Told some of my family that I'm skeptical

[Guest Motormouth18]

I had religion sort of forced on me as a kid I was baptized(or christed) as a baby and then baptized at age 9. I never really questioned God until about 6-7 months ago when I started realizing how unlikely that events in the bible were from a scientific standpoint. The bible was written by men years after Jesus' death, and that parts have been intentionally left out.

I've been faking it for my family ever since. Last night, one of my family members brung up the subject of what the Duck Dynasty guy said, and that he agrees with him. I said that I'm pro gay rights (I'm attracted to guys so...) and equal rights for all. Then he brought up the Leviticus verse about homosexuality. I then told him well what about the other verses, eating pork is wrong, so is wearing blended fabrics, tattoos etc. His response was that those verses only applies to Jews. Ok, well so does that verse he quoted.

Then I told him about my skepticism. I used this as one of my reasons. Adam and Eve were the first humans, and they had only 2 sons, Cain and Abel. How did they reproduce except through uusing their mother? That's incest. Isn't that immoral? How did we come to have so many different ethnic groups? It doesn't make sense, imo. His response was ask a pastor.

I told my mom everything I just typed. She understood the thing about Cain and Abel. She then ask do I believe in God?

I do believe in a possibility of"god"(not sure who or what), but definitely not the bible. Proverbs would be the only book I might believe in because it's mainly life lessons that can apply to anyone's life.

Just thought I'd share this, and other people's opinions on what was stated.

[Guest Tamar]

I'm glad you're capable of independent thought. You will decide what's best for you. Good luck.

[VickySGV]

There are no verses in any part of the Bible against what we know today as gay relationships and gay lives. The Levitical passage does maybe sorta condemn bestiality if the ancient Sumerian words and practices are added where they have been mistranslated, but only by the Abrahamic priesthoods. One of the words in the most ancient manuscripts described an Israeli human male and the other word translated as "man" was actually "consecrated male" which could even have been a sacrificial male animal or a priest of the pagan religion of the local areas. We know from historic records that some religions of the time the first books of the Old Testament (Tanakh) were written, did have a fertility rite that was pretty far out by today's standards. Go figure.

There are Christian communions that accept the fact that the Bible is NOT a science textbook, and that some of the other items may not be true in fiddling fact, but they do accept it as pointing to a spiritual set of truths that give us joy and wonder in the world, and can help us to see other human beings as having more in common with us than differences. Skepticism is not necessarily a reason to leave your family religion, but it may be a reason to investigate other disciplines of it, beyond what your family is willing or able to explore. I keep finding that my approach to the church gives me more opportunity and more inclusion today than it ever did before I became honest about myself.

[Guest chargrl1]

May I say that there are a lot of things possible to God, that are impossible for scientists. Never limit God! it is not your place, if you don't want to deal with that then try starting your own universe and see just how far you get.

I used to question why God made me the way that I am, until I realized it is not my place to question him or his reasons. It is only up to me to be myself, and to trust in him to guide me and protect me.

[Guest chargrl1]

I might add also to one of the original questions. Abel did not have any children. He was murdered by his brother Cain, Cain then went out and took a wife from people of another land. Genesis gives an account of man being created, then it gives a second account of Adam being created to care for the garden and Eve being created to be his helper. If you follow this line of reasoning, there were other people in the world at the same time as Adam and Eve, and also Cain. There was no incest involved.

[gennee]

At one time or another we all have those times of doubt and questioning. Our relationship with God is knowing him and and his will on a personal level, not following any creeds or doctrines. Chrgrl is correct in that there were other people on the earth besides Cain. This is where scholarship and research comes in.

Another point is that some verses have been used to bash TGLBQI people for years. With regard to Leviticus 22:5, it's good to study the events and time when this was written and and why and to whom it was spoken to.