From: davephx@primenet.com (Dave Hutchison)
Newsgroups: alt.christnet,alt.parents-teens,alt.2600,alt.test,alt.law.enforcement,rec.drugs.cannabis,rec.nude,soc.motss,alt.personals.bi,alt.religion.scientology,alt.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Is it ok with god if I am gay??
Date: 10 Dec 1995 16:36:22 -0700

Traditional Church teaching falsely misuses the Bible to judge the
homosexual lifestyle. True Biblical theology begins not with Church
tradition and dogma but with the biblical texts themselves. Biblical
theology seeks to understand how the biblical authors expressed themselves
in the Koine Greek of the time (not expanded by later modern Greek
meanings), in terms of their culture.  Only with this understanding is it
legitimate to define biblical sexual ethics of the NT and find implications
for today.

There are only 4 scriptures that are taken to say anything about
homosexuality; the Leviticus laws, I Cor 6:9, Romans 1:26-27, and the story
of Sodom and Gomorrah - and none address loving, consenting homosexual acts
as we know them today, but rather the terrible unnatural, heterosexual acts
of pederasty.

The unclean acts of Leviticus makes no statement about the morality of
homosexual acts as such.  In today's society similar unclean acts might
include picking ones nose, burping or passing gas. In Hebrew times wearing
polyester, or eating shellfish  would have been just as much an abomination
as men laying with men. The law is no longer in effect and its purpose was
to show that man could never follow it.  The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah,
have nothing to do with homosexuality.

I Cor 6:9, no way refers to homosexuality.  The original Greek word often
quoted as sexual immorality, Paul used was "porneia" which means "a harlot
for hire". In Corinth in the temples of Venus, the principal deity of
Corinth, where Christians went to worship, a thousand public prostitutes
were kept at public expense to glorify and act as surrogates for the
fertility Gods.  This sex with the pagan Gods is what Paul was talking
about - fornication is an admitted mistranslation and has nothing to do
with gays or singles sex. This rendering reflected the bias of the
translators rather than an accurate translation of Paul's words to a
culture of 2000 years ago worshipping pagan sex gods. I can also show the
errors of effeminate or homosexual reference in this verse.

Romans 1:26-27 mentions homosexual acts performed by people who are clearly
heterosexual.  The men in the NT patriarchal culture exerted dominance not
only over women, but over younger males as well.  The Greco-Roman practice
of pederasty was widespread and openly accepted. This was a bisexual
practice. The nature of homosexual acts in the Bible are so very different
from what we know as homosexuality today that the passages have no
application to today's homosexuality. Such practices as in NT times simply
no longer exist.

I can post more info on each of the passages. The condemnation of
homosexual love is one of the biggest lies and injustices of religion
making a living hell for many wonderful people whose only  sin  is simply
to be who God created them to be. The false teachings are the abomination,
not homosexuality. I have no personal agenda since I happened to be born
very heterosexual.

How does the Bible address Homosexuality when the word didn't even exist
until 1869? The word  first appeared in Germany to describe the theory that
from birth some people are predisposed toward persons of the same sex.

Since the biblical languages (ancient Hebrew and Greek) had no words for
sexuality, heterosexual or homosexual, it is anachronistic and misleading
when homosexual is used to translate some biblical expression.

It is wrong to proclaim the biblical view of homosexuality since there is
none.  This violates the integrity of the individual texts and the biblical
witness as a whole.  Each reference or allusion to what is today
homosexuality must be read in the light of the particular literary,
cultural, and historic contexts of any particular passage.

A survey of the few passages that have been falsely translated as having to
do with homosexuality show their passage are addressing either the terrible
acts of pederasty or, cultic prostitution and have absolutely nothing to
say about homosexuality as we know it today.

To claim the scriptures say a word about "homosexuality" is a total lie and
abomination, not today's homosexuals who are simply created by God with
this natural sexual orientation that is no where addressed in scripture.

If Jesus ever said anything about homosexuality, it is not recorded in the
Bible, even mistranslated.  He did, however, speak extensively on God's
unconditional love. Yet instead of dwelling on biblical love, Christians
have historically been more concerned with obscure passages of Levitical
cleanliness codes and Paul's misunderstood comments in Romans. Instead of
focusing on the incredible injustice and hatred demonstrated by Christians
and others, tying to deny homosexuals even basic civil rights, people
appear more concerned with the specific homosexual acts between consenting
adults who are naturally have a homosexual orientation.  As James B. Nelson
notes, the Bible more clearly advocates a "love ethic" rather than a "sex
ethic."

Note: Why I am totally supportive of Christian homosexuality, I happen to be
extremely heterosexual. I can't help it, that's how I was born. I hardly
like hugging men!  Liberated Christians in our newsletters and Fellowship
Groups does not deal with homosexual issues, but rather loving,
women-centered intimacy and Christian sexuality for heterosexual couples and
women.  I say this to avoid all the wonderful gays and lesbians wanting our
info thinking we are homosexual oriented due to my support.

Dave, Liberated Christians, Phoenix Az
Teaching Positive Intimacy and Women Centered Sexuality
Exposing False Traditional Biblical Teachings
For Free Info request from davephx@primenet.com
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