Mr. Hansen, my first response to your letter is this: What’s so wrong with literal? When you read a newspaper article about a car crash, you assume that the writer is referring to a real car crash. When you read a mystery novel, you assume that the writer is referring to a literal murder in the story. The same applies to the Bible: when it says that “God created the heavens and the Earth” why not assume that it really is saying that God created the heavens and the Earth? Granted, there are metaphors used, but the majority of the Bible refers to real life scenarios — a book full of mystic metaphors cannot have the same impact a literal, real, account does.

As for homosexual discrimination, here’s my second response: The Jews of the Old Testament were commanded to purge homosexuality from the land as well as all other disgusting, sinful, vile practices. These pagans originally in Israel weren’t innocent people. The people of the land were so wicked that they sacrificed their children by fire, murdered as commonly as breathing, committed DISGRACEFUL sexual practices, dark sorcery, child abuse, every disgusting thing that your mind can imagine. Even archaeological evidence points to these practices in the Ancient Israeli area. Now, Leviticus commanded the Ancient Jews to purge the pagans for their wickedness, but Jesus Himself commands us Christians to LOVE the sinner and HATE the sin (Mark 12:31, John 8:1-12). I HATE homosexual practices, but I will LOVE any gay person that I meet because Jesus loved me first.

The other laws you mentioned, Mr. Hansen, refer to idolatry practices that the Jews were to avoid. We are no longer under the law if we have salvation in Jesus Christ. Paul says in Galatians that Christians no longer are held to the Law but are now to serve Jesus Christ himself. That is where Christians fit into the Law.

My third response is that any contradiction one “finds” in the Bible has a real, rational explanation and in the end does not contradict itself. “Do not judge” refers to not judging PEOPLE, but SIN. Key verses around that verse amplify that point. This is reinforced over and over again in the New Testament.

As for your Cain example, he would have been killed by his brothers, sisters, nephews, etc. — because Cain and Abel were adults and they had other grown siblings.

In response to Michael Teague’s comment, I respond with verses like “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15) and “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing” (Deuteronomy 30:19). Yes, these are actually in the Bible. Doesn’t sound very controlling to me.

As a final response to that “the-world-is-flat” thing, it has nothing to do with your argument. I’ll finish off by saying that archaeological evidence does suggest that the Ancient Hebrews knew the world was round.

Mr. Hansen, I hope that the next time you read the Bible that you’ll approach it with a heart that really desires the truth and not a heart that wants to bash the Risen Lord yet again. God’s Word will not return empty (Isaiah 55:11) and it has the incredible power to transform people (Hebrews 4:12). I pray God will reveal himself to you in incredible ways.

CHRIS MAJOR

Coeur d’Alene