From PFLAG, (Parents and Friends of Lesbians, And Gays), I picked up this small brochure titled, "What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality", by Paul Smith, copyright 1999.  Paul is a Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in KC, MO. Out of a passage in the pamphlet,

 

"What does the Bible say about Homosexuality?

NOTHING AT ALL!

 

The Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic languages of the Bible did not even have a word for homosexual or a concept of homosexuality, and any translation that uses those words is inaccurate. But false claims of what the Bible supposedly says about homosexuality have been made anyway."

 

I honestly could type out this whole pamphlet, however, there is information, and books available. I will tell you the claims made against homosexual behavior, and what the reaction to it was. These are just a few.

 

Genesis 19:1-11 Sin of Sodom

~Jesus refers to Sodom five times, not once even implying that the sin of Sodom is sexual, but rather affirming the Old Testament understanding that it was inhospitality to those whom God has given to us. (Luke 10)

 

Leviticus 18:22 It is wrong for a man today to have sex with another man.

~Leviticus states, A man shall not lie with a man as with a woman, It also states that anyone who curses their parents should be put to death (20:9), a man who has sex with his wife during her period is to be put out of the community (18:19, 20:18), and those who touch the skin of a dead pig cannot be admitted to worship (11:8).

(Has anyone eaten pork recently? According to this passage you should not be admitted to worship.) Im sure one can see those claims are inapplicable to our way of living and beliefs today.

 

However, there are some positive directions.

Did anyone else know that homosexual behavior occurs in more than 450 kinds of animals? Im sure they chose their orientation.

 

Jesus, in the tradition of the prophets, condemned the Pharisees who neglected justice and the love of God. (Luke 11:42) He continues to cry out against those who discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons. Jesus, in contrast to the Pharisees both then and today, welcomes all with open arms.

The ethic of Jesus was not a list of rules but a powerful principle if its loving, do it and if its not loving, dont do it. Homosexuality is the God-given ability to fall in love with someone of the same sex, and homosexual persons can fulfill the royal law of love in the same way that heterosexual persons can.

 

"Every sexual orientation is a gift from God."

 

Dear Dr. Laura...

 

This is something I found going around the Internet, and as usual lands in my email. So ENJOY! Dont be afraid to share this one. ;)

 

Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a US radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. On her radio show recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an Abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and CANNOT be condoned under ANY circumstance. The following response is an open letter to Dr. Laura, penned by a US resident, which was posted on the Internet.

 

"Dear Dr. Laura:

 Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements: "

 

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

 

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

 

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness --Leviticus 15:19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

 

4. When I burn a bull on the alter as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord -- Leviticus 1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

 

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states her should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

 

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination --Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there really 'degrees' of abomination?

 

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the alter of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

 

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

 

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

 

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curst and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev. 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

 

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

TED

 

 

Swami B.V. Tripurari on Gay Issues
by Amara dasa
His Holiness Swami B.V. Tripurari is a renowned devotee of Lord Krishna and a disciple of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He has been presenting the teachings of Lord Krishna since the early 1970's by distributing his gurudeva's books on a grand scale and also by writing and publishing his own excellent works.
Regarding third gender issues, His Holiness has stated, "...my opinion regarding gay and lesbian devotees is that they should be honored in terms of their devotion and spiritual progress. They should cultivate spiritual life from either a celibate status, or in something analogous to a heterosexual monogamous situation. Gay and lesbian people have always been a part of society from Vedic times to our post-modern times. They should be accepted for what they are in terms of their sexual orientation and encouraged like everyone else to pursue spiritual life."

 I thought I would add some of my own personal experience. The way I see it, practice whatever Religion fits you best, as long as it doesnt hurt anyone or anything else. My personal experiences with the Hare Krishnas have always been a full of love and happiness. I had never, up until then, been in a church where we parade circling a drummer, dance and chant prior to eating, and dance some after. Sure, we chant the same repetitive saying, but isnt song just another praise to God? If you ever pick up a Mythology book, you will see the parallelisms between these religions. I suggest reading Joseph Campbell. The Mayans, Egyptians, Native Americans, and some others have similar stories. I won't bore you with the similarities and differences, but my point is, Hare Krishna is the equivalence to what I know as God. You can call him God, Amun-Ra (Egyptian god) and his son Horus (Jesus?), to what Graham Hancock pointed out in Fingerprints of the Gods,  the names Votan/Itzamana and Viracocha being described by Mayans and Mexicans as a bearded man, with pale skin, and wearing a robe. Would his name also be known to us now as Jesus?
 

The source : Hancock, Graham. Fingerprints of the Gods. Three Rivers Press : New York. 1995. pg 103.

 

If you just look in the Bible for all your answers, I would think one would be limiting themselves to a tunnel of knowledge. Why not expand it? Ask, question, seek for validations of the Bible by other Bibles. A lot of unknown information, and questions could be found within ancient texts also from that era of time, or even before the Bible.