Homosexuality, Bisexuality, Transgender in the Bible
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1. To worship another human being as god, divine, or somehow a demi-god was an ABOMINATION! and had a special name - IDOLATRY. Such an act broke their 1st of 10 Sacred Commandments to have no false god before the One God of heaven and earth.

2. To have sexual activity with a person other than one's marriage spouse was ADULTERY!, also one of the 10 Commandments.

LEVITICUS AND The Hebrew word "TOEVAH" translated "ABOMINATION "

Statement: There is no other possible explanation for the Book of Leviticus Chapter 18:22 and 20:13. It is very clear; a man shall not lie with a man as a woman. It says they deserve DEATH!!!

Response: Leviticus is the only place in the Old Testament where homosexual acts per se are mentioned.

These acts are condemned because they were committed in the context of pagan orgiastic rituals with sacred cult prostitutes.

To correctly understand both of these references you MUST read Leviticus 18:1-5:

"Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘I am the LORD your God. 3According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances. 4You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the LORD your God. 5You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the LORD."
These verses set the context of the entire section of the Holiness Code. The concern is that the ritual and social practices show no similarity to those of Canaan and Egypt!!!! THIS is only in this context that homosexual acts are prohibited AND ARE CALLED AN ABOMINATION !! The word ABOMINATION clearly indicates these acts are committed in the context of IDOLOTROUS, PAGAN, CULTIC Activities. God did not want the pagan orgiastic fertility cult prostitution practiced with His people. In fact Leviticus 18:3 has been translated many different ways to bring this point out.

Douay Rheims translation : "..nor shall you walk in their ordinances." New American translation: "do not conform to their custom." Living Bible translation : "Do not follow their practices."
NOTE: In Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 God condemns same-sex activity as an ABOMINATION when it is done "..... according to the doings of the land of Canaan." (and Egypt) see Leviticus 18:3

LEV 18:22 'You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. New King James translation.

LEV 20:13 'If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them. New King James translation.

The key to correct interpretation is again found ONLY in the LITERAL METHOD.

Transposing the word ABOMINATION back to Hebrew produces the word TOWEBAH.

8441 towebah (to-ay-baw) or toebah (to-ay-baw); prop. something disgusting (morally), i.e. (as noun) an abhorrence; especially IDOLATRY or (concerning) an IDOL; - abominable (custom, thing), abomination.

The word ABOMINATION is used because these acts involved the mixture of worshiping a person (false god, the 'sacred' prostitute) and committing fornication by having anyone as a sexual partner. These are not acts of homosexual expressions of love between two committed life partners. These are same gender acts of sexual lust committed only for the religious activities of false gods and human demi-gods. To associate such low grade acts with sexual love between two monogamous homosexual life partners is ludicrous.

Clearly the LITERAL METHOD shows these homosexual acts were prohibited in the context of IDOLOTROUS pagan worship, i.e. cult prostitution (like the Canaanites and Egyptians are fond of).

NOTE: The following quotation is taken from a Jewish Torah Commentary and is cited here to give a Jewish Rabbinical point of view to the question of capitol punishment that as recommended in Leviticus 20:13.

"we have no record of a death sentence for this crime being carried out under Jewish auspices. Apparently, Christian courts executed some persons for sodomy during the Middle Ages. But, up to the present, persons who commit homosexual acts are subject to severe prison sentences in many countries, including the United States - even in the case of consenting adults. Until recently, homosexuality, especially among males, has been regarded with horror as unnatural, perverted, and degenerate wherever the Jewish-Christian outlook prevailed. The first public change of attitude in the western world was voiced chiefly by psychiatrists who called for greater compassion toward homosexuals." from Torah Commentary pg 881-882

VIOLENT RAPE IN CONQUEST

The Hebrew men were a PATRIARCHAL Society (run by men). They also were a frequently warring society fighting against pagan countries and peoples. History records in many civilizations that forced anal rape has frequently been used by the victorious soldiers over their male prisoners as a sign of victory. Also, for a man to assume the position of a woman in a sexual act was seen as an insult to his masculinity. McNeill, pages 58&59, declares forced anal rape was used as an expression of domination, contempt, and scorn. Forced rape or any non-consentual sexual activity is not to be construed as normal homosexual expression of love. There is no similarity at all.

HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE CHRISTIAN TESTAMENT 1Cor 6:9 malakoi, aresenokoitai

1CO 6:9 -10; "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." NKJV

Again, these are mistranslated words. Here are these words from the STRONG'S CONCORDANCE:
733 arsenokoites, ar-sen-ok-oy-tace; from 730 and 2845; a sodomite: - abuser of (that defile) self with mankind. (Strong's Concordance)
733 arsna - a male; koita - a bed : one who lies with a male as a female, a sodomite (Thayer's Concordance)
730 arsene probably from 142; male (as stronger or lifting): - male, man(Strong's)
2845 koite koy-tay - the male sperm: - bed, chambering, x conceive.(Strong's)
3120 malakos soft to the touch of a catamite, a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness (Thayer's)

Both of these Greek words are not words that would point exclussively to Homosexuals or their mutual sexual expressions of love.

The first word, malakos, is a very commonly used Greek word in the New Testament. It has been traditionally translated as "sick", "cowardly", "refined", "weak willed", "delicate", "gentle", and in a moral sense it could mean "licentious", "loose", or "wanting in self control". These conditions are hardly unique to Homosexuals. There are other examples in Classical Greek where other words are employed to refer explicitly to Homosexual behaviors. These words would have been used in the New Testament if the intentions were to convey such thoughts. The second word, arsenokoitai, John Boswell points out, is less common. Boswell says applying it to homosexuality in particular would be more understandable. Boswell goes on to say the best evidence suggests it did not connote homosexuality to Paul, or the people of his time, but meant "MALE PROSTITUTE". Boswell proves this word and passage was understood as referring to male prostitutes well into the fourth century. (See Boswell, page 107)

There is much that should be said about the fornication as it was understood in the time of Paul.

Paul surely knew of the Greek "PORNEIA", houses of male prostitution. In these houses the "PORNOI" legally practiced their trade and paid the pornikon telos, the prostitution tax. (See Boswell, page 335)

As the Roman Empire expanded it absorbed the ancient cult religions and inherited their practices. The city of Rome was quite comfortable with it's PANTHEON of Gods and Goddesses. It is in this context that the remaining passage in ROMANS should be addressed.

ROM 1:26-27 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.NKJV

There are a number of important items in these verses that prove Paul was dealing with the same exact concerns as expressed in Leviticus::::: ABOMINATION, i.e. IDOLATRY, and ADULTERY.

First, it must be clarified that Paul would not use the expression "AGAINST NATURE" with anywhere near the same depth of meaning that such as expression has today. Our understanding of that expression is colored by the Scholastic Philosophers of the Middle Ages, Freudian psychology, and social taboos. Paul lived before the Philosophers defined "Natural Law". Paul meant "what was usual, common, their regular way of acting". A person who is a true Homosexual has no "NATURAL" (usual, common, recurring) feelings or desires for women. These men in verse 1:26 exchange their usual behavior for one that is contrary to their usual behavior.

THE OBVIOUS CONCLUSION IS THEY WERE MARRIED MEN CHEATING ON THEIR WIVES BY ENJOYING THE CASUAL SEX OF THE LOCAL PAGAN TEMPLES. THESE MEN WERE LEAVING THEIR WIVES AT HOME AND PARTICIPATING IN THE ORGIASTIC CULT SEXUAL PRACTICES IN THE LOCAL PAGAN TEMPLES. BY PARTICIPATING THEY WERE COMMITTING ADULTERY (CHEATING ON THEIR WIVES) AND IDOLATRY (WORSHIPING THE CULT PROSTITUTES AS DEMI-GODS AND GODDESSES). And even proving these married men and women were partaking of the sexual activities of the fertility cults DOES NOT PROVE THEY WERE PARTICIPATING WITH MEMBERS OF THEIR OWN SEX EXCLUSIVELY.

With this in mind I will add a commentary here to the Biblical Text of Romans 1:22-32 with the symbol **

1:22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 1:23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things.

**They started worshipping people, things, animals instead of God. This is called IDOLATRY. Certainly the cult prostitutes were considered to be demi-gods.

1:24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,

**Paul taught the body of the believer was the Temple of God's Holy Spirit. By participating in cult activity they were dishonoring their bodies and God's Temple.
1:25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

**Worshiping creatures instead of creator is a 'lie' and trickery of Satan.

1:26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.

** These women were prostitutes, and thus fornicators.

1:27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

**Again, these men were NATURALLY heterosexuals
. Paul is here addressing married men who naturally are affectionate with their wives but who were getting their LUSTS with the cult prostitutes (male and female).

For true male Homosexuals there is nothing NATURAL about having sex or sexual affection for women. The contrary is true.

1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 1:29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 1:30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 1:31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;

**LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THIS LIST OF SINS THAT "ARE WORTHY OF DEATH" ! ISN'T IT INTERESTING THAT THE ONLY SIN WE TALK ABOUT OUT OF THIS ENTIRE LIST IS THE WRONGLY SUPPOSED SIN OF CONSTITUTIONAL HOMOSEXUALITY.
Do the same accusers notice the breadth of behaviors that are condemned in this section??? Usually not.!!

1:32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

John Mc Neill, page 56, concludes the Pauline epistles never address the question of homosexual activity between persons who share the homosexual condition. This being the case, Paul's writings cannot be read as explicitly condemning such behavior. The Greek malakoi and arsenokoitai , McNeill concludes, were not necessarily homosexuals; the former were simply debauched individuals and the latter were probably male prostitutes or those given to anal intercourse. Anal intercourse is not necessarily nor exclusively a homosexual activity.

THE CONCLUSION: THE BIBLE NEVER ADDRESSES PERSONS WHO ARE NATURAL HOMOSEXUALS, CONSTITUTIONAL HOMOSEXUALS, SEXUAL INVERTS.

Although homosexuality was widespread in the Hellenistic world (Plato and Aristotle had both written about it and there were theories about the condition in Roman medicine.) it is not clear that Paul distinguished in his thoughts or writings between gay persons (in the sense of permanent sexual preference) and heterosexuals who occasionally engaged in homosexual behavior. Boswell notes that it is in fact unlikely that many Jews of Paul's day made such a distinction. Boswell's final conclusion is Paul did not discuss gay persons but only homosexual acts performed by heterosexual persons. (SEE JOHN BOSWELL, PAGE109)

JOHN MC NEILL, pg 60, quotes the conclusive ideas of Herman Van De Spijker the Bible has no specific text which explicitly rejects all homosexual activities as such independent of the circumstances of idolatry, sacred prostitution, promiscuity, violent rape, or violation of guest's rights.

Perhaps the loudest commentary the BIBLE DOES MAKE on true Homosexuality is the UTTER SILENCE ON THE SUBJECT.

There is no reason to correct something that isn't functioning in error!!!!!

NONE OF THE BIBLICAL REFERENCES FREQUENTLY QUOTED (INCLUDING 3 OR 4 OTHER LESSER NEW TESTAMENT CITATIONS) EVER REFER TO HOMOSEXUALS WHO ARE SO FROM BIRTH WITH AN EXCLUSIVE ORIENTATION.

THE ONLY PERSONS CONDEMNED IN THESE VERSES ARE HETEROSEXUALS WHO OCASIONALLY PARTAKE OF SAME SEX ACTIVITIES.

SAME SEX ACTIVITIES DO NOT INDICATE A SAME SEX ORIENTATION. THIS IS PROVEN FREQUENTLY BY THE NUMBER OF HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS WHO DO CONCEIVE AND BEAR CHILDREN BUT WHO RECEIVE THEIR EMOTIONAL FULFILLMENT WITH PERSONS OF THE SAME GENDER.

OUR CONCLUSION?????

THE BIBLE IS LITERALLY A GAY'S AND LESBIAN'S BEST FRIEND. THE BIBLE DOES NOT CONDEM US IN ANY WAY. DO NOT BUY INTO THE LIE ANY LONGER. COME BACK TO GOD AND THE BIBLE. THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIAN WHILE CHASING YOU AWAY ARE FRAUDS!!!! THE WORD OF GOD DOES NOT COMDEMN YOU, GAY SON AND LESBIAN DAUGHTER OF GOD!!!!!!!!! REJOICE! RECLAIM YOUR HERITAGE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD!!

___________________________________________________________________________

Sources Quoted

Bailey, Derrick Sherwin. Homosexuality and the Western Christian Tradition. London 1955.

Boswell, John. Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality. University of Chicago 1980.

McNiell, John. The Church and the Homosexual. Kansas City, 1976.

Strong, James LL.D., S.T.D.. The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Thomas Nelson 1990.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version. Thomas Nelson 1982.

Plaut, W. Gunther and Hallo, William W. The Torah, A Modern Commentary. Union of American Hebrew Congragations. New York 1981.

Tenney, Merril C. General Editor. The Zondervan Pictoral Encyclopedia of the Bible in 5 volumes. Zondervan Corp. 1976.

Orr, James M.A., D.D., General Editor. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishers. 1939, 1956, 1986. Volume 4, page 2821 "Sodomite".

What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality By Daniel Helminiak, Ph.D.

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Homosexuality, Bisexuality, Transgender in the BiblePAGE 3

Homosexuality, Bisexuality, Transgender in the Bible
PAGE 3