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Originally Posted by Morpheus
So, curious, what changed with respect to the label of "abomination" in the text of the Old Testament?
I had come to the perspective though, that these instructions and Laws involved the bringing up of a people of God, early on, so that they would multiply and prosper in the world, and with His favor.
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Moses' teachings (not written by him, but passed on, and written by others) comprise much of the Old Testament. Moses essentially claimed he was channelling God or the Lord, it's all "And the Lord said to me..." & "God told me to tell you this.." -that is the position of most of the "teachings" and values in the Old Testament. (Yet Psalms don't sound like Moses, and has been argued parts of Psalms contradict other OT.)
Anyway... Moses said things like, a man who curses his parents (that's right, doesn't even have to assault them) should surely be put to death.
And if a man beats up a pregnant woman, but her baby is only, say, born blind because of it, then the man should be blinded, if at least temporarily. But if he kills the baby by beating the pregnant woman so badly, then it is up to her husband what his punishment is. So if it is his own wife/child, he gets off scott-free.
That's Moses for ya. I'm not saying none of it had truth or value, just that the channel/medium always adds their own twisted perspective; they are never perfect translators. After all Moses was exposed to a lot of violence.
So no wonder Jesus avoided homosexuality. Paul kinda said no, should not, though. But that was Paul. The disciples had some hard decisions - should only Jews worship Christ? Or is Jesus for everyone & anyone? I think they made the right decision, but still, they had no way to please everyone. There were people who watched Jesus miracles before their eyes, and still didn't believe it, thought it was staged. Those who heard 2nd hand, some believed it some didn't - that's just to illustrate how impossible their task was - to make it agreeable to everyone.
IMO Jesus (and perhaps other Jews before) knew about androgyny and what role it would play in human-spiritual-evolution, but they also knew that people just couldn't/wouldn't get it, and that homosexuality as it was often practiced then was, well, kinda part of orgies and promiscuity etc - so it was better to give a simple message of marry your partner, be faithful and honor your body, don't be promiscuous or take sex lightly. If some turned that into, stone a woman to death if she dishonors her husband, castrate the man who leaves his wife, etc, I'm not sure that was intended by religious leaders at the time, but they had to start somewhere.