Neither the Bible nor the Koran have much, if anything, to say about the sexuality of lesbians or women as a whole - should we be surprised? The situation for men is rather different.
The main negative references in the Bible are in Leviticus, in the Sodom and Gomorrah bit and in the writings of St. Paul. Leviticus is always good for a laugh. It lists 642 ethical and ritual laws such as:
You must not:
-
harvest the corners of a field
-
shave or get a haircut
-
wear clothes of a mixed textile blend
-
have a tattoo
-
eat shrimps
You must:
-
kill adulterers
-
kill a child which curses its parents (3 cheers for Leviticus)
-
permit slavery
-
observe the Feast of Trumpets ....
This was the period when God was "a vengeful god" and went around doing a lot of smiting. These days, 641 of the laws are ignored. Can you guess which topic the religious fundamentalists still cling to?
The Old Testament was written in ancient Hebrew and by the time people got around to translating it into other languages, the meaning of lots of words had changed. The sin of the men of Sodom had nothing to do with gay sex, but everything to do with the way they treated their guests. The confusion stems from a mistranslation of the Hebrew word which means to "know". In the New Testament it could mean having sex with someone and when you wrongly carry that meaning back into the Old Testament you get the well-known, but false, interpretation that Sodom was destroyed because its men folk were gay. The men of Sodom were punished because they treated their guests like slaves. This interpretation of the events is mentioned in several other parts of the Bible.
The vigorous condemnation of gay men in the Koran stems from the fact that the Koran takes over - lock, stock and mistranslation - the Sodom and Gomorrah story from the Bible. Let us also remember that in this story, Lot offered his daughters to the men of Sodom. Later on Lot had sex with his daughters ... and Lot was supposed to be the good man who was spared. Is this an example of what it means to be Christian or Muslim?
St. Paul, of course, wrote in Ancient Greek. His translators talk about "unnatural acts" between men i.e. it's unnatural and therefore bad. How natural is playing the piano? How natural is an iPod or a DVD? If you have appendicitis, the natural thing is to die, but we generally prefer the unnatural process of being anaesthetised, cut open, having the appendix removed and being sewn up again.
St. Paul actually uses the words "para physin", which can translate as unnatural. It can also translate as "unusual" i.e. being different, but not "wrong", like having red hair or being left-handed. In one description St. Paul refers to God acting "para physin". One can't have it both ways. Was St. Paul saying that God was acting unnaturally and was therefore bad?
If you look for it, you can find references in the Bible that make out that women, black people and the disabled are inferior too.
Letters to a clergyman
Dear Rev. I. Takethebible-Literally
I am having real problems fulfilling the requirements laid down in parts of the Bible. I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. The points which confuse me are as follows:
1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may buy slaves from the nations that are around us. A friend of mine claims that this applies to the Irish, but not the Scots. Can you clarify?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery as it suggests in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I have a neighbour who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states that he should be put to death. Who is morally obliged to kill him? Is it me, as he is my neighbour, or you, now that I have notified you of the situation?
4. I know from Leviticus 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
5. My uncle has a farm. He violates Leviticus 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 curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Leviticus 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? (Leviticus. 20:14)
6. When I burn a bull as a sacrifice on the altar on my patio, I know it creates a pleasing odour for the Lord (Leviticus 1:9). The problem is my neighbours. They claim the odour is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
7. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence.
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. A friend of mine has pointed out that eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10), but Leviticus also says that homosexuality is an Abomination. Are these 2 sins equally abominable, or is there a scale of Abomination by which I can compare them, as I must admit I am partial to the occasional cockle?
10. Leviticus 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar 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 absolutely 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here? Would it be acceptable to hide my affliction by wearing contact lenses?
Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
The Word according to Gloria
The Bible has been translated into Polari. To give you a sample, here's Genesis Chapter 1
In the beginning Gloria created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was nanti form, and void; and munge was upon the eke of the deep. And the fairy of Gloria trolled upon the eke of the aquas.
And Gloria cackled, Let there be sparkle: and there was sparkle. And Gloria vardad the sparkle, that it was bona.
Here's a bit of "Matilda" Chapter 9
And Josie knowing their thoughts cackled, Wherefore think ye nana in your thumping cheats? For whether is easier, to cackle, Thy kertervers be forgiven thee; or to cackle, Arise, and mince? But that ye may know that the homie chavvie of homie hath power on earth to forgive kertervers.
Then saith she to the sick of the palsy, Arise, lell up thy bed, and troll unto thine lattie. And she arose, and trolled off to his lattie.
Thought for the day
The following exposition of religious truths is by courtesy of the Amsterdam Lesbian and Gay Information Service. Taoism Shit happens Buddhism If shit happens, it isn't really shit Hinduism This shit has all happened before Islam If shit happens, it is Allah's will Catholicism Shit happens because you deserve it Protestantism Let shit happen to someone else Judaism Why does shit always happen to us?