Politics, Religion

Pray for Reign: Gay Marriage and The Bible (A Mark Fiore Political Cartoon Video)

Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Weekend Contributor

~ Submitted by Elaine Magliaro

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61 thoughts on “Pray for Reign: Gay Marriage and The Bible (A Mark Fiore Political Cartoon Video)”

  2. “All the pain and suffering in the world serves no purpose whatsoever. An omnipotent, omniscient God could rule the world without all the pain and suffering.”

    Simply because we don’t understand something doesn’t mean there isn’t a good reason for it. The scriptures tell us that ALL things work together for the glory of God. I don’t claim to know the mind of God, but I am certain there is a purpose for everything – even the things I don’t like.

    “Where was Jesus when he performed his first miracle?”

    Jesus was at what we would call a reception. It was typical in those days to celebrate for up to a full week after the signing of the Ketuba (contract)! Jesus did not attend a “Marriage ceremony” because the Jews did not practice such things.

    “If you will go to the gospel according to “JOHN” Chapter 1: verses 1-12 I believe you will find the word marriage. It is also mentioned some 56 times in various places in all three of my Bibles”

    That is the way it was translated, and also where a lot of the meaning is lost. The word “marriage” in the Bible is an anglicized word which refers to the ceremony, unfortunately it leads many to believe that we are doing things correctly (biblically) when we are not. Marriage licensure is actually a fairly new thing historically. They NEVER practiced “marriage” as we commonly do today. Show me one instance where a man asked permission from the government to take a wife, much less paid the government to license his relationship placing the government in headship of the relationship.

    “The significance of the appearance of the word “marriage” in the Bible is lost on me.”

    There is a significant difference between the way we practice marriage and the covenants that were entered into in the Bible. A man and woman entered a covenant before God, today we marry placing the government as the authority over the relationship. If you don’t understand this difference ask anyone that is familiar with divorce proceedings WHO makes the decisions about how the relationship ends (hint-a secular judge). Marriage and Covenant ARE two very different things, and using the word marriage in translating the scriptures is an injustice to them.

    Religious – Biblical covenant – God is the head and authority.
    Secular – Legal Marriage – The State is the head and authority.

    I am currently in covenant with a woman. I refuse to be legally married because I refuse to place the State as the head of our covenant in the place of God. The State does NOT have authority over any of my personal relationships and I certainly would not pay them a fee to contract with them to be in authority over any relationship I may choose to be in. I would be willing to register my union with the State if they are interested in knowing who I am in covenant with (as Joseph did when he took Mary to Bethlehem for the census), but I refuse to purchase a license for any such relationship…I license my dog, not my wife.

    We live in a Romanized society, and have for a long long time. It is often difficult for people to understand the differences between our current culture and the Biblical culture that existed when the scriptures were written because they have never experienced it.

  3. Graffiti seen in the stall of a NYC men’s room:
    “My mother made me a queer.”
    In another hand: “If I give her the wool will she make me one?”

  4. As I wrote previously, I am a Christian and what I wrote is my belief and my opinion only. I simply gave an explanation as to how I believed as a Christian and gave scriptures that backed it up. You have the right and choice to disagree with me as I am not asking you to accept my religion. Many people pick and choose the verses they want to believe anyway. I have been taught that I must know the entire Bible and let it be my guide in life. Again, what you choose to believe is your choice. That is between you and whatever God you recognize.

    However, If you want a theological argument there are over 100 great philosophers you can read to choose and make your own choice of which you agree with. Just to name a few; Hegel, W. James, Roger Bacon, Immanuel Kant, Frederich Nietzsche, Jean Paul Sartre, Rene Descartes, Plato, Thomas Aquinas, _ Tillich, Soren Kierkegaard and my favorite Paul of Tarsus, plus many many more. Whether you are Atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, whatever, I am not looking to convert you, I choose to believe in God the Father and Jesus the Son and I believe His Word to be the truth.

    Note to Justin:
    he reason for Pain and Suffering throughout history has been due to the nature of man. With all the numerous religions and nonbelievers it is hard to believe that this physical world could ever be a Utopia.

    Thank you for your feedback and conversation. Goodbye

  5. Myra wrote:

    Max-1:” If what I do is sinful, who shall be the decider?
    You and your religion, or God” Max that should be evident. ”
    In that case then too is it you and your religion for, let’s say Muslims, and the ones who interpret their Bible, who say that it is G-d’s will, i.e. Allah, that we kill and terrorize all those who do not believe as we do, that we force women to wear burkas and hide their faces. and so on.

    Myra, the Bible has been translated umpteen times. Which translation is it in which you believe and how do you know that the words you read are the ones that were initially from G-d?

    Here is the word “marry” but look at the verse. It appears a main reason is so you don’t lose self control by not having intimate relations and having them keeps you out of the hands of Satan. And marriage will save the spouse who is an ubleliver with whom you must stay or if you do not must never marry again but stay alone.

    Just the first one I found when wanted to see if you were correct or not about the word marry not in the Bible.

    Corinthians 7:1-16

    Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

    (oh and as for marrying in the church, my sister married a non jew, Rabbis by the handful refused to marry them, not only not in the synagogue but at all. Finally she was married at home by a Rabbi she did not know but thought love was more important.
    My other sister converted to her husband’s christian denomination so she could be married in the church, and then never set foot in a church again.
    I would posit the Rabbi who married the first sister was acting in a godlyway. The priest who married the second cared more for the appearance of marrying a Christian, the fakery of the conversion, then he did for the reality of why she became one.

  6. The significance of the appearance of the word “marriage” in the Bible is lost on me. A rose by any other name….. ” If the men who invented the Bible had written the word “union” or “armadillo”, would gays be able to use the word “marriage” for their union? All such unions are marriages and vice versa. One can be married without a church, but one cannot have the legal, tax or societal acceptance of marriage without the legal secular sanction of government.

    Ah, societal acceptance. There’s the rub. Since societal acceptance among some anti-Constitutional religious minded people is the only obstacle, having zero legal or medical justification, religious objections to same-sex marriage are irrelevant.

  7. Justin, thank you for looking up the scriptures. It is your choice to believe as you do, however, I am merely a woman who believes and I believe you are wrong. I agree the world would be a much better place without all the pain and suffering however tell me a country, or government that can give you a utopia of such. The reason there is pain and suffering is caused by man’s sin and mistakes. We pray and ask for forgiveness here so that when our time comes, we can have a wonderful spiritual life with our God someday. That is my belief, my Choice. I myself did not know the scriptures until my husband died and God came into my life. Everyone is free to believe as he/she wishes.

    “Scarecrow” I respect your beliefs but I respectfully disagree with the word marriage not being in the Bible. However, I have a question, Where was Jesus when he performed his first miracle? answer: A wedding. I use The “King James Version”, and the “Revised Standard Version” also “The New World Translation of Holy Scriptures” and If you will go to the gospel according to “JOHN” Chapter 1: verses 1-12 I believe you will find the word marriage. It is also mentioned some 56 times in various places in all three of my Bibles. Jesus even attended a wedding and performed a miracle there. Thank you for reading this. You have the right to believe what you wish. God blessed weddings.

    I disagree with Gay marriage but this is a secular world and we are not their judges. If they come to church, then there is possibility that they will learn from hearing the scriptures. To be there they must already believe in God and are unaware of all of his teachings and of the consequences of that lifestyle for the spiritual life. Jesus did not push away the unbelievers, he taught them.

    I will leave now to go to Church, Have a wonderful day.

  10. The irony of seeing people quote their Bible to justify their efforts to legalize discrimination is delicious. The Bible isn’t a solution or a justification for trying to codify prejudice and bigotry, the Bible is the problem. Simply because our history has permitted the intrusion of Biblical supremacy over such secular legal matters in the past does not mean we cannot or should not correct those influences and affected laws. It’s rightful position in the discussion is irrelevance. The government has every right to manage the legal entanglements of marriage and dictate who can and cannot. But, the source material for designating who cannot be married is not any particular religion’s scripture. The only document that matters is the Constitution which assures all citizens equal access to all the full range of rights, benefits, privileges and obligations of that citizenship.

  11. Good Morning, myra. Thank you for your reply. I checked my King James version of the Bible and you give a very good explanation. However, your answer confirms why I chose to go separate ways with God/religion. I do not want to believe in a vengeful God. And as far as the reason for all the pain and suffering in the world, there is no good reason for it.
    All the pain and suffering in the world serves no purpose whatsoever. An omnipotent, omniscient God could rule the world without all the pain and suffering. In fact, the world would be a much better place for human beings WITHOUT all the pain and suffering. Thanks again. While we disagree about religion, I respect your right to believe as you choose.

  12. Unfortunately most Christians don’t read their Bible, much less study it. There are some that go to study groups which are nothing more than a continuation of that particular denomination’s teaching of their take on the scriptures. Someone who believes in the Bible (as I do) should read and study it on their own asking the Holy Spirit for guidance. By doing this I have come to see the consistencies in the scriptures rather then what some consider inconsistencies. A level of understanding can be obtained that I think is unlikely to be reached by having someone else tell you what the Bible says and means.

    The word “marriage” is never actually used in the scriptures. A “husband” referred to his “wife” as his woman, and she would refer to him as her man. Husband, wife, and marriage are terms that are not found in the scriptures. In the scriptures a man and woman enter into a betrothal which is an incomplete covenant. When the covenant is ratified then it can only be dissolved through divorce if the covenant is broken; the covenant is like a contract with terms and conditions. God divorced Israel, and later Judah for breaking the covenant they had with Him.

    That being said it is my opinion that the Church made a MAJOR error when the government was brought into marriage. The government should go no further than registering any covenant as a civil union, similar to the way it does businesses. If the government chooses to issue civil unions to gay as well as heterosexual couples so be it.

    As Christians we are instructed by Paul to address those within our church that are sinning, and to leave those outside the church to God. Seems pretty straight forward to me. If someone in my congregation is doing something that the scriptures state is sinful then it is my duty to address them privately and ask them to solve the issue. If they do not then I am to take two witnessed and try again. If that still fails then I am to remove the individual from the congregation.

    Since I disagree with government “Marriage” I obviously disagree with gay marriage, but that is simply my opinion and not one I intend to force upon anyone. If it comes to a vote I will vote based on my opinions, not with the intent of forcing someone to adopt my personal views.

  13. Justin, I am no theologian but if you believe in the Bible, I think you may find the answer to your question in Romans: 1: 17-32, and Romans: 2: 1-13. And the 10 Commandments, along with your Minister, Pastor or Priest (whichever you have) should you still have questions.

    Unlike the President, God is omnipotent and His Word is Law. He has feelings and emotions which encompass: Love, Anger, Passion, Understanding, Kindness, Forbearance and Patience. But He can have a hard heart for those who rebuke Him and break His laws. His wrath is great.

    Happy reading, hope you get your answer. What you choose to believe is the choice He gives us.(good vs. evil)

    Goodnight to you also.

  16. Since this has turned into a theological discussion. Maybe someone can answer this question for me: What is the purpose for all the pain and suffering in the world throughout history.

  17. I think Americans are tired of having everything rammed down their throat. We’ve had illegals rammed down our throat for decades.
    ****************************************

    Interesting point. Here is a gentleman with a very serious question for you.

  18. Sorry, I am not familiar with “Hi jab and Burka”. However, Jesus (God’s Son) Judged the Pharisees. If we disobey man’s law then we are judged by man’s law. We, as Christians should not judge others. All will be judged by our Lord.

    “Why Hell” That is a question for your maker. It is his punishment for us, not man’s.

    Max-1:” If what I do is sinful, who shall be the decider?
    You and your religion, or God” Max that should be evident. Certainly not man. I think you know the answer. If you sin against God, that is between you and Him. If the sin is against Man’s law then a Court of law will be your judge although you will also be judged by the Almighty.

    And who is Jesus, the Son of, and who will be our Lord?

    A note regarding “religious zealots”: Many times it is not the religious zealots although they are many. Many times it is the members of one’s family who are the worst predators. They are the ones children trust most. The ministers and priests are usually the ones that make the papers not the father, step-father, aunt or uncle who violates the child at home. They have control over the child that is raped. Such children live in fear of telling what happened for fear of not being believed and being raped again. A living hell for them.

    My opinion only.

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