Just so everyone knows I am NOT a supporter of Prop 8. I think it's ridiculous that this country won't give equal rights to EVERY citizen! If a two men want to get married, I see no harm in that. It's not going to effect me one little bit so when November rolls around I'm voting NO ((since I am now a registered voter in the state of California!))
Anyways, I found this paper and since a big argument is about the Bible and religious stand point ((even though we shouldn't let church/religious views effect how our government runs)) I thought I would share it...
-When people refer to "the Bible" they usually mean the King James Version.
-There are 105 different version of "the Bible" printed in English.
-There are 350 Protestant denominations in America. Each has their own set of beliefs, and the 106 bibles reflect different and often contradictory translations.
-The bible was written over a period of 1500 years by various authors. Nothing was written as it happened, but was passed down by word of mouth over the years.
-King James, of the "King James Version" was likely homosexual.
-Out of the 31,176 verses in the bible, less than .0002% refer to same sex behavior.
-The word "homosexual" is not in the bible. It was not invented until 1869.
-Jesus never said anything about or alluded to homosexuals or homosexuality.
A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE BIBLICAL PASSAGES THAT HAVE BEEN INTERPRETED AS BEING CONDEMNING OF HOMOSEXUALITY:
Genesis 19: Sodom and Gomorrah.
This story has been misused and misinterpreted as being about homosexuals and their destruction. Genesis 18 reveals that Sodom was slated for destruction before any angels appear to Lot. The bible itself tells why Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.
Ezekiel 16:49 clearly states the "sin" of Sodom-:
"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."
Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13.
The book of Leviticus has 61 laws that range from dietary prohibitions ((no eating pork, shrimp, oysters, etc--which are an "abomination" to eat)), to law regarding uncleanness, i.e. menstruating women, to the promotion of animal torture and blood sacrifice, to the death penalty for heterosexual adulterers.
Within those 617 laws are the prohibition against a man laying with another man--it is referred to as an "abomination" which refers to "the uncleanness of the Gentiles and that which is ritually unclean" for Jews. IT DOES NOT REFER TO ANYTHING THAT IS EVIL. Other things that are an "abomination" range from "false balance" (Prov.11:1) to "that which is esteemed highly among men" (Luke 16:15).
The Old Testament only has the 2 Levitical references to same sex behavior. Christians are not bound by the 617 Levitcal rules of the Old Testament.
There are stories of same sex love and bonding in the Old Testament, and they are presented as being positive: Ruth and Naomi, and Jonathan and David (as in King David).
"Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul" I Samuel 18:2. and "Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David" I Sam. 19:2.
Ruth's love for Naomi prompted her to say:
"Intreat me not to leave thee...for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: they people shall be my people, and they God my God. Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried." Ruth 1: 16,17
The ONLY person who talk about same sex behavior in the New Testament is Paul. In Romans, Corinthians, and 1 Timothy, Paul explains his ideas on sexuality, gender roles, and slavery.
To women he insists that they "remain silent' and 'let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over a man, but to be in silence" **Yes, let's everyone believe what this guy thinks!!
Paul exhorted slaves to "be obedient to their masters".
Paul talked about women who were "without natural affection" without having any understanding of sexual orientation. He made other references in those 3 chapters which are all subject to interpretation and different translations:
1 Corinthians 6:9:
"neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate...shall inherit the kingdom of God".
This is the quote from the King James Version. The "effeminate" was changed to "homosexual" in other, more modern translations, even though "effeminate" does NOT mean "homosexual"
THERE ARE NO OTHER REFERENCES TO SAME SEX BEHAVIOR IN THE BIBLE.
WHAT PEOPLE OF FAITH FEAR IS THAT THEY WILL LOSE THEIR BIBLE AND THEIR BELIEF SYSTEM, IF THEY AGREE TO, OR WORK FOR, EQUAL RIGHTS FOR LESBIAN, GAY AND BISEXUAL PEOPLE.
IF WOMEN CAN KEEP THEIR FAITH AFTER BEING TOLD THEY ARE MADE FOR ME, TO DO THEIR BIDDING, THEN TO REMAIN SILENT...AND IF AFRICAN-AMERICANS CAN KEEP THEIR FAITH AFTER BEING TOLD THEY WERE ONLY WORTHY OF BEING SERVANTS AND SLAVES, THEN IT COULD BE POSSIBLE AND REASONABLE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH THEIR DOCTRINES AND KEEP THEIR BELIEF SYSTEMS INTACT WHILE WORKING FOR OUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE.
Anyways, I found this paper and since a big argument is about the Bible and religious stand point ((even though we shouldn't let church/religious views effect how our government runs)) I thought I would share it...
-When people refer to "the Bible" they usually mean the King James Version.
-There are 105 different version of "the Bible" printed in English.
-There are 350 Protestant denominations in America. Each has their own set of beliefs, and the 106 bibles reflect different and often contradictory translations.
-The bible was written over a period of 1500 years by various authors. Nothing was written as it happened, but was passed down by word of mouth over the years.
-King James, of the "King James Version" was likely homosexual.
-Out of the 31,176 verses in the bible, less than .0002% refer to same sex behavior.
-The word "homosexual" is not in the bible. It was not invented until 1869.
-Jesus never said anything about or alluded to homosexuals or homosexuality.
A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE BIBLICAL PASSAGES THAT HAVE BEEN INTERPRETED AS BEING CONDEMNING OF HOMOSEXUALITY:
Genesis 19: Sodom and Gomorrah.
This story has been misused and misinterpreted as being about homosexuals and their destruction. Genesis 18 reveals that Sodom was slated for destruction before any angels appear to Lot. The bible itself tells why Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.
Ezekiel 16:49 clearly states the "sin" of Sodom-:
"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."
Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13.
The book of Leviticus has 61 laws that range from dietary prohibitions ((no eating pork, shrimp, oysters, etc--which are an "abomination" to eat)), to law regarding uncleanness, i.e. menstruating women, to the promotion of animal torture and blood sacrifice, to the death penalty for heterosexual adulterers.
Within those 617 laws are the prohibition against a man laying with another man--it is referred to as an "abomination" which refers to "the uncleanness of the Gentiles and that which is ritually unclean" for Jews. IT DOES NOT REFER TO ANYTHING THAT IS EVIL. Other things that are an "abomination" range from "false balance" (Prov.11:1) to "that which is esteemed highly among men" (Luke 16:15).
The Old Testament only has the 2 Levitical references to same sex behavior. Christians are not bound by the 617 Levitcal rules of the Old Testament.
There are stories of same sex love and bonding in the Old Testament, and they are presented as being positive: Ruth and Naomi, and Jonathan and David (as in King David).
"Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul" I Samuel 18:2. and "Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David" I Sam. 19:2.
Ruth's love for Naomi prompted her to say:
"Intreat me not to leave thee...for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: they people shall be my people, and they God my God. Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried." Ruth 1: 16,17
The ONLY person who talk about same sex behavior in the New Testament is Paul. In Romans, Corinthians, and 1 Timothy, Paul explains his ideas on sexuality, gender roles, and slavery.
To women he insists that they "remain silent' and 'let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over a man, but to be in silence" **Yes, let's everyone believe what this guy thinks!!
Paul exhorted slaves to "be obedient to their masters".
Paul talked about women who were "without natural affection" without having any understanding of sexual orientation. He made other references in those 3 chapters which are all subject to interpretation and different translations:
1 Corinthians 6:9:
"neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate...shall inherit the kingdom of God".
This is the quote from the King James Version. The "effeminate" was changed to "homosexual" in other, more modern translations, even though "effeminate" does NOT mean "homosexual"
THERE ARE NO OTHER REFERENCES TO SAME SEX BEHAVIOR IN THE BIBLE.
WHAT PEOPLE OF FAITH FEAR IS THAT THEY WILL LOSE THEIR BIBLE AND THEIR BELIEF SYSTEM, IF THEY AGREE TO, OR WORK FOR, EQUAL RIGHTS FOR LESBIAN, GAY AND BISEXUAL PEOPLE.
IF WOMEN CAN KEEP THEIR FAITH AFTER BEING TOLD THEY ARE MADE FOR ME, TO DO THEIR BIDDING, THEN TO REMAIN SILENT...AND IF AFRICAN-AMERICANS CAN KEEP THEIR FAITH AFTER BEING TOLD THEY WERE ONLY WORTHY OF BEING SERVANTS AND SLAVES, THEN IT COULD BE POSSIBLE AND REASONABLE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH THEIR DOCTRINES AND KEEP THEIR BELIEF SYSTEMS INTACT WHILE WORKING FOR OUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE.
