Is Jesus Silent?

 What does the bible say about homosexuality?
 
     Leviticus 20:13 states, “If there is a man who lies with a male
 as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a 
 detestable act; they shall surely be put to death."  Their blood 
 guiltiness is upon them.”
   
     Romans 1:27 states in part, “the men abandoned the natural 
 function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, 
 men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own 
 persons the due penalty of their error.”
 
      These are just two of the verses that Christians quote to say 
 homosexuality is against the will of God.  It is a detestable act and
 they should die.  Indecent.  A sin.  Verses used to condemn.  Used to 
 fuel the fire of hatred and discrimination.  You are not normal.  
 Something is wrong with you.  Used to convert the homosexual into a 
 heterosexual.
 
      There is another verse that is virtually ignored by Christians.
 It simply states the reality of homosexuality.  It goes against the 
 prevailing belief of many Christians that homosexuality is a sin 
 because it does not condemn.  The  verse says, “For there are eunuchs
 who are born thus from their mothers womb,  and there are eunuchs who
 are made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who are eunuchs for the
 kingdom of heavens sake.  Let those who can accept it,  accept it.”   
 Matthew 19:12.
 
      What does a eunuch have to do with homosexuality?  The question 
 should be:  What is a eunuch?  According to Webster’s dictionary a 
 eunuch is a “castrated man, esp. one employed in a harem.”  Then the 
 question that follows:  What is castrate?  “Remove the testicles, 
 deprive of the power of generation.”  In other words, a eunuch is a 
 male that had his testicles surgically removed which makes it 
 biologically impossible for him to impregnate a female.
 
      The definition of a eunuch does not make any sense in the first 
 part of  Matthew 19:12.  The verse said “For there are eunuchs born  
 thus from their mother's womb.“  How can a man who's testicles were 
 surgically removed be “born thus from his  mothers womb?”  “Born thus”
 does not include anything that involves surgical alteration. “Born 
 thus” exclusively includes the way God made him.  The way he developed
 in the womb, physically and mentally. So who is the eunuch that is 
 “born thus?”
 
      To find the eunuch that is “born thus” one needs to read the 
 chapter from the beginning.  This section of the chapter talks about 
 marriage that is an intimate physical relationship traditionally 
 between a male and female.  The  last words used in many Christian 
 marriage ceremonies is found there, “what God has joined together let 
 no man separate.”  It also talks about adultery and divorce.  One is 
 the betrayal and the other the ending of an intimate physical 
 relationship.
  
      Following this discussion the question is asked,  “His disciples
 said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is 
 better not to marry?”  But he said to them, “all cannot accept this 
 saying, but only those  to whom  it has been given.”  Matthew 19:10 
 and 11.  Scholars tend to think that  Matthew 19:12 speaks of people 
 apart from  the normal heterosexual relationships because of the 
 question the disciples asked.  The surgically altered eunuch is 
 outside the normal heterosexual relationship and is more aptly 
 explained by :  “eunuchs who are made eunuchs  by men.”  Then there 
 are “eunuchs who are eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.”  Monks
 and priests who have either taken a vow of celibacy and /or castrated 
 are outside normal heterosexual relationships.  But who is the eunuch 
 that is outside normal heterosexual relationships and is “born thus 
 from his mother's  womb?”
 
      Homosexuality, say Christians, is a lifestyle choice. Homosexuals
 say that it is not a lifestyle choice, it is the way God made them. 
 The way they were born.  Since Matthew 19 begins with a discussion of 
 heterosexual intimate physical relationships and then tells of eunuchs
 apart from  normal heterosexual relationships there is only one 
 explanation of to the eunuch “born thus” refers.
 
      As shown, the  Bible contradicts itself on the subject of 
 homosexuality. Leviticus and Romans condemn while Matthew just accepts
 it as a reality.  What are Christians to believe about homosexuality?
 
      In general, Christians believe the Bible is the literal word of 
 God.  God inspired Moses to write Leviticus 20:13 and God inspired  
 Paul to write Romans 1:27.  Who are Moses and Paul?  Both men are 
 revered in Christianity as truly great men, but despite all they did 
 and wrote they are only two human, imperfect, mortal men.
 
 	In general, Christians attribute the words in Matthew 19:12 to
 be the actual spoken words of Jesus himself.  Who is Jesus?  Jesus is,
 in the Trinitarian view, the son of God, the Messiah, the Christ, 
 perfect, sinless, immortal, divine.  “The word became flesh.” The 
 essence of God in the flesh.  Three manifestations of God.  Father, 
 son, and holy spirit.  Jesus is the human embodiment in the trinity 
 of God.  Then, in the Trinitarian view, the words of Matthew 19:12 are
 words spoken by God himself.
 
      My question to the Trinitarian:  What words are you going to 
 believe?  Whose words are you going to follow?  The words of imperfect
 mortal men or the words spoken by God?
 
      What about the Christians who do not hold the Trinitarian view?
 Whatever word or words used to describe who Jesus is, in the many 
 facets of Christianity, the authority of  Jesus is greater than any 
 other figure in the Bible.  He is the Messiah, the Christ, the son of
 God, or the son of man.  The question remains the same.   Whose words
 are you going to follow?  “He who is able to accept it, let him accept
 it.”  Jesus understood the reality of homosexuality.  Why not 
 Christians?
 
      Judaism traditionally views homosexuality as a detestable act as
 written in Leviticus.  What would the Book of Matthew have to do with 
 Jews?  The Book of  Matthew is the transformation of Judaism to 
 Christianity. It clearly has the Judaic perspective until the end of
 the book and diverges into Christianity. Chapter 19 is well before the
 end of the book and not yet tainted by the transformation.  Leviticus
 was written, at least, two or three thousand years before Matthew.  
 This suggests a change in the Judaic view of homosexuality.  Over the
 last two thousand years this view has been lost or forgotten.  A 
 change  from the “detestable act; they shall surely be put to death” 
 to a more humane “born thus” view.
 
   What about the atheist or agnostic who views homosexuality as wrong?
 The only way to answer them is in a historical perspective.  The 
 colonization and conquest of the Americas was primarily done with 
 technological superiority.  Bows and arrows against guns and cannons.
 The Europeans brought their Christian culture with them to the 
 Americas.  In the process of exterminating the “savage” Indian, the 
 European colonists missed a culture that was superior in  many ways.
 For example, Indian culture lacked the extreme poverty that was seen 
 throughout Europe at the time.  In many ways the Indian tribal culture
 was more highly developed and compassionate than that of Europe. 
 While the European and American Christian culture saw homosexuality 
 as a sin, homosexuals among the American Indians were accepted and 
 valued members of the village.
 
      Why do so many see homosexuality  as wrong?  Ignorance? Yes.  To
 promote an agenda?  Yes.  Male heterosexual aversion to homosexuality?
 Again, Yes.  If none of the preceding arguments convince you then you
 will never be convinced.  It is the narrowness of the mind that blinds 
 the truth.  After speaking of the eunuchs Jesus said, “All cannot 
 accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given.”  
 Matthew 19:11.
 
 

sweettp@yahoo.com



This page has been visited times.