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Getting Real : Speak your peace
Follow up on Gay & Christianity | from Random - Tuesday, September 13, 2005
accessed 1223 times In our Judeo-Christian society, the documents collectively known as the Bible serve as the primary guide on most issues. It is interesting that many Christians take literally the references to homosexual acts, while interpreting other text with great flexibility. One person reported listening to a nationally-known woman speak in her campaign against homosexuality. She spent quite a bit of time quoting impressively from Leviticus. The listener accepted much of what the speaker said until he realized that, by Levitical standards, the crusader herself had broken many biblical laws – she spoke in church (1 Corinthians 14:34), she taught men (1 Timothy 2:12), she was wearing a dress made of cotton and polyester (Deuteronomy 22:11), and others of which he was probably unaware.
What does the Bible really say about homosexuality? Actually, very little. Most significantly, Jesus said nothing at all. Considering the relatively small amount of attention the Bible pays to the subject, we must The Sodom Story
A chief text used to condemn homosexuality is the Sodom story (Genesis 19:1-29), often interpreted as showing God's abhorrence of homosexuality. In the story, two angels, in the form of men, are sent to the home of Lot in Sodom. While they are there, the men of the city “both young and old, surrounded the house - everyone without exception” and demanded that the visitors be brought out “so that we might know them.” (Genesis 19: 4-5) Lot begged the men to leave his guests alone and take his daughters instead. The men of the city became angry and stormed the door. As a result, they were all struck blind by the angels.
There are several problems with the traditional interpretation of this passage. Whether or not the intent of the men of Sodom was sexual, the inhospitality and injustice coming from the mob, and that generally characterized the community, were “the sin of Sodom.” (Ezekial 16:49-50, Isaiah 13:19, Jeremiah 49:18; 50:40) Jesus himself refers to the inhospitality of Sodom. (Luke 10:10-13) If the men were indeed homosexuals, then why would Lot offer them his daughters? What is threatened here is rape. The significant point, then, is that all rape is considered horrible by God. The story deserves another reading.
It should be noted that not all of the men of Sodom could have been homosexual or there would have been no need to destroy them. If they had all been homosexuals, they would have all died off leaving no heirs. Quite likely, they were a mixed group of evil men attempting to be abusive to people who were different. Ironically, lesbian and gay people are often the victim of that same sin.
Although the traditional interpretation of the Sodom story fails as an argument against homosexuality, there are several other Old Testament passages that do condemn homosexual acts. Again, it should be noted that these passages do not deal with same-sex orientation nor is there any reference to genital love between lesbian or gay persons.
If they are excluded from the life of the Christian community, who, then, will tell them of God's inclusive love and of Jesus' reconciling death? Are they left to assume that God is so narrow-minded as to exclude them for something over which they have no control and for a choice they did not make? When will the Church finally be brave enough to say with Paul, “in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male or female,” gay or straight? God has enough love for all! |
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Reader's comments on this article Add a new comment on this article |  from areukiddingme?
Saturday, December 01, 2007 - 18:54
 (Agree/Disagree?)
Are u kidding? Of course the intention was rape. They were angels sent from the LORD. Lot feared the Lord and reveared the angels above his own flesh and blood. He offered his daughters who were virgins to be raped to appease the men of Sodom in order that the angels sent from GOD were not harmed. You just refuse to get it to make your own point.
Your argument that if all the men were homosexual they would die off is also twisted to make your own point. In my life I know MANY homosexual men and women. NEVER have I met one who denied ever having sex with a member of the opposite sex. I myself have had sex with a woman just out of curiosity. I've also had sex with men who claimed to be gay - in fact even was proposed to by one. I have had anal sex so in that respect I have been sodomized. I only mention that so you will know that I am no saint nor feel holier than thou. I once had landlords who were lesbian who had twelve children between them. Humans are just sexual beings. Perhaps you never have had sex with a member of the oposite sex but I assure you that you are the exception and not the rule.
I had this conversation with a gay man who has been my dear friend for over twenty years. I will tell you here what I told him. I do not believe that the Lord hates gay people. The Lord hates DEATH. Most all the biblical laws of Leviticus that you use in your argument have health and hygene logic behind them. Beastiality and sodomy are the CAUSE of AIDS. AIDS resulted in a world-wide epidemic. I personally don't think God cares who you love or prefer to have sex with. God cares that you do not spread death. There were no condoms at the time. This was a law meant to preserve LIFE.
We have innocent children all around the world being born every minute of every day with a death sentence for no crime they ever committed. They were born that way because a MAN with AIDS HAD SEX WITH A WOMAN with no regard for here life or the life of the child they created. Get your head out of your ASS and stop crying about the wrongs that have been done to you and look at the wrongs that have been done to innocent victims by so called "GAY" men who sleep with WOMEN and have caused a plague of death that could have never been if it were not for sodomy.
Educated christian know that the purpose of those old testiment laws you mention were for health and hygene. Since then, many of the dangers (for example eating pork) have been addressed. Watch out who you get your spiritual education from. I can tell you know your bible literally but I see that you are using it to argue and not to seek your own salvation. Any parent who LOVES their child makes "laws" to protect them from harm - not to have something to condemn them for. There are many who preach who teach hate and condemnation, don't fool yourself into thinking you can not be one of them. These are people who do not see God as a loving Father who wanted to protect the children he LOVES from DEATH and self distruction. Look at the KKK - a breading ground for hatred and death, even they use the bible to support their mantra of superiority. Examine closely anyone who teaches hatred. Are they truly doing GODS work or are they really doing the work of the fallen angel?
Please take care, be kind to yourself and forgiving of others ignorance. Be cautious of who you put your faith in. The word of God is not contradictory, it's mans USE of it that can warp its meaning. Fortunately we have access to it and in studying it we never loose sight of the truth that God is constant and God loves us and wants ETERNAL LIFE for us. God hates DEATH, not homosexuality.
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| | | | | | | from sar
Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 01:56
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If there is no male nor female can there be gays and straights? What would two hermaphradites having sex together be called?
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| from Gabor
Wednesday, September 14, 2005 - 01:16
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Are you a gay? :))
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| | | | from setherial
Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 15:52
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Who cares what the bible says? God kills guys that pull out before they cum, strikes down dead a guy who donates some money...but not enough, and mummifies a woman in salt for looking over her shoulder. And now gods gay too?? who cares...
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| from Lance
Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 11:45
(Agree/Disagree?)
Or you could just be an Atheist like myself and count the whole bible as nonsense. Kind of like killing two birds with one stone.
Nevertheless, I did find your article insightful. Way to go!
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