Q.
What does the Bible really say about homosexuality?
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offenders,” based on a confusing Greek word that probably refers to older
customers of young male prostitutes (pederasty).
What’s the point? The Bible condemns specifi c homosexual acts, but
doesn’t address what we typically think of as homosexuality today—
homosexual orientation or loving, committed homosexual relationships. This
doesn’t mean the Bible approves of it but only that it is silent on the subject.Joshua Toulouse
A.
There are two mentions in the book of Leviticus that say it is wrong
for males to lie with males as if they were female, and these men-
tions sit alongside rules that say you cannot wear clothing made
of two different materials. There are many laws in Leviticus that we don’t feel
apply to us now, and yet this one is still given credence by those that would
condemn homosexuality.
In Corinthians and Timothy, two of the most cited examples of the Bible
being against homosexuality, the real problem is one of translation. The word
used is arsenokoites, which is only used in these two books. It has been trans-
lated in many places as either “homosexual” or “sodomite,” and yet these are
not clear translations for the word. Looking at the context, it is far more likely
that these words have to do with sexual exploitation of some kind—either
prostitution or rape—and not consensual sex.
In Romans, the issue is not homosexuality, but rather idolatry. Paul is
pointing out to his readers the dangers of committing idolatry, and part of
that is giving into lustful behavior. Paul looks at males lying with males and
females lying with females as being outside of natural behavior, and therefore
being solely driven by lust, because at the time there was no understanding of
sexual orientation.José F. Morales Jr.
A.
What does the Bible say about homosexuality as we understand it
today—as an orientation, not simply as a choice? Nothing. Well,
maybe something.
In the Levitical Code (Lev. 17–26), homosexuality is called an abomina-
tion, but so is eating shrimp and wearing mixed fabric. But we somehow
don’t get our cotton-blend panties in a bunch whenever we go to Red Lob-
ster. We highlight one verse about “homosexuality” and ignore the rest, and
have wrongfully used it to discriminate against homosexuals. Interestingly,
most scholars admit that these verses are some of the hardest to translate and
understand.