Ben Blogs

Is it me or is being dumb back in fashion?

I read that there have been five failed court cases trying to prove US President Barack Obama is not American - Stupid!

Statistics show that there is no change in the possibility of relationship breakdown with co-habitors or a married couple. Whoever says otherwise - Stupid!

A survey shows that British children believe that Winston Churchill never existed, but Sherlock Holmes did - Stupid!

The Bible should be read literally - Stupid!

That last one will upset some people. I don't want to offend anyone, but we need to be clear about this. What do we do with such scripture as:

If a man commits adultery with another man's wife - with the wife of his neighbour - both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. (Leviticus 20:10)

If two men, a man and his countryman, are struggling together, and the wife of one comes near to deliver her husband from the hand of the one who is striking him, and puts out her hand and seizes his genitals, then you shall cut off her hand; you shall not show pity. (Deuteronomy 25:11-12)

Do not allow a sorceress to live. (Exodus 22:18)

If we take this as literal, then we are living in such a way as to exclude everyone from the depths of God's love and power.

I believe that the Bible is inspired from God, and that God spoke to such men and women so for them to share who God is and what it is to be human. However, to treat the Bible as God is plain ridicules.

When we explore the history, the theology expressed, the people God affected, what their actions mean, and what the stranger verses meant in that time scale (think prevailing paganism and purity, for starters), we get down to the unfathomable character of God and the eternal truths that the Bible hints towards.

Here’s something: the question surrounding homosexuality and Christianity is complicated. The difficulty is down to Biblical literalism, Natural Law leanings, and fear!

To start with, saying the Bible says so is, to say the least, problematic. The most commonly quoted verse in Leviticus, chapter 18, verse 22, which says: 'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable’. However, when we look at the verse three of that same chapter, with an eye to historical local culture, it reads: ‘You must not do as they do in Egypt… as they do in the land of Canaan… Do not follow their practices’. We need to be aware that this reading was actually stopping followers from participating in pagan worship, which featured different sexual acts (including sex with children, animals, incest-ual acts), in order to ‘please the gods' (also, we must read the chapter to see the full context). Christianity believes in a God of love who made humanity to His image and wants us to love Him and everyone with compassion and respect. Doing something to ensure His happiness is not on His agenda. Using sex as a tool is not what sex is about, either.

Another point to underline: Do we have a pick and mix attitude to the Bible and our religion? Do we emphasis some parts of the Good Book and leave off others is adapting God to our needs, rather than seeking the fullness of God, in whatever way, to understand and follow the mission of individual and collective masses? This needs to be reflected upon always.

To use the Natural Law argument, is troublesome, too. Natural Law being 'a theory that posits the existence of a law whose content is set by nature and that therefore has validity everywhere'. As being homosexual is not normally a ‘lifestyle choice’, then, by definition, this might be termed as ‘natural’. You could have a long argument about sex and procreation, yet you could take love out of making love. Our understanding of what is ‘natural’ in humanity and nature is constantly developing; to be rigid on such a subject is not a way to express wisdom.

Fear must be part of some people’s foundation towards homosexuality. Being different, especially with sexuality, makes many people uncomfortable. I have been the only practising Christian/man/under 50 year old/over 21 year old/married person (delete as appropriate) in many settings. The feeling of not fitting-in can be horrible. Having that feeling about your intimate life, with the expectation of bullying, must be horrendous. To believe that God’s unconditional and far-reaching love and grace can be ‘turned off’ due to issues of sexuality (which is Divinely given) seems to shrink Him.

This is a sensitive topic, which we need to keep on talking about, for the strengthening of the communion of Christ.