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Judge not lest ye be judged
Religious text is not a weapon
By Chris Walker
The main message of the Bible (and the New Testament specifically) was that God desired us to love our neighbors – to help them when they needed help. It wasn’t to push those we felt were sinning away.
I have considered myself a Christian for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories of my life are of going to Sunday School and learning about Jesus Christ and other Biblical characters.
When I was confirmed in my church, I seriously questioned my faith for the first time. In the end I decided that, yes, I do consider myself a Christian and that my convictions, not just my upbringing, were instrumental in that decision.
That being said, I absolutely hate it when the Bible is used as a weapon in someone’s argument.
There are many instances of this – in arguments about gay and lesbian relationships, contraception and abortion, among others – and I cringe each time I think about how my religious text is being used against a person.
The Bible is not a weapon, though I do consider it a tool in my faith. I just don’t think everything in the Good Book should be applied to the world that we live in today.
Admittedly, I am a secularist; I believe that government and religion should not mix at all. My religious convictions and another person’s may be completely different.
I may think that their ideas are wrong, just as they may think mine are, but this doesn’t mean that I should hold their opinions as invalid simply because they have a different idea of how we came to be, who we are, how the world will end and what our purpose in life should be.
Despite my secular attitudes, I also hate it when the Bible is used in arguments because, oftentimes, I feel that it is being used in an inappropriate way.
For example, take the gay marriage debate. So-called Christians who use the Bible as a weapon will quote certain passages, especially within the book of Leviticus, as reason enough for banning a marriage between a same-gendered couple.
Yet at the same time, these Christians will ignore passages that would tell them to not judge such practices. They forget to take the “log” out of their own eyes before they remove the “speck” from their brothers’. They forget to “judge not, lest ye be judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.” Some “good Christians” would forget the story of the Good Samaritan, that loving thy neighbor is helping the one who needs your love or your help.
There are also contradictions and hypocrisies found within the Bible. As referenced above, the book of Leviticus contains text that prohibits a man from “lying with another man.” However, that same book tells us that trimming our hair, being in contact with a woman during her period, eating shellfish and even wearing clothing made of two different kinds of thread (say, a polyester/cotton blend) is sinful; it also tells us that slavery is acceptable.
These sins, written within the same book of the Bible, are never questioned among so-called Christians who at the same time will do whatever they can to ensure a man and another man (or two women) don’t form a loving and lasting relationship with one another.
It should be recognized that the Bible was not written by God himself, but by the people who worshipped him. They were imperfect beings, which means they were bound to mess something up.
In addition to that, the Bible was written thousands of years ago; some of its passages may not be applicable to the world today. It should also be recognized that yes, there are behaviors that should not be accepted by society, and that the Bible and so-called Christians are right in saying they are wrong to commit murder, rape and other sins.
But the main message of the Bible (and the New Testament specifically) was that God desired us to love our neighbors – to help them when they needed help. It wasn’t to push those we felt were sinning away, but rather to bring them in closer despite their “sinful” acts.
I personally do not feel that homosexuality is a sin, but even if I did, I would rather be a Christian who brings that person into my heart than one who pushes them out of it. Hatred of your fellow brother or sister is not a Christian act; loving despite your disapproval is.
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