Part 3 (Old Testament): Against the Christian Oppression of Individuals on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Identity
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| By Nico Kaiser (source below) |
Herein continues our analysis of biblical passages said to
be relevant to the issue of homosexuality. My overall conclusion is that close
analysis reveals that the Bible is not clear on the issue, and that the few
passages cited in reference to the issue (6 passages) are insufficient to
establish a reliable doctrine on such a significant issue. Parts 1 and 2
examined the three New Testament texts, and here I examine the three Old
Testament texts.
Passage (4): Genesis 19:1-9. Genesis 18:16 through 19:29 provides
an account of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, described in general with as places
of “exceedingly great” sin. Due for destruction by God, Abraham pleads for the
cities, if there may be even ten righteous people found there. The cities
apparently fail the test and are soon destroyed by the fire of God. In the
interim time, two angels are sent there and they encounter Abraham’s relative,
Lot, who brings the angels into his home. During the night, Lot’s home is
surrounded by a great number of men of the city, who request that the angels be
sent out for the purpose that the men “may have relations with them.” This has
become a key passage used against homosexual behavior, as an example of the
unrighteousness of the inhabitants of Sodom.
There is no doubt that this incident describes behavior that
demonstrates the unrighteous character of the inhabitants of the city. But
consider what is actually described. Two visitors enter the town and are hosted
by a resident. A large number of men surround the home and (1) demand that the
guests be sent out (2) for sexual relations (3) presumably by force, and in
public, and in mass and, not to be overlooked, (4) the guests are not men, but
angels (and it is not clear if the men of Sodom are aware of this or not, nor
do we have any basis in our own experience for considering the nature of a
public encounter with angels). There are several prohibited behaviors exhibited
in this scenario (whether they be prohibited by the Bible or by general moral
standards) including adultery, rape or sex by force or violence, and general
promiscuity possibly of the nature of sex for exhibitionism, given that this is
essentially a mob. Beyond this, we must consider that guests which were the
target of this group sexual exploitation were not actually people but angels.
As is often the case, what appears to be an argument is
actually a logical non-sequitur. It simply does not follow from this passage
that the Bible is indicating a general prohibition against homosexuality or a
specific blanket prohibition against any homosexual sexual relations. Should we
be any less mortified by the behavior of the men of Sodom if Lot’s guests were
women, or if Lot’s house were surrounded by women demanding that the angels be
sent out to have forced sexual relations with them? The elements of promiscuity
and/or violence listed above still apply. Above all, this is a mob outside of
the residence demanding access to Lot’s guests for the purpose of forcible gang
sexual activity. As such, in the absence of other more specific biblical
directives, this passage is not properly taken as informative of a sexual ethic
over and above other passages that are less obscure, such as the Ten Commandments.
Passages (5) and (6): Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13
Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 is interpreted by some as a
straightforward prohibition against homosexual sexual relations, although the
meaning of the Hebrew verb (as with many Hebrew verbs) is subject to variation
and interpretation. The verb sakab can refer to lying down, resting,
sleeping, death, or having sexual relations, usually improper sexual relations
including rape and incest, but not generally used for the proper sexual
relations within marriage. The word used for marital sexual relations is
generally yada (to know). Many
prohibitions found in Leviticus have to do with separating the Hebrew people
from practices of surrounding cultures, and in that light, the word could be a
reference to forcible sex such as might follow the conquest of battle, as was at this time in history, a practice in relation to military conquest of one
people over another.
The larger context of Leviticus contains a wide range of
prohibitions that require to be evaluated in the light of other instruction in
the guidelines of religious cult presented there, in light of the Mosaic law, of
the immediate context and history, and in the light of the New Testament
witness. Here we find instructions, prohibitions, and penalties related to
dietary laws, clean and unclean animals, how to gain purification from various
illnesses, diseases, bodily functions and environmental conditions. Seven
chapters are devoted to laws of blood sacrifice and other sacrifice, including
an incident where two members of the priestly family were killed for offering
the wrong sacrifice. There are laws related to nakedness, various sexual
relations, various family relations, bestiality and prostitution.
There are prohibitions against mingling different kinds or breeds of livestock, different kinds of seeds in the field, different kinds of fabric in weaving cloth, various practices of hair and beard grooming, wearing of clothing, cutting flesh and wearing tattoos, against seeking spiritualists or wizards, against child sacrifice.Here are found the rules of vengeance including the ever famous “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.” A wide range of violations lead to a penalty of death, including blasphemy. The high priest had many special prohibitions, such as not to be in the presence of a dead person, even his own parents. Those with injuries or physical disabilities could not offer sacrifices.
Instructions are given for the incense, the candles, the sacrifices, the feasts, the festivals, the holidays, leading up to a full blown system for valuing, borrowing, buying and selling of property, debt, servitude, to be observed in a fifty year period of seven cycles of seven years. This economic model appears to have had the purpose of safeguarding the perpetual family ownership of the land while simultaneously liberating people from various forms of debt and imprisonment which would occur in the routine up and down flow of the economy. Interpreters generally agree that the economic system incorporating the fifty year “Jubilee” was likely never fully observed, although the Jubilee principle has been among the more frequently cited Old Testament teachings.
In the Levitical code there are also many reminders of
ordinary moral guidelines and standards of fairness in judgment, business
dealings, appealing to such moral principles as honesty, integrity, respect of
personal property, respect of personal safety.
Another possible path of clarification would be (b) support for a specific interpretation based on reference to the Ten Commandments, or other parts of the Mosaic law outside of the presentation of guidelines for the cult (system of sacrifices and temple worship) or clear moral guidelines presented, for example, in the prophetic writings.
The argument here against taking a definitive Scriptural
position against homosexuality in general and the possibility of moral
homosexual sexual relations is similar to the argument for the three New
Testament passages. The references in question are subject to varying
interpretation and in and of themselves are not clear and definitive in
meaning. To arrive at a conclusive moral argument, we should require (a)
clarification of linguistic meaning based on more pervasive scriptural use of
the words in question. This is simply not available, leaving the linguistic
question open to interpretation. Another possible path of clarification would
be (b) support for a specific interpretation based on reference to the Ten
Commandments, or other parts of the Mosaic law outside of the presentation of
guidelines for the cult (system of sacrifices and temple worship) or clear
moral guidelines presented, for example, in the prophetic writings. Relevant
here would also be (c) the teachings and moral directives given by Jesus along with
the moral principles demonstrated in Jesus’ interactions with others throughout
his ministry. The honest interpreter
of Scripture must admit that these additional clarifying Scripture or
scriptural moral principles are not available on this issue. They are not
available in the Ten Commandments, not available in the teachings of the
prophets, not available in the teachings or ministerial activities of Jesus.
Image:
By Nico Kaiser - Flickr, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20802648