Dan Brooks's Blog, page 31

The Eternal Gift of the Atonment

Doc & Cov 64:8 My disciples, in days of old, sought occasion against one another and forgave not one another in their hearts; and for this evil they were afflicted and sorely chastened.
9 Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin.
10 I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.
11 And ye ought to say in your hearts—let God judge between me and thee, and reward thee according to thy deeds.

Matthew 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

It was in a church in Munich that I saw him—a balding, heavyset man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. People were filing out of the basement room where I had just spoken, moving along the rows of wooden chairs to the door at the rear. It was 1947 and I had come from Holland to defeated Germany with the message that God forgives.

“It was the truth they needed most to hear in that bitter, bombed-out land, and I gave them my favorite mental picture. Maybe because the sea is never far from a Hollander’s mind, I liked to think that that’s where forgiven sins were thrown. ‘When we confess our sins,’ I said, ‘God casts them into the deepest ocean, gone forever. …’

“The solemn faces stared back at me, not quite daring to believe. There were never questions after a talk in Germany in 1947. People stood up in silence, in silence collected their wraps, in silence left the room.

“And that’s when I saw him, working his way forward against the others. One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat; the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones. It came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights; the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor; the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister’s frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment skin. Betsie, how thin you were!

[Betsie and I had been arrested for concealing Jews in our home during the Nazi occupation of Holland; this man had been a guard at Ravensbruck concentration camp where we were sent.]

“Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: ‘A fine message, Fräulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!’

“And I, who had spoken so glibly of forgiveness, fumbled in my pocketbook rather than take that hand. He would not remember me, of course—how could he remember one prisoner among those thousands of women?

“But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. I was face-to-face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze.

“ ‘You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk,’ he was saying, ‘I was a guard there.’ No, he did not remember me.

“ ‘But since that time,’ he went on, ‘I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fräulein,’ again the hand came out—’will you forgive me?’

“And I stood there—I whose sins had again and again to be forgiven—and could not forgive. Betsie had died in that place—could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?

“It could not have been many seconds that he stood there—hand held out—but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

“For I had to do it—I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. ‘If you do not forgive men their trespasses,’ Jesus says, ‘neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.’

“I knew it not only as a commandment of God, but as a daily experience. Since the end of the war I had had a home in Holland for victims of Nazi brutality. Those who were able to forgive their former enemies were able also to return to the outside world and rebuild their lives, no matter what the physical scars. Those who nursed their bitterness remained invalids. It was as simple and as horrible as that.

“And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion—I knew that too. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. ‘… Help!’ I prayed silently. ‘I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.’

“And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

“ ‘I forgive you, brother!’ I cried. ‘With all my heart!’

“For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely, as I did then” (Corrie Ten Boom)

I don't know if there is any better example of true forgiveness than forgiving your Nazi guard.

Except forgiving those that beat and crucify you because they know not what they do.

But now I want to talk about the one thing you cannot do while forgiving someone and that is to stand in judgment of them.

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." ( Luke 6:38)

To judge negatively is more than just passing judgment it too often becomes rendering a verdict, being more than being judgmental it is being contemptible towards your enemies rather than loving and forgiving them.

"I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends."  

This is, I believe, the directions the words of Christ lead us.

When we assume the worst of others, your family let's say, it wounds you to a degree.  When you give them benefit of the doubt then your heart is lightened, the burden is lifted.  It is not just they others deserve forgiveness as you do from God, it is that you and those who hurt you deserve the peace forgiveness can bring.

You can stack the scales for or against someone but in the verse above Jesus says that the measure you use towards others God will use that same measure toward you.


The seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew begins with:

“Judge not, that ye be not judged.”

Jesus then says:

“For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”

The attentive Mormon will know that the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible renders it thusly:

“Now these are the words which Jesus taught his disciples that they should say unto the people. Judge not unrighteously, that ye be not judged: but judge righteous judgment.”

Some mistakenly read this to say "We are commanded to judge everyone we meet and judging people is righteous."

This is false as can plainly be seen for the following reasons: The word for judgment in ancient Greek is krino which can be translated as either "discern" or "pass judgment" or "condemn."  And the word for judgment in Hebrew is dan or shafat which can translate the same as the Greek word depending on context.

And the context of Christ's words are that however harshly or favorably you judge others is the same judgement positive or negative that The Lord will judge you by.

The Atonement is not about Jesus judging all of us according to our sins; it is about Him forgiving us our sins that we may be protected from the destruction resulting from them.

"But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."  (Matthew 5:22)

Raca mean "empty" or "worthless" so they are insults in this context but to say "you fool" is worse because someone who is uninformed can learn but a fool can never learn, a fool is hopeless.  The difference here is one of contempt and rather than just render judgment contempt is to pass sentence on them.

Insults by definition are negative judgments.  For example; if I like a strong woman I will call her bold and assertive but if I dislike her I might call her arrogant or self-righteous.

Were it not for the carnage and damage that negative judgments and the contempt that follows cause it would alomst be comical the way we judge those we like favorably yet those we dislike we condemn, often for the exact same actions or words.

We can discern sin but according to scripture judgment is reserved for God in the last days, rendering judgment is not for us to take on.

"Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:36-38)

The Atonement is forgiveness from God to us, but when we forgive ourselves and others we participate in it, it becomes our gift to others as it was God's gift to us.  In it we free not just the opressed but we also free the oppressors as well.

So that all may know the peace that can only come from forgiveness.  This is something that is eternal and ongoing; The Atonement is not a fixed point in space and time.  It is everywhere always just as Jesus is.

The Everlasting, eternally continuous Atonement is a gift from God to us all, and from each of us one to another which is one of the two commandments Jesus gives for us all to love one another as we love ourselves.  It even means loving our enemies.  So maybe this gift of The Atonement can help heal all the wounds from negative judgments from anyone close to you over the holiday season, or wounds you may have inflicted.

Merry Christmas.  

Peace.

Gay Marriage Now Legal In Utah

U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby, ruling in a lawsuit found that the amendment to the Utah State Constitution defining marriage as being only between one man and one woman excludes gay citizens of their right to due process and equal protection under the United States Constitution.

"The state's current laws deny its gay and lesbian citizens their fundamental right to marry and, in doing so, demean the dignity of these same sex couples for no rational reason. Accordingly, the court finds that these laws are unconstitutional," Shelby said.

It is interesting that the first thing those who agree with such an amendment to the Utah Constitution or to the U.S. Constitution say is that the Bible says being gay is an "Abomination" as if that has any legal bearing on the U.S. Constitution.  The Bible is not part of the Constitution; your argument is invalid.

And what about the law of the land we are admonished to follow?  Or does that only apply to those laws we like?
Statement from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
"The Church has been consistent in its support of traditional marriage while teaching that all people should be treated with respect. This ruling by a district court will work its way through the judicial process. We continue to believe that voters in Utah did the right thing by providing clear direction in the state constitution that marriage should be between a man and a woman and we are hopeful that this view will be validated by a higher court."
— Cody Craynor, spokesperson for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsAccording to local fox affiliate Fox13 "FOX 13 News contacted officials with Box Elder, Duchesne, San Juan, Uintah, Utah, Wayne and Weber counties, and officials said they are not issuing marriage certificates to same-sex couples for now. Most said they are waiting for instructions from state officials.Utah County Clerk/Auditor Bryan Thompson issued a statement to FOX 13 News regarding marriage licenses:
'Based upon today’s ruling by US District Court Judge Robert Shelby that Utah’s same sex marriage ban is unconstitutional; I am seeking further clarification from the State, and the Utah County Attorney’s Office. Until I receive the further clarification that I’m seeking, the Utah County Clerk’s Office will not be making any policy changes in regards to which we issue marriage licenses. We will continue at this time to issue a marriage license only to applicant couples (male and female) who appear together at the Utah County Clerk’s Office.'”

He could just say "I won't let the gays marry until the state makes me" and at least be honest about it.
If this judgement holds then Utah will be the 15th state to legalize same sex unions.  Just a few years ago it seemed impossible but now it looks as if, state by state, gay marriage will be legal and the civil rights of gay people and due process under the U.S.Constitution will be given and protected.Imagine that, all alike unto God AND each other.I love that the church says it's been consistent in it's advocacy for "Traditional Marriage" but pointing out that all are equal unto God, but some are more equal than others and more deserving of civil rights, of human rights, than those who aren't quite as equal as they are, eh? Correct me if I'm wrong but is this not the line line of B.S. our Church was famous for spouting in regard to why all races are alike unto God, it's just that Black people can't participate in certain Temple ceremonies and Black men can't receive the Priesthood, and they will be servants in Heaven because they were "less valiant" in the pre-existence?Oh but we've moved on from that embarrassment so why wait to remove the same line of separate but equal theology and policy from current teachings?Jesus says in Matthew 19:12: 
  For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

He says if you can become a eunuch to serve God whole heartedly then you should.  He asks those who can be celibate to be celibate.

And here is where I'd like to share with you what Jesus had to say about Gay people, I'd like to but I can't because he never broached the subject, he never once mentioned homosexuality.

So if Christ never broached a subject then how can any teachings on the subject be truly Christian?

Read my last post.

It will explain why men with short hair is every bit the abomination that gay men are.  Why if you work on the sabbath, Saturday technically, then you are to be stoned to death.  And why we ought to decide that it is better to refuse to cast the first stone as the only man who truly was without sin did.

Or maybe we should just be more concerned with whether or not we are known to be His disciples because of our love, rather than our hate filled diatribes about who is and who is not sinning.  Paul states in the new testament that all fall short of the glory of God.  Jesus says we should pull out the beam in our own eye before pulling the mote from our brothers eye.

Or maybe we just worry about whether or not how we live our own lives is a mirror to the way Christ led his, and instead lead by the example of love as Christ did.

 For those of you who say homosexuality is against nature, you  must be thinking of an alternate universe containing an Earth where it does not exist because in nature on this Earth there are over 1,500 animals which have been found to practice same sex behavior, and not just sex but forming bonds and partnerships.

Here's a list.

If you're still wondering how this law against same sex unions was overturned read this.Pope Francis said this about God “In Christmas, God reveals himself not as one who stands above and who dominates the universe, but as He who lowers himself. It means that to be like Him, we do not have to place ourselves above the others, but come down, come down and serve them, become small among the small, and poor among the poor.”  And this: “It is an ugly thing when one sees a Christian who does not want to lower himself, who does not want to serve, a Christian who parades around everywhere. It’s terrible, no? That person isn’t a Christian.”When we not only allow those who are different to have the same rights as ourselves but we lower ourselves and serve them, we lower ourselves as Christ did throughout His life.  One of the last things Jesus did before His crucifixion was to lower himsself and wash and kiss the feet of His disciples, His students.They were His students and yet their master lowered Himself and served them.This tendancy of Jesus is why He is sometimes called "The Servant King."  Only those who lower themselves to serve are worthy to stand tall and lead.  This, I believe, is why Jesus said "The first shall be the last and the last shall be the first."    Yet as of Monday night, the 23rd of December, there are four county clerks offices refusing to serve anyone lest they serve those they consider unworthy, Juab, Piute, Beaver and San Juan counties are not issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples according to KSL. 
"I claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of my own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may."Allow people to live by the dictates of THEIR conscience instead of mine?!  What radical would suggest such a thing??
Oh wait that's right; it was Joseph Smith in the 11th Article of Faith.
Somehow I doubt Brother Joseph would have approved of members of his church legislating their beliefs, like the word of wisdom, and inflicting it on those who would use their free agency "wrongly." Nor do I believe Jesus would have us alienate members of our own family because some of us mistakenly believe that the Proclamation of the Family is some sort of divine revelation rather than what it in fact is; which is a statement of policy by Church leaders.
Nowhere in that proclamation does it say to alienate members of your family over their sexual orientation.
I say this because these are not abstractions we are dealing with; these are people, men and women, adults and teens who are being ostracized by not just strangers or government policies and laws but their own family.
Aren't we called to be our brothers keeper?

So why should we cast them aside and say you do not deserve the same rights as I do?
They are no more and no less children of God than we are; and now in the state of Utah they are finally being viewed as such at least legally.  Amen!

Job's Ethos

Job had it all.  He was rich by every standard of s time and arguably our own.  He had children, land, servants and more.  Enter Satan.  Satan tells God Job is only his most faithful servant because God blesses him above all others.  Satan says if you stop treating him so well he will spurn you.

God then allows Satan to kill his family to rob him of his land and money and to cover Job in boils but he is not allowed to simply kill Job.

Job is the hero in his own story because Job still worships The Lord faithfully, he does cry out to The Lord for help, asks what he has done to deserve this pain and loss.

Job does the right thing because it's the right thing to do.  He neither seeks reward or attempts to avoid punishment.  He lost everything but his faith in God.

Doing the right thing IS it's own reward and living according to what is right is it's own salvation, it is Heaven on Earth.

To love all you meet, all those close to you as Jesus did is to build the Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Peter once asked Jesus how many times must we forgive those who sin against us: "Then Peter came to Him and said, “'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?'" Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21-22)

Jesus forgave all even those who beat and crucified Him.  One of the last statements He uttered was "Father, forgive them.  They know not what they do."

Jesus did the right thing in life, He lived it so as to provide us all with a template by which to pattern our own lives.  He did not do it to seek reward, He did not do it to avoid punishment; He willingly went to the cross.

He, as Job had done, did the right thing in His life because it is the right thing to do and that, for them both, was all the salvation in life they received. 

They received blessings but they also received harsh hardships and loss.

If we are commanded to Love God, and love our neighbors as ourselves, even our enemies, then we ought to do so not to seek reward or avoid punishment but because IF we are saved then limitless compassion and unconditional love naturally springs from a heart that has truly been saved.

This spirit of Christ, of the Kingdom dwells within us all and it's about daily life not merely one season during the year.

 

To Mirror Christ's Life

Out of 31,000 verses in the Holy Bible there are only six thought to reference homosexuality.

Let's see if putting these verses in the ancient context from which they sprang can help edify us of the original purpose of these verses.

It is helpful to understand that in the ancient world there was no understanding of sexual orientation as we know it today.  In ancient Greek there was no corresponding word for homosexual/homosexuality.  The word homosexual only enters into the English language in the late 19th century.  And recent studies over the last couple decades have illuminated understanding of how it is that some are born with a different sexual orientation.

It was thought in ancient times that same sex relations only resulted for extreme lust, it was also a practice of many ancient middle eastern and Mediterranean armies to humiliate the armies and peoples they conquered by forcing themselves on the women AND men alike.  It was not done out of lust or love but out of a need to humiliate the conquered men. 

So let's look at these verses one at a time as they appear in scripture: Genesis 19 tells the tale of Sodom and Gomorrah. The traditional view, which is relatively recent considering that age of the text, says that when the mob outside Lot's door demands the two male visitors then that it proof it is the lustful homosexuality of those men leading them to make such demands.

But in context of the ancient world from which this texts springs it is a foot note sin; that of being so lustful that they turn also to other men to satiate their carnal desires.  Not that they were homosexual.  The text in these verses intend to say: Gang rape is bad, not homosexuality for which a word did not exists for it, is bad.

And furthermore; that was not the sin that lead to their destruction.  Ezekiel writes in his 16th chapter:
48 As I live—declares the Lord GOD—your sister Sodom and her daughters did not do what you and your daughters did. 49 Only this was the sin of your sister Sodom: arrogance! She and her daughters had plenty of bread and untroubled tranquility; yet she did not support the poor and the needy.
The Hebrew word “Sodom” (סודם) is etymologically related to the Hebrew word (שדה), “fertile field.” The implication is that Sodom was a fertile farming area, good for grazing animals. The Hebrew word “Gomorrah” (עמורה) derives etymologically from the word (עומר) meaning “sheaf of grain.” By using these names for these cities, the writer is implying that the area of Sodom and Gomorrah was good for the growing of grains like, wheat, barley, oats, rye, etc. This is also why the Prophet Ezekiel states: “She and her daughters had plenty of bread and untroubled tranquility.” So, what then were the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah?

Their sins had nothing to do with having a different sexual orientation.  And if God gave you your orientation how are you to know that he did not also give a gay person theirs? Who but God has control over creation?  Aren't gay people a part of creation as well?  Are they not therefore entitled to the same love and consideration you or I deserve?

One commenter said "There's a difference between being gay and acting gay."

Really?  So is there a difference between being straight and "acting" straight?  If you believe gay people choose to be gay then ask yourself when you chose to be straight? Orientation is not a choice it is inborn and there is scientific proof of this.

Leviticus 18:22
Thou shall not lie with mankind as with womankind: it is an abomination.

Pretty strong statement.  And the penalty is death so it must really be bad.


And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. (Genesis 43:32)

Exodus 8:26:  And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?

Abomination in both these contexts is used to distinguish between things which are inherently Israelite and things which are foreign.

In Exodus 35:2 it is also punishable by death to work on the sabbath.  1) The sabbath is actually the 7th day or Saturday not Sunday.  2) If you insist on saying gays are an abomination then shouldn't you also put those who work on the sabbath to death also?  Should we not remain consistent in practicing our beliefs?

Or should we instead say "He who is without sin may cast the first stone as Christ did?

Then in Romans 1:26-27 We have this: For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.

This cause Paul speaks of is Idolatry not homosexuality AND this verse speaks of straight men and women who reject their God given sexual orientations and turn to one that is unnatural for them, not for all.  This issue of sexuality mirrors the rejection of God for Idols also made through this argument made by Paul.  Paul says they knew God but rejected him, they turned from what was natural for them and turned to what was unnatural in both cases.

In the ancient world it was deem natural for men to be active sexually but unnatural for women to be active it was deemed natural for them to be passive.  Which holds true for many people today.  So because of this homosexual relations were seen as unnatural.  To the Greeks and Romans it was seen as ok for men to have sex with their male slaves IF those slave masters were in the dominant role; IF however, they were in the subservient role then that was looked down on.

Matthew 7:18
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
So does the treatment of gay people mirror the way Jesus treated everyone he met?  Does this "Traditional" view of homosexuality and the Bible bear good fruit?  It in fact results in massive suicide rates in gay communities, gay Christian born souls, it results in marginalization, evictions of gay teens to the streets, it results in self-loathing and self-medicating. How is this considered good fruit?Jesus focused on those that were marginalized, those who were rejected by society so if we were to mirror Christ's life then wouldn't we want to unconditionally love those who are on the outskirts of society?  Those kicked out of their homes, those rejected by their family, those who have been hated by others so much that they hate themselves more than anyone or anything else? Sexual orientation is, odd as it sounds, not just about sex.  It is the mechanism by which you are able to fall in love.  Having a thing for women with curly hair, or for red heads does not mean you fall in love with every woman fitting that bill but it facilitates the spark between you and a woman who does.  And so it is with those who are orientated towards members of the same sex.
This mechanism also allows for the building of a relationship, of a family, of a marriage.Who are we to deny these blessings to those whose only crime is being, or acting, as God himself has made them?  Who are we to tell God's children, any of them, they are an abomination-a crime against-Him when He saw fit to make them as they are?I have a daughter who just came out to me, she loves God.  She loves Christ and she goes to Church weekly and attends activities.  I fear for the narrow minded scorn she may face, I fear for the hate she will face in life.  I cry for the love, the understanding, the compassion that is so lacking in our Church and yet is so abundant in the one whose name graces every church and every missionaries name plate.Who are we to condemn what God has made, who are we to spurn His children?Who are we to cast the first stone, when none of us are without sin AND when the only man who ever was refused to cast the stone when He was given the chance?  

An Oasis within

After a very trying time, a dark night of the soul that lasted from July until just recently I was far from positive but I remained hopeful all would work out.  My wife is incessantly positive and she reminds me everyday why it is good and beneficial to remain positive throughout your day and life.

The ancient Hebrews, God's chosen people, were told they would be a light to all nations and all nations would be blessed through them.

Yet these very people were enslaved by the Egyptian, Babylonians and conquered by Rome amongst other invading nations.  They were told they were saved, they were blessed by God.  However, many must've felt that it was the impudent middle finger of God's graces after such torments.

As anyone of us may feel when going through trials of our own.

But in winter the coldest time of day is right before dawn.  Without the cold how could we know warmth and without darkness how would we recognize the light?

Trite it may seem but I feel it is true.

The Prophet Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 35 that after the Babylonian captivity they will return home, and the desert will bloom and the canyons will echo in a joyful noise, joyful songs.



35: 1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.
3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

 When I read this it reminds me of Jesus answering a question asked by John the Baptist's disciples with a question:
3 "And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." (Matthew 11:3-6)
Now what I see in common is that the deaf can hear, the blind can see and the lame can walk.  But they do so because they are blessed by God, they are saved in both accounts.  What I sense is that by accepting the gift of the Atonement you are saved, your eyes are opened for the first time, you are healed spiritualy, mentally and possibly physically.
These two scripture quotes tells of of times when the spirit of The Lord is upon us, the essence of Christ's love is infused within us and we each exude that light of love.  We are our brothers keeper.
And to shed light on the backstory if Jesus's comments; John the Baptist had been imprisoned and was about to be martyred.  These were dark times but Jesus' ministry was just beginning, there was light at the end of this dark tunnel.
Isaiah wrote about the Jews being released from their captivity in Babylon and used the same imagery as Jesus did to described times which knew the fullness of The Lord.
Jesus said the Kingdom of God is within you: " And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. (Luke 17:21-24)
Jesus I think, is telling us that we can access that eternal light the way wayward ships find their way home by the light of a lighthouse in a storm.  That we can access that bounty and joy at any time.
Jesus speaks of the light of the Gospel, which means "Good News," as living water.  He tells the Samaritan woman that all crave the living water.  The ministry of Christ rest on the message, the teaching of love.
You can go within to that Kingdom, and be one with God at anytime you so choose.  The word atonement in English originally meant at-one-ment, meaning to be at one with.
And we can be at one with God at anytime, we can pray, we can be quenched fully by that living water.  We have an Oasis brimming over with living water within us all.  And we are meant to continue that ministry of Christ, to quench others with that living water.

Getting Caught up in the Spirit

The Atonement is the crescendo of Christ's ministry.  It is the moment when he pardons us all from the bondage of our sins.  It is not a singular moment in time, it is a continuous gift spanning all of space and time.  We only need to accept this gift, it is freely given to all.  Others may not forgive you but as Christ said "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14)

So while the hearts of others may be hardened towards you, the heart of God will welcome you. 

It strikes me as odd that though it is wonderful that people become caught up in the spirit of Christmas, that it is only during the Christmas season that they embody the spirit of Christ and become as compassionate as He was.  Because from my reading of scripture we are to be that loving, forgiving and compassionate throughout the seasons of our lives.

Christ gave us the template by which to pattern our own lives by, he is the center that our moral compass guides us by.

And many consider themselves to be His disciples but I think we ought to guide our understanding of discipleship by His definition: " A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." (John 13:34-35)
It is not by our name plates or our hair cut, whether or not we shave, drink, smoke or by which Church we attend that Christ will recognize us as His disciples, it is by our love according to his own words that will be proof of our discipleship.
Thinking that going to a specific Church is what makes you a true Christian is akin to thinking standing in a garage is what makes you a car.
So Jesus seems to care less about how many scripture verses you know, how many of the Prophets talks you have memorized, than he does the way in which you treat others and even yourself.  Love, even a little, can change lives just a faith a tiny as a mustard seed can move mountains.
By all means get caught up in the spirit of the season but try and get caught up in the spirit of Christ every day instead of every year.  The spirit itself is a blessing to you and to all those around you.

Cannot Live on Bread Alone

Fasting has been done for religious ritualistic purposes all over the world since before recorded history.  But evidence shows it does indeed promote health and vitality.  And because man cannot live on bread alone, prayers are often recited during a fast.  Prayer and fasting go hand in hand.  The Shepard of Hermas details fast offerings in the same manner as LDS fast offerings are intended to be used but it also lays out instructions for prayer as well.

In Islam fasting is similar:
,"'O' you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you so that you may achieve Taqwaa (righteousness, God-fearing)." [Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 183]
The prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, "Whoever observes the fast during the month of Ramadan, (while) believing in Allaah and seeking His rewards, will have his past sins forgiven." [Reported by Imaams Bukhaari, Muslim and others]
Fasting the month of Ramadan is one of the main pillars of Islam. It is obligatory upon every sane, healthy Muslim whose reached puberty and is not traveling during the time of fasting. As for women, they must not fast if they are menstruating or having post-childbirth bleeding.


The Essential Elements Of The Fast There are two essentials elements for your fast to be valid and accepted. They are:
IntentionYou must have the intention to fast before fajr (dawn) every night during the month of Ramadan. The intention does not need to be spoken, because in reality it is an act of the heart, which does not involve the tongue. It will be fulfilled by one's intention from the heart to fast out of obedience to Allaah ﷻ seeking His pleasure.Abstaining from acts that nullify the FastThe second essential element for your fast to be accepted is that you abstain from the acts that nullify the fast from dawn to sunset. If you maintain these two essential elements during fasting, then your fast will be valid and accepted.


Six Actions That Invalidate Or Nullify The FastAll scholars have agreed that the following acts will invalidate the fast. They are:
Intentional Eating or DrinkingIf someone eats or drinks due to forgetfulness, a mistake, or coercion, then his fast is still valid and should continue to fast. If you choose to eat or drink, for any reason, then your fast will become invalid. Intentional VomitingIf one is overcome by the urge to vomit, and vomits unintentionally, then he should continue to fast. If someone chooses to vomit, for any reason, then his fast will become invalid. Intentional Sexual IntercourseIf one has sexual intercourse while fasting, then he must perform kaffaarah, expiation of the sin. (Fasting continuously for sixty days or if unable then one should feed sixty poor people).Menstrual or Childbirth BleedingThe fast becomes invalid during menstrual or post-childbirth bleeding. Even if such bleeding begins just before sunset, the fast of that day is invalid and the day must be made up at a later time.All the actions mentioned above are agreed upon by all scholars."
The text on Islamic fasting is found at  http://www.raleighmasjid.org/imam/fiqh-ramadan.html

 Fasting in Hinduism is more about abstaining from worldly things but there is a similar ritualistic sense as in other world religions.

Fasting in Buddhism  is a method of self-control as the idea of abstaining is also in part a matter of self-control.  And the surplus of food derived from those who fast goes to the needy who rarely get a proper meal.

In early Christianity when new followers joined the community, often there was not enough food for everyone so all fasted until there was enough for all.  If only we observed the same practice in our communities, we would not sit idle while many of our brothers and sisters go without.

There are many example in every religion of fasting and praying as a method of growing closer to God, of discovering the divine spark within.  And also of donating unneeded food to those in need.

The Bible is full of stories and verses describing fasting.

So when you fast it may be helpful to think not only of the prophets, patriarchs, apostles, Jesus and others who fasted and prayed, but thinking of anyone of faith who at any given moment are fasting along side you from every corner of the Earth and across the centuries.  And review the evidence that proves fasting cleanses the body and mind.

If you look closely you will see striking similarities in all world religions, especially in regard to fasting.  The intent, thought, even specific practices closely resemble one another.  The hearts of the faithful of every faith are in the same place as they also are in the over arching theme of every faith: love, compassion, camaradery.  Essentially to be one with yourself and those in the world around you, your neighbor, your enemy and all those you meet.

Salvation doesn't lie in good works or in checking off boxes on a list of commandments you keep; the kingdom of God is within you and once you let the kingdom reign within good works are a result of having been saved because then all commandments will be achieved and magnified.  And fasting and prayer are exceptional tools in achieving that salvation, that Christ-consciousness.

Trust Jesus

Back in 2004 I was living back in Utah after leaving Hawaii after serving in the Army at Schofield Barraks and living with my girlfriend at the time.  We were having an especially stormy period in our relationship which was by the way the first serious relationship I'd ever been in at the age of 25 which made the difficulties that much harder to deal with.  I was agnostic on my good days and hard line atheist on my bad ones.

But I still regularly read the synoptic Gospels because I have always admired Christ as a person and teacher even when I did not believe his own claims regarding His identity and the reality of God.  What I did believe is that his sensibilities about loving even your enemy as yourself and the other themes about Christ you may be used to be ranting about often on this blog.

In my personal crisis I was so desperate for aid and love that I was praying and pleading with the God I wasn't sure existed for relief.  I may have at that point used religion and theology and the philosophies in it as a crutch and coping mechanism but none the less I felt the presence of God, I felt a closeness with Him when I needed it most.

And though I read His word, I honestly did not trust it.

It's too incredible for a rational mind to believe.  There being a God and providing no concrete proof, claims of miracles and the truth of claims that loving even your enemies and trying to like them be nice to them throw them a party seemed to stretch beleivability but asking that we love them as we do ourselves sounds nice and is noble but I didn't trust that it would or ever even could pay off in any pleasant fashion.  I just didn't trust it in all honesty.

It's asking a lot though and it even seems unfair at times for a lot of differing reasons.  But we are called to pick up our cross which I feel means our particular set of hardships and challenges and follow Christ.  But if we are to truly follow him we must trust that He will not lead us astray, that His teachings will lead us to the salvation that He wants for us every bit as much as we want it for ourselves and maybe even more  so than we do like every parent wants happiniess for their children and loves their children more than their children know or can love themselves.

I wont do what I do so often and rail on how we as a people so often get it wrong, not that that isnt at time needed or called for but that today I'd rather just make one simple observation and that is that with out questions there can be no answers but answers are of no value if you do not put your faith and trust in them.

I mentioned I was in Utah in 2004 during a personal crisis and during that crisis I did a lot of walking, miles and miles. and on those walks I kept seeing all over downtown SLC the little spraypainted words on sidewalk after sidwalk that said trust Jesus.  They were red and when I talked to my then girlfriend she said that she had seen them in Hawaii too! All over the place she had found them but these were colored blue which is my favorite color and the ones I kept seeing daily everywhere I walked were red, her favorite color and so this trust Jesus message didn't just cause us both pause to think but the colors got us thinking of eachother.

It got us t a point where we had the idea to bring Jesus into our relationship in the sense that we both thought it beneficial to be more religious in nature and actice individually but particularly together.

But for all our interest we did not in practice fully trust Christs way over the ways of the world.

And amongst any group in Christendom, Mormons included, it seems tht a big reason for all the things tht we fail to do as Christians that we are called to do, things we reach like loving your enemy.

That is a teaching that we praise Crist for saying and for living out to  "T" and then proceed to mercilessly mock and ridicule any ther person for expecting anyone else to live up to that ethos, because some don't trust tht loving your enemy is truly possible in any meaningfull way.  We dont"t trust Jesus that it is the right way to go, we don't trust that it's even possible.

Anyway, what I'm saying is that if we were to trust Christ more it would aid the PR Problem Mormons have these days in America that leads non Christians saying things like what Gandhi said when he said I like your Christ but I do not like your Christians they are so unlike your Christ.

Disciples of Terror, Disciples of Peace

U Wirathu, a Burmese Buddhist Monk dubbed the Burmese Bin Laden because he is leading a violent movement against the Muslim minority in Myanmar which was formerly known as Burma.  His teachings are contrary to the teachings of Buddha, a Hindu monk who discovered his own eight fold path to achieving enlightenment, but he still maintains that his movement of insighting killings of Muslims is "Peaceful" much in the same way the Westboro Baptist Church insists their movement is about love in the "True Biblical Sense."

 

 If you're wondering what this has to do with Christianity then you may be in need of a refresher on History as well as the teachings of Christ, particularly the teachings that earned him the title "The Prince of Peace" as used by Isaiah to be taken as a sign of the Messiah.  I wrote a piece about this sometime ago called "Why War is Against Everything the Gospel Stands For."  which details the same themes here and in Rock Waterman's piece "Should a Mormon Join the Military." 
Many Mormons argue that war is just fine by God, "Praise the Lord and pass the ammo!"  But the question those Mormons never seem to answer is who did Christ ever kill?  Not only did Christ refuse to kill the soldiers who came for him he rebuked Peter for lopping off the ear of one of those soldiers and then healed that soldier.
If you kill your enemy, how can you argue that you loved them as Christ said you should?  If you yell epithets and condemn and treat those you claim to love with contempt how can you call that love?  The same way the Westboro Baptist Church does I suppose but the only people that "logic," if you can call it that, fools is the Westboro Baptist Church members.  No one else if fooled because just as Christ said "By their fruits you shall know them."  And the fruits of hate are as obvious as the fruits of love.
So if terrorism in the name of a pacifist like Buddha strikes you ass an oxymoron, then so should violence in the name of a pacifist like Christ strike you as an oxymoron and counter to Christ's entire ministry, Life and Teachings.
Maybe we shouldn't be fighting to be recognized as Christians and instead call ourselves Christlikes if only to remind ourselves to be more Christlike, more peaceful, more loving, more compassionate and more forgiving.  
Maybe we should be more concerned about standing up for those Christlike qualities rather than standing up for the purposes of American Militarism by flying thousands of miles away from America and into the borders of another sovereign Nation to kill and maim in the name of defending ourselves from a people that never invaded our lands, given that "we the people" fall for this every 15 years or so. 
Maybe we should be more wary of war, terror and violence as being the tools of Satan than peace, love, forgiveness and anything resembling Socialism, ya know like free healthcare or the Law of Consecration even as practiced by Zion and as described in Acts 2:45? "And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need."  Or in Acts 4:34 "Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold."
What I'm saying is if we were to concern ourselves with being Christlike and put our Christianity above our Nationality, our race, our gender, our social class then maybe just maybe we could be that much closer to being Christlike and all the closer to The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit themselves.
Because far too many people are completely shocked that a Buddhist Monk is advocating violence but no one bats an eyelash when it is a Mormon who advocates going to war with yet another country, or when any individual within Christendom advocates violence.
And yet by their fruits shall ye know them.  So in reality, people should be every bit as shocked when a Mormon advocates going to war, we should all be wary and we should all be shocked yet the fact that we are not means we have strayed from the example Christ set out before us in His ministry, His Life and His Teachings.

Christ's Transformative Love

I was so so very very happy about the SCOTUS DOMA ruling that I spent an hour on a conference call from the Human Rights Campaign listening to all the legal nuances about what it means legally and how big of a step in the right direction it is and how far we have left to go before getting that much closer to living up to our creeds as a country and as a people of amongst other things the inalienable right to "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" as defined ourselves rather than anyone else.  Not to mention true equality amongst all God's children legally and socially given that we are all alike unto God.

The website Mormons and Gays is an official church resource for information on current church attitudes, teachings and policy regarding the LGBT community.  On that website it is stated that being gay is not a choice.  The reasons for God creating gay people remains unknown to the brethren as well as the vast majority of us though theories abound.

There is scientific evidence that sexual orientation is determined in-utero which may have prompted the brethren to listen to the testimony of gay Mormons who have long said it was never a choice they ever made, in the same way that being straight was never a choice anyone ever made. Though some argue that those who are gay should still marry the opposite sex, that has overall shown to be disastrous and result in divorces.  And if we want to sanctify  marriage we ought to be concerned with reducing divorce rates within our community and putting a stop to mixed orientation marriages would go along way towards that end.

President Uchtdorf has said essentially that though we do not know the reason or even cause of homosexuality it does not matter.  What I think matters most is how we can, as a community, as a country, as a people, move away from shaming and degrading and judging and condemning others for sinning differently than we do; or even sinning at all.  What we are called to do by Christ is two fold; love God and to love our neighbors, even our enemies as ourselves.

We are told by Christ not to judge one another, yet so many do and all the time and in the name of Christ no less!!

Why?

And if being gay is a sin, why is Lesbianism never mentioned in scripture? That's a largely unknown fact but its easy to verify.

Is it to lift yourself up by putting someone else down, taking part in a righteousness competition?  Is it to justify your own hatred of others for offending your delicate sensibilities or making you feel uncomfortable by challenging your beliefs, understandings or cherished ideas of gender roles and sexuality?

Christ never said we should hate anything, even sin.  He never once sanctioned droves of people wandering the countryside in order to remove the motes in peoples eyes while excusing the beams in their own eyes.  He never asked that the scriptures, which are an instrument of divine inspiration, wisdom and transformative love to be used as an implement of hate, disdain and condemnation as the Pharisees did.  Rather, He spoke of the judgmental among us as hypocrites.

Jesus said by their fruits shall ye know them; meaning His disciples-the righteous.

So the question is by using the scriptures as a weapon, as an implement of hate and calling that hate love because you are doing your brothers and sisters the favor of attempting to remove the mote in their eye while excusing the beam in your own to the point where gay youth especially but even adults take their own lives rather than continue living under the burden of abuse, mistreatment, another day full of epithets and name calling, of the most vile contempt and hate, savage beatings and the most un-Christlike behavior imaginable;  what fruits do those actions bear?

The answer is suicide attempts and successes, psychiatric issues, broken bones, broken corpses and broken lives and homes.  Is Christ more upset by people being as gay as God made them given the church now says being gay is not a choice, or is He more upset by the treatment our gay brothers and sisters face at the hands of his so-called disciples?

The answer to not just the ailments of this issue but every issue is not just love but the kind of love displayed by Christ, a love than transforms the giver as well as the receiver both inside and out.  The kind of love that leads to bliss and not just bliss in the sense of no more obstacles but the kind of love that brings complete peace even in the most chaotic of circumstances, the kind of love and peace that would allow you to plead to God for the forgiveness of those beating you to within an inch of your life before nailing your broken body to a cross and ramming a spear in your side, to not just say you love your enemies but to show it in such a way as to transform all those open to that level of love, understanding and peace and to turn some one like Saul of Tarsus, one of your most ardent enemies who participated in the murder of Stephen the first Christian Martyr into Paul one of your most ardent and powerful missionaries in all of Christian history who will later write 2/3 of the New Testament.

Many say marriage can not be redifined when it has been defined Biblically.  Well the truth is by legally defining it as between one man and one woman we already have redefined it from it's Biblical outline.

For example; there are eight different types of marriage according to the Torah:

1) Polygamous; One Man and as many women as he feels like.

2) Levirate Marriage; This is when a woman has to marry her brother in law if her husband died without leaving a male heir, the brother in law or other close male relative had the "duty" to impregnate her and if the pregnancy resulted in a man-child then that child was considered the heir of the late husband.  (Gen 38:6-10)

3) A man, a woman and her property-a female slave; The famous hand-maiden routine as performed by Abraham (Gen 16:1-6) and Jacob too (Gen 30:4-5)

4) A man, his wife and a few concubines; Concubines were defined differently from culture to culture but the basic idea is that they were mistresses ceremonially tied to their "husbands" but they held a lower statues than a "proper" wife.  Their children were not to be considered heirs so these mistresses were safe sex objects to be impregnated  without screwing up the line of succession. To see how bad it could get check this story out (Judges 19:1-30)

5) A man and a prisoner of war; a man could collect his "booty" in the form of a pow bride.  Deuteronomy 21:11-14.

6) Rapist and Rape victim; Deuteronomy 22:28-29 describes how a rape victim must marry her rapist.

7) Male slave and Female slave; two slaves could be married without the female's consent presumably to produce more slaves.

8) Marriage between one man and one woman; however remember that interfaith and cross-ethnic marriages were forbidden during large parts of Biblical history.

So when someone says to stick to the "Biblical Definition" of marriage, ask them which of the eight they prefer and why.

Now I don't mean to dismiss the Bible, it being scripture, but it just so happens that much of the troubling passages of Leviticus and Deuteronomy as mentioned in this piece mirror the code of hammurabi as well as the fact that when Jesus was asked about divorce He said that "you wrote that" meaning that law came from the hand of man not from the word of God, which then opens the door to what is and what is not of God in the Bible and what is the word of men.  Speculation yes, but the door is open to it because Jesus opened it.
Polygynous MarriageProbably the most common form of marriage in the bible, it is where a man has more than one wife.
Levirate MarriageWhen a woman was widowed without a son, it became the responsibility of the brother-in-law or a close male relative to take her in and impregnate her. If the resulting child was a son, he would be considered the heir of her late husband. See Ruth, and the story of Onan (Gen. 38:6-10).
A man, a woman and her property — a female slaveThe famous “handmaiden” sketch, as preformed by Abraham (Gen. 16:1-6) and Jacob (Gen. 30:4-5).
A man, one or more wives, and some concubinesThe definition of a concubine varies from culture to culture, but they tended to be live-in mistresses. Concubines were tied to their “husband,” but had a lower status than a wife. Their children were not usually  heirs, so they were safe outlets for sex without risking the line of succession. To see how badly a concubine could be treated, see the famous story of the Levite and his concubine (Judges 19:1-30).
A male soldier and a female prisoner of warWomen could be taken as booty from a successful campaign and forced to become wives or concubines. Deuteronomy 21:11-14 describes the process.
A male rapist and his victimDeuteronomy 22:28-29 describes how an unmarried woman who had been raped must marry her attacker.
A male and female slaveA female slave could be married to a male slave without consent, presumably to produce more slaves.
and of course …
Monogamous, heterosexual marriageWhat you might think of as the standard form of marriage, provided you think of arranged marriages as the standard. Also remember that inter-faith or cross-ethnic marriage were forbidden for large chunks of biblical history.The important thing to realize here is that none of these models are described as better than any other. All appear to have been accepted.
- See more at: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/unreason...Polygynous MarriageProbably the most common form of marriage in the bible, it is where a man has more than one wife.
Levirate MarriageWhen a woman was widowed without a son, it became the responsibility of the brother-in-law or a close male relative to take her in and impregnate her. If the resulting child was a son, he would be considered the heir of her late husband. See Ruth, and the story of Onan (Gen. 38:6-10).
A man, a woman and her property — a female slaveThe famous “handmaiden” sketch, as preformed by Abraham (Gen. 16:1-6) and Jacob (Gen. 30:4-5).
A man, one or more wives, and some concubinesThe definition of a concubine varies from culture to culture, but they tended to be live-in mistresses. Concubines were tied to their “husband,” but had a lower status than a wife. Their children were not usually  heirs, so they were safe outlets for sex without risking the line of succession. To see how badly a concubine could be treated, see the famous story of the Levite and his concubine (Judges 19:1-30).
A male soldier and a female prisoner of warWomen could be taken as booty from a successful campaign and forced to become wives or concubines. Deuteronomy 21:11-14 describes the process.
A male rapist and his victimDeuteronomy 22:28-29 describes how an unmarried woman who had been raped must marry her attacker.
A male and female slaveA female slave could be married to a male slave without consent, presumably to produce more slaves.
and of course …
Monogamous, heterosexual marriageWhat you might think of as the standard form of marriage, provided you think of arranged marriages as the standard. Also remember that inter-faith or cross-ethnic marriage were forbidden for large chunks of biblical history.The important thing to realize here is that none of these models are described as better than any other. All appear to have been accepted.
- See more at: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/unreason...Polygynous MarriageProbably the most common form of marriage in the bible, it is where a man has more than one wife.
Levirate MarriageWhen a woman was widowed without a son, it became the responsibility of the brother-in-law or a close male relative to take her in and impregnate her. If the resulting child was a son, he would be considered the heir of her late husband. See Ruth, and the story of Onan (Gen. 38:6-10).
A man, a woman and her property — a female slaveThe famous “handmaiden” sketch, as preformed by Abraham (Gen. 16:1-6) and Jacob (Gen. 30:4-5).
A man, one or more wives, and some concubinesThe definition of a concubine varies from culture to culture, but they tended to be live-in mistresses. Concubines were tied to their “husband,” but had a lower status than a wife. Their children were not usually  heirs, so they were safe outlets for sex without risking the line of succession. To see how badly a concubine could be treated, see the famous story of the Levite and his concubine (Judges 19:1-30).
A male soldier and a female prisoner of warWomen could be taken as booty from a successful campaign and forced to become wives or concubines. Deuteronomy 21:11-14 describes the process.
A male rapist and his victimDeuteronomy 22:28-29 describes how an unmarried woman who had been raped must marry her attacker.
A male and female slaveA female slave could be married to a male slave without consent, presumably to produce more slaves.
and of course …
Monogamous, heterosexual marriageWhat you might think of as the standard form of marriage, provided you think of arranged marriages as the standard. Also remember that inter-faith or cross-ethnic marriage were forbidden for large chunks of biblical history.The important thing to realize here is that none of these models are described as better than any other. All appear to have been accepted.
- See more at: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/unreason...
At this point I would like to quote you Jesus's words about homosexuality..........I would like to but I can not because He never said anything one way or another so unless we put words in His mouth all speculation about where Jesus stands on this issue is just that-pure speculation and can not be backed up scripturally.


So the question is, regardless of where you stand on the issue of homosexuality, does the love and treatment you display towards your brothers and sisters transform you and them in the manner Christ's love transformed so many?