This is why I don't like debating religion

[Runa216]

timmah said:

You fail to realize that the teachings of Jesus were to remove bondage to the letter of the law and introduce forgiveness and mercy into the equation. Following the teachings of Jesus actually means the 'letter of the law' no longer applies. The shift was from following a law because you are compelled, to doing what's right because your motives and heart are changed. Note that I am referring to following Jesus' teachings, not the Levitical law which his teachings were designed to replace.

You do see the issue here, right?  Point #3 or something, that "your interpretation" of the bible is correct.  Millions of people reading the same text, yet getting hundreds of different interpretations of it.  Some people, like you, go for the all-nice, I only believe the good parts, but others still go by the barbaric leviticus teachings.  If the LEviticus teachings aren't supposed to be followed, why are they there?  what purpose do they hold?  Where in Jesus's teachings does he go "sorry guys, dad was drunk when he wrote leviticus, ignore that shit."?  it doesn't, you just assume that's what he was getting at becuase you want to believe that Jesus was a sort of revisionist take on christianity for the masses.  I get why you'd think that, there is some logic in assuming the 'new testament' is more updated than the 'old testament', but that doesn't change the fact that you're basically putting words in Jesus's mouth that he didn't say becuase you WANT to believe that to be the truth.