Article written by Pastor John Maddox
09/14/2017
__________________________________________________________________________________
A question I am asked many times a day. Perhaps this will
help. Please read all the way through...
Scriptures Used Against Homosexuality
There are eight verses in the Bible that deal directly with homosexuality. Or,
rather, there are eight verses in the Bible that people have historically used
to defend their belief that homosexuality is a sin.
Four are found in the Old Testament (Genesis 19:1-5, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus20:13, Deuteronomy 23:17), and four in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Timothy 1:9-10, Romans 1:21-31 and Jude 1:6-7.)
Genesis 19:1-5 is the story of male-male rape of strangers, who were not welcomed by a town called Sodom
Leviticus 18:22 declared homosexuality an abomination. Also declared an abomination in the Bible are unequal weights and measures (Proverbs 20:10), incense (Isaiah 1:13 {click the Link and read how much GOD HATES RELIGION}), and seafood (Leviticus 11:10.)
GOD HATES RELIGION
GOD HATES CHILDREN BEING USED FOR SEX
Deuteronomy 23:17 {click and read to learn this referring to TEMPLE PROSTITUTION, not HOMOSEXUAL love} warns against being like someone from the town of Sodom.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 {here again click to learn this is talking about those who ABUSE SEX as in PROSTITUTION} says that neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor
thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall
inherit the kingdom of God.
GOD DOES NOT APPROVE OF TEMPLE PROSTITUTION
1 Timothy 1:9-10 talks about the fact that the laws are made for a host of
sinners, among them the lawless and disobedient, the ungodly, the unholy and
profane, murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, man-slayers,
whoremongers, those that defile themselves with mankind, menstealers, liars,
and perjured persons (whew.)
Romans 1:21-31 { click to learn that these people were devoid of GOD and LOVE} tells of sinners who rejected God for pagan worship, defiling
themselves in a host of ways, including sexual-men with men, and women with
women.
GOD does NOT APPROVE of FALLEN ANGELS and MANKIND
who TURNS their BACK ON GOD
who TURNS their BACK ON GOD
And finally, Jude 1:6-7 {click to learn this is about DISOBEDIENT ANGELS who abandoned GOD and people in cities that abandoned GOD} again speaks of the wickedness and damnation of Sodom and Gomorrah, a city overrun with all kinds of immorality. Confused yet? I don't blame ya.
Maybe this will help:
“This position could not simply be read out of any one biblical text...it could
not be lifted directly from the page. Rather, it needed patient reflection on
the entirety of the Scriptures; it required expert knowledge of historical
circumstances of [redacted] ancient Near Eastern and Roman systems as well as
of the actually existing conditions in the [redacted] states; and it demanded
that sophisticated interpretative practice replace a commonsensical literal
approach to the sacred text.”
Wondering what those redacted words were? Slave and slavery. That’s right, this
statement isn’t about homosexuality at all. It was made by Mark Noll in his
book, The Civil War as a Theological Crisis , referencing the 1800’s debate
among Christians about abolition.
Does his argument look familiar?
Then, like now, the majority of Christians were sure that the Bible was clear. Slavery was Biblical. Abolition was not just morally, but biblically wrong. The Bible was repeatedly used by anti-abolitionists as a reason to uphold slavery.
Obviously, that belief changed. After slavery was defeated, Christians began to realize that the verses they thought proved that slavery was biblical, actually pointed to something else. Something cultural, or allegorical. Something that was never intended to be used for oppression.
Take time to LEARN the TRUTH'S in GOD'S WORD and
NOT MANKIND'S interpretations
How Should We View These Biblical Warnings Against Homosexuality?
Understanding this, how then should we view those eight verses above that mention homosexuality?
We should view them through a cultural, historical, and allegorical lens. When reading them, we should never forget that these verses are part of a whole, complete book.
If we view these verses that way, we can see things that might not have been clear before.
Like the fact that male-male rape, which the Bible forbids multiple times, is not the same thing as a same-sex relationship.
We might see that the Greek words used in 1 Corinthians and Timothy verses that mention homosexuality, actually translate to “prostitute.” As in the male prostitutes that Paul forbid temple worshipers to visit.
We might see that, according to Ezekiel, the sin of Sodom (the city that was destroyed because God detested it so much) was not homosexuality. It was being, “helping the poor and needy.”
If we view these verses above through this cultural, historical, and
allegorical lens, we might realize that the verses we are using to justify
anti-gay laws have nothing to do with modern consenting homosexual
relationships today.
Homosexuality is not a sin.
Highlighted inserts and images provided by Rainbow Pastor David
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.