Have been reading a booklet from the Biblical Research Institute of my church on homosexuality and the Bible, Release #6. Was interested to read Leviticus 18:26, within a chapter on sexual sins. "Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you...." KJV. Even the strangers, or foreigners, who were visiting among the Israelites were required to follow the laws.... However, the Bible doesn't say the Israelites had jurisdiction outside of their territory.... Today, the church has authority over their own properties, and they have influence over church members and their homes....
As I've been saying about the apostle Paul, he said in 1 Corinthians 5:13 that, "But them that are without God judgeth...." Do the conservative churches need to harp on their perceived evils of same-sex marriages OUTSIDE of the church...!? Or could they show respect for the laws, tactfully, as Romans 13 tells us to honour the laws...?
Currently, my church doesn't want to hire gays as custodians/janitors and pay health benefits to same-sex partners. But one of our church founders Ellen White, whom we consider to be a prophet, wrote that Jesus healed a lot of people when He was on the earth and He didn't discriminate about who DESERVED to be healed! He healed everyone who came to Him; and our modern-day health benefits only have to do with healing and health care.
The conservative Christians can have an influence in the world by being a good example and by teaching about God, where they have an appropriate opportunity to do so. Even selling a non-themed cake [a plain cake or wedding cake] to a same-sex couple is not a sin, according to my understanding at this time.
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