"Discard religious teachings" and "skewed biblical interpretations" and thank God for Charlie's "flamboyant self". This kind of drivel explains why BTS has become a bastion of liberalism completely unrelated to the teachings in the Bible.

You are so correct, howbri. Bangor Theological Cemetery is well known for its movement away from traditional Biblical teaching. The God of the Bible is unchanging, and inerrant. It is not a "skewed biblical interpretation" to suggest that homosexuality is abhorrent - it is the plain reading of scripture, backed by 2000 years of careful reflection and understanding in faith. Is killing a homosexual right and appropriate? Absolutely NOT - no more so than killing someone for lying. The killing of Charlie Howard has nothing to do with Christianity or its teachings. And for a group of people to suggest that Christians are responsible is ridiculous. I'm happy to be called a fundamentalist - because at least I follow the truth, as opposed to changing my faith to fit the whims of the world. But to world would love to see us continue to water down our beliefs and compromise what it means to be believers. The atheists and agnostics love it when our beliefs are co-opted by stand-in religious groups, and then publicly compromised in the name of liberalism. It lends credence to a lack of faith. In the end, I would rather be judged by a righteous God than by a faulty world. Jesus Christ was not tolerant of sin. He was a perfect sacrifice for all who repent and TURN AWAY from their sin. Jesus was a perfect example of Love - and at the same time, he was a signpost of judgement. If you believe Him to be the fulfillment of the Law, you can't deny either one. His actions of so-called tolerance are often misquoted, as when he told the religious leaders "he who is free of sin, cast the first stone" at the woman caught in the very act of adultery. However, in context, if one simply reads the next sentence, He commanded the woman to "go away and sin no more." He didn't say - I think you should continue in your adultery because you were born that way, and I made you to have lust in your heart for someone not your husband - so it must be ok - you have a right to be just as happy as a monogamous, married couple. I defy anyone to consider that a misinterpretation of scripture, or to say that it doesn't apply in today's world.

Two wrongs do not make it right! Murder is wrong. It is in the ten commandments. Homosexuality is not only wrong, but it is referred to as an abomination before God. People have trouble with God's rules because they do not express their own opinions. But most of our opinions are selfish. There is nothing in genetics or in the DNA that makes a person homosexual. It is a choice. And it is a wrong one. It can keep you from seeing heaven when you die. Don't fool yourselves. There is no need for the government to pretend to extend rights to a group who is disobedient and practice disgraceful acts in private. They are not a race, have nothing physically wrong with them. It is purely a choice. 90% or more of them ran into a hustler, child molester as a child who violated them and this hustler fed them with the wrong thinking needed to soothe their guilty consciences. Hopefully, they will discover the error of their ways before they get to the end of days. Yield to God, agree with his word and find healing in the welcoming arms of Jesus. Amen

RELIGION is the ONLY thing that makes gay WRONG. RELIGION is the ENEMY.

Gay people will never have rights as long as they let old fairy tales (religion) define them. The evil in our society IS religion. Until gay people figure this out they will continue to be hated.

The next time a gay teen commits suicide for thinking he/she is "wrong," remember where they got that thought.

Religion hurts - make it stop.

Religion is not the issue. It's a lack of faith that causes the problems in society today, and man's inherent desire to do what he pleases.

As we continue our march toward an atheistic nation (as Obama so eloquently points out that we are "no longer a Christian nation"), we will continue to see more of the evils of mankind. I'm sure someone will post very quickly a listing of the evils done in the past in the name of religion - I don't disagree. However, it's important to note the difference between claiming to do something on behalf of God, and actually doing something on behalf of God.

I wonder why "homosexuality" wasn't specifically mentioned in the 10 Commandments? Actually there are many things that were called and abomination in the Bible that are not included specifically in the 10 Commandments. jimsawyer, have you interviewed 90% or more of the gay/lesbian population? Does anyone really know the true number of gays/lesbians in the USA or the world? I have several family members who are gay/lesbian, and guess what, NONE of them were molested by anyone of either gender. We have one friend who was molested by a male family member however, female and a lesbian. Shouldn't she be a heterosexual now because of this? Or did that experience change her? You fail to mention that the scientific research that has been done is NOT conclusive, it neither proves nor disproves. Until this great nation comes becomes a theocracy, we live under the Constitution not religious doctrine. Sounds like another poster who is leaning towards dominionism.

JACK B.

There are many things not listed in the 10 Commandments that are considered sin. And my life principle is the following: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself. And that includes sharing my own scriptural views of sin. I don't think a debate on whether "science" proves or disproves homosexuality is helpful. The same arguments are made for child molesters, (i.e. they are born with a genetic pre-disposition) and I don't think any supporter of gay rights wants to be put in the same boat with them. Just because science provides the logical reasoning for a behavior, it doesn't mean that behavior is appropriate, or should be condoned. I may have a genetic bent for eating chocolate, but too much of it isn't healthy.

Jack, I agree with you re: the Constitution. Unfortunately, too many folks try to reinterpret that document as well. No one should have religion forced upon them. Nor should a small minority of citizens co-opt a religious principle such as marriage and try to make it their own.

windfuture, would like to read the studies that show a genetic pre-disposition in pedophiles, is there one in existence? The only one I could find was in regards to the study of 4 subjects after MRIs and in no way makes a determination one way or another. Child molesters (child rapists) are the most vile creatures on earth in my opinion. To put them and gays/lesbians in the same category is sickening and I believe extremely disrespectful of gay/lesbian individuals. Pedophilia is not an orientation.

The same-gender marriage law in Maine is a law concerning Civil Marriage not Religious ceremonies. Any church, clergy or individual who does not wish to perform these marriages will not have to and will not be penalized in any way for refusing (Religious Freedom). Civil marriage is governed by the state not the church. The USA is not a Christian nation, we are not lead by a church or a deity

JACK B.

There is no problem with lack of faith. The only problem is with those that can't separate the law from the Bible and would have us all living under a Theocracy. The Bible is just a work of fiction, compiled by a multitude and edited by even more. Believe what you want to believe but allow others the same right.

MaineExpatriat, great comment, "Believe what you want to believe but allow others the same right." That is what the Religious Freedom is all about. When one denomination or group decides they are the only way, theocracy follows and we as a people lose.

JACK B.

I agree - believe what you want to believe. MaineExpatriat - you can assert the Bible is a work of fiction all you want - it shows your lack of knowledge of how the Bible was transmitted and copied over time. It is actually the most accurate book ever put on paper, and has the most provenance of any ancient writing we have, whether on vellum, parchment, papyrus, etc.

I am not in favor of a Theocracy - I fully believe in separation of church and state. To that end, the State should never have been allowed to steal marriage from religious organizations. Civil ceremonies - that's their business. Just don't call it marriage.

And free2bee - I only quote the same arguments made by the homosexual movement, i.e. they were born that way. If gays were born gay, then pedophiles were born pedophiles, thieves were born thieves, adulterers were born adulterers, etc. I'd rather you produce anything that shows homosexuality is anything other than a choice. In which case, the next step is polygamy, as I'm sure someone will "choose" that as well.

windfuture, I bet you don't even know when the actual books were written? or how the Gospels were selected? Whenever someone makes a statement like yours I always know their religious education does not extend beyond the teachings of their particular church.

And I used to be a devout Christian but had an open mind (horrible thing, a mind not wasted). I started to read history (true history not theological renderings) and now I am a Deiest.

Windfuture, understand, I in no way want to change what you believe or even care what you believe. I think what's important is what makes us happy and what "fits". I'm just of a nature that doesn't "accept" and that was my problem. The circular logic that is required to believe in the Bible was a problem for me (the Bible is the truth because the Bible says it's the truth) so I continued to explore. Be happy. I am.

If the Bible is fiction then are the place also fictious? Damascus, Galilee, Hebron, Jerusalem, Corinth, Macadonia, Samaria, Bethlem.....I guess if you believe God doesn't exist then it excuses alot of behavior.

1Corinthians 6:9.

What is important and essential now is that the Charlie Howards of the world will not be thrown off bridges anymore.....now let's all move on.

"If the Bible is fiction then are the place also fictious? Damascus, Galilee, Hebron, Jerusalem, Corinth, Macadonia, Samaria, Bethlem.....I guess if you believe God doesn't exist then it excuses alot of behavior. "

Huh? LMAO!!!! Elizabethann, the book was written by men, not aliens, so they wrote about places they'd heard of. That not only proves nothing it actually makes believing in Jesus because the Bible mentions real places, well, pathetic.

And I do believe in God, I'm a Deiest. And you'd be surprised to know that there is absolutely NO correlation between religion and morals... in fact just the contrary.

Taken from the book, A Ready Defense by Josh Mcdowell:

God wrote an address in history to single out His Son, the Messiah, the Savior of mankind, from anyone who has ever lived in history -past, present, or future. The specifics of this address can be found in the Old Testament, a document written over a period of a thousand years, which contains more than three hundred references to His coming. Using the science of probability, we find the chances of just forty-eight of these prophecies being fulfilled in one person to be right at one in 10157 (a one followed by 157 zeros!).

The task of matching up God's address with one man is further complicated by the fact that all the prophecies of the Messiah were made at least 400 years before He was to appear. Some might disagree and say that these prophecies were written down after the time of Christ and fabricated to coincide with His life. This might sound feasible until you realize that the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, was translated around 150-200 B.C. This Greek translation shows that there was at least a two-hundred-year gap between the prophecies being recorded and their fulfillment in Christ.

forHimself, nope, wrong again:

The Septuagint is the name given to the Greek translation of the Jewish Scriptures. The Septuagint has its origin in Alexandria, Egypt and was translated between 300-200 BC. It contains the standard 39 books of the Old Testament and certain apocryphal books. The term "Apocrypha" was coined by the fifth-century biblical scholar, Jerome, and generally refers to the set of ancient Jewish writings written during the period between the last book in the Jewish scriptures, Malachi, and the arrival of Jesus Christ. The apocryphal books include Judith, Tobit, Baruch, Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus), the Wisdom of Solomon, First and Second Maccabees, the two Books of Esdras, additions to the Book of Esther, additions to the Book of Daniel, and the Prayer of Manasseh.

The Apocryphal books were included in the Septuagint for historical and religious purposes, but are not recognized by Protestant Christians or Orthodox Jews as canonical (inspired by God). Most reformed teachers will point out that the New Testament writers never quoted from the Apocryphal books, and that the Apocrypha was never considered part of the canonical Jewish scripture.

The Septuagint was also a source of the Old Testament for early Christians during the first few centuries AD. Many early Christians spoke and read Greek, thus they relied on the Septuagint translation for most of their understanding of the Old Testament. The New Testament writers also relied heavily on the Septuagint, as a majority of Old Testament quotes cited in the New Testament are quoted directly from the Septuagint (others are quoted from the Hebrew texts).

The Jewish scriptures, of course, mention the coming of a Messiah but there is no reference to Jesus or to the "miracles' he would supposedly later perform.

I give you bucketloads of credit 4himself, you keep trying.

Oh... failed to mention the biggest link between the Septuagint and Jesus is that several hundred years after Jesus' death the New Testament writers had Jesus and his apostles often quoting passages from the Septuagint.

maineex, nice try with the copy and paste, unfortunately you didn't even understand what you pasted. Now go back and try again, rather than just throw something out there of which you obviously have no understanding of. I have to give you credit though, it sure made you look like you knew what you were talking about to the uninformed.