Your statements and rhetorical questions indicate that you do not accept the Judeo-Christian bible as God's word given to man, so any comments of mine concerning your post that are based on scriptural principles would fall on deaf ears. However, I will say that born again Christians (there are no other kind of true Christians, see John 3:3-4) have no need for "figuring out truth" as you mentioned in the last paragraph of your post. God's word is truth, and we can only come to know and understand many parts of his word by believing in our heart that Jesus Christ is the divine, virgin born, resurrected, eternal Son of God who sacrificed his life to atone for man's sin, and by accepting him by faith as Savior of our immortal souls and Lord of our lives. Once that relationship with God has been established by grace through faith in his Son, the believer's spiritual eyes are opened and the truth of his word comes into focus.
For anyone who believes that the bible reveals God's mind concerning sin, there can be no doubt that both abortion and homosexual acts are sins against God's moral laws. To say otherwise is to show disregard for his written word that says unjustified killing of another person, i.e., abortion, is murder, and that homosexual acts are an abomination in God's sight. But a Christian also realizes that God still loves the abortionist sinner and the homosexual sinner just the same as he loves any other lost sinner, and that he offers full pardon to ALL truly repentant sinners who will accept his offer of salvation by grace through faith in his Son.
I doubt very much that you want my prayers on your behalf. But I will nevertheless pray for God to open your heart to the truth of his word, and that he will lead you to recognize that he, and not our own intellect, is the final arbiter of right and wrong.
I disagree on the abusive part. I know Joey Batz very well and while he may take a very direct manner of speaking, I would certainly not label him as abusive nor hateful. Not everyone abides by the same manner of thinking. I've read his response and it was brillilantly argued in his point of view. I may not share it, I may not agree with it, but I always appreciate a good response in a forum.
I actually do accept the Judeo-Christian Bible, but strictly in the regards of morale. While morale varies from region to region, certain beliefs are universal: respect, honor, dignity and managing your own life without jealousy (Do not covet thy neighbor's wife I translate as manage your own and do not compare yourself with the people nearby - comparison is useless because there will always be greater and lesser people than youself.) But the detailed stances on the "hot-button topics" I decide for myself.
I also have both an agreement and a disagreement on virgin conception, but before you respond, consider my explanation of how. Biologically speaking, it's simply. not. possible. If God has created a man in His own image, then God must also have a human form. That and in accordance to basic rules of biology, there is no way that Mary of Nazareth could have conceived without having sex with someone. Or, since I also believe in ghosts, something. Since the Bible is compiled of records from multiple authors, it's likely that they too did not know the detail of how Jesus was conceived. But, since he did have a flesh-and-blood form with abilities beyond a human form, I am inclined to believe that the conception was by spiritual means. Still...I'm a very scientific person and pardon if my knowledge of the body overrides my open mind on that matter.
Nonetheless, regardless of what God believes, people should always know what to think for themselves. That is why I am not strictly religious but instead hold my mind open for right about anything. I understand the biological and piritual sides of things, but what I decide is limited to my personal opinion. That may be challenged, refuted with facts - I debate no other way - but nonetheless. I'm positive that no two people think alike and no two people would interpret a sentence the same way. Hence I say that there is no such thing as absolute truth.
Even Biblical verses are interpreted differently. I'm sure that no two people in an open-discussions Bible study class would interpret the Ten Commandments the same way either. I interpret them in my own way. The person next to me will interpret them in their own.
I'll try not to be as redundant in the future and appreciate the courtesy of a similarly courteous response.
QoS
PS: I'm open to everything. I just think for myself and if you must pray for me, please pray that my husband and I will save enough for a house. Eventually. :)
IF THIS WILL DOUBLE-POST, I AM SORRY. COMPUTER IS ACTING UP.
I disagree on the abusive part. I know Joey Batz very well and while he may take a very direct manner of speaking, I would certainly not label him as abusive nor hateful. Not everyone abides by the same manner of thinking. I've read his response and it was brillilantly argued in his point of view. I may not share it, I may not agree with it, but I always appreciate a good response in a forum.
I actually do accept the Judeo-Christian Bible, but strictly in the regards of morale. While morale varies from region to region, certain beliefs are universal: respect, honor, dignity and managing your own life without jealousy (Do not covet thy neighbor's wife I translate as manage your own and do not compare yourself with the people nearby - comparison is useless because there will always be greater and lesser people than youself.) But the detailed stances on the "hot-button topics" I decide for myself.
I also have both an agreement and a disagreement on virgin conception, but before you respond, consider my explanation of how. Biologically speaking, it's simply. not. possible. If God has created a man in His own image, then God must also have a human form. That and in accordance to basic rules of biology, there is no way that Mary of Nazareth could have conceived without having sex with someone. Or, since I also believe in ghosts, something. Since the Bible is compiled of records from multiple authors, it's likely that they too did not know the detail of how Jesus was conceived. But, since he did have a flesh-and-blood form with abilities beyond a human form, I am inclined to believe that the conception was by spiritual means. Still...I'm a very scientific person and pardon if my knowledge of the body overrides my open mind on that matter.
Nonetheless, regardless of what God believes, people should always know what to think for themselves. That is why I am not strictly religious but instead hold my mind open for right about anything. I understand the biological and piritual sides of things, but what I decide is limited to my personal opinion. That may be challenged, refuted with facts - I debate no other way - but nonetheless. I'm positive that no two people think alike and no two people would interpret a sentence the same way. Hence I say that there is no such thing as absolute truth.
Even Biblical verses are interpreted differently. I'm sure that no two people in an open-discussions Bible study class would interpret the Ten Commandments the same way either. I interpret them in my own way. The person next to me will interpret them in their own.
I'll try not to be as redundant in the future and appreciate the courtesy of a similarly courteous response.
QoS
PS: I'm open to everything. I just think for myself and if you must pray for me, please pray that my husband and I will save enough for a house. Eventually. :)