Dear Editor:
After wrestling through a gamut of emotions (disbelief, outrage, disappointment), I decided not to pollute the campus community with further negativity, simply to provide information so everyone may form his/her own opinion.
Andrew Stearns employs good rhetorical strategy: begin with audience assumptions then build on them to make your point. He is discussing and analyzing “our outlook on important issues,” which I sincerely hope doesn’t reflect that of your staff. He quotes two scriptures, taken out of context, to “let the true authority speak.” I will examine each scripture.
Romans 1:26-27: “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.” (KJV)
2 Peter 3:15-17 states we must be very careful interpreting Paul’s writings. “As also in all his [Paul’s] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (KJV)
“Paul’s writings have been taken out of context and twisted to punish and oppress every identifiable minority in the world: Jews, children, women, blacks, slaves, politicians, divorcees, convicts, pro-choice, lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexuals, religious reformers, mentally ill, the list could go on. Paul is difficult and confusing to understand. Paul’s writing is very difficult to translate.” – Dr. R.S. Truluck
It’s important to understand the precise meaning of key words, as expressed in the original Greek:
“Vile affections” refers to the “frenzied state of mind that many ancient cults induced in worshippers with wine, drugs and music,” describing ritual sex orgies performed in many Pagan settings (fertility cult worship prevalent in Rome).
“Change” precisely describes about whom Paul talks. He writes about heterosexual women/men exchanging their normal/inborn behaviors for same-sex activities. With peer pressure, drugs, alcohol and other stimulants present in Pagan sex rituals; they have abandoned normal feelings of abhorrence and tried same-sex behavior.
“Natural” is used, but the operative term is “phooskos,” meaning “inborn.” This and the corresponding phrase “para physin” are commonly mistranslated into English as “unnatural.” “Unnatural” implies something to be morally condemned.
“Para physin” is accurately defined as “deviating from the ordinary in either a good/bad sense, something that goes beyond the realm of ordinary experience.” “Unconventional” is a more precise translation. “Para physin” appears elsewhere in the Bible: for example; 1 Corinthians 11:14, Paul uses it to refer to long hair on men as unusual & not ordinary.
Romans 11:24, Paul uses it to describe God’s positive actions to bring Jews & Gentiles together.
The last phrase refers to idolaters receiving “recompense of their error which was meet.” This is widely accepted as reference to transmission of STDs, an epidemic among Pagan fertility cults.
It’s important to analyze the preamble to the verses quoted above: Romans 1:7 says Paul writes “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints … ” He writes to all Christians in Rome, submerged in Roman culture, where homosexual behavior was widespread and accepted.
Romans 1 concerns Paul’s denunciation of idolatrous religious worship and rituals. This is not often mentioned today. These verses are broken from the longer passage and cited by themselves to condemn same-sex behavior.
Verses 21-23: They were Christians who, fallen from faith, returned to Paganism, making images of Pagan gods.
Verse 24: They engaged in heterosexual orgies in Pagan fertility rituals.
Verse 25: They worshipped these images. Paul specifically condemns idol worship here.
Verse 26: God intervened in these rituals, changing their behavior so women engaged in sexual activities with other women.
Verse 27: God had the men engage in same-sex ritual activities. They (presumably both men/women) were punished in some way.
Verse 28: God “gave them up” to many unethical activities/attitudes: evil, covetousness, malice, envy, murder, etc.
The beliefs that other religions are morally corrupt and that followers of one’s own religion behave on a higher moral plane was common in Paul’s time. The same assertions have been made throughout history.
Modern studies indicate no group of religions exhibits consistently immoral behavior among their followers, none of whom have a monopoly on good behavior.
The passage deals with immoral behavior among heterosexuals who converted from Christianity to Paganism and engaged in behavior against their nature.
There’s no connection between former Christians (first century CE) who returned to Paganism and engaged in sexual orgies, and persons with homosexual orientation entering into loving and committed relationships.
Corinthians 6:9-10 states “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, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”(KJV)
The word “effeminate” describes this behavior as “malakoi,” which is translated in Matthew 11:8 and Luke 7:25 as “soft” (KJV) in reference to clothing. It also means “loose” or “pliable.”
In early Christianity, it’s interpreted as easily influenced, without courage or stability. Non-Biblical writings used it to refer to lazy men, who can’t handle hard work, or cowards. “Effeminate” can only be regarded a mistranslation.
“Abusers of themselves with mankind” describes this behavior as “arsenokoitai,” a word created by Paul. No record remains of writers using it before Paul. “Arsenokoitai” has two parts: “arsen” means “man”; “koitai” means “beds.” Although in English Bibles it’s interpreted as referring to homosexuals, it’s fairly certain this isn’t Paul’s meaning. He would have used “paiderasste,” Greek for sexual behavior between males.
Nobody knows for certain, but many Christian theologians agree a more probable translation is “… male prostitutes, boys who have sex with men, and slave dealers who enslave both.”
In summation we don’t know exactly what original intent Paul had.
Modern literature is based upon translations of translations, which, like rumors, can vary wildly.
The God of the Bible is full of justice, mercy and love. He has gotten and will get angry, but this anger is always precipitated by three things: abandoning Him in exchange for another god, abusing others morally, financially, sexually or otherwise, and abusing ourselves in the same manner.
You will see this consistent theme from Genesis to Revelation.
For more information, I recommend the following: http://www.christiangay.com and http://www.religioustolerance.org
-Nathanial L. McConnell
Rainbow Alliance President

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