Sister Amelia and Jesus Ministries™ feel that the subject of homosexuality is a somewhat jaded one. However, it is felt that an alternative biblical approach and view- point is necessary to discuss this particular facet of sexuality. Sister Amelia and Jesus Ministries™ would also like to add that this approach to homosexuality will be informative, provocative and unbiased as opposed to transparent diatribe, vacuous wit and self - righteous opinion.
Taboo: Too Queer Or Not Too
Queer
If a man also lie with mankind, as he
lieth with a woman,
both of them have committed an abomination:
they shall surely be put to death;
their blood shall be upon them. Leviticus 20:13
The Bible clearly states on numerous occasions that homosexuality
is an abomination to God, and that men and women who commit same
sex, sexual acts should be punished: killed. However, even though
Christian Fundamentalists and Christian Apologists throughout
Christendom is in holistic agreement that homosexuality is ungodly,
they still fail to live up to Biblical Standards and execute our
Lord's directives. One convenient way of getting out of the murder
clause is to claim that God hates the sin but loves the sinner thus
conveying to all and sundry that sexual abstinence is acceptable if
a person is a homosexual and a Christian. Please note that with God
there is no middle ground. It is black and white with no grey
areas. Jehovah and Jesus' message is quite clear succinct and to
the point: homosexuals must die.
But is interpreting God's holy message to humanity that simple when
it concerns homosexuality?
Firstly we need to look into Biblical History and the way of life
of nomadic Israel.
History
Historical references in the Bible indicate that Israel was a tribe
with far less women within it. Men were commanded by God on
numerous occasions to go take a wife preferably a virgin of the
enemy. When the woman was captured she was assimilated into the
tribe and adhered to the will of the Israelites Patriarchal System
not out of choice but out of duress and survival.
Because of the lack of women in the tribe and partly because sex is
something which naturally happens, homosexual acts would have been
rife within the Israeli community.
We are all too familiar with the story of Sodom told in Genesis
chapter 19, but it must be pointed out that Sodom was not just a
city which had sexually promiscuous homosexuals and heterosexuals.
It was also a 'pagan' city where varying religions had a stronghold
and true to form it wasn't long before it came to God's attention.
But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD
exceedingly. Genesis 13:13 The religions of the time and indeed
even today found homosexual sex acceptable and were a part of
fertility rites, as well as being part of normal custom.
It isn't until we reach Leviticus 18:22 that we see real immediate
effective change in the Israelites approach to acceptable social
behaviour. Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it
is abomination. Leviticus 18:22. And from there onwards the laws
concerning sexual behaviour were laid down in stone.
But did everyone apply this golden rule to his or her life?
Rapahel Patai who coincidentally has a foreword written by my
heroine Merlin Stone who wrote The Paradise Papers. He ( Patai)
writes in Chapter 8 subtitle 11: Expiatory and Purificatory Yihudim
that:
"Vital's Sha'ar Ruah haQodesh, the main source describing these
Lurianic doctrines, contains the texts and instructions of many
dozens of yihudim for the purpose of making an evil person repent,
for purifying the soul, and for atoneing such grave sins as
homosexual intercourse, sleeping with a married woman and the like.
To judge from the number of yihudim serving these purificatory
purposes, the most frequently committed sin among the jews of the
16th century Safed was homosexuality, to atone which nineteen
different yihudim are reccomended. Next to it came adultery with a
married woman, which sin is expiated by ten different yihudim."
page 197.
Reb Gershon Caudill, the Ecokosher Rebbe 2001, August
writes that:
"Like all indigenous peoples, the jews
were not overly concerned about male homosexuality, where two men
lived together in a monogamous , sexual relationship. As a rule, it
didn't get any notice. The Talmud does not record a single istance
of a person being brought before the Sanhedrin on the charge of
homosexual activity. ALl Jewish halakhic authorities agree that
nowhere in the Torah does Torah prohibit homosexual sexual acts by
women.
Cage au Follies
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan:
very pleasant hast thou been unto me:
thy love to me was wonderful,
passing the love of women. 2 Samuel 1:26
It isn't until we come across the two books of Samuel and discover
David having a love affair with another man: Jonathon. And it came
to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the
soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan
loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day, and would
let him go no more home to his father's house. Then Jonathan and
David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And
Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave
it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow,
and to his girdle. 1 Samuel 18 1-4
Never once is David condemned of his illegal sexual love affair,
nor is he put to death for it. But the same cannot be said of
Jonathon: Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he
said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I
know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion,
and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness? 1 Samuel 20:30
Jonathon later died in battle but it is this story that really begs
the question: is homosexuality wrong? Never once did God actually
condemn David for having an unIsraelite sexual fling. The only time
we are told that God is listening in on anything is when he
possesses Saul after Saul's jealousy gets the better of him.
What does Jesus Say?
The shew of their countenance doth
witness against them;
and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not.
Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
Isaiah 3:9
Interestingly enough the Bible doesn’t ever refer again to Jonathon
and David's homosexual relationship. It's poignant too that Yahweh
is notably silent on the matter which is a rarity in itself as He
has eyes at the back of His Almighty head and doesn't miss a thing
supposedly. The rest of the Bible is concerned with the deaths of
homosexuals and the giving of a clear message which indicates that
it is not acceptable to God.
However it isn't until we come to the New Testament to look at what
Jesus' views are on homosexuality and we draw a blank. Now it could
be that Jesus was too busy staging his death and preaching about
family dissolution to give homosexuals the time of day. Or it means
that he just didn't have an opinion.
So once again we have to rely on Paul's opinions and later on, that
of his disciples Peter, Timothy and John.
Once again we are told that homosexuals should die and are an
abomination to God. 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 meet. Romans 1:27 but as
already stated in Taboo: Masturbation the words of Paul are quite
questionable and become invalid. So once again we are left with the
Old Testament as real guidelines.
Summary
And there were also sodomites in the land:
and they did according to all the abominations
of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of
Israel. 1 Kings 14:24
The real clear message that the Bible gives us concerning
homosexuality is that sexuality is a crime. To be aware of
sexuality is to eat from the fruits of the tree of knowledge and
condemns the Christian to death.
Homosexuality is sexuality and sexual identity; the same is true of
heterosexuality. Sexuality is not a choice it is a way of being.
But the Old Testament, God, Paul's disciples and contemporary
Christians advocate that it is a choice, and the wrong choice to
make.
Bare in mind that Jesus never condemned the homosexual. Neither is
homosexuality mentioned in the Ten Commandments.
If Christians accept homosexuals in the Church regardless of
whether they are celibate or not, then Christians are committing a
heinous crime against God. It is one thing to say "love the sinner
but not the sin" it is quite another to carry out actual gospel
directives.
Bear in mind David and Jonathon.....
For
without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers,
and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a
lie. Revelation: 22:15
NB
The usage of dogs in the Bible means homosexuals