Sermon on the Mount supports gay civil unions, according to Obama
Jesus' Sermon on the Mount backs up same-sex civil unions, believes US presidential hopeful Barack Obama.
by Jennifer Riley, US Correspondent
Posted: Wednesday, March 5, 2008, 7:22 (GMT)
Senator Hillary Clinton has also expressed her support for civil unions.
“It’s a personal position,” she said in August, according to FOTF. “I am absolutely in favour of civil unions with full equality.”
Denny Burk, professor of the New Testament at Criswell College in Dallas, also criticised Obama for insinuating that the Sermon on the Mount should be given greater emphasis than the teaching in Romans about homosexuality.
"The fact is that Jesus appointed Paul to bear his name before the Gentiles (Acts 9:15), many of whom were living in homosexual sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)," Burk said, according to the Baptist Press.
"The passage in Romans condemning homosexuality was not obscure to first century readers living in the Roman Empire. It’s only obscure to modern readers when they are looking for biblical grounds to justify that which God condemns,” the New Testament professor argued.
“As a matter of public policy, the best way to honour God’s intention for marriage and human sexuality is to keep monogamous, heterosexual marriage privileged in law,” he said. “Unfortunately, the policies of Senator Obama fall far short of the biblical ideal."
Amid ongoing questioning about his religion, Obama defended his personal faith while responding to the Ohio pastor, saying,
“I am a Christian. I am a devout Christian. I’ve been a member of the same church for 20 years. I pray to Jesus every night and try to go to church as much as I can.”
The Illinois senator explained that he has not been home on Sunday for several months now.
The dean of the school of theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Russell D Moore, cautioned Christians to not jump to conclusions about Obama.
"Conservative evangelicals and other social conservatives should not see Senator Obama's statements here as necessarily bad news," Moore said in a statement to Baptist Press. "He is acknowledging that his theological presuppositions affect the way he views governmental justice issues. We should be willing to engage that conversation, even when (as will often be the case) we have something very different to say.”
Obama’s pro same-sex union comments came three days after he released a letter to the gay community vowing to use the “bully pulpit” as president to “treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws”.
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Added: Wednesday, March 26, 2008, 15:26 (GMT)
Actually, the Bible is pretty clear we should "judge not lest we be judged," and "do unto others..." ... both passages are from the Sermon on the Mount and are core Christian values. Clearly that was what Obama was referring to when he made his statement. I don't think he's asking anyone to condone homosexual behavior per se. He's simply advocating legal unions between same sex partners should carry the same benefits (and responsibilities) under the law as a heterosexual marriage. We grant criminals, cheaters and child abusers legal marriages. Does that mean we condone their behavior? From Obama's point of view, this is a human rights issue. He's not asking anyone to make a moral judgment about homosexual behavior. He's merely asking for equal rights for everyone under the law. From his point of view, this is in keeping with core Christian values as presented in the Sermon on the Mount.
Darren, NM
Added: Thursday, March 6, 2008, 21:14 (GMT)
I think Obama is right, same sex unions have been around for years, as partnerships and corporations. Why not make this a legal option for anyone?
Senator Obama was right about the agreement does not constitute a marriage or did you fail to see those words in the statement.
writeonbro, usa
Added: Thursday, March 6, 2008, 10:17 (GMT)
That's an interesting take on the Sermon on the Mount. I think the Bible's pretty clear on what position we should be taking.
Claire, Banbury
Added: Wednesday, March 5, 2008, 18:46 (GMT)
There are 2 kinds of Christians.
Christians who let the bible sculpt their views on society and Christians who let society sculpt their views on the bible. Sadly, Obama is of the impressionable kind.
Desmond, Detroit, MI
Added: Wednesday, March 5, 2008, 17:04 (GMT)
Sir,
It never fails to amaze me. So called 'Christian America'. How dare this man say that the teachings of Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount condones homosexuality. If that was the case which it is not!, then Jesus would have been denying His Father, God would have had to have revoked the command in the book of Leviticus and because God does not change, because He does not neither will He ever change the thing that is gone out of His mouth, and Jesus would have immediately ceased to be one with His Father.
Come on Obama, a kid in Sunday school would know not to say such blasphemy, for that's what you have done, you have blasphemed. Read your Bible and before opening mouth engage brain.......PLEASE!
Never giving up!
David
David Husband, Birmingham U.K.
Added: Wednesday, March 5, 2008, 14:15 (GMT)
well done Barack.......I'm with you all the way.
john campling, morocco
