We just finished looking at the first category of Bible passages traditionally used to condemn the marriages of gay couples, namely, the creation accounts and Jesus’ reference to those accounts. Now we turn to the second category, namely, the passages that explicitly condemn same-sex relations.
Genesis 19 – Sodom
In this passage we read that the men of Sodom surround the house where two out-of-town male guests (who are really angels) are lodging with Lot, the nephew of Abraham. The men demand that Lot send out the guests so that they might have sex with them. Later we find out that God destroys the city.
A traditional interpretation says that God destroyed the Sodom for its homosexuality, but this clearly does not make sense. The passage is talking about intended gang rape, which was a common practice in the ancient world by which men humiliated other men in order to show dominance over them. The passage says nothing about loving gay relationships.
It is also significant to note that when later passages in the Bible refer to the sin of Sodom, they never refer to its sin as being same-sex sex. For example, Ezekiel 16:49-50 lists Sodom’s sins as being arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned with the poor and needy. And in Luke 10:12 Jesus compares Sodom to towns that reject his disciples. In other words, the sin of Sodom was inhospitality, which is supremely ironic in view of the church’s traditional inhospitality toward those of us who are gay.
Some people interpret a reference in Jude 7 to the sexual perversion of Sodom (literally, “lusting after strange flesh”) as a reference to same-sex sexual desires, but scholars tell us that this obscure phrase is far more likely referring to the attempt by the men of Sodom to rape angels.
Leviticus 18:22, 20:13 – Laws
Many people point to these passages because they are the only verses in the Bible that explicitly prohibit a man from having sex with another man. Furthermore, both passages call such a practice “an abomination” (King James Version) or “detestable” (New International Version).
Although these laws seem very clear, we must consider their contexts and applicability today. The book of Leviticus is filled with many laws, and there are over 600 laws in the Old Testament as a whole. Few if any Christians believe that we are morally obligated to follow all the Old Testament laws. So why pick out two of the laws and say that they are still in force?
In our next post we will complete our study of Leviticus.
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.