Family of God: Re: [Church_of_Christ] Re: Questions on Marriage

In our society, we recognize that children have a much more limited capacity to make decisions than adults do.

Beth: Brian....This sounds kinda like the relationship between God and His Children. :-)

We limit their ability to work and the conditions under which they may do so.

Beth: And God's limitations on us are what?

We limit privileges like driving a car and purchasing alcohol.

Beth: There is something in scripture about God limiting our alcholic intake...is there not? :-)

We limit their responsibilities such as serving in the armed forces. And we place a high burden on adults, particularly parents, to safeguard children through truancy laws, laws against child abuse, abandonment and neglect.

Beth: Well it seems to me that God places a hugh burden on us adults to do the same things.

Each state has an agency that will remove a child from a home at the slightest hint of parental impropriety.

Beth: Is this just a law put into force because we, as citizens have one up on God and we would have automatically known moral value had it not been for the God who created us?

As part of all these protections, as Shawn pointed out in his own response to you, pedophilia is illegal even where the sex was consensual.

Beth: I'm really glad that you both acknowledge that. Since you have no problem knowing that this is wrong and illegal even by God's standards....then why do you have such difficulty in seeing the illegality of a lifestyle that is not sanctioned by God?

In fact, we are so strict on these laws that if a boyfriend turned eighteen yesterday and his girlfried does not turn eighteen untill tomorrow and the two have sex today, the boyfriend can be charged with statutory rape. We recognize the limited decision making ability of children and we strongly defend their right to be free from adult intereference.

Beth: Why can't you relate this same scenerio to a (adult) child who doesn't know God? If we protect our children by the laws of the land....and we are a family in Christ...then why are we not to look out for those who are wandering and lost in sin...even those who may not be a member of our spiritual family. If we were going to adopt a child and the papers had not yet been signed and they were doing things contrary to the laws of the land and the laws of God...would we just leave them wandering with the attitude that....hey! it's none of my business what this child does....they have a right to do whatever they want so I'll just forget about making them a legal member of my family and let them go their own way. Is that what we as Christians are supposed to do with the children, and possible childen, of God?

Our laws and the philisophical underpinnings of our country's governing documents is that we grant freedom of choice until the exercise of your freedom somehow interfere's with another citizen's rights or freedoms. Thus, there are strong political and legal grounds to maintain laws against pedophilia that are separate and apart from any question of morality.

With regard to homosexual activity, most courts and states now recognize that such activity does not interfere with the rights of another citizen and no longer restrict such behavior. That is why there is a distinction between homosexuality and pedophilia and your attempt to equate the two is fallacious.

Beth: Brian, the thing that really bothers me in all this is that you seem to be trying to justify judicial law rather than God's law. Cause if defending God's Law....we are taught through scripture that both acts are "WRONG."

Society opposes pedophilia and so do you. But what is the biblical basis for doing so? I think an examination of the historical record will show that many marriages in bible times were situtations that would be illegal under American law.

Beth: This sounds really backward to me. you asked....what is the biblical basis for opposing pedophilia?

Do you have a biblical basis for defining it any way except as horrid and evil? And what does historical record have to do with pedophilia being acceptable in biblical times? We're not talking about marriage here...we are talking about people who abuse kids. There were marriages in biblical times of young people but it was not classified as Pedophilia. There are kids today that have to have parents signature to get married...I was one of them, but there was no pedophilia involved....I was not forced or coerced into having sex. Pedophilia is coercion of a child by someone older to cause them to succomb to their sexual wishes.

Beth

Brian B.

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