Then just try for a moment to imagine how we all feel about the Bible being used to strip us of fundamental rights, actively harm our families, bar us from aspects of society, deny us jobs and housing, minimize our humanity, and in ever increasing cases call for our literal extermination.

And then imagine, how in that context, we feel about people who, refusing to even address the underlying issues, our freedoms, our humanity, our right to exist, and lay into us because of some supposed theological glitch with regards some fine point of salvation theology.

“I don’t give a flying hoot about your actual humanity, but I had to step in to clear up this doctrinal point.”

Check out Matthew 25:31-46 and think about it.

Don’t assume because I write politely that I am not livid about the abuse of Christianity that YOU are perpetrating.

In regard to me now “claiming agreement” with Evan, let me say that I DO agree with him as he further explained himself. My problem is that a lot of well-intentioned people list off Bible verses about God’s love, yet completely ignore the context of those scriptures and use them to try to build a picture of Christianity that is simply not accurate. That is what I *thought* Evan was doing in his post, until he clarified himself in his later comment:
http://www.truthwinsout.org/blog/2010/03/7451/#comment-18628

Thanks for being civil, and I’ll try to be less reactionary as well. Again, I apologize for causing a stir, it just rubs me the wrong way to see the message of the Bible mis-characterized so I wanted to respond. As it turns out, it was a misunderstanding.

However, this not being a “Christian” website, and I being an atheist writer who deconverted from Christianity years back, what is NOT welcome is any sort of proselytizing. (I’m not accusing Ethan of doing so, for the record. Just putting it out there.)

My entire point in writing the piece is that these fundamentalist windsocks like Peter LaBarbera don’t even understand their own religion! And it’s particularly obnoxious since their religion is the only club they use to knock people down. So the point is — these aren’t Christians. There are lots of things about Christianity that I find grotesque, some of which are shared by Islam, and when I see them using their religions correctly, but still as clubs, I go after them on those terms. But in this case, that wasn’t necessary, because Peter LaBarbera is either functionally illiterate or too blinded by his own hatred (self?) to read his own chosen religious text with a clear head or any semblance of reading comprehension.

The problem is context. It is hard to imagine why you would even think of bringing up repentance as a response to the original post unless you believe that homosexuality is, in and of itself, something to be repented of.

Nothing you’ve said indicates anything else. And that is an extremely common – to the point of stereotype – Christian‚Ñ¢ knee-jerk response to any positive discussion of homosexuality. It’s called “concern trolling” – “Oh, I know that this is a discussion of homosexuality, but I just had to hop in and make sure that everyone understands the salvation of filthy, filthy, horrible, awful, evil sinners. Can’t imagine what would have made me think of that. Jesus loves you.”

If that’s your game, then be aware, any gay Christian has seen it over and over again, and we don’t buy it, and we see through it. If that isn’t your game, then be aware that it is something we’ve seen a lot, and what you wrote sure looks and smells like it. If you really want to make some other point, you’ll want to look carefully at your approach and take a different one.

Because it sure looks like you are trying to play “gotcha” and now that you can claim “agreement” on repentance, you are poised to leap and say that all gay people have to do is repent.

But being gay is not something anyone needs to repent of, any more than being straight, or bi, or any other natural sexual variation. It is something that just is. It is what we do with it, how we treat others, and how we stand before God that matters, and frankly, someone who can whip out Leviticus or a mistranslation of Romans and think that it stands in any meaningful way against a lifetime of direct lived experience of being gay is a bit of an idiot.

Or, like LaBarbera, a complete fraud.

What we’re discussing is the basics of the Christian idea of salvation.

So, Evan, I agree with you then, after hearing more clearly what you’re trying to say:

Anyone can come to God, freely, and exactly how they are. Repentance would be the *next* step if they were to pursue a relationship with the Christ.

I also do want to say that while I haven’t said anything negative about homosexuality, I do realize that some of my comments might be taken to mean that I’m someone who hates homosexual people. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

I apologize for giving that impression.

I am a Christian so it bothers me to see the idea of salvation being misunderstood, which is why I started commenting – not anything about sexuality at all.

Anyway, I’m glad we agree Evan. It’s clear that anyone can come to God, freely, and exactly how they are. Repentance would be the *next* step if they were to pursue a relationship with the Christ.

@Everyone else: Haha a little reactionary, guys. Somehow you have interpreted me wanting to clarify the Christian doctrine on salvation as something offensive? I don’t get it. If we can’t have a civilized discussion of these things why are we even here?

@James What did I say specifically that bothers you?