It is quite timely that we just concluded a series of articles pertaining to the Queen James Bible, the purpose of which its editor stated as, “The Queen James Bible has been edited to make homophobic interpretations impossible.” You can find the links to the series here.
If homosexuality was merely two same-gendered people who love each other they would not need a Bible that was specifically manipulated so as to offer them some sort of comfort. The issue is that for some, homosexuality becomes a worldview and this leads to activism. Once homosexuals turn their chosen lifestyle into a worldview they judge all things via their chosen sexuality. Thus, when it comes to questions such as for which politician should I vote, which political party should I back, what is right/good/ethical and what is wrong/evil/unethical, who is tolerant and intolerant, which “holy book” is accurate and thus which theology is accurate, etc., etc., etc. they answer all such questions via by how these people, institutions, concepts, texts and theologies handle homosexuality. Homosexuality becomes the manner whereby to judge all things: does it accepts (or, indorse) homosexuality or not.
It is generally not two same-gendered people who love each other against which some react but rather, they react against the activism.
On Sunday January 13, 2013 AD four people made worldwide news by protesting topless at the Vatican as the Roman Catholic church elucidated opposition to same-sex adoption in, apparent, full view of the pope Benedict XVI at St. Peter’s Square.
This is interesting on various levels, let us review some of these:
1) The protester had two mottos painted on their bodies (and one had an upside down pentagram tattoo). One was “SHUT UP” which is, shall we say, not exactly an invitation to dialogue, they were yelling things such as “Homophobes shut up” as in, “If you oppose us, you have no say.” The other was more on topic with this article and was, “IN GAY WE TRUST.” Do you get the point? This is not merely about two same-gendered people who love each other not even merely about worldviews but they have turned homosexuality into a theology: they are replacing “God” with “GAY”—even though “In God we trust” is not a Vatican motto (although it may be a Jesuit one…).
2) This took place at the Vatican’s Pagan square with which Pete would have nothing to do. The square includes various Pagan symbols such as a six spoke solar circle in the middle of which is an “X” within a circle (which is an occult symbol equaling the number of the beast: 666) within which is an obelisk which is both a petrified ray of the Sun and a phallic symbol: a male god’s sex organ.
3) The Vatican itself is decorated with many depictions of naked men (this is within an institution which is largely administered by men): think of the Sistine Chapel for example.
4) Polls being what they are (and having to be understood in terms of what was asked, how was it asked, to whom was it asked, to how many people was it asked, etc., etc., etc.) let us consider the following:
A 2002 nationwide poll in America by the Los Angeles Times of 1,854 Roman Catholic priests reported that 80% of referred to themselves as “mostly” heterosexual, with 67% being exclusively heterosexual, 8% leaning toward heterosexual, 5% completely in the middle, and 6% leaning toward homosexual and 9% saying they are homosexual, for a combined figure of 15% on the homosexual side. Among younger priests (those ordained for 20 years or less) the figure was 23%. The same survey reported that 44% of the priests said “definitely” a “homosexual subculture”…exists in their diocese or religious order.[1] A 2001 survey conducted by Dean Hoge for Catholic University of America found that 19% of priests said “clearly there is a subculture”, 36% said there probably is and 17% said there is not…Studies by Wolf and Sipe from the early 1990s suggest that the percentage of priests in the Catholic Church who admitted to being gay or were in homosexual relationships was well above the national average for the United States of America.[2]… One report suggested that since the mid-1980s Roman Catholic priests in the United States were dying from AIDS-related illnesses at a rate four times higher than that of the general population; with most of the cases contracted through same-sex relations, and the cause often concealed on their death certificates.[3]
Bishop Thomas Gumbleton of the Archdiocese of Detroit suggested, “Gay priests and heterosexual priests didn’t know how to handle their sexuality, their sexual drive. And so they would handle it in ways that were not healthy.”
If men recognize that they have homosexual urges and thus, become priests so as to be celibate that is certainly proper. However, YHVH said that “it is not good for man to be alone” in the specific context of male, female relations and so celibacy is a unique gift, see: The Celibate Priesthood – God’s Will and Human Nature.
5) The Roman Catholic church is nothing but a white washed sepulcher the history of which, very succinctly stated, began with the Biblically appropriate concept of various Bishops having equal authority over various regions, to the Bishop of Rome claiming to be the most authoritative Bishop, to claiming that adherence to the Bishop of Rome was essential for salvation, to Protestants being anathema—eternally condemned, to Protestants being merely separated brethren, to Muslims having salvation whilst not accepting Jesus as savior and now to bringing together Pagans of all sorts in supposed in joint services to their various false gods.
6) The actions of the protesters actually hurt their cause. Yes, they certainly got attention, both positive and negative, but what the world saw was very angry half naked people yelling and mocking rather than putting forth cogent arguments.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more info see:
Rev. Dr. Mel White on Christian Homosexuality (White is a pro-homosexuality activist who makes the same exact arguments as the QJV editor).
Much more relevant info at my section on homosexuality.
Books of interest:
The Gay Gospel?: How Pro-Gay Advocates Misread the Bible
When Homosexuality Hits Home: What to Do When a Loved One Says They’re Gay
Desires in Conflict: Hope for Men Who Struggle with Sexual Identity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Notes:
[1] Los Angeles Times poll, “A survey of Roman Catholic priests in the United States and Puerto Rico”, June 27 to October 11, 2002 AD
[2] J. Wolf, Gay Priests, New York, 1989; R. Sipe, A Secret World: sexuality and the search for celibacy, New York, 1990 AD
[3] Stuard, Elizabeth. Roman Catholics and Homosexuality, quoted by Kate Saunders in Catholics and Sex.