[posted May 27, 1999]
"I sodomized him with a stick," said the New York police officer when he confessed to his crime of torturing his prisoner. Then the radio announcer explained that the officer performed "an act of gay sex" on his prisoner. How awful! What could possibly be worse than "an act of gay sex"! I'll tell you what is worse: the abusive use of homophobic fundamentalist teachings to import into everyday speech twisted misrepresentations of the Bible. To call an act of police brutality and torture against a handcuffed prisoner "gay sex" is truly sick!
The "sodomy, sodomize, sodomite" myth is not even based on biblical literalism. It is the result of speculation and homophobic interpretations of the Hebrew word "know" in Genesis 19:5. Such speculation breeds contempt for the Bible, for religion, and for GLBT people.
Biblical Literalism is Bad EnoughBiblical liberalism contributes to a lot of mental illness, according to Dr. Wayne E. Oates, whose important book on "When Religion Gets Sick" has recently been re-published. In the introduction to this book, Dr. Oates tells of mental patients that he knows who took literally the biblical instructions to "cut off your hand" or "pluck out your eye" if it offends you.
The Bible literally and clearly says in Matthew 5:29-30 and Mark 9:43-47 that if your hand or eye or foot offend, then you are to remove these offending body parts. Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20; and Deuteronomy 19:21 say clearly and literally that you are to take an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth from anyone who attacks you. Jesus in Matthew 5:38 rejected the verses about "eye for an eye" and "tooth for a tooth" and tried to stop the people from destroying other people's body parts. It is only a small step of interpretation from cutting off your own offending body parts to the action of cutting off the offending body parts of others.
The word "offend" is Greek "skandalitzo," from which we get "scandal" and "scandalize." It means in Greek to be caught in a trap, like an animal. When you see someone being trapped by his or her own gossip and hateful speech, then you should get out a razor and remove the offending tongue. The same could be said for cutting off ears for listening to gossip, lies and "trash talk."
If it offends you to be groped, cut it off! The same application could be made to tongues, feet, legs, arms, brains, and to most body parts, until only a torso is left, the head being the chief source of evil and cut off early in extreme obedience to literal biblical requirements. Biblical literalism has inspired centuries of self-inflicted suffering and violence against others in the name of God.
Biblical Literalism vs. Common SenseBiblical literalism makes the whole Bible ludicrous and unusable to many thinking people. Of course I am upset and angry about the use of the Bible and religion to torture and destroy my homosexual sisters and brothers. I get e-mail every day from suffering people who are victims of biblical literalism and lies about the Bible that have been created by homophobic speculations and distortions of biblical material. The life and teachings of Jesus are either being ignored or twisted to support anti-gay speculations and homophobia driven perversions of the Bible.
The use of the Bible against homosexuals goes far beyond biblical literalism. Using the Bible to bash homosexuals is based on a fantasy world of homophobia and lies that is unparalleled in the history of biblical interpretation. What really motivates this intense misuse of the Bible and clear rejection of the love and kindness of Jesus? Also what motivates the homophobic religious activists to reject the findings and decisions of the American Psychiatric Association and all other professional associations in order to substitute superstition, prejudice, ignorance, and fear in place of the facts about homosexuals?
Our GLBT sisters and brothers are being destroyed by hateful religion that claims to speak for God. If you are not angry: why not?
Why Do Fundamentalists Need an Absolute Book?No other field besides religion maintains that an ancient body of absolute material must be believed in spite of its obvious contradictions and vagueness and all of the evidence against it. This is true even though no two religious groups believe exactly the same body of absolute material or view the Bible in exactly the same way. In every other field of honest objective research and study, new ideas and discoveries are welcomed.
In medicine, biology, genetics, physics, astronomy, psychology, history, law, and even in ethics and philosophy, the scientific method is followed, allowing for new discoveries and information to make a difference and bring about improved understanding and better practical methods of carrying out the objectives of every professional discipline. Every professional discipline, that is, except for religion professionals, for whom ignorance is no hindrance to power and wealth. In fact, ignorance seems to be an advantage to most television preachers.
Careful objective study of biblical texts has shown that no mention of sexual orientation can be found in the Bible. Incorrect translations and out-of-context interpretations have invented the homophobic texts and teachings that condemn and reject homosexuals. The response of many religions and religious leaders to the truth about the Bible and homosexuality is to deny the facts and smother the truth in a torrent of criticisms and arguments. Like a flock of frightened ostriches, they hide their heads in the sand, thinking that nobody can really see their ignorance. The dictionary defines "ostrich-like" as "one who attempts to avoid danger or difficulty by refusing to face it."
Find a copy of Dr. Wayne E. Oates book, When Religion Gets Sick, and read all of it, especially chapter 1. Visit the Wayne E. Oates Institute Online .
Visit Dr. Truluck's website: Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse
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