Throwing Rocks.

"Why?  Why?  Why?"
We are constantly being told (by the media) to blame God for serious crime.

But it is not God doing the crimes.
We do them to each other of our own free will.

We are constantly being told (by the media) to seek justice in the form of revenge.
"Lock them up and throw away the key."
"Make them suffer."
"Burn in hell for ever."

But Jesus says to forgive those who wrong us.

God does not punish sinners.
He loves them also.
This does not mean that He condones what they do.
But God does not hate sin.
He understands it.

This does not make evil O.K..

One definition of holiness is without evil or sin.
God transcends these worldly things.

The reason for suffering is sin.
The reason for sin is fear.
Fear will be forgiven.

The approach of punishing severely objective crime is totally opposed to God's ways.
Why would we be supposed to visit prisoners in jail if that was the case?
God's approach is more like the Chinese method of re-educating criminals - rehabilitation and re-absorption into society.

Jesus does this when he tells a man healed of an evil spirit to go and tell the Pharisees that he has been healed (made clean) and can thus be reconciled with society.

We are constantly encouraged to throw rocks at sinners, especially sex offenders.
This recalls the woman taken in adultery.
Jesus says, "'Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.'"  John 8:7b (NRSV)
Afterwards he says, "'Woman, where are they?  Has no one condemned you?'"  John 8:10 (NRSV)
Then, "'Neither do I condemn you.'"  John 8:11b (NRSV)

It has often been pointed out that Jesus tells her not to sin again.
This is true.

It depends what you call sin.

Many of those opposed to homosexuality say that this applies to us.
That is to say that homosexuality is a sin.

I disagree.
Homosexuality is no more a sin than heterosexuality.

Some say that homosexuality is a demon.
It is not.

Those who oppose homosexuality are gripped by fear - fear of transgression, fear of hell.

Homosexuality is not the abominable sin that they think it is.

Homosexuality is love - love for someone of the same sex.


(Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.)

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