Page 506 … Re-membering Leviticus
Here is the exact quote from these, the most popular verses conservatives use to justify their condemnation of homosexuals: “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination … If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death” (Leviticus 18:22 + Leviticus 20:13) … First of all, note that nowhere in either of these verses do we see homosexuals, gay relationships, or homosexuality itself condemned. What is condemned is homosexual intercourse (and possibly the lust that often accompanies it), and yet these verses clearly do not condemn homosexuality itself – or even loving, non-sexual expressions thereof … Secondly, it is helpful to remember the context in which we find these verses – namely, the book of Leviticus; a book that condemns over 70 other sins as well; many of them sexual in nature, and many of them just as “mortal” &/or just as “abominable” as homosexual sex … Thirdly, regarding context again, it is important to keep in mind that homosexuality isn’t directly referenced in these verses at all; that innate homosexuality was not even recognized at the time Leviticus was written, so the sin that is being condemned in these verses is actually where two heterosexual men choose to have homosexual intercourse!
As such, when we revisit these Scriptures and look at them literally and in their proper context, we can see that – according to the Bible – being born homosexual is not a sin, falling in love with a same-sex partner is not a sin, having a same-sex relationship is not a sin, holding hands or hugging or even cuddling with a same-sex partner is not a sin, and marrying a same-sex partner is not a sin … And as such, this means that – according to the Bible, and at least as far as any of us in this thread know – Oliver Clyde Allen & his husband are not sinning! … And as such, refusing to hear Oliver preach on Sundays merely because he is gay is fully unjustified.
P.S. By the way – if you happen reject all of the above analysis outright, and choose to ignore the Bible itself by continuing to claim that Leviticus “proves” that being gay is a sin, you are also required to accept the rest of that book’s admonitions against sin as well – like Leviticus 20:10-12, which notes that adultery is to be punished by death … or Deuteronomy 22:20-21, which notes that lying about one’s virginity is to be punished by death … or Deuteronomy 22:20-21, which also notes that a woman who does not bleed after losing her virginity is to be punished by death … or Deuteronomy 22:23-27, which notes that virgin rape victims are to be punished by death … or Leviticus 20:18, which notes that having sex with a menstruating woman is to be punished by death … Indeed, if you are going to use Leviticus to openly proclaim that homosexuals are damned to Hell, then to avoid acting like a hypocritical bigot you are going to have to publicly blast all the world’s “mortal sinners” just as they are outlined in that book – and you are going to have to give them all equal time when you do so!
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