[MavKikiNYC]

An interesting discussion going on here, to be sure. Not necessarily an encouraging one.

There have been some rather definite opinions expressed here about whether or not homosexuality is a sin, by posters whose religious perspectives could fairly be decribed conservative, evangelical, and/or fundamentalist.

It might be interesting (and revealing) to hear what those same posters' perpectives are on religious bigotry, religious intolerance, spiritual coercion and theological extortion. Does their understanding of Christainity allow that all of those acts would be considered sins? Does their reading of the Bible suggest that any of those acts would be sinful, or does their interpretaion of the Bible compel them to impose their religious persepctive on anyone who doesn't believe as they do, and compel all people to live as they live their own lives?

What (if anything) do C-E-Fs derive from the Bible about religious bigotry? (Siderbar: I once sat uncomfortably through a Sunday evening "Training Union" session, while one of the most educated Baptist pastors I ever knew opined that not only would Jews fail to receive salvation, but Catholics as well---this with two Catholic guests in attendance. Insensitive and misguided at best, callous and sinfully hurtful at worst.)

Would a religious bigot be required to ask forgiveness from those whom he/she had condemned unfairly in order to be forgiven?

What if a religious bigot persisted in his/her bigoted beliefs, opinions and behaviors, refusing to acknowledge the sinfulness of his/her actions, and the hurtfulness that his/her words had inflicted upon others?

What if a religious bigot not only persisted in his/her bigoted beliefs, but took scripture out of context in order to justify his/her beliefs; interpreted scripture selectively; and ignored scripture that conflicted with his/her own justification(s) for believing as he/she did?

What if a religious bigot spent more time condeming the perceived "sin" and imperfections of others, rather than trying themselves to live a more Christian, more loving, more tolerant life, and trying to improve his/her own spiritual imperfections?

And what about other Christians (of whatever sexual persuasion) who do not believe as the C-E-Fs? Do the C-E-Fs regard their acceptance of homosexuality as sinful?

And how should more thoughtful believers regard the religious bigot who smugly and superciliously spouts his/her scriptural distortions chapter- and-verse, cloaking his/her own bigoted beliefs and idiosyncratic theological persectives in a self-justifying, self-righteous (but scriptuarlly-based) maquillage of intolerance and condemnation for others?

So many questions raised.......