. That right must be granted to all citizens. Loving couples will now be able to create stable relationships with all the privileges allowed to heterosexual individuals. I understand your religious objections and I defend any chruch's right to set their beliefs for what they decide constitutes a marriage. Our government was set up with separation of church and state and this ruling continues that tradition.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you and your family.
Thank you for your very kind remarks:) When this country was set up, the founders set it up with the separation of church and state being for the CHURCH's protection not the government's.....
DeleteThomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence, a most a mazing document, was not a Christian. Churches have very special rights in this country and should continue to have them. It's just all people who are good and decent don't have to believe in order to live together in harmony.May you and your family be well.
DeleteIn the US marriage has become a legal matter. Married people have legal rights that unmarried couples do not. Now everyone has the opportunity to have the same legal rights. This does not harm anyone. I know it is hard to separate religion from the issue but no one is harmed by gay marriage. I do believe that for whatever reason people are born with their sexual orientation. Who would choose a life where you are ostracized ?
ReplyDeleteThese rulings are opening a can of worms so to speak....it has happened in other countries and probably will happen in America. Ministers are not even allowed to read the scriptures that I cited above for risk of fines or jail time even. No only that in some countries ministers are not allowed to chose who they join in marriage.....so giving some people some new freedoms, might in the long run take other freedoms away.....
DeleteWhile discussing religion can be interesting, it has no authority when it comes to our laws or, at least it shouldn't. You may disagree, but we are not a nation of Judeo-Christian laws. Our laws, our constitution, our courts, are secular. Voting for another citizen's civil rights should never be placed in the hands of the people because people may be swayed by their religious beliefs or personal prejudices. Our highest court must make decisions based on our constitution, even if they conflict with majority vote. After all, majority vote has led to truly terrible laws, whether in this country or others- laws we realize later are immoral and hurtful to people. Just as you do not want symbols of government in your church, your church must not intrude and decide on our laws.
ReplyDeleteI disagree, if you look at our constitution, you'll see this country was based on Judeo-Christian beliefs. And also whether you agree with "the people's vote" America is first and foremost a democratic form of government.....and even if I disagreed with what the voters voted for....it's a democracy and to give the power to 5 people to make our decisions is a slippery slope and scary!!!
DeleteI have a copy of the constitution right here on my wall. My forefather signed the constitution (and one before him signed the Mayflower Compact). It is a remarkable document and sadly it is rarely studied by the general public. One could argue that religion must have informed the content, and yet it is notable that it never mentions that we are a Judeo-Christian nation and it specifically bars religion from intruding on government matters. The signers put great thought to this issue and were very careful in their wording. Moreover, democracy is not mentioned even once (the country is referred to as a republic, however). Democracy was considered a voting tool, but the signers understood that it could be abused- votes could be bought, polls could be manipulated, and the majority could be, frankly, wrong. There have been previous cases in which the Supreme Court has overturned laws voted in by the majority such as slavery and suffrage. Thank God that they did, right? I certainly do not always agree with our Supreme Court's decisions (some indeed have been bitter pills to swallow), but I accept this is how our country is designed. I look at other countries that have religious government authority and I prefer our own.
ReplyDeleteMy forefather's beliefs and values have been passed through our family from generation to generation. We are Christians, mind you, and appreciate that we are all free of religious persecution, free to practice our religion, free to share and talk about our religion- but we also appreciate that our religion will not be subverted to control government and the civil rights of other people. Not only does our constitution bar this, but we believe Jesus Christ would as well. I support your right to disagree or wish for something different, of course, but wished to clarify. Your family remains in my prayers and fond wishes.
Very well stated.
DeleteActually this country was founded as a Republic...A sovereign country..founded as you said on Judeo-Christian beliefs....Now it is a free for all and citizens are no longer granted the same freedoms as those who come here to destroy the very freedom they say they want...
ReplyDeleteGod's Word is and will always be FIRST and FOREMOST the TRUTH....Only HE has Control over the earth...And one day, HE will end all this evil that has overtaken the earth...Then people will see how TOTALLY loving and merciful and just HE is..
What an eye opener it will be for those that say there is NO God...Pray for them to believe in the Only One that is able to save them...JESUS...