The Bible and Homosexuality: Romans 1: 26-27

This epistle to the Church of Rome is probably the most influential passage in the entire Bible in regards to the Christian view of homosexuality, being the most oft quoted piece of scripture in the condemnation of homosexuals, even before Leviticus 18:22 and 20:18. Its power lays most prominently in the fact that it exists in the New Testament; the second section of the Bible which contains Christian teachings. Similarly influential for the passage’s prominence is its authorship; it was written by Paul upon whose words a large amount of modern church doctrine is based upon. Paul wrote other epistles referencing homosexuality, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 1 Timothy 1:9-10, however this passage is by far the most explicit in its condemnation.

Its literal interpretation is probably responsible for a large proportion of the negative opinion of homosexuality that pervades a considerable section of Christianity, especially evangelical and fundamentalist sects, and is seen by many as one of the most important references in the bible-gay debate. All quotes below are from the English Standard Version.

France's Burqa Ban: Fighting Oppression With Oppression?

On Monday France’s lower parliament approved a bill banning the wearing of clothing that intends to hide the face in public areas. The ban itself appears to target the conservative dress worn by Muslim women; specifically Burqas, large garments that cover the entire body save for a mesh over the eyes, and Naqibs, all-covering garments which have a rectangular slit over the eyes.  President Nicolas Sarkozy justified the move by stating that it would help fight the subjugation of Muslim women who are forced to cover themselves up, however in the process the ban itself appears to remove the human right of religious expression and defies French ideals of tolerance and liberalism.

The Bible and Homosexuality: The Books of Kings

In the context of discussion about the depiction of homosexuality in scripture Kings takes somewhat of a backseat, with debate more often focused on Old Testament passages from the books of Genesis and Leviticus, or on Romans from the New Testament. Despite being marginalised to some extent, Kings is used to support arguments that, at the very least, uphold homosexual acts as perverse.

Such arguments are often based on the literal interpretation of the Bible, a view which advocates the idea that the whole of scripture is true and without error. I grew up with such an opinion being from an Evangelical background; however through in-depth research I discovered that such interpretations are too narrow, are often blinded to the wider historical context and significance of the text, and can lead to very dangerous and radical beliefs.

As the passages from the books of Kings supposedly concerning homosexuality are short and reference the same issues they are all contended in this one post. All quotes below are from the English Standard Version.

Spring Benevolence

Photography by Melanie Goacher

Today, in the Northern Hemisphere, is the first day of Spring. Celebrated in festivals across the globe the season of rebirth and renewal conjures up images of newborn, skipping lambs and fields blossoming with colourful flora that were deprived the Sun in the Winter months.

However despite the images of  rejuvenation that that pervade the season they appear bleak against the current suffering of Humanity. As fellow humans it is only right that we help alleviate such suffering, after all:

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal” - Albert Pike

It's comforting to see that such a sentiment still rings true even in the face of economic adversity: Comic Relief, a UK charity event organised every two years that aids development projects in the UK and across Africa, accomplished an on-the-night total of £74,360,207, breaking all previous records. However it's important to realise that your benevolence dosen't need to be limited to one night and donations can be made continually. So if you haven't donated yet or want to donate in the future I urge you to aim your charity here: https://donate.comicrelief.com/donation/.

I'm sure you are also aware of the crises facing the citizens of Japan from the March 11th earthquake,so to help its recovery donations can be made here: http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html, or alternatively here if you're in the UK: http://www.redcross.org.uk/Donate-Now/Make-a-single-donation/Japan-Tsunami-Appeal. 

In this season of rejuvenation it's important that we keep in mind the less fortunate and get in the spirit of the season, and help life flourish. So before you settle down to watch the new series of The Only Way Is Essex please help. I leave you with this quote the next time you're unsure on what to spend your money on: 

“Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.” - Anna Lappe.

On Transgender

When I was younger, and more naive, I saw little difference between an individual who dressed as a woman, and someone who was a woman but in a man’s body. I remember my first trip to a gay club for a uni’ mate’s birthday and seeing a drag queen; at the time I was unsettled, however now I don’t bat an eye. Of course a drag queen is someone who dresses up for occasion and is completely different from someone who is transgender. Between then and now I have gone on my own journey of discovery, and struggled with the realisation of my own identity.

However as much as I struggled with my own personal acceptance I can’t imagine what it is to feel like to be born as the wrong sex.

Recently I was forwarded this video:

                                                             

The Bible and Homosexuality: Genesis 19: 4-14

The place homosexuality has in Christianity has been a controversial topic for generations, a debate amplified by the many different Christian denominations and various interpretations of the Bible. I come from an evangelical background; a movement which believes in the literal interpretation of scripture and relates closely to, although not exactly the same as, fundamentalism. I believe this take on such an old and influential book is ignorant to the significant finer details; disregarding the importance of historical context, author’s bias etc. Such a literal focus on the words of ancient men undoubtedly has had, and will continue to have, a considerable impact on the unanimity of modern humanity.

These posts attempt to summarise my research into a 'bite-size' pieces and show how important it is to look beyond words written over a millennia ago. Previously I looked at one of the most popular passages used to illustrate Biblical damnation of homosexuality; this post will look at one of the most popular passages exemplified as why homosexuality is detested by God and thus should be considered a sin.

The passage dwells on the punishment of the ancient Canaanite cities of Sodom and Gomorrah from verses 1-19, however due to the size of the passage the quote below focuses on verses that suggest homosexuality is condemned by God. In the previous verses (1-3) God sent two angels to Sodom who met Lot at the city gates, Lot then pressed them to stay at his house. All quotes below are from the English Standard Version.

Future Fear, Future Plans

Photography by Nick Clark.

‘Nervous’ is undoubtedly how I, and many others, felt today. I didn't sleep well. My heart beat furiously. The only thing that calmed me down was the copious amount of drinks I had beforehand. Today was when my entire year got feedback on their dissertation; a year’s worth of research amounting to 25% of the final grade something that obviously holds some significant sway on the quality of my degree.

Of course I could still build upon the foundations set by a bad mark, but it would hinder my progress greatly. A better dissertation would mean a better degree, a better degree would help me to prove myself more qualified for a job and escape the country.

Seeing as ‘escaping the country’ is the name of my blog I probably owe some explanation.