Mark 9:42, Homosexuality and the Bible, Part VII of VIII

Posted on Friday, July 4, 2014 in Bible Commentary | 0 comments

And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

//Question 5 of 5: Does the vast preponderance of teachings about compassion and acceptance toward the marginalized outweigh the scripture which seems to teach against homosexuality?

In the last four days, we have examined four issues regarding the one (!) reference in the Bible to homosexuality outside an outdated law code. These four issues are: Did Paul really condemn loving same-sex relationships? Does his immediate contradiction soften that condemnation? Should we really assume Paul speaks for Jesus at all, when Paul himself cautioned against reading his words this way? And should Jesus’ complete disinterest in the topic mean anything to us?

Let’s suppose that none of the prior arguments hold water, and that Paul does guess properly about God’s feelings regarding same-sex partners. If we weigh the two anti-homosexual teachings in the Bible against the legion of teachings which encourage acceptance of marginalized groups, which comes out ahead? It’s awfully one-sided, isn’t it?

There are so many verses that display concern, love, and compassion for the marginalized that I couldn’t begin to list them. This isn’t just Jesus’s opinion. This emphasis is throughout the Old Testament as well.

When talking about the marginalized, please remember: gay people are no more able to change their sexual preference than the lame can walk. Their predicament is not a choice. 7,848 suicides per year because of this discrimination is a disturbing statistic.

We never once found Jesus telling the marginalized they were wrong for being lame, or sick, or poor, or a woman, or a Samaritan, or a gentile, or homosexual. Those are strictly Old Testament ideas. Instead, Jesus’ concern was focused on welcoming even folks who are different into society. There was simply nobody Jesus refused, and nobody he seemed more furious with than those who lacked compassion and acceptance.

I believe this is the only example it is safe to follow. I have just one more small comment to make tomorrow.