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Homosexuality & The Bible
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Does the Bible Really Say "Thou Shall not be Gay?"
An Article By Ryan Clinite at age 17
 
I am not a Christian, but I do have contact with many Christians, including my parents.  I think sexual conduct should not be regulated by religion, government, or any other people other than the individuals that the sexual act is involving.  I am extreamly open minded, but for the purpose of this article I must fight my case restricted solely to the Christian Bible.  This article was a project for me to be able to defend my beliefs about sex and orientation to these individuals in debate with them.  Before we start the Bible gives its own warning about making the wrong conclusions do to improper interpretation of scripture -
2 Peter 3:16- As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Before you read on in the article I ask that whatever your preconception of this topic is that you leave it behind and look at the facts and viewpoints I will show you. Then you will see more clearly, and even if you do not agree when finished you will at least have a larger ranger of understanding on this topic.

Now to the question at hand. Does the Bible Condemn Homosexuality?
The Anti-Gay Christian organizations often use this verse to prove their points.
(two more are discussed in the “Clobber Verses” part of this article)
Romans 1: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was met.

To explain how easily this verse can be misunderstood, I will have to do it in sections. Even I did not understand how this verse could not be damming homosexuality at first, but then I figured it out.

This is the verse that the anti-gay Christian groups have brought against homosexuals since the topic became a real issue. At first look it seems very dooming for homosexuals. But take another read of it before you continue. The first part you must look at is right after the first comma, “leaving the natural use of the woman." It seems to say that being gay is unnatural, and therefore infers it to be inappropriate. But think of it in context for a moment. At the time, anything other than a heterosexual couple would have been looked on as unnatural, because that was all they knew. The natural use of the woman was childbirth. Sex in those days was looked on as simply a way of baring children. It was not as “recreational", to use the term, as it is thought of as today. But I'm not done with this part yet. I submit that in the case of this verse, Paul was talking about heterosexual men, who out of a desire for sex in any form they could find it, found satisfaction also from men. That would explain how it could be deemed as unnatural.

We know, from homosexual people today, that is it natural for them to desire members of the same sex. This is fact. It is not something that we can in any way, shape or form deny. Gay men are attracted to other men, and Lesbian women are attracted to other women, and it is natural for them!

Now, taking the verse to the next part it said that they “burned in their lust one toward another The term "lust"‚ must mean that this was obviously not a committed loving type of homosexual relationship. It was purely physical and nothing more. Common, random sex, even today, is looked down upon by many, both heterosexual and homosexual. The term that is used in the verse, lust, means no real emotion. It does not refer to a relationship in which true feeling and connection is shared. It is referring to the physical act of sex, simply for the pleasure that comes with it.

Now the ending of the verse -“men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. It seems to pronounce a curse on homosexuals, or does it? Receiving in themselves that recompense for their error can simply be described as the punishment from God for having sex outside of a caring relationship. Again let me remind you, the nature of the sexual acts described here are not the type you would find in a homosexual union. Yes, today there are many gay people who go to bars nightly and pick up partner after partner each time they go, but there are just as many straight people that do that as there are gay people. This verse, when looked at in context does not downplay homosexuality as a whole, just when it is used improperly, just as it would when heterosexual sex is used improperly.

Gen:19:5- And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

The common misconception that the Bible speaks out against the idea of homosexuality is purely based on how badly you want the Bible to say that homosexuality is wrong. The common text that is used to bring a claim to this is found in Gen. 19: 5. It is the classic scene when the two angels safe in Lots house are being threatened by the people of the city. The line in which it says “that we may know them" is proof of a sexual desire, to most eyes. It's debateable, but lets just say for now that it is. The people of the two doomed cities were very likely homosexual, bi-sexual, and heterosexual people. The main thought in this text is not really about homosexuality though. It is the fact that these people were out to rape the two men that had taken safety within the walls of Lots house. Now, heterosexual rape is a constant part of society today, but do we condemn the idea of heterosexuality because of it? Obviously, of course not. These men of Sodom were, according to Biblical standards, evil and sinners. But, and I must stress this, it was not because of there sexual orientation. It was what they had chosen to do with their sexual orientation that had chosen to them becoming cursed by God. In Biblical times it was a common practice for the king of one city, after a victory over another, to rape the king of the other city. This was a sign of complete embarrassment and showed how awful the defeat of the losing king was. This applies to the idea of homosexuality only in the same way as it would if this was a heterosexual situation. The wives and families were made to be sexual slaves in many cases by a victorious king - again to show the severity of their defeat. The men in the situation with Lot were out for physical pleasure only, and also the pleasure of abusing two other people.

This in no way reflects a curse on homosexuals in general. It especially does not apply to a committed and loving two person homosexual marriage. Yes, I said Marriage. The Bible says so incredibly little on the issue of homosexuality that it is hard to believe. If it were such a terrible thing, would it have been so hard to write an 11th commandment that says “Thou shall not be gay?"

The problem with trying to interpret the Bible on this issue is that there is no real plain and clear “yes" or “no" on this subject. The idea that the word “dogs" is used to define homosexuals is purely subjective. The term dogs could have referred to any type of sin or “ungodliness," but because it is convenient to use, many pastors, priests, and what have you, use the term as a definition for homosexuality. There is no evidence or basis for this.

Now, here is a verse that I stumbled onto almost by accident one day.

The passage is in Luke 17. Start at verse 30 to get the whole context and pay special attention to verse 34.

30Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
31: In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
32: Remember Lot's wife.
33: Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
34: I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35: Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36: Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37: And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.


The idea of two men sleeping in one bed is clearly marked here. Now, some could say that this is also subjective. The idea of two men sleeping in one bed could have been something more or less common in those days. Of course we are talking about an almost primitive time, when men would often sleep together for warmth. But is this idea more or less subjective to interpretation as the idea of the word “dogs" referring to homosexuals? The very fact that two men were sleeping in one bed is an idea that is not found often in the Bible. Men would rarely sleep in one bed together. Men would be with there families correct? And the ones that were single, why would two be sleeping together, in the same house, in the same bed? The word bed may be subjective. In the Bible, the word bed could mean the place were you sleep, and simply that. In that case, why are two men sleeping that close to each other? Couldn't they be sleeping slightly farther apart into making the space between them two beds?

Now, neither of these verses alone prove that homosexuality is or is not deemed to be sin by the Bible. There will always be those who will cling to one train of thought, and always there will be those that cling to the other. The point remains though, there is no verse that says “You shall not be Gay." The fact that the Bible says so little on the subject in the first place is also something to think about. The Bible is very clear on the basics of right and wrong. It gave details and instructions on what to do in individual situations. If homosexuality was a grievous sin, and an abomination in God's eyes, would the Bible have commented on this more? Especially since homosexually, by some, is thought to be so evil in the eyes of God, wouldn’t the Bible go to the extent to which there would have been absolutely no doubt that it was wrong? The fact that the Bible does not do this leaves a great void in the search to find credibility for the whole “You shall not be gay because the Bible says so" group.  (This brings out the Sociology Major in me.)

And one more thing, if the two men in that bed were homosexuals.........well then consider this. One was taken, and that opens the door for others of the same to be take also.

Now that I have explained that the Bible in no way curses homosexuals in general, let me ask you a question, is to and pure love between two men or two women possible? Well of course is it. We know that, at least in the concept of friendships it is. Ruth and Naomi, Abraham and Lot, Joseph and Benjamin, and David and Jonathon (which is a very controversial relationship in the homosexual Christian community.) Is it so hard to conclude that those people who are homosexual can find true love with each other? I would dare say no. A marriage is a friendship first and foremost. If to friends of the same sex and love each other, even if it is not a gay relationship and not sexual, it is still a pure form of love. In the Bible it says that David and Jonathon loved each other, and it even says that David’s love for Jonathon was greater than that of his for a woman. (2 Sam. 1: 26) It is possible for homosexuals to have real, true, and pure, relationships.

Why don’t many homosexuals stay committed and have so many partners, you may ask. First of all not all gay people have many partners. There is a going number of gay men and women who do pair for life and live just as a heterosexual couple would. In the gay world the idea is not all that uncommon, it’s just not represented well enough. You can also blame the reasons on a lot of things, if you are really whiney this list could be endless, but the main reasons that I can see why many gay men and woman do not pair for life at times is the fact that there is very little precedent. There is no real guideline for how a homosexual relationship should develop and grow. Secondly, the pressures of society break many gay couples up. And thirdly, there is no legal system of homosexual marriage in this country. Legally binding to people together is a feature that helps to keep them together through hard times. It is much harder to just pick up and leave when there is a legal document hanging about your head, so in that way, it may provide time for the two people to resolve there differences, without just giving up. Gay persons do not have that safeguard.

The Clobber Verses

Leviticus 18:22 states: "Thou shall not lie with mankind as with womankind: it is abomination." We are always told to go back to the original Hebrew, so lets do so. The term abomination (to'ebah) is a religious term, usually reserved for use against idolatry; it does not mean a moral evil. The verse seems to refer to temple prostitution, which was a common practice in the rest of the Middle East at that time. Qadesh referred to male religious prostitutes. (See the discussion of Deuteronomy)



Leviticus 20:13 states: "If a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they should surely be put to death....". The passage is surrounded by prohibitions against incest, bestiality, adultery and intercourse during a woman's period. But this verse is the only one in the series which uses the religious term abomination; it seems also to be directed against temple prostitution.

It all comes down to the Hebrew word to'ebah - in English “Abomination” At the time when the King James Version of the Bible was translated, we did not know as much about the surroundings of Bible passages as we do today. If the verse was to be rewritten correctly in English, and brought up to modern day standards, it would sound similar to his - “If a man who is straight finds another man who is willing, and out of lust has sex with him, as he would with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they should surely be put to death....” Now of course the “put to death” part is not relevant today, so it could be interpreted as “has committed a moral crime.” Many people may think that the reinterpretation of the Hebrew word to'ebah is just a feeble excuse to condone homosexuality, but locally and Biblically it is the only conclusion that can be drawn.

In Summary:
· homosexual activity in the temple by male prostitutes is clearly prohibited by the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament).
· homosexual activity in general may have been prohibited at the time by the Holiness Code, but that code is no longer binding on Christians today.
· St. Paul considered at least some male and female homosexual acts to be forbidden, but it is unclear precisely which acts are included. He may have been referring to temple prostitution, or to people who are not innately gay, lesbian or bisexual engaging in homosexual acts. One should note that Paul also condemned women preaching (1 Cor 14:34) or wearing gold or pearls (1 Tim 2:11). He also accepted and did not condemn the institution of slavery. Some Christians feel that his writings are not a useful guide for ethics and morals in the 20th Century.
· Jesus made many hundreds of statements regarding belief and behavior. However He never mentioned homosexuality.
· There is one Biblical same-sex relationship reported in the Bible in a positive light. They appear to have progressed well beyond friendship. They were likely homosexual affairs, although not necessarily sexually active relationships:
+ 1 Samuel 18:1-4, 1 Samuel 20:41-42 and 2 Samuel 1:25-26 between David and Jonathan. (Some translations of the Bible distort the original Hebrew text, particularly of 1 Samuel 20)
· It is the subject of endless debate whether Paul's prohibition of at least some homosexual acts was:
+ for the people in the vicinity of the Mediterranean during the 1st Century CE, or
+ for all people, forever.
One can argue that warlike tribes surrounded the ancient Israelites. Their fertility was very important if the group was to survive. Enemies also surrounded the early Christian church. Homosexuals tend to have few children; thus their presence would be met with opposition. At the end of the 20th Century, conditions are the exact opposite; we are threatened by our excessive fertility. Perhaps Paul's criticism of homosexuality is no longer valid, like his various prohibitions against women's behavior.

IN CONCLUSION:
There is an extreme amount of prejudice and hatred directed toward gay people. In my opinion this bias has had an influence in the translations of the Bible. Words with uncertain meaning are translated as if there is no doubt that they refer to homosexuals. Words that quite obviously do not mean "homosexual" are blatantly mistranslated, as in the transformation of "male temple prostitute" into "sodomite" or "perverted one". Even the New Covenant of grace in Jesus Christ is ignored in favor of being condemnatory through the use of the Old Covenant.
It would seem to me to be a violation of the basic beliefs of "conservative" theology or "fundamentalism" to use verses or words as blanket condemnations without regard as to why the verses/words were written in the FIRST place; or without accurately reflecting the meaning of a word; or without admitting when they don't know or are unsure of the meaning of a word.
The fact of the matter is that there is no clear condemnation of people of homosexual orientation living out their lives fully expressing their orientation, sexually or otherwise, anywhere in the Scriptures. The most that can be said is that there are some verses that seem to condemn some homosexual acts under circumstances that we are not aware of. This extreme ambiguity on the part of the few Scriptures concerned, coupled with the clear proclamation of the Gospel for all people leads me to believe that gay people are affirmed by God in their orientation and in their living out that orientation.

Finally, God reminds us that no matter what our orientation is, or what our beliefs are on homosexuality, we need to remember that "God is love". (I John 4). We need to follow the law of love: "LOVE GOD, LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF, LOVE ONE ANOTHER!" The Bible is good news for all people! (Lev. 19:18, Matt 19:19, Mark 12:31, 33, Luke 10:27, John 15:12, 17, Romans 12:9-10, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8)




 

 

From Research by Ryan Clinite - 2002