How can we take the Bible at its word when it seems to condone slavery and other acts?

Continuing my posts on the recent protests against Chik-fil-A...

In discussing what the Bible says on homosexuality, I've come across many who have a misconception of what the Bible does and does not approve of. Let me lay a few summarized things out, then, for clarification.

Polygamy was never condoned by God, and the Bible states that God created man and woman, not man and woman and woman and woman. That doesn't mean people didn't practice it, though. But God used the weaknesses of man to bring about His will in spite of man's rebellion.

The Bible does not condone slavery, either. The New Testament does give advice to those in slavery to help them find some happiness and contentment within their obviously evil circumstances. But slavery is never said to be good, right, or permissible.

Similarly, bestiality, incest and rape are things that happen the the Biblical accounts, but the Bible and God never support them. Quite the opposite.

1 Cor 6 - "8 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,[a] nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." Also check out Leviticus 18: 6-18 and 1 Timothy 1:9-10.

I’ve done my research, as have many atheists who have become Christians. I’m not going to base my political position on the gay marriage issue on my Christian beliefs alone. But when it comes to the Bible, the research has led me to believe it is all true. And if it is all true, I cannot go against it moral truths/statements, no matter how much I want to.

Sexual Identity Crisis: Is it a Choice?

I get tired of people claiming our sexual identity is not a choice. Their claim is both true and false at the same time depending on the context and meaning. Here's what I mean:

1) They're right! Sexual identity is not a choice. You are born either male or female. Your personality may not line up with what society defines as masculine or feminine, and that's OK. You can live with that personality openly without it being defined as sin. But when it comes to changing your physical body parts so that you can match what society says is masculine or feminine, that's where I have a problem, and that's where things begin to collide with the absolute moral laws established in the Bible.

2) They're wrong! I can tell you without a doubt that ultimately everything is a choice. I know this because I made a choice. At one point in my life, I could have easily defined myself as a lesbian or bi hiding in the closet. I had those attractions and tendencies. But thankfully, there came a point in my life when God woke me up. I always knew my actions and thoughts were wrong — not just because someone or something told me so, but mainly because my heart knew it to be true. The point is, I chose to reject that lifestyle, despite the fact that so many would like to say that it is in my genes.

So is homosexuality or any other non-hetero sexual lifestyle a choice? Yes! No matter what you may think, you always have a choice. Even if your "sexual identity" (speaking about homosexuality, bisexuality, transgender, etc) is in your genes, you still have a choice to either embrace what you call your built-in sexual identity or to reject it and live for God rather than living for what you desire and feel.