I am sure that we are all aware of the current debates, and of their outcomes, in regards to homosexuality and legal union. This has been a very long time coming in both the united states and the united kingdom, whereby respectively the title marrage has now been legalised as opposed to "partner" (or "Civil partner,") a term just vague enough that children wouldn't immediately understand it and the radical religious could view it in the same way they would a financial partnership, a fiscal union without contemplation of anything "ungodly".
It is with regards to this second point that I take extreme contention. It is more often than not stated that the bible is opposed to homosexuality, with specific reference given to Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. In fact these are the only two times that homosexuality is even considered in the whole of the old testament and neither of these verses are opposed to homosexuality as a whole.
Leviticus 18:22
"Do not lie with a male as one lies with a woman; it is an abhorrance"
First, please understand that this is a comandment specified for men, unless you wish to conceed that the bible assumes lesbianism. We know this from the assumption within the commandment that "one lies with a woman", please also note that it says "as one lies with a woman,". As such the next step is to read what the bible means by "as ... with a woman," and indeed there are laws on how one should sleep with ones wives (this is the old testament, poligamy, that great moral evil, is absolutely fine here) which, as good Christians and Jews, I am sure you are all following to the letter, right? Its actually very simple, if you masturbate (or are "masturbated") you must wash and not touch anyone until the evening, if you discharge (yuk, yuk yuk yuk eew yuk) anything other than semen then you must wash for seven day then present a priest with two turtledoves (I would also advise going to see a doctor... ergh *shivers). Most things are in fact acceptable so long as, and heres the kicker, you finish by ejaculating into a vagina. If you pull out and ejaculate, well that is a mortal sin punishable by death (someone should tell the pope, might change his mind on condoms). Consentual anal sex is not considered anywhere in the bible, and certainly is not deemed as part of how one lies with a woman. In fact, the defining factor, as confirmed by the Talmud (you know, that Jewish book that directly explains every line and verse in the old testament, that is older than the new testament and is also completely ignored by most christian priests), is vaginal.
It is, therefore, nearly impossible to lie with a man as one does with a woman because most men don't have vaginas. Trans-sexuality, i.e those men who do have vaginas (in reference to Female to Male transitioners not Male to Female, unless you wish to accept that vaginoplasty produces a biblically recognised vagina and because Male to Female transexuals define themselves as women, not men) and are gay, are the only people that this law applies to in practice aand they can take some comfort in that this law applies to them under the accepted male gender. In other words, to apply it you must recognise this person as a male. This is something which very very few radically religious people are willing to do.
Leviticus 20:13
"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 bloodguilt shall be upon them."
I do not wish to cover old ground other than to say that this is essentually a repetition of the above with a death sentence on the end. If you think this is a moral sentence in modern day society then by all means please do be the first to inform the mother of a gay teen that has committed suicide that he/she was carrying out gods commandment, that its a good thing... or perhaps inform some gay Aids victims that this is a manifestation of their Bloodguilt and god has sentenced them to death.
I am continually impressed by the hypocritical position the fundamentalist Christion movement fills, simultaneously proclaiming moral authority whilst at the same time doing and saying the most evil of things.
If you are extremely religious and want to know where to turn to get a perspective on homosexuality, perhaps we would be better off looking to the book of Samuel:
Samuel 1:26
"I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother;
you were very dear to me.
Your love for me was wonderful,
more wonderful than that of women"
These are the words of king David, a prophet, proclaiming that he preferred the love of Jonathan, a man, than that of women. He is also very much seen as a good guy, by most, in religious terms.
I know its not much, and I know its pretty brief, but its there, and moreover it pre-dates the book of Leviticus by about 400 years. If god (and here im talking about the clearly fictional character in the books) truely was as opposed to homosexuality as is often made out... well why did he choose to speak through one as a prophet? Why not speak through an advisor or another piece of burning foliage? and why not condemn David instead of glorifying him? It doesn't fit to then, 400 years later, suddenly realised the evils of male with male relationships and forbid them with the penalty of death.
I shall end with the story of Soddem and Gomorrah:
Genesis 19:4-9 "Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. {5} And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.”
{6} So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, {7} and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly! {8} See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.”
{9} And they said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door. "
It is from this story that the word "sodomy" comes. Let me be clear that everyone, save the most depraved, is opposed to sodomy. It is evil, sadistic and very much illegal in all countries in the world. For those who have not figured out yet, sodomy is male on male rape. It is un-consensual rape and like all rape, it is a mortal sin in the bible. As this is a comdemnation of rape, and not consentual anal sex, it really serves no purpose in the Gay debate, as everyone is in agreement that rape is bad.
There is one other instance where homosexuality is apparently mentioned and this is in Romans... however the passage is so vague that I cannot decipher where it relates to homosexuality and it is not deemed godly scripture as it was, supposedly, written by Saint Peter. As such its lack of inclusion is two fold, one is that I have limited this post to Jewish scripture, I.e The old testament or Torah, and two is that it is very very long and exceptionally ambiguous. Aside from this, there is no mention of homosexuality at all in the new testament.
Thus I think the point has been shown that homosexuality is not as opposed in the bible as many would make out in terms of both lesbianism, which is completely absent from mention, and gaydom, which is only forbidden if you have a vagina.
Here endeth the lesson.
Mr Magic
