tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356114186987252972.post2413598267732476595..comments2024-03-28T22:09:54.924-04:00Comments on The Closet Professor: A Future And A HopeJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05299122685163501819noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356114186987252972.post-85846522200955325372014-12-02T08:04:55.562-05:002014-12-02T08:04:55.562-05:00Sorry to be late with my birthday wishes! I meant ...Sorry to be late with my birthday wishes! I meant to be here on the day but somehow got derailed. Also, this is one of my favorite scriptures. The version I like best (can't think offhand which it is) refers to "a future full of hope." May all your futures be full of hope and your every present moment filled with love, light and laughter.Michael Doddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00942287172727040371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356114186987252972.post-48887725720542668682014-12-01T08:24:19.499-05:002014-12-01T08:24:19.499-05:00Thanks for responding, Joe. You gave me pretty mu...Thanks for responding, Joe. You gave me pretty much exactly what I wanted in the following line<br /><br />"... I think that the central message of the Bible, especially the teachings of Jesus is LOVE, so when someone's interpretation comes out as hate, then I do think it is wrongheaded."<br /><br />I think it's still possible to 'spin' a hateful interpretation in such a way that it tries to come across as 'tough love', but your insight does make an extremely useful tool for me to use when considering someone's use of Scripture.<br /><br />Bless you!<br />Bodhisbuddynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356114186987252972.post-33279924582625199782014-12-01T00:28:11.130-05:002014-12-01T00:28:11.130-05:00I also want to thank you all for your birthday wis...I also want to thank you all for your birthday wishes. It has been a very blessed day.Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05299122685163501819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356114186987252972.post-59276720032442757932014-12-01T00:27:27.500-05:002014-12-01T00:27:27.500-05:00Bodhisbuddy, I think this is simply an example of ...Bodhisbuddy, I think this is simply an example of me being unclear in my writing. I've been accused of that a time or two and I am sorry. I do believe that the Bible should speak to us personally. I think that is the purpose of the Holy Spirit to guide us as we read and study the Bible. However, with that being said, I think that the central message of the Bible, especially the teachings of Jesus is LOVE, so when someone's interpretation comes out as hate, then I do think it is wrongheaded.<br /><br />I also think that on of the problems with, not the interpretations of the Bible, but with picking and choosing verses is that they are often taken out of context. When this is done, people often condemn and show hate for people because they take a verse out of the context of the verses around it. It can be very damaging when used as a weapon this way. However, we can take hope from various passages, bit we should also look at the context. In this case, Jeremiah is talking about the exiled Jews, but I think that we can apply this to a modern concept. As LGBT Christians, we often feel exiled from the community of Christ, and so I think that we can learn from the exile of the Jews.<br /><br />I was raised a member of the Church of Christ, and I was always taught that the Old Teatament, which this verse comes from, is history more so than the laws of God for Christians. As a historian myself, I think we should learn from history and take lessons for makind from it. In this case, we can compare the exile of the Jews to the exile of LGBT Christians. It may not be a perfect comparison, but I do think it gives us a different perspective to look at.<br /><br />Honestly, I'm not sure if I was any clearer with my explanation in this comment than I was in the post, but I hope that I was. The main point of this post was to say that there I believe there is a future where LGBT Christians will be welcomed with open arms within the larger Christian community, and it is my hope that we will see that day sooner rather than later. It is also to mean that God has a plan for each of us. We are part of a larger world in which God wants us to be good in deed and thought. I try to do that daily, though I have to admit that I'm not always successful, but I do the best that I can do and hope that each day I do better.<br /><br />I have probably rambled enough in this response, and I will do my best to think more clearly on it and in the next few weeks write a post about interpretation and contextualization of the Bible.Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05299122685163501819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356114186987252972.post-52675497203809241482014-11-30T22:59:56.603-05:002014-11-30T22:59:56.603-05:00First of all, Happy Birthday! And may you have man...First of all, Happy Birthday! And may you have many more.<br /><br />Now, as to your post, I'm more than a bit confused. It sounds to me, in the third paragraph, that you are trying to argue that biblical interpretation must be made in historical context, but also that, if it's convenient, comparisons can be made to similar situations?? But not to personal ones?? I don't see how you can defend this. If the Bible is relevant as anything other than a history, wouldn't it have to be interpreted personally? And in non-contextual ways? Isn't each translation into a different language, by definition, a personal interpretation? Isn't that why we have so many different English language versions? What makes a 'scholar' able to declare God's intent any more reliably than the Holy Spirit working within any pious reader of Scripture? Or are scholarly findings the new Inspired Word of God Revealed in today's age, and scholars are our new prophets? I guess what I want to know is your litmus test to determine whether a particular interpretation of a Biblical verse is licit vs. the ravings of the wrongheaded.<br /><br />Perhaps this can't be addressed simply and this blog might not be the best venue for the discussion, but it's a rather atypical posting for you, in my opinion. It's quite possible that I'm just not seeing your point clearly (or have missed it entirely)and everyone else isn't having a problem with it. Perhaps you'd like to expand in further Sunday posts...or not.<br /><br />Regardless, thank you for provoking thought.Bodhisbuddynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356114186987252972.post-77185098755712235812014-11-30T17:40:45.110-05:002014-11-30T17:40:45.110-05:00Awesome post today. Happy birthday friend ��Awesome post today. Happy birthday friend ��Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356114186987252972.post-20263475420892465392014-11-30T12:16:12.192-05:002014-11-30T12:16:12.192-05:00All my best wishes for you, young man, hoping you ...All my best wishes for you, young man, hoping you a great birthday celebration. <br /><br />For your "Christian" words, must admit I'm not too in that because I'm so assuered that God is far more wise than we can even think of...<br /><br />So, I'm confident in life knowing HE's there very close to me and everyone.. <br /><br />All the "bla bla" that priests or himams can twist in our brain are, for me, just interpretations of the REAL bible or coran. <br />LOVE, and only LOVE is my faith...<br /><br />(((( Birthday HUGS ))))<br /><br />JiEL, 64 yo.JiELhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03290330475832440721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356114186987252972.post-27357989294501375932014-11-30T11:18:47.272-05:002014-11-30T11:18:47.272-05:00Happy Birthday!! Hope your day is a great one fill...Happy Birthday!! Hope your day is a great one filled with lots of goodies! Every year we make it is reason to celebrate! Thank goodness to have such a loving God that has plans for us even if we may not know what they are. :)Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01909623741866805635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356114186987252972.post-76370449799427707632014-11-30T09:27:49.244-05:002014-11-30T09:27:49.244-05:00Happy birthday young man. Would like to go to you...Happy birthday young man. Would like to go to your drugstore and meet the young man from yesterday and see if my gaydar is working on your behalf. That will be my present to you.silvereaglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13811098608576016926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356114186987252972.post-86373159352928748882014-11-30T08:20:51.915-05:002014-11-30T08:20:51.915-05:00Good morning, Joe. And Happy Birthday! Wishing you...Good morning, Joe. And Happy Birthday! Wishing you joy, good health and serenity on your special day and throughout the coming year. :)Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15705603797740188813noreply@blogger.com