Lynn,

Unfortunately I do not have time to continue this conversation. If you want something of my own take on women's issues, I would largely agree with Webb's work, Slaves, Women, and Homosexuals. On the point between Jesus and Paul, Christian belief is that God has equally inspired the words of the gospels as well as the epistles. The earliest Gospel (Mark) was written at least 30 years after Jesus and there is much theological reflection that has gone into the writing, which has then effected how Jesus is presented. In other words the gospels are not some video recording of Jesus but are edited according to the theology of the writer. That Jesus is not listed in the gospels speaking about homosexuality is more reflective of the community of the gospel writer than of Jesus himself. Paul is also influenced by Jesus traditions (and his writings are earlier than Mark so you could even say that he is closer to Jesus), but he is not as explicit about them. Bottom line, both the gospels and the epistles are influenced by the impact left by the historical Jesus. Christian belief is that God has equally inspired both of them.

John