homosexuality & the bible

Jesus loves you as you are - be-it gay or straight. Being Gay is not a sin, Jesus never said so, nor did the bible. But religion is, the believe that by our efforts and doings we can reach God. Jesus and the bible condemed religion. All these talk about Homosexual sins in the bible by the National Council of Churches are no more that the "doings" of the Canaanite religions which was "open sex" practised by the majority of the Israelite population (95% straight) (from Moses era, to the last of the Kings of Judah, and Israel), to worship Baal, in open rebellion to worhip of Jehovah God.

The Israelites Exodus from Egypt occurred in BCE 1495, and entered into Canaan in AD 1455, after 40 years wandering in the desert. As a nation as a whole, they were still very much bound by the religions of Egypt and Canaan, despite having escaped from Egypt and having conquered Canaan.

The bible tells us not to practice the religions of Egypt and Canaan, and goes on to lists the practices. In Canaan, the people worshiped Baal, and Astoreth. They were fertility Gods and the bible clearly describes the religious practices to be of sexual nature involving sex with everyone, and animals.

(Lev 18:3 NKJV) 'According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances.

(Lev 18:22 NKJV) 'You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.

(Lev 20:13 NKJV) 'If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.

The above practices were committed by Straight people with the intention of pleasing Baal. It is not a judgement on Homosexuality.

The worship of Baal extends back to the 14th century BCE among the ancient Semitic peoples, the descendants of Shem. Baal is principally thought of as a Canaanite fertility deity. The Great Baal was of Canaan. He was the son of El or Dagon, the high god of Canaan. The cult of Baal celebrated annually his death and resurrection as a part of the Canaanite fertility rituals. These ceremonies often included human sacrifice and temple prostitution.

For the next 1000 years, there was a battle against succumbing to the religion of the Canaanites.

• From BC 1495 from Moses to Joshua (the conqueror of Canaan) through to the Judges ending in BC 1092 was a continuous battle against foreign invaders and incorporation of the Canaanites religions.

• The Kings of Israel from Saul (in BC 1101) to Hoshea (in BC 721) drifted many a times to the worship of Baal. Until exile in Assyria in BC 721.

Many a times, the Kings of Israel married foreign wives hence took upon their religions. A well known example is Ahab who became King in BC 922. (1 Ki 16:29 NKJV) In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel; and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.

(1 Ki 16:31 NKJV) And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him.

God raised many prophets against the Worship of Baal including Elijah, and Zephaniah. The worship of Baal became so widespread in the reign of Amon (King Of Judah, BC 663), that God implicate the entire nation for destruction.

(Zep 1:1 NKJV) The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

(Zep 1:4 NKJV) "I will stretch out My hand against Judah, And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off every trace of Baal from this place, The names of the idolatrous priests with the pagan priests;

Ultimately both Israel and Judah succumbed. In BC 721, Israel was taken into exile in Assyria. The last King of Israel was Hoshea. In BC 586, Judah was taken into exile by the Babylonian Army. Jerusalem was destroyed. In BC 539, Babylon falls to Persia – Cyrus II (Cyrus the Great) who gave the decree for the rebuilding of the temple and allow the exiles to return in BC 538. Later under decrees from Artaxerxes I, the temple reconstruction was expedited by Erza (BC 458) and Nehemiah (BC 445).

The Mainstream Christians today got it mixed up, by concsience, because they too have been trapped by religion just as the Israelites. The Churches mentioned in the bible are no more - just are the Jews failed to overcome their Canaanite religious worship, hence was sent into exile, the Churches was in constant battle against the Legalistic Jewish laws (i.e. religion), and later immerse into the World and the socio economic system therein - with the Gospel that of Grace totally diluted by the 5th century. You see the NCC (National Council of Chruches) dare not enter into Grace, because to enter, you must loose yourself, and any religious inclinations, and this has been proved impossible for mankind for last 5,000 years. Even Churches who are highly critised (by the rest) for their understanding of the Grace message of the Gospel are just paddling in shallow waters.

Jesus made a choice to die for us, to give us the choice to live. He did not need to die for he is God and could live forever. Whilsts our sufferings here on Earth, are genuine, God choose to become man and lived among us, fully understanding and relating our deepest needs.

At the cross and through His resurrection, Jesus declares there is hope for today - for healing and prosperity, and for tommorow, eternal life with Jesus. Most of all Jesus loves you and wants to meet you personally. Just invite Him into your heart, confess that you are a sinner, and by faith believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose again in victory.

It is so easy for the Christian Right to assign bible verses against Gays. They never saw that the actions itself were not the sin, but their heart was. The Christian Right carefully compartmentalised those verses and attribute them to Gays. "It can't be referring to me" they claimed. But the bible is a two edged sword. It cuts both ways. It has a deeper meaning. For the Jews, their lover was God. They were not supposed to commit adultery, going to other gods. The sexual practices that were mentioned were part of the religious sex rites. In our times, what is the equivalent? Have committed spiritual adultery? unnatural love?. Could our God be people or religion. How often 'Christians' pray to Mary, the Pope, the Saints, Mother Teresa. We worshiped tradition, unity, self effort, money, and recognition by man.

As Gay Christians, let us diligently study the word of God in order to offer a credible defense, and to challenge the flawed biblical interpretation of the Christian right. We need to work out, to study and understand the basis of our beliefs and our salvation (Phil 2:12) through the bible. Our hearts will be filled with trembling and fear at the thought that our mighty God would come down to our level and manifest His presence to reveal and teach us truths hidden in the bible. Let us interprete the bible correctly and not advance our own personnel aggenda.

Father God we come before you, seeking to know your Word, the Bible. Father God, forgive us. How could Gay Christians in Singapore forget about your love, and your goodness, your grace that has brought us through the persecutions that we faced in our families, Church and society. Father God, help us to consider the wide expanse and great measure of your love for us. You are for us Father God, and the bible confirms it.

Think about His Love