Why Being Gay Isn’t Against The Bible
Far too often we hear the Christian right use the bible as justification for their bigotry. Who knows where they get this stuff though, because the bible actually speaks out against bigotry in any way. Not only that, but there is no clear admonition of homosexuality anywhere in either the Old or the New Testaments.
The biblical scriptures most often used to argue against homosexuality have been horribly and repeatedly misinterpreted, according to more than a few theologians and biblical scholars. How about we dissect the scriptural excuses for homophobia one by one? The part of the creation story most used to justify homophobia seems to be the part about it being “natural” for man and woman to come together and make babies. That apparently passes for justification — God says make babies, and gay couples can’t do it, therefore, they are unnatural right? Well. What about couples that are infertile? Are they unnatural? What about people who simply choose not to have kids? Are they unnatural? One really has no choice given the other possibilities but to take that line to mean “hey, sex is okay! It is natural to enjoy it, and to want it!”With Sodom and Gomorrah God wasn’t mad about them being gay, God was mad because of their arrogance, and because they didn’t share their wealth with the poor, but chose to hoard it all away (Republicans, anyone?) Ezekial 16:48-49 states that incredibly clearly.
As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done. (48) Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.(49)
Nowhere in the bible does it actually use the term Sodomite to refer to anyone other than people from Sodom. You wouldn’t call everyone who says “Eh?” a Canadian, would you?
And the passages in Leviticus that shun homosexuality? Calling it an abomination? The actual hebrew word used is TO’EBAH. It doesn’t mean the same thing as abomination does in English — it isn’t a law, it’s used to describe something that non-Jews did that Jews thought was displeasing to God. It means ritually improper, not abomination. It isn’t a quote from God, it isn’t his law or his rules, it is what a bunch of people way back decided might probably not be cool in God’s eyes. TO’EBAH doesn’t refer to things like rape, or murder being evil, or the ten commandments — not cold hard law, but closer to “you should probably wash your dishes before they get moldy.”
Then Jesus showed up and said “all those rules? pfft. They don’t apply to Christians,” Though I’m sure he said it in a much nicer and more Jesus-y way. When Jesus says all those rules, he doesn’t mean “just the ones about selling your daughter into slavery and wearing mixed fibers” he means, ALL of those rules. As in, don’t pick and choose.
Keep in mind also, that back then things like STIs still existed, but we didn’t have things like latex condoms to protect us from it. So the TO’EBAH made sense — thousands of years ago. Not anymore. Just like we don’t need rules telling us how to sell our daughters into slavery.
The rule is actually based on pre-science. Back then, scholars believed that the whole of life was in semen (preformationism? Really?) As in, the baby was IN the sperm (a homunculus!), and the woman was just an incubator. So if a guy masturbated, or withdrew before ejaculating in his wife, he was killing a baby, not just a bunch of non-sentient haploid cells. When you’ve got a teeny tiny tribe of Jews trying really hard to populate a large space, that was a REALLY big deal.
Romans 1:26-27 has also been used to justify homophobia. Just for clarification, it was written by Paul, and is not the direct word of Jesus or God. Now, the word “unnatural” is used here again in reference to sexuality. To really understand the context of this word, you have to take into account what Paul was doing at the time — he was writing a letter to Rome after being a missionary to the Mediterranean where he saw a bunch of pagan temples with a bunch of really weird habits.
First we have to agree that sexuality is a gift given to us from God. I’m not talking about specific sexual orientations, but the fact that God made sex feel really, really good as a treat for us (to oversimplify). He gave us either penises or vaginas, and he made it all mix together in a mishmash of really, really happy for a few minutes. No? The point however is that we shouldn’t let our sex lives take control of the rest of our lives. Meaning, don’t shirk responsibilities so you can get it on with your baby’s daddy. Feed your kid, clean your house, and go to work already!
So, when Paul was busy preaching the word of God to all these pagans back then, he saw that they had some really weird sexual habits. Like castration and humping children and bestiality in an attempt to please the gods of love and sex.
And that is what he meant by unnatural. God gave men testicles so they could ejaculate. And because they’re fun. He didn’t give them to guys so they could cut them off. He didn’t give your little girls vaginas so you can tag team them. He sure as heck didn’t give you kids so you can abuse them. You aren’t exactly supposed to be having sex with animals either — that’s just plain animal cruelty, and well, disgusting. Sex is supposed to be an enjoyable experience for both (or all, if that is what floats your boat) parties involved, and not a weapon used to hurt people.
As for the last places homosexuality is mentioned anywhere in the bible (1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10), it comes down to the mistranslation of a word no one really knows the meaning of. It’s an old greek word “Arsenokoitai.” Personally, I think it sounds like a cocktail. It wasn’t until 1958 when some dude just randomly decided with no basis whatsoever that it meant gay people. Seriously. We are talking Greek scholars who study old Greek for a living throwing their hands up and going “I have no idea what it means, maybe it’s a typo?” and some random dude decides it means gay people. Since the true meaning of the word is unknown, it becomes obvious that someone was inserting their own bias into the bible. Which, by the way, is a big no no (Revelations 20:18-19 18 – For I testify to every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add to these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book 19 – And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.)
If Paul had meant homosexuality as it was known in those times, he would have used the word paiderasste, which means pederasty — those of us with critical thinking skills recognize the difference. Homosexuality, as we know it, did not exist in those times. There were no loving, committed relationships between two men or two women — at least not publicly. Instead, people engaged in pederasty — as in big man raping little boy. There are precious few people who would ever condone that sort of thing — it is abuse, plain and simple, and neither God, nor Jesus, nor anyone with any scruples whatsoever would ever condone sexual abuse.
It is nothing short of distressing that so many people have been misled into believing that God hates people because of their sexual orientations. Especially sad is the fact that the arsenokoitai mistranslation actually comes from the letters Paul was writing in an attempt to get Christians in Ephesus and Corinth to stop bickering — this letter of unity, has been corrupted and turn into a message of hate by unscrupulous bigots who have made a business off of manipulating people, turning them into a personal army in an attempt to satiate someone’s greed.
Besides, God told us to love everyone and not judge. By saying homosexuality is immoral, you are passing judgement. God teaches us to be good people, and follow the moral outline he alone sets for us. Our relationship with him is personal, and so is our morality. Meaning, one should never impose their morality on others. The scripture’s all there:
Matthew 7:1-2(1) Judge not, that you be judged, (2) For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Luke 6:35-38(35) But love you your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. (36) Be you therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. (37) Judge not, and you shall not be judged: condemn not, and you shall not be condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven: (38) Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete with it shall be measured to you again.
Kinda makes you wonder how Christian Pat Robertson actually is, doesn’t it?
Related posts:
Author: Ayla Ryan
I am awesome. That is all.
10:05 am
Has anyone realized that these books of the Bible that supposedly point toward “Thou shall not be gay” are written by Paul, not God. Humans make errors and pass judgments of their own accord. Could Paul have been homophobic? Most likely, yes. Is Paul right in writing this? In Paul’s mind the answer is yes. Is this God’s word? No!
I’d like to add that Paul himself wasn’t all that righteous as you might believe. He actually was a large part in having Saint Stephen stoned to death in his time.
11:29 am
I originally received a link to this article from my friend George. He asked me to respond to him. He then forwarded it to you. Below I have posted my original e-mail response, your (Ayla) response, and now my follow-up at the bottom:
George,
Well, this article has so many holes, it’s difficult to know where to even begin.
Basically, Ayla has never really read the Bible or even consulted with a Bible scholar. Instead, her belief (which is stated from the outset) is that Christians are homophobic bigots. What’s even worse is that she then tries to explain away 5,000 years of Judeo-Christian belief as a misinterpretation of scripture and alleges that Christians (and Jews too I suppose) are Biblically ignorant.
Her argument is this: “The Bible never actually condemns homosexuality or same-sex marriage.” Here are a few passages to consider:
1. Leviticus 18:22: “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.
2. Leviticus 20:13: “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.’”
By the way: both #’s 1 & 2 have double quotation marks because they are preceeded by this phrase: “And the LORD said to Moses…” God said it Himself.
3. Deuteronomy 23:17-18: No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute. You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute [sodomite] into the house of the Lord your God to pay any vow, because the Lord your God detests them both.
4. 1 Kings 14:24: and there were also sodomites in the land: they did according to all the abominations of the nations which Jehovah drove out before the children of Israel.
5. 1 Kings 22:46: And from the land he [Jehoshaphat] exterminated the remnant of the male cult prostitutes (lit. sodomites) who remained in the days of his father Asa.
Back to Sodom and Gomorrah for a minute…
Anyone who takes the time to read Genesis 18-19 will notice it is SO clear that God wasn’t angry simply about the Sodomites lack of charity for the poor. In verses 20-21 are the following words:
Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”
So God sent 2 angels to get Lot and his family out of the city. While they are in Lot’s house, the men of Sodom asked Lot to send the men out so they could have sex with them. Lot refused and said “Do not do this wicked thing!” (verse 7). But the crowd persisted and the angels struck the men with blindness (verse 11) and then said: we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it. (verse 13)
Anyone who simply reads the account of Sodom in Genesis 18 & 19 can tell that the men of Sodom were condemned for homosexuality.
Honestly, there are so many more Old Testament verses about sodomy and homosexuality that I don’t have time to name them all.
The author of the article also dismissed Paul’s writing about homosexuality in Romans 1 in the New Testament with no small amount of tap dancing. She essentially said that Paul was not speaking God’s Word but simply giving his own advice. However, Paul believed the Old Testament which clearly condemned homosexuality. Romans chapter 1 is Paul’s explanation of why people practice it and calls them “depraved” because “their consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” Clearly this is God’s Word on the matter!
6. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10: Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.
7. Jude 7: just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
8. Revelation 22:15: Outside are the homosexuals, those involved with the occult and with drugs, the sexually immoral, murderers, idol-worshippers, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Two concluding thoughts: (1) God/The Bible clearly condemns homosexuality (gay & lesbian). (2) Just because Christians believe homosexuality is a sin, it doesn’t mean they are homophobic or bigots. Most pagans think drunk driving is wrong (sin?). Does that mean that Mothers Against Drunk Driving are alcoholic phobic? Do they hate people who drink beer? Are they intolerant bigots?
Are there people who claim to be Christians who are homophobic bigots? Yes! But it is not Jesus who commands them to be.
Here’s your (Ayla’s) response:
George, was this scholar(Toby)trained/fluent in all of the languages the Bible was originally written in, and there at the time of the King James translation? Did he read the missing chapters or know what words were lost in translation?
His source is only what he was given.
Therefore, NOBODY that is still alive is qualified to think they are right on the issue.I have provided the REAL (King James version) verses for you (that you referenced in your reply) to see there is NO reference whatsoever to the word homosexual.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
King James Version (KJV)
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Jude 1:7
King James Version (KJV)
7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Revelation 22:13-15
King James Version (KJV)
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Note that the CLOSEST thing to homosexual is the word “effeminate”
which could mean many things aside from homosexual.
Obviously the NIV versions or newer need to be cut off at the knees for spreading false witness verses. That is a sin in itself.
Here’s my follow up:
As far as my qualifications are concerned:
1. I have a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Florida State University and a 106 credit hour Master’s Degree (Master of Divinity).
2. Yes, I studied the original languages (Hebrew & Greek) at Reformed Theological Seminary (where I received my MDiv) which is an accredited seminary in Orlando. Many of my teachers graduated from Ivy League schools (Harvard, Yale, Oxford, etc). One of them, Dr. Bruce Waltke has been teaching Hebrew and Old Testament for about 50 years. He’s the one they quote in Hebrew textbooks. I was personally mentored by Dr. R. C. Sproul who has written more than 60 books and is generally regarded as the greatest living Protestant theologian. He has been called “a modern day Martin Luther”.
Additionally, one of my closest friends is John Lawton Jeffcoat III. He and his business partner Dr. Craig Lampe, own and operate Greatsite.com (the world’s largest dealer of rare and antique Bibles). They are authorities on English Bible History. Next to Marvin Rosenthal, theirs is the largest private collection of antique Biblical material. They have allowed me to personally read from many ancient Bibles. Check out their History of the English Bible at http://greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/index.html
Am I qualified yet?
3. The King James Version of the Bible is not the oldest English language Bible and not necessarily the most accurate. Anyone who says the newer versions must be disregarded because they’re not based accurately on ancient texts, needs to spend some time studying the issues.
4. Ayla you need a lesson in logic. Your argument defeats itself: “NOBODY that is still alive is qualified to think they are right on the issue.” Does that include you, Ayla? If you weren’t there in 1611 when they translated and compiled the King James Bible, what makes you authority greater than mine or anyone else’s? I’m not sure what “the REAL King James verses” is supposed to mean. You are doing exactly the same thing you accuse me of doing–repeating what you were given. I doubt you have access to the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts upon which the King James Bible was based. No one does. However, the NIV and many other modern translations are based on even older manuscripts than they used with the King James. Why are your sources better than everyone else’s?
5. FYI: The Coverdale Bible was the first complete English language Bible and was produced in 1535. Does that make it more accurate than the 1611?
6. All this arguing is really missing the point. If a person reads and studies the Bible from cover to cover (which I have done many times), there is NO WAY to conclude that “Being Gay Isn’t Against the Bible”!
7. Here’s a problem for those who would agree with your thesis: Are there ANY homosexual/lesbian relationships celebrated or blessed by God in the Bible? NO!
8. When God created a helper for Adam in Genesis 2, why did He create a woman? What did God mean in Genesis 2:24 when He said: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (KJV)? I have read it in Hebrew and it clearly distinguishes “man” and “wife”–no wiggle room for man and man, etc!
9. When divorce is discussed in both the Old and New Testaments, it is ALWAYS between a man and a woman (Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Matthew 19:6-8). Why not man and man or woman and woman? Could it be because God never blessed man on man or woman on woman marriage relationships?
10. When qualifications for elders are given in the New Testament, it says “husband of one wife” (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1). By the time of the New Testament, there were a lot of Greeks running around practicing same-sex lifestyles. So why didn’t the Apostle Paul include them if the Old Testament didn’t condemn it? I’ve read this in the original Greek and it is as clear as crystal!
11. What about Old Testament history? Was there one king in Israel’s history that was a sodomite? No! Why not?
12. What about New Testament history? Were any of the disciples sodomites? No! Were any of the leaders of the New Testament church gay/lesbian? No! Why not?
13. The argument you make is essentially, “Since the word ‘homosexual’ is not in the Bible, the Bible can’t be against it.” However, the behavior is all over the place and it’s always condemned–never celebrated. I noticed you didn’t respond to any of the verses that describe homosexual behavior (e.g. 1 Kings 15:12, 1 Kings 22:46, both in King James say “sodomites” were driven out of the Israel–why driven out? Why weren’t they included?).
14. Ayla, I wish you and people who think Sodom was condemned for something “worse” than sodomy, would actually read Genesis 18-19. The story and context is so clear, you have to make yourself not see it!
Bottom Line: Ayla, I doubt people who believe as you do, arrived at your beliefs through a rigorous spiritual life of devotion, Bible study, prayer, and seeking after God. Did you arrive at a conviction about sexuality and then measure the Bible and Christians against what you had already decided?
People who say “Christians [mis]use the Bible to justify their bigotry” don’t care what the Bible says. They don’t believe it. And that’s the point–faith.
Ayla, One question I’d love you to answer: If God clearly spoke–either through the Bible or with a booming voice from the sky–and said “Thou shalt not have same-sex marriage”, would you have the humility to respond “Thy will be done.”?
11:40 pm
Now, you want to discuss semantics? Try these two.. “mot yumatu” These are the kicker words…translated above from the Hebrew. “They will surely die” It’s actually a “double positive”, as both words refer to death. However, this is where it gets weird. I did a lot of research on this about 40 years ago. In the King James bible (then, has changed), these two words were translated “they will be killed”, while in every other version of the Bible (where it has been condensed from the Hebrew and added to the new testament.) it reads “they shall be put to death” THREE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TRANSLATIONS OF THE SAME TWO WORDS.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_bibh3.htm/
11:30 pm
Ayla, you would benefit greatly from additional theological study. This treatise is full of so many misconceptions it’s hard to know where to start.
“It means ritually improper, not abomination. It isn’t a quote from God, it isn’t his law or his rules, it is what a bunch of people way back decided might probably not be cool in God’s eyes. ”
What are you thinking here? Leviticus is ALL A DIRECT QUOTE FROM GOD. Unlike much of the rest of the old testament, Leviticus is offered as a RECORDING of God’s word. Moreover, of ALL of the places in the Bible where man has claimed an audience with the Almighty, the presentation of these laws by God in Leviticus was witnessed by BOTH Moses and his son Aaron. It is the ONLY PLACE IN THE BIBLE WHERE THERE WERE TWO, as witness…
Leviticus 20:13 reads in hebrew “V’ish asher yishkav et zachar mishk’vei ishah to’evah asu shneihem mot yumatu d’meihem bam”. In English it translates:
V’ish — And male
asher — Who
yishkav- lie down
et — with
zachar- male
mishk’vei (mishk’av)- Beds/lyings
ishah- woman/wife
to’evah- abomination/abhorrent/ritually unclean
asu- Do
shneihem- both of them
mot- dying
yumatu- they will die
d’meihem- their blood (or blood of them)
bam- on them (or them)
“TO’EBAH doesn’t refer to things like rape, or murder being evil, or the ten commandments — not cold hard law, but closer to “you should probably wash your dishes before they get moldy.”
That is simply untrue. To’ebah is in Leviticus many times, including incest and bestiality. http://skipmoen.com/tag/toevah/
It DOES mean abomination, abhorrence, etc., though it is only applied to Israelites…
“Then Jesus showed up and said “all those rules? pfft. They don’t apply to Christians,” ”
This one you simply made up. Jesus said no such thing. Jesus was a RABBI…He held the old testament as the word of the Our Father. The DISCIPLES took the focus off the old testament.