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Thanks for this question. Sorry for answering late.If I quite remember the Quran is concentrated on the pentateuch means the first five books of the bible. If what aforementioned is true, how can ones says it is the same with the bible. The worship of Muslim is based on the prayer of Solomon at first kings chapter 8 verse 22 to 53 that I exhort you to read. Jesus came and abolish the law covenant, and brought out a new way of worshipping God. Read the new way of worship in the following paragraphs.The Watchtower, July 15, 2002Christians Worship With Spirit and TruthChristians Worship With Spirit and Truth“God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.”​—JOHN 4:24.JEHOVAH’S only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, left no doubt about worship that pleases his heavenly Father. While giving a heartwarming witness to a Samaritan woman at a well near the city of Sychar, Jesus said: “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, because salvation originates with the Jews. Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for, indeed, the Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him. God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.” (John 4:22-24) How are we to understand those words?2 The Samaritans had false religious views. They accepted as inspired only the first five books of the Holy Scriptures​—and these just in their own recension, called the Samaritan Pentateuch. Whereas the Samaritans did not really know God, the Jews had been entrusted with Scriptural knowledge. (Romans 3:1, 2) It was possible for faithful Jews and others to enjoy Jehovah’s favor. But what would this require of them?3 To please Jehovah, what did Jews, Samaritans, and others of the past have to do? They had to worship him “with spirit and truth.” So must we. Although service to God must be spirited, or zealous, and motivated by a heart filled with love and faith, worshiping God with spirit especially requires that we have his holy spirit resting upon us and allow ourselves to be guided by it. Through study and application of God’s Word, our spirit, or mental disposition, must be attuned to his. (1 Corinthians 2:8-12) For our worship to be acceptable to Jehovah, it must also be rendered to him with truth. It must conform to what God’s Word, the Bible, reveals about him and his purposes.Truth Can Be Found4 Certain students of philosophy have developed the view that ultimate truth is not within the reach of mankind. In fact, Swedish author Alf Ahlberg wrote: “Many philosophical questions are of such a nature that it is not possible to give a definite answer to them.” Although some say that there is only relative truth, is that really so? Not according to Jesus Christ.5 Let us imagine ourselves as observers of the following scene: It is early in the year 33 C.E., and Jesus is standing before Roman Governor Pontius Pilate. Jesus tells Pilate: “For this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.” Pilate asks: “What is truth?” But he does not wait for Jesus’ further comment.​—John 18:36-38.6 “Truth” has been defined as “the body of real things, events, and facts.” (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary) However, did Jesus bear witness to truth in general? No. He had specific truth in mind. He commissioned his followers to declare such truth, for he told them: “Make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19, 20) Before the end of this system of things, Jesus’ genuine followers would declare “the truth of the good news” earth wide. (Galatians 2:14) This would be done in fulfillment of Jesus’ words: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) So it is vital that we identify those who are teaching all nations the truth by preaching the good news of the Kingdom..How We Can Learn the Truth7 Jehovah is the Source of spiritual truth. In fact, the psalmist David called Jehovah “the God of truth.” (Psalm 31:5; 43:3) Jesus acknowledged that his Father’s word is truth, and he also declared: “It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by Jehovah.’ Everyone that has heard from the Father and has learned comes to me.” (John 6:45; 17:17; Isaiah 54:13) Clearly, then, those searching for the truth must be taught by Jehovah, the Grand Instructor. (Isaiah 30:20, 21) Truth seekers need to acquire “the very knowledge of God.” (Proverbs 2:5) And Jehovah has lovingly taught or conveyed the truth in various ways.8 For example, it was through angels that God transmitted the Law to the Israelites. (Galatians 3:19) In dreams, he promised blessings to the patriarchs Abraham and Jacob. (Genesis 15:12-16; 28:10-19) God even spoke from heaven, as when Jesus was baptized and these thrilling words were heard on earth: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.” (Matthew 3:17) We can also be grateful that God conveyed the truth by inspiring the Bible writers. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) By learning from God’s Word, then, we can have “faith in the truth.”​—2 Thessalonians 2:13.The Truth and God’s Son9 Especially has God used his Son, Jesus Christ, to reveal the truth to mankind. (Hebrews 1:1-3) In fact, Jesus spoke the truth as no other man ever had. (John 7:46) Even after his ascension to heaven, he revealed the truth from his Father. For instance, the apostle John received “a revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place.”​—Revelation 1:1-3.10 Jesus told Pontius Pilate that He had come to the earth to bear witness to the truth. During his ministry, Jesus revealed that such truth related to the vindication of Jehovah’s sovereignty by means of God’s Kingdom with Christ as King. But bearing witness to the truth required more of Jesus than preaching and teaching. Jesus made that truth become reality by fulfilling it. Accordingly, the apostle Paul wrote: “Let no man judge you in eating and drinking or in respect of a festival or of an observance of the new moon or of a sabbath; for those things are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the Christ.”​—Colossians 2:16, 17..11 One way in which the truth became reality was by Jesus’ foretold birth in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4-11) The truth also became reality at the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophetic words about the Messiah’s appearance at the end of 69 ‘weeks of years.’ That took place when Jesus presented himself to God at baptism and was anointed with holy spirit, right on schedule, in 29 C.E. (Daniel 9:25; Luke 3:1, 21, 22) The truth further became reality by Jesus’ enlightening ministry as a Kingdom proclaimer. (Isaiah 9:1, 2, 6, 7; 61:1, 2; Matthew 4:13-17; Luke 4:18-21) It also became reality by his death and resurrection.​—Psalm 16:8-11; Isaiah 53:5, 8, 11, 12; Matthew 20:28; John 1:29; Acts 2:25-31.12 Since the truth centered on Jesus Christ, he could say: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) People are set free spiritually when they put themselves “on the side of the truth” by accepting Jesus’ role in God’s purpose. (John 8:32-36; 18:37) Because sheeplike ones accept the truth and follow Christ in faith, they will receive everlasting life.​—John 10:24-28.13 The body of truth delivered by Jesus and his inspired disciples constitutes the true Christian faith. Those “obedient to the faith” thus “go on walking in the truth.” (Acts 6:7; 3 John 3, 4) So, then, who walk in the truth today? Who really are teaching all nations the truth? In addressing such questions, we will focus on the early Christians and examine Scriptural truth relating to (1) beliefs, (2) manner of worship, and (3) personal conduct.The Truth and Beliefs14 Jehovah’s written Word was highly esteemed by the early Christians. (John 17:17) It was their standard regarding beliefs and practices. Clement of Alexandria of the second and third centuries said: “They who are laboring after excellency will not stop in their search after truth, until they have obtained proof of that which they believe from the Scriptures themselves.”15 Like the early Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses esteem the Bible highly. They believe that “all Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching.” (2 Timothy 3:16) So let us consider a few beliefs of the early Christians in the light of what Jehovah’s present-day servants have learned because they use the Bible as their principal textbook.The Truth About the Soul16 Because they believed what is said in the Scriptures, the first Christians taught the truth about the soul. They knew that “man came to be a living soul” when God created him. (Genesis 2:7) Moreover, they acknowledged that the human soul dies. (Ezekiel 18:4; James 5:20) They also knew that ‘the dead are conscious of nothing at all.’​—Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10.17 Yet, Jesus’ early disciples had the sure hope that the dead in God’s memory would be resurrected, or restored to life. That belief was well-expressed by Paul, who declared: “I have hope toward God . . . that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Acts 24:15) Even at a later time, professed Christian Minucius Felix wrote: “Who is so stupid or senseless as to venture to maintain that man, originally formed by God, cannot be remade by him anew?” Like the first Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses hold to the Scriptural truth about the human soul, death, and the resurrection. Let us now consider the identity of God and Christ.The Truth and the Trinity18 The early Christians did not view God, Christ, and the holy spirit as a Trinity. Says The Encyclopædia Britannica: “Neither the word Trinity nor the explicit doctrine appears in the New Testament, nor did Jesus and his followers intend to contradict the Shema [a Hebrew prayer] in the Old Testament: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord’ (Deut. 6:4).” Christians did not worship the Roman triad or any other gods. They accepted Jesus’ statement that Jehovah alone is to be worshiped. (Matthew 4:10) Moreover, they believed Christ’s words: “The Father is greater than I am.” (John 14:28) Witnesses of Jehovah hold the same views today.19 Jesus’ early followers drew clear distinctions between God, Christ, and the holy spirit. In fact, they baptized disciples (1) in the name of the Father, (2) in the name of the Son, and (3) in the name of the holy spirit, not in the name of a Trinity. Jehovah’s Witnesses similarly teach Scriptural truth and therefore differentiate between God, his Son, and the holy spirit.​—Matthew 28:19.The Truth and Baptism20 Jesus commissioned his followers to make disciples by teaching people the truth. To qualify for baptism, they need a basic knowledge of the Scriptures. For instance, they must acknowledge the position and authority of the Father and of his Son, Jesus Christ. (John 3:16) Baptismal candidates also need to understand that the holy spirit is not a person but is God’s active force.​—Genesis 1:2, footnote.21 The early Christians baptized only informed and repentant individuals unreservedly dedicated to God to do his will. Jews and proselytes who assembled in Jerusalem at Pentecost 33 C.E. already had a knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. Upon hearing the apostle Peter speak about Jesus the Messiah, about 3,000 “embraced his word heartily” and “were baptized.”​—Acts 2:41; 3:19–4:4; 10:34-38.22 Christian baptism is for believers. People in Samaria accepted the truth, and “when they believed Philip, who was declaring the good news of the kingdom of God and of the name of Jesus Christ, they proceeded to be baptized, both men and women.” (Acts 8:12) As a devout proselyte who had knowledge of Jehovah, the Ethiopian eunuch first accepted Philip’s statements about the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy, and then he got baptized. (Acts 8:34-36) Later, Peter told Cornelius and other Gentiles that “the man that fears [God] and works righteousness is acceptable to him” and that everyone putting faith in Jesus Christ receives forgiveness of sins. (Acts 10:35, 43; 11:18) All of this harmonizes with Jesus’ command to ‘make disciples, teaching them to observe all the things he had commanded.’ (Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 1:8) Jehovah’s Witnesses hold to the same standard, accepting for baptism only those who have a basic knowledge of the Scriptures and who have made a dedication to God.23 Total immersion in water is the proper form of baptism for believers. After Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, he came “up out of the water.” (Mark 1:10) The Ethiopian eunuch was baptized in “a body of water.” He and Philip “went down into the water” and then came “up out of” it. (Acts 8:36-40) Scriptural association of baptism with symbolic burial also indicates complete submersion in water.​—Romans 6:4-6; Colossians 2:12.24 The Oxford Companion to the Bible says: “The descriptions of specific New Testament baptisms indicate that the person being baptized was dipped under the water.” According to the French work Larousse du XXe Siècle (Paris, 1928), “the first Christians received baptism by immersion everywhere where water was found.” And the book After Jesus​—The Triumph of Christianity notes: “In its most basic form, [baptism] called for a confession of faith by the candidate, followed by complete immersion in water in the name of Jesus.”25 The foregoing points regarding the Bible-based beliefs and practices of the first Christians are merely examples. It would be possible to cite other parallels between their beliefs and those of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In the following article, we will discuss additional ways to identify those who are teaching people the truth.How Would You Respond?• What kind of worship does God require?• How did the truth become reality by means of Jesus Christ?• What is the truth about the soul and death?• How is Christian baptism performed, and what is required of baptismal candidates?[Picture on page 16]Jesus told Pilate: ‘I have come to bear witness to the truth’[Picture on page 17]Can you explain why Jesus said: ‘I am the truth’?[Picture on page 18]What is the truth about Christian baptism?Thanks for reading this I hope is worthied of your time and answer your question.Please check on jw.org for free other insight about bible truth and God s kingdom or locate a Jehovah's witnesses in your area for a free home bible study after covid restrictions.Check on the same website what does bible says about the Lord evening meal on the homepage, taking place on Saturday 27th March 2021 after sundown.

A. Homosexuality verses in the Bible - there areB. Where mentioned, context of each mentionsC. Human nature and how it is being dealt withD. Acceptance - by God; Jesus; followersE. the takeaway conclusionsGreetings,I will answer directly: directly after this disclaimer about subtext, pretext, and intent…I usually ask big ‘why’s before answering questions, because I hate not seeing what is important before I wade in to the water to offer whatever I could meagerly try to call my help or get swept downstream for nothing…If you find yourself greeted by this topic I hope it is not by someone singling you out; that this is not a Monday morning before the coffee ambush and that you haven’t just been clubbed with harshly sounding out of context Bible verses in verbal violence. I hope it is also not something you search for material on because you wish to single someone else out either…When speaking of Holy things, we should realize that our spiritual shoes may still be on our feet - none of us are better than any of the rest of us as people, and these topics were entrusted to a humble encouraged to be serving-of-others people, not to enable fire bugs or bullies.That being said, since this is as we all know used that way, try to relax with me: do some deep breathing. Kick up your feet, but take off your shoes. If you can, remember a good joke… but confronted with this, I have no jokes: only earnest pursuit of the healing truth.That being said, for tensions’ ease, I really am a counsellor, so briefly, in anecdote:I used to run an anger management group for teens. I remember what it was like to see them before group all joking and playing, carefree right up to the moment group started and then they would just... put on the biggest scowls you've ever seen. Walking into group with fists clenched, they were ready - like they'd been saving that anger all week! I actually tried to rename the group, made a nice big sign, 'Conflict Resolutions.' Nope, no one was fooled, not for a second.Those who we do not wish to mention further here in this analytical safe space will find passages of extreme example… debunking how those are not all about homosexuality directly may be helpful, but it’s a little bit of a stressful foot to start on, so I’ll start with the big why… Why am I jumping into this overflowing thought stream?Why is this issue so confrontational currently? If it is too frequently we enter into thought about it without anger, how can we now suddenly switch track and entertain all sides objectively? It goes against recent history and set habits to calm down about, doesn’t it? And, if that is the case, what can an answer to a question that contains mental lighter fluid and a mental lit match really do besides get reactors reacting and fires burning hotter?If you have gotten this far in the reading, and you are not angry yet or still, maybe you are not a part of the problem and can instead help calm others with whose plight you can empathize and help encourage entertainment of a solution.I’m going to link my two little posts about why I find it very disgusting to see so-called Christians pointing the finger, especially if I find myself doing it. If you do take the time to read these, please don’t picture me in tears telling the whole entire world how sorry I am in some bid for internet attention, that is not the purpose:https://www.quora.com/Do-you-believe-in-the-10-commandments-Which-do-you-find-the-hardest-to-follow/answer/Daniel-Davis-239?ch=10&share=98cd2f86&srid=hmdgGNow, before we address in study whether homosexual practice is or isn’t accepted in Biblical reference, I think it only fair to understand Biblical perspective on our sin problem we all share in equally, whether some try to measure it in each other or not, and how it began:What exactly was the first sin that became a stain on humanity?Jealousy, covetousness, lies, anarchy, disobedience, idolatry, selfishness, disrespect to the elder/parent, preference, pride, and enslavement were all rolled up into the fall of Lucifer first…Jealousy of God; coveting what He had; deception in accusation and continuing when in knowledge of wrongdoing especially as the serpent; pride when given fuller understanding by Jesus the Word, he did not repent or recant; enslavement of those he deceived; disrespect to his and our Creator; and preference in selfishness that he continued to covet higher position than was right.All of these were repeated in Cain.I’m going to recap the human condition for a moment, with the earliest story:We don't like the truths we are sometimes faced with, we usually do not at all know how to handle it. There is a certain part of this altered situation we find ourselves in today in this generation that some people want to resent God for and others want to blame on this generation, but it isn't the Lord's doing and I should not have to say that. I should not have to lead with that rather than the scripture I want to read, but the wounded pride natural in us and the wounds we carry from each other has made it necessary to address. I do not mean to call out this point to the pride movement in particular with this statement somehow directed or aimed at that naturally understandable reactionary pride to their collective unjust treatments, far from it in fact:Cain, the first of men born in this world, did not like what he was told: that because mom and dad ate a fruit from the wrong tree, he would have to follow certain steps in making a sacrifice offering. Be careful how easily offended you are. Anger is the end of intelligent action and prudence and the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 8-9)Cain was offended because he was a first born son and I am not sure if Adam and Eve knew how long it would take for a deliverer to be born, so it seems to me they might have thought of him, a son born of woman as they knew their Redeemer would be, as a potential candidate for Messiah. You see, they were told of the future gospel of salvation and sacrifice for sin at the same time they were shown the first death: the sheep whose skin the Lord then clothed them in. Cain probably never felt like any of what was happening was his fault, because he had parents to whom he more immediately could assign blame… Thus, it may be that he kept his own council in the matter and indeed thought himself without sin or in any need of an offering for himself and if he was told that was untrue, he refused to accept it. Either way, the result of his misunderstanding and presumptuous disobedience was jealousy and murder - he did the offering his own way and the Lord saw his heart was unrepentant and not only unrepentant but rebellious in that offering, but his little brother did it the right way and Cain did not like the decision of God to honor that, and we all know how that ended. All that was mentioned above with Lucifer repeated in and carried out through prophetically foreshadowing human agency.Even when there is someone else to blame, who do our minds in a sinful state point to first? To God. Adam said even to God’s face: the woman YOU GAVE ME! Yet our God, as we can see in contrast both here and on the cross, is very kind in the face of accusation. Double blame trouble there, a low low moment for mankind. It does show our natural thought process in clear contrast though.Back to the debunking part:Romans 1:26-27This is the clearest Biblical reference in the New Testament which can be in all analysis of languages and potential translational ambiguity seen as making a statement about homosexuality, taking into account multiple factors… but what is it actually saying directly about the practice itself?The passage is in address of a particular group of people with a conglomerate set of sins, similar by mindset and what the actions they were doing resulted in; similar to what I mentioned earlier above in relation to the all-in-one sins of Lucifer, and then Cain. Clearly anything said about the group as a whole is justifiable about that group, but taking one thing out of that context and stretching it to be in application to anyone who did just one of those things is fundamentally stupid… So, the only direct categorization of homosexuality we have from Romans 1 is that it is unnatural, and may have made the list as a part of that groups rebellion. Well, hold on, that may be true - at least objectively consider it possible that if our God who created us calls something unnatural, He might actually know of what He speaks of there. Even our limited understanding can validate that we are our own causes of trouble at times and scientific understandings have shed a certain light on this concept:There is a massive disconnect between this type of academic research publication information and public access which the media usually exploits:The whole system of how scientific discoveries are being made and made known is corrupted internally by its own kind of power and money politics. There is a monopoly on scientific research publication under Elsevier, where information access has risen for some participating institutions to 11 million per year, and that is called the paywall. Just looking at the chemicals used on a daily basis in this country, less than two percent of well over ten thousand have been safety tested for human use, and I say this to show you the direction of the money guiding this type of research is not usually spent in our best interest.There is greed in all of us to some extent and if you can gain access, it is difficult and costly to gain but if you can, it can be uncovered that certain compounds in use on crops and soil and in bodies of water have built up in our bodies filters like human mammary glands and have effects on fetal hormonal development, as well as other consequences… Yes, the culprit in truth, is other people… Our ignorance is their protection and has been adding to the problem for our young people, piling it on - as has avoiding corrective hormone treatment with the goal of keeping all things natural when that ship long ago has already sailed.I spent this time on this aspect of what the Bible is saying here not only because people attack God’s Word but because people are attacking themselves and each other with the idea that God hates them, and that is simply never going to be found in the Bible and God has never purposely given us something to then later persecute us for having it. A lot of our current atheists, nice enough people some but, they are holding out for that to be true; and believe that God set us up somehow and created us to have gender benders and then be judged for it, but they will be very disappointed if they hold on to that for life. It isn’t just atheists who misunderstand this either: but also parents and judgemental people who call themselves Christian role-models, yet show hypocracy in how this is addressed: if we are all sinners, how come some are really persecuted and driven out for things having little to do with the content of their character and yet these other sins having more to do with such are mostly ignored? I just answered my own question, didn’t I: because… we are all sinners.Moving on back in scripture…1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 1 Timothy 1:10A biblical scholar at Notre Dame tells us: "The word means something like 'softy' and refers to liking sex too much."Polyamory and nymphomania would certainly be in line with a breaking of the ten commandments; would be thought of as living in sin; God compares such fornication and adultery to having other gods before Him or idolatry… He is faithfully our God and exemplifies, encourages and rewards: loyalty; fidelity; egalitarianism; nonpreference in treatment of individuals; advocacy of the lesser fortunate and those without support of parent or spouse; diligence; perseverance; and moral excellence… so of course He would call anything that devalues us as people and causes us to hurt people or to become dysfunctional bad.Genesis 19: The story of Sodom and GomorrahThis was a city policed by a kind of neighborhood watch, you know - for safety, who liked to gang-rape foreigners together… sometimes to death. I mean: enough said. Who the heck thinks that is what homosexuality IS? Only the authors of the “gay manifesto,” a very angry futile and dumb rant.And for anyone who wants to criticize Lot, I just don’t care: but objectively, those daughters were already engaged to a couple of those fellows; it was likely a ploy, to get them to remember relationships they had; placate the bossier ones; and disburse the followers - the danger the mob itself posed. He didn’t exactly know whom it was he was defending or that any other ‘plan B’ could have worked: sounds to me like one of those moments of desperation we cannot really know what was best to do differently confronted with that kind of force of wickedness.Judge not lest ye be judged accordingly.Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13"Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable" (Leviticus 18:22)"If a man lies with a man as one lies with woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads" (Leviticus 20:13).Here we have our real Old Testament reference… now, these ordinances were usually damage control for a deeper problem already being faced, as we can see through scholarly study of Exodus 21:The Levites were given these standards always to protect God’s people… they were the priesthood. It was among their duties to uphold and protect what is sacred from having a sin-stained perception in the world, so that the repute and message of God being real and accessible would be calling the attention of other nations and tribes and peoples and that prophecy, especially the future birth of the Savior, would also not be allowed challenge. In this process, it was called in these words used in Leviticus, an abomination - in the original ‘toevah’ which is unclean, or again, unnatural.Let’s speak objectively and medically for a moment and see if there may have been a warning here in scripture telling us that we all may suffer in doing sonething unnatural. Cousin love is mentioned in the same chapter: we all know of mutations that may rise from that.Some of the things that happen when nature is gone against is nature fights back. I have seen a sheep disease rise up from cannabalism of their own kind, and we likely all heard of that disease when on certain farms cows were added to their own feed - mad cow disease.Some have speculated that it is a similar story with HIV, and I’m no expert about the pathology, but if it is true, that is reason enough right there for a good prevention program were prevention still a good strategy. I also know of a young man whose defecation will never be normal because of damage… It does happen to come up medically because this other cavity is not so made that it can withstand the same forces without breach. That is not to say that there are never complications to other kinds of sexual activity, but this does have its specific risks and specific potential down sides.It may be there is a spiritually corrupting component as well within boldly openly anti-law of God societies, which is how we end up with this being mentioned in that context as was earlier seen, that may be worth fair consideration. Does that mean we should still punish homosecuality or same sex relations amongst ourselves today? Absolutely not. This foresight of God is why the ordinances, but not the pentateuch, were repealed:"For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two." (Ephesians 2:15)This is not to say that the loving reasons behind governing with those laws have changed nor that in practice this has become more healthy, but that God saw coming a change in the devil’s strategy and another attempt on belief through modifying us in our very bodies’ hormones through chemical corruption, and God chose eternal salvation and care for us all as His priority because He loves us all, died for us all, and wants us all to have eternal life. That is the bottom line.The Ten Commandments are eternal and unchanging, Jesus is the Rock of our Salvation as that Word of God was carved into stone with His finger for all time (Exodus 31:18 & Deuteronomy 9:10) and He and it are both that rejected cornerstone… but this part of the law, these particular ordinances in the New Testament was addressed as done away with since the time of Jesus. In other words they were useful at the time but their purpose is served - these are the ONLY laws mentioned in the new testament, BY NAME, as done away with. God did get the nations’ attention through what history records with prophecy, and represented Himself in the person of Jesus and has given us all access.So one aspect of the question remains to be addressed, is homosexuality called a sin in the Bible?The above verses could and have led some to conclude so: yet even so, whether it should be determined a sin under the categories of not loving each other and ourselves properly; as a form of adultery or fornication; standing on its own; or even just as a symptom of greater problems, does that mean that: those who have an egalitarian homosexual relationship ongoing in committed fidelity should be ostracized or persecuted “for their own eternal well being” more than others in non-committed adultery? Of course not!None of us are better than the others, and sin is sin no matter which one you are in. I think what stresses people about the ones called lifestyle sin is the perpetual nature and outward appearance these take on that those living that way have an inability to repent of or reform… so, some of that anger out there is, at least we hope, rooted in concern. It’s better… but only imperceptibly.Most have never been encouraged to believe in their own ability to reason and deduce or discern, but we can change that. Things can still improve at least for individuals.All my life, there has always been at least one person willing to tell me about something but unwilling or unable to help me come to grips with all aspects in harmony. Too frequently we leave even our children with internal conflicts unresolvable.Jesus taught us to visit orphans and widows… Orphans and widows, why? Because they lack a support system. Do you think King Jesus will smile on those who deal with those without a support system harshly perhaps?Jesus said, in Matthew 25, verses 37–40, NLT: “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”It sounds like God does have the compassion and sense of humor to save people who did not hear about His good news but lived it, their reaction here indicates some surprise at their salvation, perhaps being in Heaven because of their savior Jesus, whom they only knew as a naked, hungry, sick, imprisoned, or thirsty stranger.Remember the woman at the well (John 4). How many husbands had she? The man she was living with was not her husband. Would the churches today not feel much the same way about her as her peers did then, at the very least agreeing that she was “living in sin?” Jesus made a special effort to see her. Is that alone not cause to re-examine our selves and our approach to those our peers even the elect of our brethren may turn from or even persecute? There are others who are ostracized today for their ongoing relationship choices by friend, family and members of our brethren, but is it possible they too have not had addressed in them a similar hunger and thirst for what is right, good and true?Now, consider what was on her heart. Samaria was full of the disenfranchised and ostracized. With a history full of promise and persecution, these are those born of Joseph, the favored son of Jacob who was sold into egyptian slavery yet whom also the Lord used to save them all. Yet they had a falling out with the rest of the tribes of Israel over mixing with Assyrians and were considered unclean by their Jewish relatives, not allowed to attend sacred services at the temple in Jerusalem. Their reaction to this, to build their own temple on mount Gerizim near to Shechem, must have not only been out of a desire to not be excluded from worship of the Lord but also become a matter of their identity. These factors woven in to their culture along with the disdain of their distant relations likely bred an environment of less tolerance, not more, of anything among them which would make such mistreatment they all felt seem more deserved.Jesus is the Lord, His words are with us from Old Testament and gospel, so how do we rectify and join these types of encounters as being with and by the same person? By understanding them in context. Jesus was giving ordinance to the Levites when He addressed sexual immorality of same gender relations. This means there is a standard of marriage to be exemplified in spiritual leadership, and harsh punishments to the Levites came bundled with the blessing and responsability of spreading the message. We are not to wear jewelry; we are to keep the Sabbath Holy; we are to live as much as possible clean lives; we are not to live drunkenly; we are to avoid the entanglement with sexually disreputable drama that will cause our message to be tarnished in reputation and because of us looked down upon; we are not to speak foolish impure words; we are to keep covenant with God and walk with Him and we are to be a help to the needy if we accept the call as gospel messengers… Not all of us are called to be Levites, but all are called to Jesus for salvation and that is the difference."Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man." (Mark 7 18-23 kjv)This is our God, the Creator of the universe who originally warned Israel of unclean foods speaking of another, far greater danger to those present who were venturing into that danger. We use a logical fallacy when we see this to presume that if He said it does not defile you, that must also mean it was not unclean. Defile stands apart in definition from the previously used word unclean: He is teaching us that some things are of far greater importance, and that our words and actions are far more defiling than pork could ever be. Upon first examination it sounds perhaps as though He dismisses cleanliness, but this is not the case. What He was dismissing is our childish squabbling in our feeble effort to demonstrate authority over even Him our King, and He was addressing in a practical way the folley of our own misrepresentation and our own many laws in extrapolation and twisting and over-regulating of what He originally said. Even if pigs were previously dirtier but now suddenly God changed His mind about how important keeping that evidential result of sin intact was and scrubbed them all and their future abominable generations from inside out, which I know and believe He is capable of but let's be honest, is rediculous and insulting to all His well established consistency, that is not what was being stated. Rather, He is simply using the word defile here to redirect the conversation to affect change. I know we think its always like a coin toss or a light switch as we love to hop from one extreme interpretation to another, but He was not recanting what He had already said on the matter. As with all the matters in life we face it is both more subtle and complex than that. Many know that eating something that was undercooked for example can challenge our health with still living parasites, which are dirty things and therefore technically unclean in ways that can catch up to you later, as in the disease trichinosis. Jesus is not contradicting His original warning against the cleanliness of these creatures, but rather showing us some perspective on it - the word defile here has a greater and deeper meaning than the original mentions of uncleanliness and He emphasizes the importance of people's spiritual well being as being in far greater danger on these issues of offending one another and the deeds we do to each other in the name of being correct. He holds that danger above that of any dirty meat we may ingest. Have you never seen anyone get into an all out fight over something so low priority as to be utterly mind-numbingly petty? Any who has watched the Jerry Springer show knows what I'm talking about. It was a reproof, an exposure of wicked intent, a lesson consistent with the message and ministry of our salvation, not a change in information or the physical states of matter.In what communication He establishes with us, God speaks without contradiction within the confines of the flawed languages we use, but it is we who are jumping to the false conclusions about what He says and thinking we must have gotten Him to change His mind. Oh, however we may wish or pray it, it is just not so.For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.Galatians 3:26-29I know some still will keep on deeming it necessary to guard the church from sexual immorality and want to keep a purity sign nailed right to the doorposts of their church, but I disagree - I think we should consider Leviticus in our decision as regards who officially presents the message in the name of a church, but not in who is allowed access to the life saving good news! I am all for kicking out predators and those who want to publicly make spectacles of themselves in places held sacred, and the kind of immorality kicked out in the early church (1 Corinthians 5:1 - the guy having sex with his mom and everyone knew because they did’t hide it), but I do incorporate views from old and new testaments in understanding what the Bible is really telling us here in this contextual studious reading, and there is much nuance to consider…We can not undo past hurts with brow-beating, and no one is here to open old wounds or to count converts like herds or even to rewrite what is deeply held to be right in our convictions, but I do promise that if you stick with me here you will see the truth: that whatever abuses have been suffered were never justified by scriptures. If any reading this were bullied with a Bible, whoever did that was more ignorant than you may have even yet imagined. You see, it was NOT God's will even for a moment for our light to be extinguished:"In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish."-Matthew 18, verse 14, KJV.Is parenthood good? All the parents most of us know are imperfect, but we were pretty vulnerable at first - unable to fend for ourselves entirely. So, however imperfect for those of us who made it - it was probably a good thing they were there at least for our beginning.“Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.” - Matthew Chapter 7, verses 20 and 21, NLT.”Notice that Jesus said we are identified by our actions… and not by other identity politics.The end result of whether someone is a helpful person does come from the action that person takes, but is that as applicable to ideas that may be misrepresented by us broken people? No. Because if an idea is right, we can and will use it wrongly."My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors."James 2:1-9, KJVIs homosexuality accepted in the Bible? Not that I can really see by specific example, but I think this study shows that the Bible and our example Jesus teaches us that the people who practice this should be accepted and loved, as all of us sinners should be and are by our great God, who sings over us as we sleep.“The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”Zephaniah 3:17

Disclaimer: some customs are practiced in one part of Serbia while not practiced in another. Serbs from different regions may have different traditions.In different parts of Serbia, wedding customs are more or less different. The wedding was most often invited by a guy who belonged to the bride's or groom's family, who carried an ornate buklija with wine or brandy in it. The host, who is invited to cross himself, was expected to drink a little from the buklija and say:"May God allow the newlyweds to be alive and healthy, to be accompanied by happiness and love, to get married this year and baptize next year.”Wedding preparationsIn addition to the buklija, the godfather and the old svat are also given an apple in which they imprint a ducat or a coin. Preparations for the wedding also take place in the houses of the bride and groom: the gate and the house are decorated with flowers. The girls also collect rosemary, which they will later decorate the wedding party with. On the waist the rosemary is tied with a ribbon that is in the colors of the Serbian flag, and it is fastened to the clothes of the wedding participants with pins, the decoration is charged and the money remains with the girl who decorated the wedding party. Two days before the wedding, the gate in front of the groom's house opens and does not close until the end of the festivities. Nowadays, metal badges that are attached to the wardrobe are often used instead of rosemary.Wedding DayOn the wedding day itself, from the early morning, the girl prepares and puts on a wedding dress. Her friends and sisters come to kiss her, comb her hair and sing to her. These songs can also be sad because traditionally a girl leaves her parents' home.In the house, the groom is gathering wedding guests who decorate the girls with rosemary. The groom with his friends or brothers goes by car (or carriage) to pick up the godfather who is considered an important guest and who is greeted with music. The old groom has the same honor. There is also a flag bearer or otherwise a barjaktar who is usually the groom's son-in-law, who goes to the wedding first and carries the state flag.When everyone gathers, the wedding procession goes for the bride. In recent times, this procession consists of (luxury) cars decorated with flowers and towels or blankets. In Jadro and Mačva, the organization of the wedding party around the bride's departure from the host is taken over by a close relative, friend or neighbor called čauš. Although at new weddings, towels are increasingly being replaced by shirts. In the Užice region, a special newspaper is going the other way, driving quickly to take Muštuluk to the bride's parents - with the news that the bride and groom have left. Tradition dictates that it is not easy to reach the bride. An apple is raised high at the gate, which the groom or his cousin should hit with a rifle, and at the entrance there is an obstacle under which is a trough with water into which the bride and groom put money in order to pass. Also, the brother will not inform the bride until the groom or brother-in-law pays him.Dever takes over the bride who gives him a white towel which he wears slung over his shoulder.His task is to guard and look after the bride throughout the festivities. The bride's parents will serve the guests, and then the bride says goodbye to her parents who give her a blessing.The newlyweds then go to a wedding that can be performed by a registrar or a priest.After that, the bride throws a Biedermeier with her back turned. The girls are trying to catch Biedermeier, because it is believed that the one who succeeds will get married next. The wedding festivities take place in the groom's house, and the procession goes there after the wedding ceremony. The father-in-law is the one who helps the bride to get out of the carriage and gives her a gold ducat, and she gives him a shirt. There are several rituals when the bride arrives at the groom's house. One of them is to offer her a male child, which she picks up, turns three times and kisses. She does this because of the belief that she will then give birth to male children.The festivities begin for the gathered wedding guests, and later the guests arrive. At the joy that follows, the bride and groom court all the guests, and the bride also presents them with shirts, towels and other gifts. The wedding festivities last for two or three, or even more days.Wedding in the Orthodox ChurchIt used to be almost impossible to get married in a church, because communism forbade visiting church buildings, and performing all acts related to the church. However, in the period before that, church weddings were very much taken care of in Serbia. Today, it is quite natural for newlyweds to get married in a church, in addition to a civil wedding. The act of marriage in the Orthodox Church is considered to be the union of two people for life. Many folk customs are connected to this joyful and solemn event in the life of Orthodox Christians. The essence of the Holy Mystery of Marriage is not in the wedding joy, but, above all, in a serious approach to the sanctity of the marital union, which is the foundation m of the family, and thus of the church and the state. Many different customs are related to the Orthodox church wedding, which differ from place to place, but all have in common the very act of marriage, which is conducted in every Orthodox church according to the church canon, ie according to certain rules. According to the Marriage Rules of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the following conditions are required for marriage: two persons of different sexes, their valid declaration of will to marry, a wedding in the form prescribed by the Church. The wedding ceremony is always performed by the priest of the parish to which the groom belongs. The wedding ceremony is usually performed in the parish church of the groom. The wedding ceremony itself requires 4 candles, two for each witness, a wedding ring, a glass or goblet, white linen and red wine. It is important that both the bride and groom be baptized in the Orthodox Church, as well as witnesses or godparents. The church commandment forbids Christians to have a wedding with fasting. Weddings are not performed on Wednesdays and Fridays, on the Day of the Cross on January 18, the Beheading on September 11 and the Day of the Cross on September 27. The wedding is not performed on Easter, nor on Holy Week, because then are the solemn days dedicated to the glorious resurrection of Christ, and no other celebration is appropriate for those days. The place of the wedding is exclusively a temple, but with the approval of the bishop, and at the suggestion of the competent priest, it can be done in an emergency (due to the illness of the bride or groom) in the home of one of them. According to the rules of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the wedding ceremony in the churches is performed during the morning. According to popular belief, it is desirable that the act of marriage and the act of baptism be performed in this part of the day, because then the sun is born and progresses. In church law, there are cases when it is necessary to ask for a special permit from the competent archbishop in order to enter into a church marriage. One such case is also when the age difference between the future spouses is greater than 15 years and in cases when one of the future spouses has already had one or more church marriages behind them. If one of the spouses is of the Catholic or other religion, in principle, the Serbian Orthodox Church allows such weddings, without the obligation of your spouse to change religion. The only thing he, as a rule, undertakes is to respect your faith and bring up children in the spirit of Orthodoxy. Regarding the sacred secret of marriage, what is important for the church, the Orthodox faith and its teaching are two moments: the premarital exam and the wedding in the church.Serbian Orthodox weddings:Premarital ExamTwo adults, a man and a woman, who meet all the other conditions that the church prescribes for concluding a church marriage, first take the premarital exam. It is a procedure, where the church examines whether two candidates for marriage meet all the conditions prescribed by the church canons for marriage. The premarital exam is performed by the competent priest of the girl. For the exam, the newlyweds should prepare: a church baptismal certificate, a man a certificate from his competent priest on his free marital status. They receive a certificate on the performed premarital exam, which they hand over to the competent priest, the groom, on the basis of which he can perform the wedding of the newlyweds. The premarital exam must be taken three weeks before the wedding, so that the priest can announce the wish of the candidate for the wedding at three liturgies in the church, and ask the people if there is any obstacle to their marriage.Is it possible to get married a second time in church?People who got married in the church can also get divorced, of course, but unlike the so-called civil divorce, the "culprit" is sought here. That is, the spouse who is more responsible for the divorce of the church marriage. When the priest determines the "guilt", he determines the punishment, ie the so-called penance, which in most cases is embodied in the fact that, depending on the degree of "guilt", the time when that spouse will be allowed to remarry depends.NewlywedsThis holiday is celebrated on March 22, and is dedicated to the memory of the suffering of the forty holy Martyrs of Sebastia, who suffered for the faith of Christ in the year 320. All these martyrs were young men, so our people took that day as a holiday in which young spouses (newlyweds) receive guests in their home, and they bring them gifts and thus help them at the beginning of their marriage and life in the marital community. Newlyweds always fall with fasting, because Lent usually begins in early or mid-March, and therefore every feast that is prepared on this day, must be fasting, for the health and progress of the children of young spouses.Wedding EditFor a wedding day or a wedding, the custom of wedding festivities is tied in our people. With real Serbian Christian hosts, the ceremonial hall or some other room, where the wedding festivities are performed, is decorated with Orthodox symbols and Serbian flags. Before the bride and groom leave the groom's house for the bride, a prayer should be said. The host lights a candle, takes a censer and embers, puts some incense, incenses the icon, himself and the groom and all the bride and groom in order, reads the prayer, prays for happy journeys and happy weddings, for a harmonious and happy life of the newlyweds and only then sets off young. In front of the wedding column is the old groom, that is, someone from the groom's family, uncle or some other relative or friend, who will also be the other witness at the wedding in the church with the groom's godfather. Behind him goes the groom's godfather, and behind them the groom with his father. When the bride is taken to the wedding, she goes in the same order. The column stands in front of the church, and the newlyweds, godparents and all the bride and groom enter the temple in silence and decency, as befits the house of God. The newlyweds, accompanied by their godfather and old groom, go straight to the door of the altar. This is where the engagement takes place. The wedding rings and the very act of engagement symbolize fidelity. The newlyweds then, on their hand, the fourth finger of the right hand, put on the wedding ring and do not take it off for the rest of their lives. It reminds them of the vow of fidelity they made in the church before God and the priest. During the engagement, the newlyweds, the best man and the old groom, hold candles in their hands, as a symbol of purity and innocence. These candles later remain in the church, and can be taken away and kept as a dear memory on the wedding day. After the engagement, the newlyweds and godparents go to the central part of the temple, and the sacred sacrament of the wedding takes place there. At the wedding, the newlyweds' right hands are tied with a white cloth, as a sign of eternal life attachment, harmony and fidelity, mutual help and love. The canvas is also kept as a souvenir. Wreaths are placed on the head of the newlyweds at the wedding. Today, crowns are placed instead of wreaths. Hence the name wedding. Wreaths, crowned today, symbolize the chaste life of the newlyweds until the wedding, and the blessing of the church for their life together in the glory of God and their neighbors. The wine that is given to the newlyweds, and sometimes to the godparents, at the wedding, symbolizes the event in Cana of Galilee, when Christ was at his wedding with his Mother, the Most Holy Mother of God and his disciples and turned water into wine. The three-fold procession around the table on which the cross and everything else needed for the wedding stands, symbolizes the eternal bond of the spouses, because the circle means eternal duration, and the three-fold procession is in the glory of the Holy Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit. A marriage that is not contracted in the manner prescribed by the church is not a marriage for the church. Therefore, children from non-church marriages are illegitimate for the church.Although weddings have been modernized and many customs have been lost, in some places they are still respected. Wedding customs are most common in the villages, where the wedding is one of the biggest events for the family. A large part of the wedding customs is related to the bride leaving the family home and marking the end of the previous life, while the others are most often related to the unbreakable ties between the newlyweds, but also friends, godparents and relatives.Shooting at appleWhen the groom comes to pick up the bride at her family home, the father-in-law places the apple at the highest point in the yard, usually a branch or roof. The groom must prove his abilities by hitting the apple by firing from a rifle. If he makes a mistake, he tries until he succeeds, because without that he can't take over the bride. It is interesting how in most cases the groom manages to hit the apple from the first attempt, even if he is not skilled in handling a rifle.The custom of shooting apples is widespread in the rest of Serbia, as well as in the Belgrade area. Dr. Aleksandar Pavlović explains that the custom of shooting an apple is of a relatively new thing. There are no traces that would indicate his greater antiquity, just as there is practically no record from the period of the nineteenth century, and even later, which would confirm his wider representation at weddings. The reason why this custom does not exist in the past is quite simple.Until the beginning of the 19th century, when Serbia was under Turkish rule, Serbian peasants were strictly forbidden to possess and use weapons. This element came into use at weddings only in the twentieth century, due to numerous wars in the first half of this century, when the population came into contact with weapons on a larger scale.The shooting of the apple takes place when the groom's wedding party (svatovi) arrives in front of the bride's house. The apple is usually placed at the highest point in the yard (mast, tree, roof of the house), while the task of the groom, or one of his male relatives, is to hit the apple with a firearm and take it off from a height. The rule is that the groom cannot enter the bride's house until he has done so, so this act can be seen as a kind of "exam" that the groom should be able to reach the bride only if he successfully "passes" it. By fulfilling the set task, the groom confirms his "masculinity", which lets the young family know that he is worthy to take the bride as his wife.Affirming the role of the groom, in accordance with the expectations expected of a man in a patriarchal system, is not unreasonably connected with firearms in this case, around which a strong cult developed in Serbian society, especially due to many wars for liberation from foreign rule. The image of a man as a brave and self-sacrificing soldier, protector of the homeland, was transferred to the field of gender and marital relations. The act of shooting an apple, by which the groom "proves" the skill of using a weapon, can be assessed in that sense as a symbolic confirmation of the role attributed to him by marriage, and that is to be brave, self-sacrificing and protective towards his wife and family.Buying a brideWhen it comes to traditional weddings, the start of wedding always takes place in the groom's house. That is why, in the house of the young parents, several customs take place. One of the most famous is the purchase of the bride, which is still very common. Dever, one of the most important personalities at the wedding, the groom's own brother or close relative, comes to the bride's family to "redeem" her for his brother. The bride is “sold” by a brother or cousin. Nowadays, the amount that the brother-in-law allocates for the purchase of the bride is usually symbolic. Earlier, the sums were generous and the bride could only be redeemed with money and ducats. However, in 1846, Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević introduced the law on the abolition of this custom, so that today it is a joke.Breaking a glassWhen the groom finally "deserves" the bride, they take her out of the house and her parents give her a glass of wine to drink. When she drinks, she throws the glass on the ground. The belief is that if the glass breaks, the first child will be a boy and if it does not break, she will give birth to a girl.In agrarian environments, such as Serbian society until recently, special importance was attached to vegetation and nature. Many customs and holidays are associated with "causing" crop fertility. Some agricultural fruits were used out of the belief that their fruitful power will be transferred to household members in the upcoming cycle. Wheat and straw are the most commonly used crops. As a product of the field created from crops, straw symbolizes fertility. Straw was sprinkled on the floor when the bride arrived at the new house, believing that this would ensure fertility in the upcoming marriage.Flowers were used as an ornament, but also as a means by whose powers fertility, happiness and well-being can be influenced in a future marriage. Roses could have a significant place at weddings, but it cannot be claimed that the use of Biedermeier, as a bouquet composed mainly of these flowers, is a phenomenon that has a long lifespan in Serbian culture. The closest to the truth would be the position according to which this phenomenon is of a completely new date and that, apparently, it was taken from Western, ie Central Europe.The act of throwing Biedermeier is widespread practically all over the world today and is practiced as an integral part of the wedding ritual. What, however, in its characteristics connects it in a way with the understanding and use of flowers in Serbian traditional culture, which can actually speak in favor of the fact that the attitude towards certain types of plants in many cultures is more or less similar, would be a few things :1) Biedermeier throws the bride in the direction of unmarried girls out of the belief that the one who catches it next will marry, which means that this act, no matter how funny it may seem, is attributed a certain mystical power due to which a certain course of events "can be influenced ”;2) Biedermeier is probably not accidentally made of roses, which can draw a parallel with the understanding of the rose in the traditional culture of the Serbs, as a flower that symbolizes love and fertility;3) in the Serbian tradition, the cult of plants belonged primarily to women. As an act of wedding ritual, in which a bouquet of flowers is used as the main prop, throwing a Biedermeier is also reserved only for women.Of all the types of herbs especially is emphasized rosemary as a wedding plant. If a plant can be said to have an unavoidable place in the Serbian traditional wedding ritual, then it is rosemary, so it is often mentioned in wedding songs. The use of rosemary is still an indispensable element at weddings. Practically all wedding guests wear it, and it is prepared by the girls before the wedding.As rosemary has a strong scent, it is believed that this was the reason why the belief developed around this plant that thanks to its property, it also has certain mystical powers, primarily to dispel, allegedly, evil forces and demons. Hence rosemary and found application in the wedding ritual. As the most important ritual in the life cycle, which marked a turning point in an individual's life, a wedding in the traditional culture of Serbs was not only treated as a solemn event, but also as a time of danger, filled with increased action of evil, unclean forces.Inviting the guests with a buklijaThe traditional way of inviting guests to a wedding, which is still respected in some parts of our country, did not include invitations, but a buklija. This is actually a flask filled with brandy (rakija) that the buklijaš, the groom's cousin or father, brought to the guests, informed them about the wedding and invited them to the wedding. It is customary for all guests who come to the wedding to drink from the buklija.Decorating of the svatoviDecorating a svatove with rosemary dates back to ancient times, but it is a custom that has been preserved to this day. In the past, wedding guests adorned themselves with a sprig of rosemary, because rosemary was considered a symbol of fidelity, as well as to protect marital happiness. The wedding was decorated by girls ready for marriage, in order to show off to the young men at the wedding. Today, in addition to rosemary, artificial flowers and badges are also used, so this is one of the customs that has undergone changes over time.Who will be the bossAt the wedding ceremony, when the newlyweds declare that they agree to enter into marriage, it is customary for the bride or groom to step on the spouse. The custom says that the one who does it first will have the main say in the house.A sweet traditionA youth cake, without which it is almost impossible to imagine a wedding celebration, is much more than a dessert. The charming tradition that dates back to ancient Greece, when the newlyweds cut a cake from honey and sesame, has survived to this day. The cake symbolizes the sweet and happy life of the spouses, and the joint cutting symbolizes the first joint task of the married couple, as one of the many jobs that the couple will share in the joint life.Source:ВенчањеSrpski svadbeni običaji (prvi deo – pre venčanja)Najlepši srpski svadbeni običaji