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Proper interpretation of the bible
Religion and LGBT issues
Brief translation and interpretation of the bible
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The Bible verse, Leviticus 18:22 is often used when people discuss how religion views homosexuality. The Jewish and Christian translations of this text are extremely similar to each other, what makes them different is the way they interpret them.
Christian Fundamentalists translate verse 22 of Leviticus 18 to say, “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.” This makes it clear that Christian fundamentalists are against homosexuality. The commentary states, “Homosexuality is absolutely forbidden, for it is an enormous sin.” Fundamentalist Christians view the Bible as the word of God in plain sense. They believe that the Bible is the closest and truest version of God’s actual words, since they believe that God spoke
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these words to Jesus and he wrote them down. In regards to how fundamentalists read the bible, Brian Malley’s work How The Bible Works states “Bible was written by Christians who recorded the actual word of God, and all it says should be taken literally, word for word." Fundamentalists believe the Bible to be scientifically and historically true. They also believe that the Bible is inerrant, meaning that it is perfect and has no flaws. Fundamentalist Christians believe that Jesus was born to a virgin and that the miracles in the bible happen exactly how they were written. They believe in bodily resurrection and that Jesus’ death can make-up for your sins if you ask for forgiveness. The fundamentalist commentary states that heterosexual relations, in the context of marriage, expresses the spiritual relationship with God, but then asks “what does homosexual relations express?” If this were true, this would make God a homosexual, which is why the fundamentalist Christians detest homosexuality. The commentary accompanying Leviticus 18:22 states “ I read in a Dutch news paper the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah had nothing to do with homosexuality. It was gang-rape that had brought down God’s wrath upon the cities, the article said. The Bible did not condemn homosexuality, it said.” Historically, the passage about Sodom and Gomorrah has been historically interpreted as punishment for homosexuality due to the perception that the men of Sodom wanted to the angels. The commentary states that it was the act of the rape was what had the towns destroyed, and not the homosexual nature of the attacks. The commentary states that the story of Sodom and Gomorrah was meant to be used as a Biblical teaching tool for morality of our times and not to be used as a deterrent of homosexuality. The commentary also states that homosexuality “denies all differences between a male and female. In the spiritual realm this means that man presents himself as ‘male’ in his relationship with God and thus denies his role in this relationship.” The commentary then goes on to talk about bestiality. It states, “If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he has lost sight of all relationships. In doing this man, throws overboard all his dignity as bearer of God’s image; he is only out to satisfy his sexual urges.” The commentary is comparing homosexual relations with sexual relations with an animal. The commentary states that sexual relations with an animal are worse because at that point, you’re just doing so to gratify a sexual urge. Lastly, the commentary states, “a homosexual relation can never be legal in the sense that a normal marriage is legal, in spite of any laws that are passed. Legality is important because it expresses the legal basis of our relationship with God, which is expressed in the covenant He made with man.” This is used to say that no matter what laws are passed, because of the covenant that was made, homosexual relationship will never be regarded in the same way that a male-female marriage is. Judaism interprets verse 22 of Leviticus 18 to mean “Do not lie with a male as one lies with a woman; it is an abhorrence.” The commentary then goes on to note that biblical and ancient Near Eastern civilizations knew not of homosexuality as a sexual orientation or a lifestyle.
It only acknowledges the act of male anal intercourse, usually forcefully in association with revenge or humiliation. The Holiness source declared this to be an abdominal act and a capital offense. It is worth mentioning that the Holiness sources also views all sexual acts that are not used for reproductive purposes as aberrant. Jews do not read the Hebrew Bible literally. In fact, they believe that you get more out of it from not reading it literally. Jews assert that the Bible is an inspired text and that it may have “errors.” They say that the whole Bible may not be completely historically true. Jews also believe that their laws, or Halakah, can be interpreted in many different ways. Depending on whether you are an orthodox, conservative or reform Jew, your views on many things, including homosexuality will be different. For example, Orthodox Judaism views homosexual conduct as something that is generally prohibited. Orthodox Jews observe the traditional view of homosexuality. Conservative Judaism, in the past few years, has formally approved same sex marriage, although up until recently, they believe that homosexuals could be rabbis or cantors and they didn’t approve homosexual marriages and commitment ceremonies. Reform Judaism is the largest branch of Judaism in North America. They have abandoned traditional Jewish claims about homosexuality. They allow for the ordination of openly gay, lesbian and bisexual people as rabbis and cantors. They consider all biblical constraints on Judaism to be no longer law. Traditionally, Leviticus 18:22 states that sexual intercourse between men is something abhorred or detested that can be subject to capital punishment under halakha. Homosexual male
intercourse, in the past, has been seen as conflicting with Jewish beliefs. With the exception of Orthodox Judaism, modern Judaism does not hold the same views as it did when Leviticus 18:22 was written. Leviticus 18:22 is often used when Christians and Jews discuss their religions prospective views on homosexuality. The end result of the way that these two religions interpret a very similar quote is shown through their two very different views on homosexual relations.
Betrayed. Ignored. Hurt. Everyone feels this way at some point in his or her life. This is how Icarus was feeling as he fell to his death. In the poem, “Icarus’ Diatribe,” Aaron Pastula writes the point of view as first person to show how Icarus is personally feeling.
Many people proclaim, particularly Christian fundamentalist, that homosexuality is sinful because it says so in the Bible. However, many people admit that they have never read the entire bible, and can’t accurately cite where it says this. They simply repeat the message(s) from pastors, parents, etc., rather than careful study and research. One of the movie’s most quotable moment, “There’s nothing wrong with a fifth-grade understanding of God – as long as you’re in the fifth grade.”
God has declared through His loving kindness and His righteousness how He enjoys heterosexual relationships, as Creator of man and woman. God created a woman from Adam’s rib so that Adam would not be alone. Upon completion of God creating woman, God asked Adam to name her; Adam declared she would be called woman as she was created with man’s rib, but her name will be Eve as she is the first woman. Therefore, that pleased God, and we have the first marriage. A marriage where to people man and woman come together. They were creatively designed by God to fit each other. God did not create man to lay with another man, as their bodies are not designed to fit or complement each other. Adam was given instructions from God not to eat from the tree of knowledge and as head of the marriage; it was his responsibility to enforce God’s command. Yet he failed and ate with Eve from the tree. And later that day, as God was walking in the garden in the coolness of the day, He called out to Adam. Adam and Eve were hiding from Him, as they knew they blew it. When God questioned Adam why did he eat from the tree, Adam blamed Eve. God is fair and just and He loves us all. Even when they had sinned against God, God loved them and clothed them with animal skins. In order for Him to provide the animal skins, He had to kill the animal.
Theocritus, unlike many others, wrote his Idyll 15 from the perspective of women, by describing a dialogue between two dynamic female characters in the city of Alexandria. Gorgo and Praxinoa are shown to be outspoken, independent, and intelligent, suggesting that women in Alexandria had more liberties than previous and other areas of the Greek world.
The story "Maus" is written in a rather unconventional way because it is written in a graphical novel format. This format tends to grasp the attention of those from a younger audience. However, since the story is about the Holocaust many critics think that it may have not been written in the right format. The author Art Spiegelman wrote it in this form not to make light of the situation but also not to make it seem like any other kind of Holocaust format. Which is sometimes considered boring and the viewers it draws attention too are those of an older age.
People’s different values and morals play a role in defining what they believe. Many people find homosexuality to be not natural, and it goes against many people’s views. However, there is also a lot of people who argue in favor of homosexuality and find nothing about it unnatural. For those people who do think it is not natural they normally use the argument that this kind of sex can not reproduce, therefore it is not right because the point of sex is to reproduce. Many times the Bible will also be used to refer to verses that condemn acts of homosexual sex. People who favor the morality of homosexuality find many things wrong with these arguments. To say that the only purpose of sex is to reproduce would be wrong because there are many examples of heterosexual couples who have sex without the intention of conception. Medical problems, protected sex, and just sex for fun are all reasons why
Fag. Poof. Fairy. Homo. Dyke. Those are all words that are used on a daily basis to put down those who do not fit into the Bible’s supposed cookie-cutter, straight sexual orientation label. Homophobia has been around since the eleven hundreds, but before then homosexuality was viewed as healthy, normal, and at times it was even worshipped. However, society’s view of homosexuality has somehow been warped into a violently negative opinion. How did this happen? The main perpetrators of homophobia are the Bible and those who preach its word, or at least their version of its word. Which brings up the translation issues scattered throughout the Bible. The New Testament was written in Greek and there are not always direct translations of each word in English. The messages in the Bible that are said to condemn homosexuality can be interpreted in a more accepting way than they are usually preached.
In Daniel Karslake’s documentary, For the Bible Tells Me So, he examines the intersection between Christianity and homosexuality. Karslake uses parallelism, appeal to emotion, and appeal to logic to highlight how the religious right has used its interpretation of the bible to stigmatize the gay community. With the use of these rhetorical devices, he is able to auspiciously convey his argument that there can be a healthy relationship amongst the opposing side of this belief. He attempts to enlighten the viewer with the thought that Christianity's homophobia represents a misreading of scripture, a denial of science, and an embrace of fake psychology. The families call for love.
The Holy Bible and its various renditions is the most common religious book that many religions have founded from. The first collection of writings of the bible can be dated back as far as 1500 years, which is 3500 years after homosexuality existed. The bible looks at homosexuality as an abomination and sinful, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination” (Leviticus 18:22), “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality . . .” (1 Corinthians 1:26-28). There are nearly eighty bible verses about homosexuality being sinful and sacrilegious (Open Bible). Not all religions had the same view on homosexuals,
Religion has been a big issue with judging homosexual. Some Christians believe that the Bible speaks with one clear voice in condemning homosexuality. In many Anti-gay Christians groups see homosexuality as sinful. Using the Bible to justify their hate against anything they do not understand.
The negative view of the female sex continues in Leviticus, in a section dictating the re...
Many disagree, due to the Leviticus 18:22 quote; “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” Homosexuality is a sin under the law of the bible. The United States is a nation under god, as it is stated in the pledge. To practice homosexuality legally would be a direct violation of the United States as a nation under god. It is also said to be wrong because it defeats the purpose of procreation; which is only physically possible between a man and a woman. This is also a theory stated in the bible; “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.” (Gen. 1:28-29). Meaning that it is our duty as humans to procreate. This is obviously something a homosexual couple would be unable to do, thus not fulfilling their responsibility clearly stated in the bible. "From the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother; and shall cleave to his wife." (Mark 10:6-7); this bible quote states that any marriage that is true is a marriage between a man and a woman. Allowing ...
He stated, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? (Matthew 19:4-5). The passage that Jesus alluded to is taken from Genesis 2:24, where we find God’s original plan for marriage. Nowhere in the Old or New Testament do we find authority or approval for homosexual marriages. This was not God’s plan. Just because our society accepts them, does not imply that God approves
Why are outsiders so fascinated with New York Is it the way that our city is portrayed by producers & directors? To the typical native New Yorker there is nothing special about the location in which we live it’s just average. the common notion to outsiders it that new York is this great city surrounded by fashion, gilts and glamour, normally they think of Manhattan which includes one world trade, the empire state building, central park, etc. people who aren’t from our city don’t know what it’s like to live here, they don’t understand what it takes out of someone to constantly put up with the stench, the noise, the exorbitant prices of everything & the long unending winters.
In this essay, I will explain how religion is sometimes used to mobilize against LGBT people, how some people’s religious and personal doctrines conflict regarding LGBT issues, and how religious belief and community can be a positive force for the LGBT community. In history, mainstream Abrahamic religions have had a negative relationship with LGBT persons. Beginning during the Hebrew exodus of Egypt, the purity codes documented in the Hebrew Bible’s Book of Leviticus explicitly stated a slew of rigid rules that attempted to keep a new Israelite nation “clean”. As William Countryman argues in the article “Dirt, Greed, & Sex”, the Bible sets a precedent for what is “clean” and pure as well as what is “dirty”. In this sense, dirty means where something doesn’t belong, or is out of place.