shegeek72
2009-06-23 01:45:57 UTC
Recently, my partner was asked to participate in a survey about being
gay and Christian. I found her replies very thoughtful (she's an
excellent writer). Some snippets:
What is your relationship to the Bible in terms of your faith?
Based on my own language study [she studied Greek language and history
in college], as well as that of others in my church and authors I have
read, I no longer believe that the Bible is the =93inerrant=94 verbatim
word of God. Instead, I realize that it is a collection of documents
chosen from a much larger pool of documents based on how well they fit
the philosophy of the group of men who canonized it. It is subject to
the dangers of mistranslation, cultural misunderstanding, the memory
of its authors, and great age. I believe it can be just as dangerous
to blindly follow a document translated by Man as it is to blindly
follow the preaching of any man. Insight may come from pastors, lay
people, historic research, linguistic study, non-canonical writings,
even scriptures of other faiths, as well as the flawed canonical
scripture. Discernment comes from God. The important thing is to be
open to receive the wisdom and guidance of God.
What do you believe the Bible has to say about same-sex desire?
I believe that the Bible has been mistranslated in such a way that it
now reads as if it condemns homosexuality. Numerous language scholars
have confirmed that there is painfully little evidence for a clear
word for homosexuality in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic, much less actual
condemnation of homosexuality in the original translations. Also,
Jesus never is said to have mentioned it, despite healing a man who is
described as having a male partner in the original language.
What might you have to say to other lesbian women who have felt as
though there is not a home for them within Christianity?
Jesus spent the majority of his time ministering with and revealing
himself to those on the margins of society: the despised, the pitied,
the shunned, and the ignored. The greater human church is not always
so successful at extending the hand of welcome to the marginalized,
but not only is there a place for us in God's Church, the Church is
incomplete without us. We are the perfect creation of God, as are all
people and all parts of creation. We are as precious to him as parts
of our body are to us, and nothing we can be or do can separate us
from being such. Nor, I personally believe, does he intend to exclude
any of his creation from eternal communion with him. There is a time
to listen to the voice from behind the pulpit, and there is a time to
listen to the voice in our heart.
To which I say 'Amen!'
Tara's Transgender Resources
http://tarasresources.net
Metropolitan Community Churches
http://www.mccchurch.org
gay and Christian. I found her replies very thoughtful (she's an
excellent writer). Some snippets:
What is your relationship to the Bible in terms of your faith?
Based on my own language study [she studied Greek language and history
in college], as well as that of others in my church and authors I have
read, I no longer believe that the Bible is the =93inerrant=94 verbatim
word of God. Instead, I realize that it is a collection of documents
chosen from a much larger pool of documents based on how well they fit
the philosophy of the group of men who canonized it. It is subject to
the dangers of mistranslation, cultural misunderstanding, the memory
of its authors, and great age. I believe it can be just as dangerous
to blindly follow a document translated by Man as it is to blindly
follow the preaching of any man. Insight may come from pastors, lay
people, historic research, linguistic study, non-canonical writings,
even scriptures of other faiths, as well as the flawed canonical
scripture. Discernment comes from God. The important thing is to be
open to receive the wisdom and guidance of God.
What do you believe the Bible has to say about same-sex desire?
I believe that the Bible has been mistranslated in such a way that it
now reads as if it condemns homosexuality. Numerous language scholars
have confirmed that there is painfully little evidence for a clear
word for homosexuality in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic, much less actual
condemnation of homosexuality in the original translations. Also,
Jesus never is said to have mentioned it, despite healing a man who is
described as having a male partner in the original language.
What might you have to say to other lesbian women who have felt as
though there is not a home for them within Christianity?
Jesus spent the majority of his time ministering with and revealing
himself to those on the margins of society: the despised, the pitied,
the shunned, and the ignored. The greater human church is not always
so successful at extending the hand of welcome to the marginalized,
but not only is there a place for us in God's Church, the Church is
incomplete without us. We are the perfect creation of God, as are all
people and all parts of creation. We are as precious to him as parts
of our body are to us, and nothing we can be or do can separate us
from being such. Nor, I personally believe, does he intend to exclude
any of his creation from eternal communion with him. There is a time
to listen to the voice from behind the pulpit, and there is a time to
listen to the voice in our heart.
To which I say 'Amen!'
Tara's Transgender Resources
http://tarasresources.net
Metropolitan Community Churches
http://www.mccchurch.org