While reading Lydia Claudio's opinions about God's view on homosexuality as a sin (printed on Tuesday, March 2), I became curious about her interpretations of the rest of the New Testament. Lydia is clearly quite familiar with the New Testament, as she quoted several excerpts from it in order to support her opinion that God condemns homosexuality. The New Testament is a collection of letters and documents written thousands of years ago by people who assume authority based on their assertions that they have conversed with God. Lydia's viewpoint leads me to believe that she takes to heart all of these people's statements.
As Lydia so clearly stated in her viewpoint, the New Testament includes many "standards of conduct" that God requires of us, in addition to His disapproval of homosexuality. Many of these "standards of conduct" focus strongly on the status and acceptable behavior of women
A writer in the Pastoral Epistles commands: "Let a woman learn in silence with full submission. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent" (1 Timothy 2:11-12). Furthermore, Paul, one of the greatest authority figures of early Christianity, bestows his belief to readers of the New Testament that "women should be silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as the law also says ... For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church." (1 Corinthians 14:34-35) However, if these remarks are to be taken literally, then why are many women vocal in churches throughout the country? Why is it that they are allowed positions of authority within the church? Paul additionally asserts that "man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man." (1 Corinthians 11:5-9).
As a woman, I wonder if Lydia passively accepts statements made thousands of years ago that women are subordinate to men, that they must remain silent and submissive, and that they were created for the sake of men. As a baptized and confirmed Christian, and as a woman, I do not accept this. If I refuse to accept these statements in the Bible, then I feel free to do the same in regards to statements condemning the act of homosexuality.
Christianity preaches that we should not judge one another. Yet if we condemn homosexuality as a sin, are we not judging them? Homosexuality is a lifestyle which people do not choose, but are born into. How can we denounce the way a person is born, while at the same time claiming that we are not judging people? As a Christian, I believe that I can communicate with God independently of the Bible. Not everything stated in the New Testament requires a literal interpretation. I do not believe that God loves all His children except those who were born as homosexuals. The God I know loves all His children indiscriminately.
Interpretations of the Bible have been the causes of wars, bigotry, and hatred for too many years. I pray that one day Christians will learn to heed their own advice, and cease to judge those with differing lifestyles and beliefs. I pray that Christianity focus itself more on love and respect, and less on the "wrong opinions" of those of other faiths.
Amanda Bell is a sophomore with an undeclared major.
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