A friend shared this link on Facebook today which quotes Michigan Republican National Committeeman Dave Agema, a former state representative from Grandville:
"Agema, who used a poorly-sourced website to denounce "filthy homosexuals" earlier this year, reiterated his opposition to same-sex relationships on Thursday at the Berrien County Republican Party Holiday Reception... 'Folks, they (gay people) want free medical because they're dying (when they're) between 30 and 44 years old,' Agema said."
What bible has this 'Republican National Committee member' been reading? I've got an NIV Study Bible and I've seen bibles such as 'Thompson Chain Reference' and 'The Key Word Study Bible' (very cool, next on my list of purchases!) and many others. Is there a 'Hate Rhetoric Bible' out there somewhere that I've missed? Perhaps Mr. Agema is reading from the 'The Fears Of Paulianity Meet The Boogeymen of Leviticanity' bible'? He simply cannot be reading from the same bible that I'm reading from in which Jesus said:
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."
- Matthew 7:1-5
Even the egotistical, homophobic and misogynistic Paul said:
"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." - Romans 13:8-10
Just in case you missed that I'll repeat the salient passage:
"...love is the fulfillment of the law."
Just in case you missed that I'll repeat the salient passage:
"...love is the fulfillment of the law."
There is far too much of this type of rhetoric (rhetoric of love) in the bible (and particularly in the message of Jesus and in the epistles) to excuse the words and actions of purveyors of hatred such as Agema as simply being 'poorly informed' or 'misled'. The message of Jesus is far too clear to use His word for statements such as those made by Agema and his ilk. Even if such as person had never read the bible, only listening to pastors of hatred for their knowledge of the word, each person has to, at some point in his life, decide to follow blindly or with eyes open. I was brought up in a fundamentalist, hell fire and damnation, judgmental cult (The Seventh Day Adventists). It never sounded right to me even as a child, and I got over it!
Jesus said:
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." Matthew 7:15
But people like Agema aren't even in "sheep's cloting"! He is an agent and worshiper of Satan just as surely as I am (try to be) an agent and worshiper of the Lord my God. The bible also tells us what will happen to them and how to respond:
"If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet." - Matthew 10:14
"They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." - Matthew 13:42
"It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.” - Deuteronomy 32:35
"If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you." - Proverbs 25:21,21
I will admit that my initial reaction is aversion and perhaps even aggression; I'm certainly no saint. But, after reading the words of Jesus and remembering His message and His life I only have one reaction; pity.
How pathetic must it be to go through life as someone such as Mr. Agema?
How pathetic must it be to go through life as someone such as Mr. Agema?
Do you remember being consumed by hatred for others, allowing rage to take over your mind and body at all times of the day; in traffic, while shopping? I have to be on my guard at all times or I know that I can slip back into that mode of thought. When someone begins ranting to me I'll listen to it long enough to determine if it's simply hatred or if it's going to turn into a 'heap of burning coals'. If I feel myself slipping into that old mode of thought or if my friends words are not turning towards the positive then I gently steer her back towards something that Jesus would want us to talk about.
I can either base my thoughts and actions on words such as these:
"Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions." - Galatians 6:1
"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" - Matthew 18:21,22
Or I can take words such as these to justify hatred, judgment, and condemnation:
"Expel the wicked person from among you." - 1 Corinthians 5:13
"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly..." - Romans 1:26,27
A local church has this on their website:
"In fact, 78% of male homosexuals have or have had a sexually transmittable disease. 50% have had gonorrhea. Homosexual young people are 23 times as likely to contract a sexually transmittable disease. Two-thirds of all AIDS cases in this country are a direct result of homosexual contact. Is that normal and healthy? In San Francisco, the sexually transmittable disease rate is 22 times higher than the national average. Lesbians are 14 times more likely to contract syphilis, 4 times more likely to have scabies, and are at 3 times the risk for breast cancer. Less than 3% of homosexuals are over the age of 55 years old and only 1% die of natural causes, specifically old age.
The average age of death of male homosexuals in this country is 42 years old. And the average age of death of all homosexuals is 50% of that of the heterosexual population.
Why are there so many diseases? Why such young deaths? It has to do with the sexual practices. It goes against how God created bodies to work. And when you violate God’s design, there are always consequences."
Clearly 'The Hate Rhetoric Bible' doesn't have these passages in it:
"But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." - Matthew 12:36
"The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool." - Proverbs 10:18
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." - 1 Peter 3:15,16
"Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure." - Psalm 101:5
"Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law." - James 4:11
"So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander." - 1 Peter 2:1
"But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." - Colossians 3:8
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." - Philippians 2:3
Does anyone know where I can get a copy of 'The Hate Rhetoric Bible'? Sun Tzu said:
"...if you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss. If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose. If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself." - The Art of War.
Jesus told us to "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy".
I would like to get for myself a copy of 'The Hate Rhetoric Bible'. I cannot be 'on my guard' against the message of the Pharisees if I do not understand them, if I do not 'know them'. Perhaps you can help me. Does anyone know where I could find a copy?
Does anyone know where I can get a copy of 'The Hate Rhetoric Bible'? Sun Tzu said:
"...if you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss. If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose. If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself." - The Art of War.
Jesus told us to "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy".
I would like to get for myself a copy of 'The Hate Rhetoric Bible'. I cannot be 'on my guard' against the message of the Pharisees if I do not understand them, if I do not 'know them'. Perhaps you can help me. Does anyone know where I could find a copy?
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