On the contrary.. Alpha has not contridicted himself.. he has only stated the truth. When the SARS epidemic was at it's height, overseas travellers were warned against going to high risk countries. Going against that advice did not necessarily mean you developed SARS, but it sure made it more possible you would.

ALL the Old Testament rules of living, were not put there to make life difficult. Page after page of do's and don'ts certainly make heavy reading and can make you wonder why on earth people would have believed in God and followed all those rules.

Reality is.. they were put there for a reason. They were put there to ensure that Israel maintained a life style that was totally unlike all the nations around about her. Those rules impacted her health, her social life, her religious duties, her intellect.. every part of here emotional and physical well being. She would certainly be the beneficiary .. her people would not succumb to the diseases and problems of the surrounding nations, but they served an purpose much much higher.. they were there to make her a witness to the surrounding nations, that she might be a blessing to the other nations..

(but that is another story and outside the scope of this forum.. but do look at the purpose of her being a blessing, as it has huge implications as to why God is so against homosexuality.. it is His glory which is at stake. Ephesians 4 describes the marriage relationship between man and woman as a picture of Christ and the Church... though there are definite physical advantages to obeying the laws of living as is described in the old and new testament.. ultimately it's all for the glory of God.. the creator of all, who after all knows us best of all.. Job chapters 38 - 41 say it best of all)
Sin came into the world with the original ancestors.. Adam and Eve .. of all mankind. Sin brought disease, sin brought pain, sin destroyed even the harmony of nature, and sin brought death to all mankind. The blessing to be brought to the nations through the life style and testimony of Isreal, was of a People enjoying the restoration to a protected relationship with God and His favour on them. And in the end.. for the purpose that "the nations would declare his glory". (Genesis 12)

Living to these requirements, brought about the consequences of Joshua 1:1-17 for blessing or condemnation.

The pages of requirements that had to be met to be "acceptable to God" to see the harmony restored was to the point where no one can live upto it.. and the sacrificial system was introduced.. the way of finding some relief from the ongoing reality.. my life and my behaviour will never achieve the requirements of a holy and righteous God. .. and choosing to do my own thing will ultimately bring it's own consequences (Romans 1)

So.. from a human perspective.. the OT laws were put in place as protection for people, and the spirit of those laws exist today. As Romans 1 states.. if you choose to exchange the truth of God for a lie (in this case.. it's deliberate homosexuality discussed) you will find that the consequences will be as the Bible says.. "the due penalty for their perversions".

Notice too.. that this is not just limited to homosexuality.. but extends beyond that to depraved thinking and the consequences? Read the long list in Romans 1:28-32) and ask yourself.. why is the world in the state it is at the moment?

Perhaps this is food for us all to think about?

Carol