The Bible And Marriage: A $5,000 Challenge

[Syrinx]

MONTGOMERY — State Rep. Alvin Holmes has found plenty of people who want to challenge his claim that the Bible does not define marriage as being between a man and a woman.

During debate on the House floor over a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages, Holmes, D-Montgomery, pulled a wad of money out of his pocket and offered $700 to anyone who could find a Bible verse defining marriage as being between a man and a woman.

The House has since received dozens of calls from people wanting to point out Bible verses to Holmes, and one person left a Bible for him. But Holmes, who has upped the offer to $5,000, said no one has shown him a verse that specifically says marriage is between a man and a woman and his money is still in his pocket.

He said Friday he has received quotations of various verses from Genesis, Deuteronomy and other Bible books referring to a man and his wife or a husband and his wife, but none that specifically refer to a man and a woman.

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/050212/holmes.shtml

[brainshrub]

1. And this is how Liberals will win against the RW Fundies.

Rep. Holmes had the courage to call these radical clerics out on the mat and pin them down with their own standards.

I'm lovin' it.

[tuvor]

2. I don't believe the Bible specifically condemns unmarried cohabitation,

either.

[BattyDem]

3. I think what Holmes is doing is great ...

I wish more people would have the courage to stand up to the fundies - but I find myself a bit disturbed that the definition of marriage is riding on what the Bible says or does not say. This is America (at least it used to be) - it doesn't matter what the Bible says about marriage. Our laws are not based on the Biblical law, nor should they be.

I understand what Holmes is doing - he's calling out fundies who use the Bible as an excuse to discriminate. What better way to discredit them then to prove the basis for their opinion doesn't even exist?

But like I said ... the fact that our elected officials are using the Bible and/or quoting from the Bible more and more frequently when justifying their positions, is making me very nervous. This is not good. This is not what our country is supposed to be about.



On edit: The more I think about it ... since fundies use the Bible to justify everything they do and every opinion they have, then perhaps the only way we can beat them is by using it against them. I don't know ... nothing else has ever worked with these people, so maybe this is the answer. :shrug:

[zbdent]

4. Just goes to show you how many greedy people there are who

don't understand the idea of "proof" . . .

[jody]

5. I believe wife and woman are used synonymously in many instances in

the Bible but nowhere is wife and man used synonymously.

Did someone offer Holmes a million dollars to prove the Bible approves same sex marriage?
:shrug:

[Sinistrous]

6. "...to prove the Bible approves same sex marriage?"

Other than trying to change the subject of Rep. Homes challenge, what is you point? Or are you trying to argue that absence of explicit approval equals disapproval?

[jody]

7. Alvin's last name is spelled "Holmes" not "Homes" and the subject

was "same sex marriage" and the Bible.

Holmes carefully crafted a question by asking if the Bible defined marriage as between a man and woman.

Every politician knows they can't control debate by posing a single question and once it's answered in their favor, stopping debate. Holmes posed a logical question for the Roy Moore crowd in Alabama but it's only one question in an extended debate.

If the answer is narrowly no, then so what? The obvious follow up to Holmes question is does the Bible define marriage as between two people of the same sex?

[Sinistrous]

11. Well sumbitch. I made a typo. And your "obvious follow up question"

isn't really obvious. It is not even relevant. And it is changing the subject.

[jody]

12. You should talk to some of the Alabama legislators before

you continue spouting nonsense about changing the subject and being not relevant.

Have a nice day. :hi:

[BamaLefty]

8. This Is The WORST Thing That Could Happen

to the Alabama Democratic Party. My God!

How many homosexual couples are wanting to marry in Alabama? The answer is very few. Is Holmes trying to polarize this so that Republicans can continue to spank us in elections? In a blue state, I would fight very hard for these peoples rights... but this is Alabama. A TOTALLY different situation.

[LizW]

9. But is it right to deny equal rights to people just because there

are few of them? Or, more accurately, because there are far more homophobic bigots who will vote on this one issue?

Sometimes we just have to stand up and do what is right. Even in Alabama.

That said, I don't agree exactly with Holmes' argument. To me, the argument would be that we shouldn't be picking and choosing passages out of the Bible to run our government by. If we're going to run under Biblical Law, then all the barbeque places have to stop serving pork, and we have to outlaw the sale of clothing made from two fabrics, and we have to start treating the aliens in our land as our neighbors, and all the drycleaners have to read up on the proper biblical way to remove mildew.

;)

Mr. Holmes should be challenging the homophobes to read the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, not the Bible.

[Syrinx]

10. amen to what you said

I posted this story because I thought it was amusing. But Alvin Holmes is a troublemaker, and I hear he's not too fond of white people. ;)

[MelissaB]

15. How is Alvin Holmes a troublemaker?

I don't know anything about him.

[BamaLefty]

13. I Understand

I am not for outlawing gay marriage.

I just don't want to be guaranteed of losing elections. Thats all...

[jody]

14. LTTE re Holmes "Childish thinking" Huntsville Times, 16 Feb 05

Childish thinking
QUOTE
Alabama Democrat Alvin Holmes' stance on biblical marriage would be laughable if it wasn't so, well, idiotic. He tries to justify homosexual marriage and catch God on a technicality by claiming that since the Bible doesn't specifically say that same sexes can't marry, then gay marriage is acceptable to Him.
Oh really? Well, according to Holmes' childish brand of thinking, God doesn't mind if someone sexually molests children either because it doesn't say we can't.
Why stop there? It also doesn't specifically say we can't deceptively inflate revenues to make a company's stock look better or counterfeit money in our basements. It also doesn't say anything about selling drugs. Since the Bible doesn't talk about any of these things, I guess Holmes must think they're all permissible. He must be kidding!
No one can be that naive or devoid of basic common sense, unless of course, he's one of society's losers who intentionally try to manipulate the system for personal gain. I've got news for Holmes. Somehow I don't think God appreciates being mocked or manipulated by men into doing whatever they please. I can just see God now: "Oh no! That Alvin Holmes has got me there! I guess I'm going to have to retract everything I said about homosexuality and change My plan for mankind - oh dear!"
UNQUOTE