|
Homosexuality and the Bible - Introduction The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexuals and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals. That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love heterosexuals. It’s just that they need more supervision. “The Bible Says...” How many times have you heard that phrase? Well, the Bible says a lot of things, and much of it is very important. The Bible even says things people don’t want to hear because they would rather do whatever pleases them and not suffer any consequences. But did God give us the Bible just so we could have another book to read? If that were true, God would have done a better job by giving us a good murder mystery — maybe then more people would actually read God’s Word. The point of having holy scriptures is not to simply know what they say, but to understand what the scriptures mean for our lives today and embody that meaning with our very lives. In order to discover the truth and meaning contained in scripture we must go through a process of interpretation. Now some might say, “I don’t believe in interpreting the Bible. I take its words at face value.” Or they might quote that old bumper sticker, “The Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it.” Well, anyone who says these things is lying. Everyone interprets everything they read — it’s impossible not to. You are interpreting these words right now. As we read the symbols on a page, our mind forms those symbols into words and perceives the writer’s intent — we interpret the letters and words and form meaning. As the opening quote from comedian Lynn Lavner points out, out of all the passages in the Bible only six have traditionally been used to condemn (or “clobber”) homosexual people. I am convinced, as are thousands of scholars, theologians, authors, pastors, denominational officials, political leaders, and good old “salt of the earth” folk, that these passages have been misinterpreted and misused. But please, do not take my word for it — search the scriptures on your own and read what others on both sides of the issue have to say. For too long, institutional religion has not fully trusted the Holy Spirit to guide us into “all truth,” opting instead to tell people what to believe. While there is nothing wrong with seeking the insight of others, in the end you must form your own opinion. May the Word of God be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path, and may God’s Word become written on your heart. |