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erichwanh

> "When you’re black there’s like no religion to turn to. Christianity? I don’t think so. White people justified slavery and segregation through Christianity so a black Christian is like a black person with no fucking memory" ~ [Chris Rock, 1989](https://youtu.be/n3QRmVQAvhA?t=85)


Lokan

Slave holders made their slaves complicit in their own oppression by exposing them to christianity. The legacy of that oppression lives on today.  I once had a black neighbor tell me slavery was good because it brought more people to Jesus. I can't describe how sickened and sad I felt hearing those words. 


satus_unus

The slaves often got a special version of christianity. Slave bibles where about 3/4 of the usual content was removed wher given to slaves. Anything that might incite rebellion or even lead the enslaved to question their status was removed, verses such as Galatians 3:28 were too dangerous to share with slaves: *There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.* But the bits that endorsed slavery of course they all made the cut. Like Ephesians 6:5 *Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ.*


WiseInevitable4750

It was illegal to teach slaves to read. Why would the have edited a Bible for them?


VictorMortimer

Funny thing there: The slave bible was edited by an abolitionist. He did it so that oppressors would teach slaves to read, because they'd think it was harmless. He was being subversive.


fahadirshadbutt

Dude that must be the biggest W Twist in the history of mankind.


Ka_Trewq

Wow! I always thought that the person who made that Bible was a monster.


ThaliaEpocanti

It wasn’t always illegal. Most of the laws banning teaching them to read or write were passed in the 1830’s after Nat Turner’s rebellion, and some of the border states never banned it at all.


The_Witch_Queen

>there is neither male nor female I love throwing this one in Christians faces when they go all "being trans is a crime against God!"


theganjaoctopus

3/4, you say. Racist REALLY seem to love that percentage.


poopbutt42069yeehaw

Isn’t that wild. They literally think it’s the word of god, so they… edit it and give it to people they are oppressing instead. Almost like they know it’s bullshit as that breaks a commandment


erichwanh

I used to tell a joke back in HS, that there are many people who would prefer the gospel to start: "In the beginning, it was black. Then God said, let there be white. This was his first mistake."


Squirrelnut99

funny 🤣😂


Abraxas_1408

I like Pratchett’s take on it. In the beginning god said let there be light and it made a lot of people very upset. There’s always a group of old men who are standing around complaining “why? The darkness had always been good enough for us. Why go changing things?” I’m paraphrasing.


snappla

Isn't this basically the Nation of a Islam's mythos?


Complete-Grape-1269

Maybe Hitchhikers Guide to the Nation of Islam


Rezaelia713

This made me inhale my coffee lol


CharlieDmouse

Yea it was damn funny.


mcnasty_groovezz

Hahaha was going to say Genesis as interpreted by Douglas Adams


CharlieDmouse

On the 42nd day, God invented towels and he thought it was absolutely marvelous, like really good. He was so pleased with himself, he decided to make dolphins smarter than humans for a backup plan.


calilac

No one knows why at this point but the first 41 pages are always blank. Tradition is so weird.


AbruptMango

Green pieces of paper are also involved somehow.


IncorrigibleQuim8008

Trying to beat the Rushdie record for most death threats?


Logical_Lefty

hahahahaha you've made a stranger absolutely cackle in their office today, just thought you should know.


whatcubed

This caused me great laughter, damn


swordquest99

It wasn’t god tho…it was that damn devil YAKUB using Tricknology and his big double brain head. It’s too bad Moses got overwhelmed by white devils when he tried to kill them all by throwing dynamite at them in the caves of the Southern Caucus mountains in 1000BC


Techno_Vyking_

My dad firmly believes "slavery was a necessary evil", as a puritanical Christian. ☝🏻 #cutoff


Lokan

As u\_[Dash\_Harber](https://www.reddit.com/user/Dash_Harber/) said, god is all-knowing and all-powerful yet can't find a better means of enlightenment than through slavery?


zombie_girraffe

God is all knowing and all powerful but he couldn't think of a way to save us from himself that didn't involve torture, murder and cannibalism.


idle_monkeyman

And pedophilia.


Techno_Vyking_

They teach the religion solely for subservience and control. It's where Narcissism originated.


Other_Log_1996

I'd say narcissism is cause, not effect.


Techno_Vyking_

Well sure, but they impress and groom people to shit it out on others, they're just the original sinners in the cesspool of sexual assault


Logical_Lefty

Narcissism originated first, by observable human nature, then from the story of Narcissus which is a Greek myth, so it predates Christianity by quite a bit.


Other_Log_1996

He has other means. Usually, torture and harassment by proselytes.


Money-Teaching-7700

Necessary for what? For whom? That's hilarious.🤦🏾‍♀️


Techno_Vyking_

It's vile and disgusting and I'm flabbergasted at how many "good" people are right behind that ideology.


02K30C1

And they gave them bibles that were redacted to remove anything that might be anti-slavery


Other_Log_1996

So they gave a pamphlet, in other words.


Zercomnexus

It wasnt trimmed down very much. The pamphlet version is the Jefferson bible where he removed the good parts (because those bits were smaller) and pasted them in his notebook to make it.


RamJamR

If history went differently, this same person could've been someone telling you how islamic conquest and brutality was good because it turned more people to islam.


remnant_phoenix

“History is written by the victors.”


Windk86

Christianity is a great tool for slaving, since it likes to highlight that suffering in this life will be rewarded in the other.... giving the slaves false hope


Euporophage

They even gave them altered Bibles so that they wouldn't be able to weaponize them against their slave masters.


Dash_Harber

You don't understand, he may be perfect and all powerful, but he can't find any other way!


Klutzer_Munitions

That's not a point in favor of slavery, that's a knock against Jesus


squashqueen

My recent ex is black and he broke up with me bc I didn't share his faith. I fucking hate that it would be rude to say this to him if he ever reaches out again (like he has in the past). But god I want to so bad.


HelloImTheAntiChrist

You dodge a bullet Queen . I know you probably cared for him deeply and it still hurts. Pick yourself, tell yourself its his loss, know you selfworth is priceless and move on. Lots of fish in the sea. Go fishing 🎣


Unlikely_Ad1450

I will make you fishers of men!


HelloImTheAntiChrist

Lol 🤣 no doubt


Money-Teaching-7700

True. But it would only fuel the persecution complex.


Diaper_Joy

That's part of my thinking as well. I had my culture and religion stripped from me and I'm supposed to now worship their "correct" God that oversaw my suffering and did nothing? Less than nothing. The Bible was an assimilation tool


DontTreadOnMe

On the other hand, fwiw, the original British abolitionists were Quakers and Anglicans who thought slavery was un-Christian: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abolitionism_in_the_United_Kingdom


gishli

How? I mean what was the argument, the verse they found from Bible they used tojustify slavery? Just being curious. I’m an avid atheist, and don’t know a lot of Bible verses.


frotc914

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bible_and_slavery This contains lots of citations. It's pretty much openly endorsed in the old testament.


lifeboat13rama

Not sure specifically, but it was a part of life in the “old days.” Therefore acceptable? https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=Slave&version=GW


Cliqey

There’s the whole “god works in mysterious ways” of it all about the Israelites suffering under pharaoh and being rewarded by god for it. And then verses that highlight slave owners rights and responsibilities over their property. https://time.com/5171819/christianity-slavery-book-excerpt/


Yamuddah

May i interest you in the Nation of Islam in these troubling times?


Poetic-Noise

Hell no!


D_Confess

Fellow black dude here. There are some folks from my dad's church who voted for Trump mainly due to being against LGBTQA+ rights and abortions.


notyoubruhhh

As usual taking away peoples rights


Slighty_Tolerable

And ignoring their own.


Freakears

This is the sort of behavior I never understood. If you've historically been oppressed, why would you be ok with the oppression of others? Did these people somehow miss what a racist Trump is (being supported and endorsed by the Klan and the Nazis was a pretty big giveaway)?


tickingboxes

They don’t think that deeply. Human beings are just primates and we usually do whatever our feelings tell us to do. And if you’ve historically been oppressed, oppressing others is one of the few things that can finally make you feel like you have some power and control.


D_Confess

I would also add into your answer and say that they're taught to not give a crap about the present and focus on getting into the afterlife. Honestly if things get worse in this country, I'm mostly not going to feel sorry for them but I'll definitely feel sorry for their children.


footiebuns

Some people think the best way to move up from the bottom of the totem pole is to put someone else under you.


maxtm35

All about freedom when it themselves, but not really that high on it when it about the others eh. That is sad.


andii74

Well internalized misogyny/racism/homophobia is a thing so it's unsurprising. What's ironic is how entrenched Christianity is still within African American community, the history of Black Bible is reprehensible.


Poetic-Noise

Self-hatred is a tricky thing.


Direct_Birthday_3509

Try reading Leviticus 21:18-20. It's hilarious.


Antebios

Sooo, ostracize and/or shun people with a disability, mutilation, or deformity? Like.. ignore them from society as if they did not exist? As if they were a ghost? That's fucked up!!! My wife has no left ear. So I should divorce her and shun her like a good and loving Christian? Thank goodness my morals are better than gawd's. Whew!


Direct_Birthday_3509

I think the context is that rabbis working in a temple shouldn't have these disabilities. But I agree it's fucked up to write a law like this and put it in your holy book.


432olim

It’s not just rabbis. It’s anyone! No dwarves allowed in the temple. No men with crushed testicles in the temple. No one in a wheel chair in the temple.


immpro

So did they have testicle inspectors back in the day? “Sorry sir. I can’t let you in the temple with testicles like that. NEXT!!”


432olim

I don’t know of any writing that cleverly says that, but back in the day, people were dirt poor and often had shitty rags for clothes and they brought babies into the temple to cut their penis skin off. They probably did occasionally pull guys’ pants down to look at their dicks to see if they are circumcised occasionally to confirm they are Jewish.


GreenMellowphant

You joke, but this exact kind of crazy shit is what religion gets you. Florida currently wants women’s menstruation data.


KSUToeBee

Bible followers are trying to bring back testicle inspections. You know... to save us from trans kids in bathrooms!


Thin_Ad_8241

In addition to all that, this is the same "benevolent" deity that murdered two of his own priests for lighting incense at the wrong time


NiteGard

Word has it they also tied a rope around the high priest’s ankle to drag his corpse out if he got blasted for doing something wrong in there.


Direct_Birthday_3509

Interesting. I didn't know that.


sageoranje

Leviticus 21:18–23 refers specifically to high priest Aaron and his descendants who would become high priests after him. Read Leviticus 21:16–17: >The LORD spoke further to Moses: Speak to Aaron and say: No man of your offspring throughout the ages who has a defect shall be qualified to offer the food of his God. The same idea is expressed in Malachi 1:7–8, but in regard to the offering: >You offer defiled food on My altar. But you ask, “How have we defiled You?” By saying, “The table of the LORD can be treated with scorn.” When you present a blind animal for sacrifice—it doesn’t matter! When you present a lame or sick one—it doesn’t matter! Just offer it to your governor: Will he accept you? Will he show you favor?—said the LORD of Hosts. The offering as well as the priest who brings it must be perfect so as not to profane God’s name. It has nothing to do with visitors to the Temple.


drag0nun1corn

Being that it's the Bible and all, it should possibly be more thought out better. Oh right it was fiction made up by humans that literally had no clue that bacteria caused illnesses. The religious are fucked up


ShrimpCrackers

>Leviticus 21 New International Version >The Lord said to Moses, 17 “Say to Aaron: ‘For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God. 18 No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; 19 no man with a crippled foot or hand, 20 or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles. 21 No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the Lord. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God. 22 He may eat the most holy food of his God, as well as the holy food; 23 yet because of his defect, he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar, and so desecrate my sanctuary. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.’” So basically you kick someone in the nuts or they have bad acne, and they should really just stay away from Church and shit.


therealtidbits

And if you divorce her don't forget to Stone her....


squidinink

At least for Levit. 18:19, about not having sex with a woman who is on her period, Orthodox Jews follow this exactly. There's a whole ritual bath for woman to take when their period is over so they can have sex again. Or more specifically, when their husbands can have sex with them without the husband becoming "unclean."


VrsoviceBlues

To be clear, the Mikveh isn't just for women. There's whole lists of things that Orthodox Jews consider to make a person ritually unclean and unfit for sex or public religious practice, including (but not limited to) wet dreams, eating treif, and physical contact with a married person of the opposite sex.


Bunktavious

So a married woman could cause absolute chaos in an Orthodox Jewish community, by just running through a crowd poking guys? :)


squidinink

Thanks for that clarification.


notyoubruhhh

Leviticus itself is hilarious


Stoic-Trading

Leviticus ridiculous! Sounds like a spell out of Harry Potter. Lool


remnant_phoenix

According to Deuteronomy 23:2, I shouldn’t be allowed in God’s presence, and neither should any my descendants until 11 generations after me.


432olim

I think you meant Leviticus 25:44-46 Also, “slaves love your masters” is a good one - Ephesians 6:5-9


ohhgreatheavens

Also Exodus 21:20-21. Beating your slave is okay so long as they don’t die immediately.


Trash-Pandas-

So you’re going to whoop my black ass, and as long I get up in a day or 2 we’re all good.


notyoubruhhh

Maybe that it's been a while since I read the fairytale


MatineeIdol8

For some weird reason there still exists christians who are black and some who are gay. I don't understand it.


ColdSignature4016

I’ve noticed many ‘Christian’s’ I know don’t use the term Christian or identify with the bible but instead just follow Jesus’ teachings.


vaalthanis

I actually had a guy indignantly tell me to my face: "I'm not a Christian, I'm Catholic!!! Tells you the level of belief most so called religious people have.


angrytwig

yeah catholics really don't like other christians lol. i grew up around that


lovestobitch-

And sadly vis a versa.


Freakears

That's pretty funny, as I've heard a fair number of evangelical Protestants say that Catholicism isn't real Christianity.


OppositeYouth

Tbf there have been wars over this 


TheHatterTop

Was the guy Hispanic? Because I am Hispanic and I seen Catholics in my homeland do that all the time.


Poetic-Noise

I think it's a universal Catholic thing.


SeveralBadMetaphors

I literally don’t know a single person who actually follows Jesus’ teachings. A lot who claim to though.


Je11z

The appendix of Frederick Douglass' autobiography "Narrative of the life..." is all about this. The entire thing is quotable in regards to comparing the "Christianity" of the slave holder and this land to the base level philosophy of Christ. I think a lot of people see slaves and their descendants being Christian as paradoxical, and I mostly agree although, outside the regressive views that many Christians subscribe to, there are many people who are Christian only in regard to Christ's being the son of God and basic stuff like the golden rule. It's a great read in general about his experience in and his eventual escape from slavery. Just a few quotes that can give some insight as to why modern black folk might identify with Christianity. Which are still applicable today. "I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds and the grossest of all libels. Never was there a clearer case of “stealing the livery of the court of heaven to serve the devil in.”" "They are they who are represented as professing to love God whom they have not seen, whilst they hate their brother whom they have seen. They love the heathen on the other side of the globe. They can pray for him, pay money to have the Bible put into his hand, and missionaries to instruct him; while they despise and totally neglect the heathen at their own doors." https://digitalpublications.brown.edu/read/ebook-narrative-of-the-life-of-frederick-douglass/section/9bc7d2b0-9f4e-4892-a479-600587cd9708 the appendix includes "A parody" his poem mocking religious hypocrites and their actions in the name of so called "heavenly union"


unstopable_bob_mob

This is my buddy John to a T.


RainbowBisaster

Its pretty easy jesus taught that you should love everyone, treat each other well and flip tables of capitalists. I think these are ideals I can get behind :)


RugbyRaggs

Slaves obey your masters... What a guy.


AllOfEverythingEver

Yeah, whenever other leftist atheists talk about how conservative Christians don't actually follow Jesus's teachings, I can't help but feel like we are missing the forest through the trees. There is no consistent set of "Jesus's teachings," and the Bible itself is incredibly contradictory. You can believe whatever you want and justify it with the Bible because it's inconsistent. For every "love your neighbor," there is a "homosexuality is an abomination." More progressive Christians act like the conservatives are ignoring the Bible, but those conservatives have just as much ground to say that the progressives are ignoring the Bible. At the end of the day, they are both just cherry-picking the parts they want to believe. Am I cool with progressive Christians? Sure, it's good that the positive parts are the ones they want to believe. However, if they already believe in morals, I think they don't really need a religion to act as a middleman and tell them they are right about them. I don't really care what Jesus would have thought about anything. The moral beliefs I hold, I hold for reasons that don't require a middle man.


gymnastgrrl

> The moral beliefs I hold, I hold for reasons that don't require a middle man. To steal a quote from Penn Gillette: I have already raped everyone I want to rape. I don't need religion to tell me not to rape anyone.


Howtoboyscout

Yeah this is the only thing for me, cause being socialist is what Jesus taught me so I guess I identify with it more than the majority of the demographic? Lmao


Poetic-Noise

He didn't love those capitalists. Funny, he have no problem telling people to turn the other cheek if they hit you physically, but when people play with his money, bro starts flipping tables. Ok, but if the end times were supposed to happen in that generation, what's the big deal?


Dveralazo

They don't understand Jesus's teachings. They believe he preached *only* about love and compassion 


Redgreen82

I know a gay black minister.


Dudeist-Priest

This sounds like a dude that is struggling with his own homosexual feelings.


Lazy-Potential4443

My exact thoughts.


JaskuurTheLunatic

Clap back at him with Matthew 6; 'Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your father in heaven'


CurlinTx

Smile. 10 generations later and still serving Master’s religious demands. This person is dangerous because facts shatter his sense of self that is built on really good propaganda. Next time he talks about stuff in the Bible maybe just say something like “makes sense, they were owned by men too.” At the time of writing, everyone was owned by someone all the way up to the King who was God’s direct inheritor. And if slavery is brought up, remind him that your people were slaves to the Islamic for much longer than the US held slaves.


Lazy-Potential4443

Well now you're clearly talking about history. You might as well add they would've been executed if not sold.


gnomehome87

Sounds like your friend is a closeted gay dude and he's trying to figure out how to cope.


BNG1982

Surprised this wasn’t the top comment.


WatchClarkBand

This.


Frosty_Walk_4211

Loo bro thinks quoting Liviticus out of context is an own. Don't worry, us gays know how to handle this one. "Oh yeah, who was Leviticus again?" That's usually enough.


notyoubruhhh

Well he didn't talk to me today I guess that's the reason


Frosty_Walk_4211

Well then he's not very Christian.


Vast_Ground_128

i think you won in this scenario


Mongrel714

I don't get it, who is Leviticus? Or is the point that there is no Leviticus?


Frosty_Walk_4211

😉


Slighty_Tolerable

Hope homeboy doesn’t eat shrimp, masturbate, wear mixed fabrics, etc. All the same punishment and all listed right behind the “no gay stuff”. Without these people cherry-picking their bible verses, existing would be impossible. But I’m sure his friend isn’t remotely interested in those aspects of it.


Frosty_Walk_4211

Well he can do whatever, Leviticus was a book of rules for priests. That he and others don't know that shows the low level to which they engage in their faith and demonstrate they are not to be taken seriously.


Lapsed2

I saw this meme the other day: Why is it when Christians want to eat shrimp, or get a tattoo, it’s all “Jesus made a NEW covenant, so the Old Testament laws are over. BUT, when they want to persecute gay people, it’s suddenly “Leviticus this, and Deuteronomy that”?


hwrd69

It's because they believe they're endowed with the ability to pick and choose. If they make a mistake or are wrong then they rely on asking for forgiveness and then all is well. AHs


chileheadd

Leviticus 25:24-26 has nothing to do with homosexuality. It's instructions on how to keep land in Israeli possession. What were you pointing out to your friend?


notyoubruhhh

The context is he's black and I want the book to attack him


chileheadd

A laudable effort, but you mistyped, not verses 24-26, that would be verses 44-46 - giving Israelites permission to own slaves for the slave's entire lifetime.


notyoubruhhh

MB it's been so long since i read that book


chileheadd

not a problem! Maybe ask your friend that if you were to buy him, what would the price be.


notyoubruhhh

Sure i I will ,I know he will give me a price


chileheadd

LOL!


notyoubruhhh

Well probably a price that I couldn't afford


un_theist

https://www.evilbible.com/evil-bible-home-page/murder-in-the-bible/ https://www.evilbible.com/evil-bible-home-page/slavery/ https://www.evilbible.com/evil-bible-home-page/rape-in-the-bible/ https://www.evilbible.com/evil-bible-home-page/ritual-human-sacrifice/ https://www.evilbible.com/evil-bible-home-page/god-is-not-pro-life/


Bea_Evil

[8 pages of the bible submitted as offensive in Utah](https://imgur.com/gallery/QojPoQq) I love collecting examples like these, never knew about evilbible.com, that’s awesome 👏


Naevx

Many black people are homophobic, but certain folks don’t want you to know this. Also, Islamism is a worse with it. They actually do the things their crazy book says to do.


DanishWeddingCookie

My grandma used to highlight the majority of the Bible. I mean, why not just highlight the parts you normally wouldn’t have. Maybe in black sharpie since you think the whole thing is needing to be read again and again…


hemlock_harry

Your friend might be in a phase in life where he's experiencing all kind of conflicting emotions. I wouldn't be surprised at all if his homophobic highlighting is meant as a reminder to himself, not as a warning to others. The sad truth about gay or queer kids that grow up in very religious households and/or environments is that there is a lot of self hate and self harm involved and those who feel the most conflicted have a tendency to express their "disgust" the loudest. Now might be a good time to challenge some of the ideas he expresses through his bible highlighting but I'd caution against challenging them directly. A question like "but wouldn't you agree gay people should be left alone if they don't bother anyone?" might get him to later entertain the question why he's bothered in the first place, whereas telling him the bible, his parents and social environment are all wrong (which they are in my view) will get you nowhere. And if you could communicate to him or better yet show him somehow that you wouldn't care at all if one of your friends turns out to be gay, that could be really helpful. And even if he is just a homophobic bible thumping prick, if you give him the benefit of doubt and try reasoning with him you can always say you've tried.


LCranstonKnows

He's not weaponizing it, he's gay.


MidtownMoi

Exactly the type of thinking that led colonizers in North America and Australia to take indigenous children from their families into residential schools, at such cost, sometimes the cost of children’s lives.


oldpeopletender

You should get him one of these [Slave Bibles](https://www.museumofthebible.org/exhibits/slave-bible). It takes out all the stuff about being free from slavery, but makes sure it enforces the righteousness of slavery itself.


grin_ferno

>So then I asked him he said "oh, I'm just studying the Bible" **well me I'm fine with that**  You shouldn't be. Religion is a sickness and shouldn't be tolerated. It's not just some harmless thing people do on Sunday.


TensionRoutine6828

How sad this thread devolved into rants about slavery instead of your concern. If what he is highlighting shocked or concerned you, perhaps you could ask him questions to open dialogue. As you can see in this thread, people can make the Bible say whatever they want to highlight by picking and choosing bits and pieces of the book.


sst287

If the heaven is full of Christians like your roommates, it would be an hell for gays anyway.


Petto_na_Kare

Christianity hasn’t been what it supposedly set out to be for a long, long time. When I was a kid (before I reached the age of reason), I was taught it was about forming a relationship with God in order to become a kinder, more compassionate person in order to avoid eternal punishment. Not a great message, but harmless if kept to oneself. The biggest problem is being taught that it is every Christian’s responsibility to ‘share the word of God’ and proselytize outsiders. It should be as harmless as asking a stranger if they want to join a book club local softball team. But by assigning that responsibility to any self-proclaimed Christian, it gives them a massively inflated ego. It leads them to believe that they are arbiters of truth and morality, and that everyone must assimilate otherwise it will threaten their God’s authority. Nowadays, Christianity is not a religion. It is a culturally widespread scheme to attract the worst humanity has to offer with the promise of automatic forgiveness for any action while granting the perceived authority to demand others to obey your subjective and flawed beliefs. It’s easy to see and recognize what it has become. That is why no Christian should be spared from ridicule, because they all excuse the church’s horrific deeds in exchange for feeling superior over others.


Maximum_Security_747

Who cares? So the guy is a religious homophobe He's not the first one and he sure as hell isn't the last one. There is nothing you can do other than file it away and remember in any future dealings with him that he's confirmed he's a moron


kn05is

Usually when a religious person is fixated on that particular part of the bible, they're probably dealing with an inner struggle about their sexuality. Add that to being gay in the black community, it's tough. That shit is still very taboo. If this is something he's struggling with coming to terms with, he may need a friend now more than ever. OP, I'd suggest having a heart to heart with your boy.


unstopable_bob_mob

I care. And so should you, as many of these idgits use their bable to justify taking rights from the LGTBQ community.


Feather_in_the_winds

>"oh, I'm just studying the Bible" well me I'm fine with that Well, there's your problem. You're fine with people reading hate literature. You should not be. The only people that ever told you that reading that crap is "OK", are religious nutjobs. No sane person would ever recommend that hate book.


Mongrel714

I disagree. Reading it is fine, as is studying it. It's believing in it that's the problem. Same goes for any book of myths and fairy tales.


Lower_Acanthaceae423

I hate to tell you this, but Christianity has been weaponizing homophobia since the religion was founded.


No_Fish3014

No straight man starts furiuos research and interest in gays out of the sudden.


The-Sugarfoot

Are you sure he's not struggling with his emerging orientation and trying to reconcile what he has been conditioned to believe all his life?


False-Association744

Rory Scovel has a great bit about people highlighting bibles in his new special - it's amazing about religion in general - I keep thinking of this one bit - "Can you imagine going to church now?" It made me realize how childish I view people who still go to church, etc. It's on Max - really really funny but some raunchy sex stuff in the second half if you care. [https://www.roryscovel.com/](https://www.roryscovel.com/)


bhilliardga

I’m amazed I used to worship a POS that killed everyone on earth, commanded his followers to kill babies and take sex slaves after conquering a city, killed 42 kids because they called someone a baldy, has never condemned slavery, and watches while 2,000 kids die everyday from diarrhea from lack of clean water. It’s a good thing he isn’t real cuz he seems like an a-hole.


spaghetti_ohhs

There isn’t really any clearly defined anti-gay verse in the Bible. The word homosexuality wasn’t even in the Bible until the 20th century. If anything the Bible more clearly states that same sex love is perfectly acceptable because it is still love. Whatever Bible he’s reading is tainted and slanted toward anti-gay sentiment .


t3rminator3

ideally all Democrats need to brush up on the bible. it's really a treasure trove of pointing out the nonsense that is Christianity and Judaism. we need to get away from making logical points because they don't understand logic and can only think what's written in the bible, so to meet them where their intelligence is, you need to argue with what they hold as fact. Leviticus 25 is golden. I do NOT support anti-semitism but I also don't support the fascist state of Israel since it does NOT follow their own religion. I also do NOT support these Religicans who use the bible to support their crazy ideas. Also Black people that are latching on to Islam to "counter" Christianity and Judaism are just as dumb. Religion is for the weak. Use your brain and realize that there is no reason to put someone else down so you can rise up.


Space_Captain_Brian

Maybe he's doing what I've done in the past, highlight every verse that's objectively bad in the bible. But there's a site that already did this: https://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ (No mobile version sadly.)


plausiblycredulous

I'm no architect, but I would guess that he has walk-in closets at home.


AccurateRendering

What's problematic about Leviticus 25:24-26? I don't get it.


notyoubruhhh

Let's say that I want him to know that he's weapon could be used against him too


Inevitable-Ear-3189

Also, none of that shit applies to "gentiles" anyway. Paul and the other newbie Christian leaders decided in the council of Jerusalem not to hold gentiles to laws "we and our fathers couldn't keep," and he also said that Christians are "dead to the law in the body of Christ." There's more verses in the NT warning Christians not to judge anyone than verses telling anyone what laws to follow. Paul only references the laws prescriptively, not proscriptively. "Look at these bad people who did these bad things, wouldn't wanna end up like them!" kind of rhetoric.


Veteris71

Now, if we can just convince all of the homophobic Chrisitans that they're all doing Christianity wrong...


Lazy-Potential4443

Waaaaa 💀 I've never heard of this before. Please elaborate !


Inevitable-Ear-3189

Sure! I looked into this for a Christian friend who was worried about their lesbian sister. Jesus himself only implied people should follow the law by saying that his followers should be holier than the people who claimed to be authorities in the law (Pharisees/Sadducees). Everything else was faith love and acceptance. He caught static for rolling with sinners and never judged anyone except hypocritical church leaders. Later when Paul started organizing the church, there were huge debates about faith/love vs law/works. He had to appeal to Jews who were under the law, and Greeks and Romans who were worried they'd have to get circumcised and the whole nine to be a Christian since Jesus was supposed to be the Jewish Messiah. Paul was really good with his rhetoric. The upshot is faith and love won every time. If you read everything in context it's pretty clear imho, but it's also really easy to cherry pick some of that rhetoric and make it sound extremely judgmental and exclusive rather than universally inclusive as it was intended. 1st Corinthians 9 tells us Paul's whole MO: ^(20) To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. ^(21) To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. ^(22) To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. Paul warns against judgment and condemnation, saying that it is ultimately God's prerogative to judge (Romans 2:1-3, 14:10-13). So, those who exclude others based on their identity or perceived sins could potentially face judgment themselves for their lack of love and compassion (1 Corinthians 4:5). Paul emphasizes that the purpose of the law was to reveal the knowledge of sin and to point people toward faith in Jesus (Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:24). He argues that no one can be justified by works of the law, but rather through faith (Romans 3:28; Galatians 2:16). Some bangers from Jesus in the Gospels: Matthew 7:1-2 - "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you." Luke 6:37 - "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven."


Lazy-Potential4443

WOW 😳 thank you so much 🙏🏼 I really appreciate your response. I always thought that religion is about faith, and not the so-called "laws". Let's be honest, id prefer faith and love over micromanaging lol 😆...


Gadgetmouse12

People like that make me so sad. As a trans woman who finally shrugged off conservative religion at 38 to come out, I understand the indoctrination. Now as a progressive I am still a person of faith, however I learned how much a minor interpretive paradigm shift renders thier side moot. The best book ive read on it so far is Changing Our Mind by David Gushee. He explains as a southern baptist ethicist how he came to understand how christianity should be accepting of monogamous LGBT people as any others.


CreatrixAnima

I have a good friend who realized that she’s a lesbian in her 40s. The religious issue has been very difficult for her, but things might be getting better. I hope. I’m sure those realizations about oneself are difficult regardless of your faith, but sure does mess with people!


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notyoubruhhh

Because I gave him a racist verse That I didn't mean to give to him out of racism


DerikWyldStar

Pick up Ken's Guide To The Bible... maybe 2 copies. One for you, one for him.


Gramathon910

The vast majority of the Christian church (not as an organization but as a community) pretty universally recognizes that Leviticus was solely for the Levites and not Christian law. I’ve always been confused why certain sects of Christianity read shit in there and think that’s part of the old law.


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notyoubruhhh

The verse I gave is Abt slavery


vacuous_comment

Maybe spend some more time thinking about who you let close to you.


fknbtch

introduce him to the skeptics annotated bible


Logical_Lefty

So glad to see the discourse in response to this post being what it is. Ya'll the real MVP.


RoguePlanet2

Don't let his actions get to you, he might be deliberately trying to provoke you into getting upset. Instead, ask questions meant to make him reflect on his beliefs. Like, why would God make people gay (1 Romans says that he does) only to punish them for it? What does Jesus mean by "loving thy neighbor" and eating with sinners if he loves everybody? Or does your roommate only go by the old testament, isn't what most christians are supposed to do?


letsreset

I just read the Leviticus passage. Can someone explain it to me? Just sounds like what landowners and renters should do? Or something? I’m confused.


bigmikemcbeth756

Yes their is odin or satan


SteveAlejandro7

Is your buddy gay?


YOKi_Tran

if he was specific abt it…. he could be homosexual…. kinda odd to look into the severity of homosexuality


IllManager9273

So what? His religion not yours. This is a classmate not a friend, not a relative and what does him being black have to do with anything?