Gay Love & Life

Does the Bible say homosexuals will go to hell?

2012-01-21T09:31:00.001-08:00

Trust Jesus alone by faith alone to save you

No, the Bible NEVER says all homosexuals will go to hell. That is a myth based primarily on the NIV mistranslation of 1 Corinthians 6:9 plus the modern Christian mis-interpretation of Revelation 22:15.

Those are the most often used verses to teach that homosexuals will go to hell. Fortunately for saved homosexuals and unfortunately for those who use those verses against us, the verses do not teach or imply that homosexuals will go to hell.

Every homosexual - gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people - will go to heaven IF they trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.

I Cor 6:9 and Rev 22:15 describe pagan worshipers of the fertility goddess, not born again gay men or lesbian women or bisexuals or transsexuals.

Teaching that homosexuals will go to hell based on 1 Corinthians 6:9 occurs because many Christians misunderstand the Greek word, arsenokoitai.

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind (arsenokoitai)," 1 Cor 6:9, KJV

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders (arsenokoitai)" 1 Cor 6:9, NIV

Because the NIV did such a lousy job and mistranslated the Greek word, arsenokoitai, many people concluded that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God.

If the NIV translators had bothered to study instead of just going by what the Greek lexicons say, the gay community could have avoided a lot of pain and heartache.

Arsenokoitai has never been a reference to a lesbian couple or a gay male couple. Instead, in the first century, arsenokoitai referred to shrine prostitution or rape or having sex with angels. That is the behavior Paul was describing when he used the Greek word, arsenokoitai.

"Outside (of the holy city) are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood." Revelation 22:15, NIV

"Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God." Deu 23:18, KJV

"You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the Lord your God to pay any vow, because the Lord your God detests them both." Deu 23:18, NIV

The word "dog" describes one class of sinner who will not be in the New Jerusalem in heaven. Some Christians interpret Rev 22:15 to mean that all homosexuals are dogs and will not be in heaven. Of course, they are dead wrong and I'll be happy to tell them so IF THEY make it to heaven.

The Greek word for dogs is, kyon, sometimes meaning a dog or sometimes used metaphorically as in Revelation 22:15, as a reference to shrine prostitutes, Deu 23:18.

The word "dog" was used as an epithet to describe cult prostitutes, shrine prostitute, pagan temple prostitutes, who used sex to serve the fertility goddesses of ancient Canaan. Even one of the most virulently anti-gay Christians, Dr. Robert Gagnon, identifies the Greek word kyon as a reference to shrine prostitutes.

“The harsh descriptions of the qedesim in 1-2 Kings (1 Kgs 14:24: “even qades were in the land”) and Job 36:14, along with the epithet of “dog” in Deut 23:18, suggests a degree of revulsion more suited to same-sex male cult prostitution.” Robert Gagnon, The Bible and Homosexual Practice, p. 104

"The existence of male (same sex) cult prostitutes was well known to Jews of the period (the first century AD), as Philo's comments testify ...Thus the most likely explanation is that the term "dogs" in Rev 22:15 primarily has in view emasculated male cult prostitutes without excluding a wider reference to any who engage in homosexual practice." Gagnon, The Bible and Homosexual Practice, p. 105

NOTE: The underlined portion is Dr. Gagnon inserting his opinion as if the Bible supports his opinion, which of course, it does not.

“That means Josiah’s action against the qedesim in the temple precincts was likely taken as a direct result of laws in Deut 23:17-18 regarding the qedesim or “dogs.” Gagnon, The Bible and Homosexual Practice, p. 106

Why Women Love Gay Men

2012-01-21T09:26:00.000-08:00

Why Women Love Gay Men

What the Bible Says - And Doesn't Say - About Homosexuality

2012-01-21T09:23:00.000-08:00

LIKE YOU, I TAKE THE BIBLE SERIOUSLY!

Many good people build their case against homosexuality almost entirely on the Bible. These folks value Scripture, and are serious about seeking its guidance in their lives. Unfortunately, many of them have never really studied what the Bible does and doesn't say about homosexuality.
We gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Christians take the Bible seriously, too. Personally, I've spent more than 50 years reading, studying, memorizing, preaching, and teaching from the sacred texts. I earned my master's and doctoral degrees at a conservative biblical seminary to better equip myself to "rightly divide the word of truth." I learned Hebrew and Greek to gain a better understanding of the original words of the biblical texts. I studied the lives and times of the biblical authors to help me know what they were saying in their day so I could better apply it to my own.

I'm convinced the Bible has a powerful message for gay and lesbian Christians -- as well as straight Christians. But it's not the message of condemnation we so often hear.
I'm not expecting you to take my word for it, though. I ask only that you'd consider what my research has taught me about the passages used by some people to condemn God's gay and lesbian children. Then decide for yourself...

MY FIRST PREMISE:

Most people have not carefully and prayerfully researched the biblical texts often used to condemn God's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender children.
As you may know, biblical ignorance is an epidemic in the United States. A recent study quoted by Dr. Peter Gomes in The Good Book found that 38 percent of Americans polled were certain the Old Testament was written a few years after Jesus' death. Ten percent believed Joan of Arc was Noah's wife. Many even thought the epistles were the wives of the apostles.
This same kind of biblical ignorance is all too present around the topic of homosexuality. Often people who love and trust God's Word have never given careful and prayerful attention to what the Bible does or doesn't say about homosexuality.
For example, many Christians don't know that:

Jesus says nothing about same-sex behavior.
The Jewish prophets are silent about homosexuality.
Only six or seven of the Bible's one million verses refer to same-sex behavior in any way -- and none of these verses refer to homosexual orientation as it's understood today.

Most people who are certain they know what the Bible says about homosexuality don't know where the verses that reference same-sex behavior can be found. They haven't read them, let alone studied them carefully. They don't know the original meaning of the words in Hebrew or Greek. And they haven't tried to understand the historical context in which those words were written. Yet the assumption that the Bible condemns homosexuality is passed down from generation to generation with very little personal study or research. The consequences of this misinformation are disastrous, not only for God's gay and lesbian children, but for the entire church.

The apostle Paul says, "Test all things and hold fast to that which is good." By reading this little pamphlet, you are taking Paul seriously.

What its Love

2012-01-21T09:09:00.001-08:00

What is love? It is one of the most difficult questions for the mankind. Centuries have passed by, relationships have bloomed and so has love. But no one can give the proper definition of love. To some Love is friendship set on fire for others Maybe love is like luck. You have to go all the way to find it. No matter how you define it or feel it, love is the eternal truth in the history of mankind.
Love is patient, love is kind. It has no envy, nor it boasts itself and it is never proud. It rejoices over the evil and is the truth seeker. Love protects; preserves and hopes for the positive aspect of life. Always stand steadfast in love, not fall into it. It is like the dream of your matter of affection coming true. Love can occur between two or more individuals. It bonds them and connects them in a unified link of trust, intimacy and interdependence. It enhances the relationship and comforts the soul. Love should be experienced and not just felt. The depth of love can not be measured. Look at the relationship between a mother and a child. The mother loves the child unconditionally and it can not be measured at all. A different dimension can be attained between any relationships with the magic of love. Love can be created. You just need to focus on the goodness of the other person. If this can be done easily, then you can also love easily. And remember we all have some positive aspect in us, no matter how bad our deeds maybe. And as God said Love all
Depending on context, love can be of different varieties. Romantic love is a deep, intense and unending. It shared on a very intimate and interpersonal and sexual relationship. The term Platonic love, familial love and religious love are also matter of great affection. It is more of desire, preference and feelings. The meaning of love will change with each different relationship and depends more on its concept of depth, versatility, and complexity. But at times the very existence of love is questioned. Some say it is false and meaningless. It says that it never exist, because there has been many instances of hatred and brutality in relationships. The history of our world has witnessed many such events. There has been hatred between brothers, parents and children, sibling rivalry and spouses have failed each other. Friends have betrayed each other; the son has killed his parents for the throne, the count is endless. Even the modern generation is also facing with such dilemmas everyday. But love is not responsible for that. It is us, the people, who have forgotten the meaning of love and have undertaken such gruesome apathy.
In the past the study of philosophy and religion has done many speculations on the phenomenon of love. But love has always ruled, in music, poetry, paintings, sculptor and literature. Psychology has also done lot of dissection to the essence of love, just like what biology, anthropology and neuroscience has also done to it.
Psychology portrays love as a cognitive phenomenon with a social cause. It is said to have three components in the book of psychology: Intimacy, Commitment, and Passion. Also, in an ancient proverb love is defined as a high form of tolerance. And this view has been accepted and advocated by both philosophers and scholars. Love also includes compatibility. But it is more of journey to the unknown when the concept of compatibility comes into picture. Maybe the person whom we see in front of us, may be least compatible than the person who is miles away. We might talk to each other and portray that we love each other, but practically we do not end up into any relationship. Also in compatibility, the key is to think about the long term successful relationship, not a short journey. We need to understand each other and must always remember that no body is perfect.
Be together, share your joy and sorrow, understand each other, provide space to each other, but always be there for each others need. And surely love will blossom to strengthen your relationship with your matter of affection.