One of the most important scenes they ever had on The West Wing, I think. A Bible lesson for those who believe homosexuality is wrong because the Bible says it is.
Here's the problem, because I've used this argument before:
a) These are Old Testament laws. Christians (and by Christians, in this, I'll be meaning the ones that use Christianity as an excuse to condemn homosexuality) say they are under grace, not under law. That's why Jesus came, to release them from the purity laws and give them a new way into heaven - through grace or belief in him. So, they don't have to follow all the "silly" little OT laws, like kosher diet. The OT is more like a guide not a rule book, so they can discard what they don't like.
b) There are New Testament quotes that show that homosexuals go to hell. So, they don't have to rely on the rules they claim they are released from to condemn homosexuality. They aren't released from NT laws. Additionally, according to the NT, the lesson of Sodom and Gamorrah still stands. Whether this lesson was about homosexuality is still a debate, but most "true Christians" (see c) will tell you it is.
c) And this is the one that really gets me. A true Christian, with God in his heart, can read the Bible and know which rule are serious and which are not. I'm told that I can never truly understand the Bible because I'm not reading it with God in my heart. Even if I claim to be a Christian, I'm not a real Christian, because I'm not a "Bible-believing" Christian, because I don't believe homosexuals will go to hell. It's a circular argument. Only a true Christian can comprehend the Bible and know whether homosexuals go to hell, and we know you aren't a true Christian because you don't believe homosexuals go to hell. So, Biblical scholars can argue up and down about historical context and what the other languages meant, but a "true Christian" doesn't need all that to comprehend the Bible. He just needs to have God in his heart to know what it means. Oh yeah, and even though they'll tell you that sins aren't ranked, when talking about homosexuality, there are minor and major sins, disobeying OT laws that no longer apply are minor, being homosexual, major.
Nice, huh?
I don't agree with any of this and I don't agree with their views on what makes a Christian, but those are the arguments that you are going to run into when you try this.
There's one later on along the same lines, in Season 2, where he does a similar thing to a bigoted radio presenter. I LOVE THIS SHOW SO MUCH. (Yes, it needed saying in caps.)
OMG, that is one of the best scenes in TV EVER. I love love love it. And want to hug TWW soooo much because it was amazing. Thanks for posting this clip!
Two things wrong with this clip: 1) I can only dream of standing up and making a speech like that. I'd love to, but fail to be eloquent and awesome when I have to be, and 2) I'm afraid lunardreamed is right. Also, the saying "never argue with an idiot. They'll drag you down to their level, and beat you with experience" is usually crrect. There's no winning an argument like that! :/
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a) These are Old Testament laws. Christians (and by Christians, in this, I'll be meaning the ones that use Christianity as an excuse to condemn homosexuality) say they are under grace, not under law. That's why Jesus came, to release them from the purity laws and give them a new way into heaven - through grace or belief in him. So, they don't have to follow all the "silly" little OT laws, like kosher diet. The OT is more like a guide not a rule book, so they can discard what they don't like.
b) There are New Testament quotes that show that homosexuals go to hell. So, they don't have to rely on the rules they claim they are released from to condemn homosexuality. They aren't released from NT laws. Additionally, according to the NT, the lesson of Sodom and Gamorrah still stands. Whether this lesson was about homosexuality is still a debate, but most "true Christians" (see c) will tell you it is.
c) And this is the one that really gets me. A true Christian, with God in his heart, can read the Bible and know which rule are serious and which are not. I'm told that I can never truly understand the Bible because I'm not reading it with God in my heart. Even if I claim to be a Christian, I'm not a real Christian, because I'm not a "Bible-believing" Christian, because I don't believe homosexuals will go to hell. It's a circular argument. Only a true Christian can comprehend the Bible and know whether homosexuals go to hell, and we know you aren't a true Christian because you don't believe homosexuals go to hell. So, Biblical scholars can argue up and down about historical context and what the other languages meant, but a "true Christian" doesn't need all that to comprehend the Bible. He just needs to have God in his heart to know what it means. Oh yeah, and even though they'll tell you that sins aren't ranked, when talking about homosexuality, there are minor and major sins, disobeying OT laws that no longer apply are minor, being homosexual, major.
Nice, huh?
I don't agree with any of this and I don't agree with their views on what makes a Christian, but those are the arguments that you are going to run into when you try this.
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I LOVE THIS SHOW SO MUCH.
(Yes, it needed saying in caps.)
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