lgbtq+ resources

the “clobber passages” in context

genesis 19 - the story of sodom and gomorrah. interpreted as God’s judgement on same-sex relations, and yet the story is talking specifically about gang rape, not a loving, monogamous same-sex relationship. ezekiel 16:49 speaks of the sin of sodom as a lack of hospitality, not same-sex relations.

leviticus 18:22 - “do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.” (niv)  

leviticus 20:13 - “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.” (niv)

what is important about the translation of these two particular verses is that in the original hebrew text, the word ‘man’ should be translated as ‘young boy,’ not as man or ‘homosexual’ or using the term ‘homosexuality.’  in fact, the word ‘homosexual’ doesn’t appear in the bible until 1946, and even then, the correct translation, or meaning of the word (whether its in hebrew or greek), is about sexual relations of older men with young boys (i.e. ‘boy molesters’). this word is not homosexual, as we define the word today.  

romans 1:26-27 -  “because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. in the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.” (niv)

in the context of this passage, the ancient world, paul was writing about people who turned to idols and were given over to vices, lusts. this type of male-male sexual relations between masters and slaves was not uncommon. again, here, we see no evidence of love, commitment, or faithfulness between two committed same-sex people. 

1 corinthians 6:9 - “or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men.” (niv)

1 timothy 1:10 - “for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine.” (niv);

when one is able to look at the greek words in context, malakoi and arsenokoitai, malakoi can also be translated as one who is licentious, or promiscuous. arsenokoitai which breaks down to translate to “male” and “bed” is unclear in its translation because of it being a compound word. prior to the mid-20th century these words were not used to represent homosexuality, but rather “abusers of themselves with mankind” or “those who abuse themselves with men.” here we see again, no mention of loving, monogamous, same-sex relationships. 

excerpts taken from: God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships, by Matthew Vines and Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays vs. Christians Debate, by Justin Lee.

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