Defending Yourself Against Religious Zealots
By Max Roberts
Our society supports freedom, liberty, and equality under the law for everybody, which our great American Constitution eloquently outlines. It is this equality which same-sex couples seek to secure in their efforts to legalize same-sex marriages. Presently, there are some religious zealots that will try to stop legalizing marriage by using the religious freedom argument as a backlash against gay equality particularly gay marriage . Some states have already begun enacting legislation regarding Freedom of Religion.
Unfortunately, they will use religion as a means to stop our freedom and will use bible passages to support their argument. I want our Gay Life After 40 readers to be aware of this and to arm themselves against such arguments. As Shakespeare once said, ” Even the devil can cite scripture for his purpose”.
So what are their arguments:
Sodom and Gomorrah
Genesis chapter 19 records the two angels, disguised as human men, visiting Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot met the angels in the city square and urged them to stay at his house. The angels agreed. The Bible then informs us, “Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom — both young and old — surrounded the house. They called to Lot, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.'” The angels then proceed to blind all the men of Sodom and Gomorrah and urge Lot and his family to flee from the cities to escape the wrath that God was about to deliver. Lot and his family flee the city, and then “the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah — from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities…”
In light of the passage, the most common response to the question “What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?” Was it homosexuality? Traditionally, the term “sodomy” came to be used to refer to anal sex between two men, whether consensual or forced.
Sodom and Gomorrah are referred to 20 times throughout the subsequent books of the Bible, sometimes with detailed commentary on what their sins were, but homosexuality is never mentioned or connected to them. It’s now widely conceded by scholars on both sides of this debate that Sodom and Gomorrah do not offer biblical evidence to support the belief that homosexuality is a sin but was against bad hospitality. In those days, it was common to rape and dehumanize their enemy. It was about power and revenge. They do not help the poor and cared only for their selves. God wants us to show justice, mercy, and show hospitality to each other. In Ezekiel 16:49, the prophet quotes God as saying, “’Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.” So God Himself in Ezekiel declares the sin of Sodom to be arrogance and apathy toward the poor. In Matthew 10 and Luke 10, Jesus associates the sin of Sodom with inhospitable treatment of his disciples. Of all the 20 references to Sodom and Gomorrah throughout the rest of Scripture, only one connects their sins to sexual transgressions in general. The New Testament book of Jude, verse 7, states that Sodom and Gomorrah “gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion.” But there are many forms of sexual immorality and perversion, and even if Jude 7 is taken as specifically referring to the threatened gang rape from Genesis 19:5, that still has nothing to do with the kinds of loving gay relationships that we’re talking about especially in todays environment. There is nothing said about loving relationships between same sex couples.
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Leaving Texts Out /Providing Snippets
On occasion, you maybe engaged in a debate with a person that maybe anti-gay and use examples of prohibitions which seem to support their arguments from snippets from the Bible out of context, disregarding verses that do not seem to support their position. The key here is knowing the material well enough where you are comfortable to debate with them. It is important that you can complete the passages that they often left out. Many people have not read the bible in its entirety and have no idea of what they are talking about. They maybe well intentioned and want to ” save ” you but are just ignorant
If the other person uses the Bible as a reason for being against gay rights, then point out that the Bible also condemns the cutting of side hairs, the killing of any creature, and specifies that one may not eat anything that has crawled on the earth. Masturbation and practicing birth control are abominations as well. If the person you are talking with insists that the Bible must be interpreted, reply to them by stating , “Yes, that’s exactly my point”. Point out that a message of hate is not what any prophet would want.
Most Christians today disagree with and openly disobey the Bible every single day. Divorce is strictly forbidden in both testaments as is remarriage by divorcees which is an abomination .We see slavery as a crime against humanity. There are passages that were used to support slavery –given our historical past, they were misusing them for a very long time to allow for slavery . If a bride is not a virgin, the Bible demands she must be stoned. Other examples that today most Christians follow :Lend and borrow money at interest, don’t force our raped daughters to marry their rapists, wear mixed fibers, don’t cover our heads, eat bacon and sometimes even mix it with cheese, and don’t obey the Sabbath but instead worship football , baseball or basketball games by attending or watching games on television or go shopping at the malls.
Finally, Jesus Christ never mentions or condemns homosexuality . Jesus instead speaks about Love: ” The great commandment is this..to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the second commandment is like it, to love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
Here are some videos that may at least help you and provide comfort to you regarding the Religion argument and to provide solace.
