christians hate-mongering and calling themselves christian; response to owners of NJ BnB

 Find the original article here:

NJ Bed & Breakfast Owners Rip Lesbian Mom on Facebook, Tell Her God Invented AIDS to Punish 'Queers http://www.towleroad.com/2012/07/nj-bed-breakfast-owners-rip-lesbian-mom-on-facebook-tell-her-god-invented-aids-to-punish-queers.html#ixzz22EWbNogH

My email directly to the owners of Whitebriar Bed and Breakfast: 

 "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians for they are so un-Christ-like." -Mahatma Gandhi

I’ve read every bible verse some of these so-called Christians use to justify bigotry towards their gay and lesbian brothers and sisters and none of them have any validity. Jesus never said a thing about gay people; Sodom and Gamora is actually about a bunch of guys attempting to gang rape two angels in the street. Look it up.  Funny stuff.  St. Paul had lots of hang-ups but he never said a thing about consensual adults in same-sex relationships, and if you’re gonna believe that one little part of Leviticus that talks about men being with men being an abomination, then you’ve gotta follow ALL of Leviticus and execute gay men, as well as executing children who disobey their parents, people who work on Saturday, [that’s the Sabbath], and anybody who commits adultery, which includes divorce and remarriage, which technically means you’d have to kill Rush Limbaugh three times. Not a good idea. 
Being gay is natural.
And the passages in Leviticus that shun homosexuality? Calling it an abomination? The actual hebrew word used is TO’EBAH. It doesn’t mean the same thing as abomination does in English — it isn’t a law, it’s used to describe something that non-Jews did that Jews thought was displeasing to God. It means ritually improper, not abomination. It isn’t a quote from God, it isn’t his law or his rules, it is what a bunch of people way back decided might probably not be cool in God’s eyes.
Then Jesus showed up and said “all those rules? pfft. They don’t apply to Christians,” Though I’m sure he said it in a much nicer and more Jesus-y way. When Jesus says all those rules, he doesn’t mean “just the ones about selling your daughter into slavery and wearing mixed fibers” he means, ALL of those rules. As in, don’t pick and choose.
Romans 1:26-27 has also been used to justify homophobia. Just for clarification, it was written by Paul, and is not the direct word of Jesus or God. Now, the word “unnatural” is used here again in reference to sexuality. To really understand the context of this word, you have to take into account what Paul was doing at the time — he was writing a letter to Rome after being a missionary to the Mediterranean where he saw a bunch of pagan temples with a bunch of really weird habits.
First we have to agree that sexuality is a gift given to us from God. I’m not talking about specific sexual orientations, but the fact that God made sex feel really, really good as a treat for us (to oversimplify).
So, when Paul was busy preaching the word of God to all these pagans back then, he saw that they had some really weird sexual habits. Like castration and humping children and bestiality in an attempt to please the gods of love and sex.
And that is what he meant by unnatural. God gave men testicles so they could ejaculate. And because they’re fun. He didn’t give them to guys so they could cut them off. He didn’t give your little girls vaginas so you can tag team them. He sure as heck didn’t give you kids so you can abuse them. You aren’t exactly supposed to be having sex with animals either — that’s just plain animal cruelty, and well, disgusting. Sex is supposed to be an enjoyable experience for both (or all, if that is what floats your boat) parties involved, and not a weapon used to hurt people.
As for the last places homosexuality is mentioned anywhere in the bible (1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10), it comes down to the mistranslation of a word no one really knows the meaning of. It’s an old greek word “Arsenokoitai.” Personally, I think it sounds like a cocktail. It wasn’t until 1958 when some dude just randomly decided with no basis whatsoever that it meant gay people. Seriously. We are talking Greek scholars who study old Greek for a living throwing their hands up and going “I have no idea what it means, maybe it’s a typo?” and some random dude decides it means gay people. Since the true meaning of the word is unknown, it becomes obvious that someone was inserting their own bias into the bible. Which, by the way, is a big no no (Revelations 20:18-19 18 - For I testify to every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add to these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book 19 - And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.)
If Paul had meant homosexuality as it was known in those times, he would have used the word paiderasste, which means pederasty — those of us with critical thinking skills recognize the difference. Homosexuality, as we know it, did not exist in those times. There were no loving, committed relationships between two men or two women — at least not publicly. Instead, people engaged in pederasty — as in big man raping little boy. There are precious few people who would ever condone that sort of thing — it is abuse, plain and simple, and neither God, nor Jesus, nor anyone with any scruples whatsoever would ever condone sexual abuse.
It is nothing short of distressing that so many people have been misled into believing that God hates people because of their sexual orientations. Especially sad is the fact that the arsenokoitai mistranslation actually comes from the letters Paul was writing in an attempt to get Christians in Ephesus and Corinth to stop bickering — this letter of unity, has been corrupted and turn into a message of hate by unscrupulous bigots who have made a business off of manipulating people, turning them into a personal army in an attempt to satiate someone’s greed.
Besides, God told us to love everyone and not judge. By saying homosexuality is immoral, you are passing judgement. God teaches us to be good people, and follow the moral outline he alone sets for us. Our relationship with him is personal, and so is our morality. Meaning, one should never impose their morality on others. The scripture’s all there:
Matthew 7:1-2(1) Judge not, that you be judged,  For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Luke 6:35-38
But love you your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. Be you therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.  Judge not, and you shall not be judged: condemn not, and you shall not be condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete with it shall be measured to you again.
Kinda makes you wonder how Christian Pat Robertson actually is, doesn’t it?

Add to that the fact that marriages, throughout biblical history WERE NOT "one-man-one-woman;" rather, they were one man with a concubine, and arranged marriages, many times with very young girls. Even Jacob had several wives.

Also, you need to get your facts straight before spouting off. "Lay down with dogs, get up with fleas" IS NOT FROM THE BIBLE,as you stated to that mother, and it has nothing to do with how you used it.  It is a quote from Poor Richards Almanac meaning: "You should be cautious of the company you keep. Associating with those of low reputation may not only lower your own but also lead you astray by the faulty assumptions, premises and data of the unscrupulous."  What I find interesting is that those who accuse others often are the ones with something to hide. Best for you to take a look in the mirror and reflect long and hard on your own hatefulness, which is very un-Christ-like.

Hating gay is a lifestyle choice.

info courtesy of John Fugelsang and article at http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/07/27/why-being-gay-isnt-against-the-bible/

another letter/email to Doug Lamborn, who should be FIRED from politics in CO:

Another splendid example of how you prefer to proselytize and ignore the First Amendment rather than be responsive toward your contituents' voices. "LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION"??? (Just as an aside: How many times now have the voters in Colorado already voted down the "life begins at conception/personhood" initiatives?)

First, I grew up in the Catholic church, and have questioned its doctrine my whole life because I see the pain it inflicts on others. I, therefore, honor everyone for their beliefs, and subscribe only to the Constitution for governing authority over the general citizenry.

Amendment 1 of the Bill of Rights:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

This also includes freedom from religion. In other words, you do not get to force your beliefs, which work for you, on others. You words in your letter state that you are “dedicated to protecting the sanctity of human life from the unborn to the elderly, the terminally ill, and all whose lives are threatened by euthanasia. Life begins at fertilization.”  But what you think, your definition, based on your RELIGIOUS beliefs, you do not get to force on others.  

I've been told that this country is not truly a melting pot, since we are in many ways, separated by economic status, culture, religion, and race. Never the less, All peoples of all cultures, religions and races and belief systems make up this country, and no one religion or religious belief system can dominate everyone else. Live and let live.

The issues of contraception and abortion are a political football, and strong moral issues, but issues hotly steeped in RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. Neither you, nor anyone else, get to define these things for others. You get to define those things only for yourself.  

Regarding contraception and your “conscience” rights, the government does not get to define these things for me, nor will an employer.  If you choose to live by your religious law, that works for you, but neither you, nor your church, get to force those beliefs on others in a country that not only is a melting pot of different cultures, races, religions, belief systems, and even varying degrees of belief and observance within the established religions.

Women’s reproductive freedom is not a war against religion; it is a war against religion imposing its will on the tribe of women. To say that the battle for women’s rights and women’s reproductive freedom isn’t about religion, though would be a lie. It is about a religion; an extremely loud and rich group of men and women are using their God and the holy texts from which He sprang as sacred and moral reason for their actions and that is persecution. The witch burnings of the middle-ages come to mind.

In the words of our President, “No, you can’t deny women their basic rights and pretend it’s about your religious freedom.”  If you don’t like birth control, don’t use it. Religious freedom doesn’t mean you can force others to live by your beliefs.

This last letter from you, in addition to other correspondence I’ve received from you state what YOU STAND FOR, completely forgetting that you are MY EMPLOYEE-I AM ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. Hence, I am your employer and you are supposed to be representing ME, as well as every other constituent/employer member.  And let it be known that many of your employer/constituents are unhappy with your job performance.  As far as I am concerned, you are fired.  I hope that your other employer/constituents step up and let their voices be heard as well. 

The bottom line is that your beliefs, to which you hold yourself accountable, do not govern others. No one religion’s laws govern this country, as it should be. 

Reverend Renee L. Ten Eyck

Fountain

citizens hired a politician, not a preacher.