How To: Condemn Homosexuality Using the Bible

1. Start With Your Conclusion
It is much easier to understand how the Bible condemns homosexuality if you keep that condemnation in your mind as you read. You already know that same-sex acts are depraved, perverse and disgusting - keeping that in mind will ensure that your study leads only to the proper conclusion.

2. Get an English Language Bible
The original bible texts were written in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic - languages that few readers of today would be able to comprehend. Thankfully, somebody else has done the work of putting the authors' words into English for us. They've figured out for us what the writers intended when they put words like ish, zahkar, yada, malokoi and pornoi onto paper.

This can tricky, because words like "zahkar" only mean "temple prostitutes" MOST of the time, but SOMETIMES it means "mankind". "Malakoi", which for the longest time has been translated as "effeminate", or "boy prostitutes", or "those who masturbate" has only been properly translates as "homosexuals" since 1946. Even "arsenokoita" - a word that Paul seems to have invented, which he used instead of any of the many Greek words commonly used at the time to describe those who perform homosexual acts, has been properly translated... it means "those who perform homosexual acts".

No need to worry that these interpreters made any mistakes, or introduced their own bias into their translations. Why would any person introduce ideas into their religious dogma that are contrary to God's intent?

3. Read Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13
This book lists out the laws of God's chosen people - the Israelites. You can just read 18:22 and 20:13, and you'll see clear condemnations of "man with mankind". Here's a perfect example of how an English language translation helps the reader! Although the author, Moses, used the word "zakhar" here, which is commonly used to refer to males used in ritual pagan sex acts, and even though this instruction is intended to show the Israelites how they are not to follow the practices of the Egyptians or the communities, and even though ritual pagan sex with temple prostitutes was common practice of the Egyptians and communities, the translated has figured out that THIS PARTICULAR OCCURRENCE of "zakhar" DOES NOT MEAN "temple prostitutes" ... it means "mankind". I don't think many lay readers would have reached this obviously correct conclusion.

That's about all you need from Leviticus. If you read the rest you'll find there are a total of 613 instructions that comprise the law, but most of them - like "don't eat pork" or "don't touch a pigskin" or "don't cross-breed livestock" don't apply to today's Christian. BUT 18:22 AND 20:13 STILL DO!

4. Read Genesis 19
Here is the story of Sodom, a city so depraved and sinful that God sent angels to destroy it, and everyone in it, except for Lot and his family. When God's angels arrived in Sodom, only Lot extended an offer of hospitality. The rest of the town was content to let these visitors stay out in the town square and fend for themselves. After Lot took the strangers in, a crowd showed up demanding that Lot hand the men over so that "we may know them". Well, Lot didn't hand the visitors over, the gathered crowd was blinded, Lot & his family escaped, and the city was destroyed.

From this story it is obvious that God does not approve of two men being in a loving relationship together. When men express love for each other, nurture and support each other, and help each other live a good life in the community it is EXACTLY THE SAME THING as attempting to assault or gang-rape strangers visiting from another town.

NOTE: You should under no circumstances read Ezekiel 16:49-50 - "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good."

5. Read Romans 1
In Corinth, in Paul's time, most people worshiped the goddess Aphrodite, a false deity with both male & female sex organs. Part of their worship was to play the role of the opposite gender, and to engage in orgiastic sex with temple prostitutes who were available for that purpose. Still, there is no reason to think that Paul might have been writing about these ritualistically practices in Romans I. Certainly he meant that any kind same-sex relationship was sinful, because really what's the difference between performing sex for money as part of idol worship and having a committed, monogamous relationship with somebody you care about? THEY ARE THE SAME THING!

NOTE: Do NOT read ANY OTHER CHAPTERS in Romans. If you make that mistake, you may run into passages about how we are not to judge one another (2:1, 14:4, 14:10, 14:13 ), or how no one can be justified through the law (3:20) but through faith (3:28-31) and God's perfect sacrifice and forgiveness (4:7, 5:18, 8:3-4). How can nothing be unclean in itself (14:14) when mosaic law list so many things as being unclean?

6. Read 1 Timothy
Ever since 1946, 1 Timothy 1:9-10 has been translated as a condemnation of homosexuals. Prior to that the word Timothy used, "arsenokoitai", had been translated as any of the following: child molesters, perverts, homosexual perverts, sexual perverts. True, the words "arsenokoitai" and "malakois" are NOT among the Greek words commonly used at that time to describe homosexual sex acts, and up until the 20th century the common interpretation condemned masturbation, but is that really any reason to question the 1946 translation?