When the Homily is about Immunology

Quoting Jesus

Some of you have no doubt read about the private Christian school in Ontario California that expelled a student because her "parents" were Lesbians. (The bigotted scientist in me snickers a little when the story is phrased this way...you recall that little story about the birds and the bees...the girl MUST have a father somewhere!)

Story HERE.

Now, the most obvious question to me is this: Why would a lesbian mother even WANT to send her daughter to a conservative Christian school? But that aside, what I really want to address is this gentleman's published opinion.

In this article, the author's main point is that Jesus never said a word about homosexuality...and the logical conclusion follows that there is nothing wrong with homosexual behavior. Furthermore, the author goes on to talk about love, peace, not judging others, etc etc that Jesus DOES talk about. Of course he royally screws up interpretting this passage:

"Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man."

Within this sentence, Jesus condemns bigotry and persecution in his name.

Well, no not really, read it again Bob. He's very clearly saying that you are blessed if you are persecuted (etc) for BEING a follower of HIM. But that is neither here nor there...let's consider a few other things that Jesus neglected to specifically condemn:

Pedophilia
Beastiality
Rape
Arson
Pornography
Drugs
Protestantism (hehehe...just kidding!)

I think you get my point. But I don't think the rest of the world (Christian and non-Christian alike get THE point - including me and certainly not Bob.) Holiness is much deeper than a set of rules and regulations...but I think rules and regulations are the surface of it all...to those outside it may appear to be such. Holiness is a relationship with the living God that calls us to a greater and greater state of selflessness. We become less needy and more giving...we define ourselves more in the context of God and less in the context of our sexuality, our hungers, our desires, our perceived needs.

Jesus quoted the OT and said "Man does not live by bread alone" and the Church's periods of fasting are intended to remind of us this. Forcing us to surrender while those around us stand by and see silly rules and regulations - as they go on living by bread alone.

The "God hates Fags" crowd are as profoundly lost as those poor souls who are ruining both body and soul through promiscuity (gay or straight). Jesus does indeed condemn them both...but I think I'd chose not to use the term "condemn."

Recall Jesus' conversation with the woman caught in adultry: "Neither do I condemn you..." and then as she was preparing to leave - a changed person - Jesus says, "Go and sin no more."

THIS is the attitude we ought to have...not condemnation.