If being LGBT is a sin, why isn't it in the Ten Commandments?

The Ten Commandments, according to the Christian bible, are laws set down by God for his people to follow. Now at the time the Ten Commandments were written, God’s people were the Israelites, but after Jesus formed the New Covenant and a bunch of Roman emperors decided Jesus was the Messiah, those laws were passed out to the newly formed Christian religion.

These commandments were (again according to the Christian bible) written by God on two stone tablets and given to Moses. According to Mel Brooks, there was a third tablet, but Moses dropped it. The laws were pretty self-explanatory:

Commandment Against Homosexuality

That’s it. These are the laws considered by the men who wrote the bible to be the most important. Don’t lie, don’t steal, don’t kill, don’t cheat on your spouse or partner, be respectful to your parents, don’t worship other things and don’t covet things other people have. Stop saying “God dammit” every time you stub your toe. Take Saturday off. And of course because God is jealous (it says so in the bible), you can only worship Him.

Fundamentalists will have you believe that being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender is so awful, so evil that anyone who is one of those things is automatically going to hell. Which begs the question: If being LGBT is so horrible, where’s the Commandment Against Homosexuality? Adultery made the list, and last I heard, no one’s taken Newt Gingrich out into the town square and stoned him to death.

Murder’s on there, and murder is an actual crime in almost every country on Earth. Stealing is also a crime and also a commandment. Coveting is pretty tame, in my opinion. Who among us hasn’t seen the new Lexus in our neighbor’s driveway and thought “Well, shit, I see Bob got another raise, wish I could afford a Lexus.”

Commandment Against HomosexualityWhat fundamentalists are usually referencing is the Book of Leviticus. Leviticus is from the Greek, meaning “relating to the Levites.” Levites were a tribe from whom priests were drawn. The Book of Leviticus gives instructions for those priests and addresses roles and duties of the laity. Chapters 17-26 contain the “Holiness Codes.” These include prohibitions of numerous things from sacrificing animals outside a temple to a myriad of sexual contacts to cursing one’s parents to blasphemy. The code ends by telling the Israelites they have a choice: follow the law and enjoy prosperity or be subject to horrible punishments, the worst of which would be expulsion from the land. In other words, do what you’re told or we’ll throw you out into the desert.

If you attempt to point out that Leviticus is an ancient text filled with rules for priests and the tribes of Israel, odds are you will be met with Romans 1. This is the passage fundamentalist Christians whip out when some silly person claims Jesus didn’t say anything about being LGBT. Unfortunately for the fundamentalists, Jesus didn’t say anything about being LGBT.

And many scholars believe Paul, whose writings are heavily featured in Romans, wasn’t really condemning homosexuality either, he was a product of his time. Paul was pretty uptight about everything, including women’s role in religion. I think he was jealous because Jesus didn’t pick him as the rock on which he would build his church. Paul was coveting.

There are some rather interesting things promoted in the Old Testament like rape, slavery and abortion. I haven’t noticed fundamentalist Christians mixing up abortifacients and handing them out to unwed, pregnant women. But they drone on and on and on about being gay or bi or transgender or lesbian like it’s the worst thing a person can be. Well, GOD didn’t think it was the worst thing a person could be, because if he did, he would have written it on those two stone tablets. Or three, depending on who you like more-God or Mel Brooks.

Look, I’m a liberal Christian, which means I believe in evolution and equality and acceptance and taking care of people less fortunate than I am. I believe that two adults who love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together should be able to do that. I do not believe that an LGBT teenager should have to stay in the closet because if they reveal who they are, their parents will throw them out onto the street. And I do not believe God hates LGBT people. I don’t believe God hates anyone, anymore than I believe God wrote the bible. Men wrote the bible, men who didn’t know jack about the world. They wanted to propagate, they needed more people, they needed control and power, and they used archaic laws and fear to get it.

Let’s end with this. If everything in the Christian bible is 100% accurate, that means the moon is a star. According to Genesis (no, not the band), God created a light for the day and a light for the night. The moon’s a rock.

29 COMMENTS

  1. I would agree only if I didn’t read my Bible and find out that God has destroyed 2 cities over homosexuality.. However, never do I see it anywhere that He, God almighty destroys anything over any other sin. He distinctly punishes someone for it nonetheless the city.
    Correct me if I’m wrong.

    • This is what the Bible their sins were…..Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. Ezekial 16:49

      • You can’t cherry pick your old laws to abide by. If you intend to judge by the Old Law. The Old Law will be used to judge you. So…..unless you willing to take your unruly child to the village elders to be stoned to death for not doing you told them to do……..You may want to consider abiding instead by what Jesus said. Love God with all of you heart, mind and soul….and Love your neighbor as yourself. Remember that he also said…..If you can not learn to forgive, that God will not forgive you, and if you show no mercy……..none will be shown to you. Catfish was also listed as an abomination…….so…..with the Old Law….if you break one….you broke them all. Something as simple as having more than one vegetable growing in your garden…or having more than one type of thread in your garment. Paul(whom people love to quote out of context) said that if you bear each others burdens….you will fulfill the Laws of Christ. Try to remember that There is no one righteous….no not one. Peace and Love people. God is Light.

        • @Keith to your second comment, the problem here is not that the sin but since everyone has sinned and come short but the problem here is gay and lesbians who live that lifestyle, no longer consider it a sin. So when you call evil good, you have distorted the word of God so the punishment is upon you.

          The Bible calls Christians to judge other christians who are christians by name alone. If you read all of 1 John, it will tell you exactly what sin is and the danger of those whole continue to live in sin. They are not under the covering of Christ’s grace.

          We are not to judge those who are not Christians, that is for God to do. Try not to take the Bible out of context, if you read it that way, you can make anything up to support your agenda.

      • @ Keith That was one of the sins of Sodom but is seems you conveniently left out verse 50 which reads.

        50″Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it.…

        what is abominations that God is talking about, that you can find in Leviticus 20:

        13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an ABOMINATION: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

        So please, stop trying to distort the word of God.

    • actually thought Amanda more was about raping they were like mad dogs trying to make their mark if he read the Hebrew Bible

    • Where is the proof that Sodom and Gomorrah actually existed and burned to the ground? or that burning was caused by GOD? Archiologists have not found the site where that city stood, and the first record (reference) of the city was made 300years later in europe, not a document found in the middle east of the time mentions it.

  3. Its a no brainier for anybody who actually wants the truth, to keep it really simple for those who are just looking to justify their arrogance as if they can out think God their eternal creator. Number 7 adultery, yep you got it marriage even before the ten commandments was between a man and a woman, so now go and read the fine print you know all of Gods word. ( to trully understand Gods counsel you must read the whole of the book as one whole book and not simply take lines out for your own interpretation) The old is not thrown out because of the new or do you try to tell me that a new branch replaces the old trunk, no, in fact the new testament is the fruit of the old. And no matter how many ways you try to convince yourself that you have out witted the bible, the hard core truth is that you will stand before your holy creator one day and gve an account of your life, and if Jesus Christ of Nazerath does not know you for you never accepted him as your only way of redemption from your sin, which is the breaking of law, the highest law in the universe, then my self rightous fool hardy fellow who thinks himself smarter than God thus breaking the first and secound commandments…hang on does the axe raise itself above the one who wields it?

    In your fantasy world it apparently does….

    • God didn’t say anything nor did she write anything on big pieces of stone. That book is made of stories passed down through generations. Some stories didn’t make the cut. Other parts were fabricated. A better question is: why do I care what some fictional book says about my lifestyle?

      Be you. Be kind. Be understanding of others.

      Cheers

      • Is it Dianna?, show the evidence that it is a made up story, and God is he not she, you are simply assuming you are correct and might I say without even researching the accuracy of biblical accounts

      • actually they didn’t have paper back then so its highly probable that they used a carving tool on a ‘tablet’ of stone(to be carried). “Few people would doubt that Plato really wrote the works ascribed to him, and yet the Bible is far more authenticated.No one could consistently argue that the Bible’s authenticity is in doubt unless he is willing to doubt all other works of antiquity (because they are far less substantiated).”

  5. Regardless of the topic, your writing is usually very good, except… Why can’t you make your liberal arguments without employing so much exaggeration and hate. I could turn every one of your arguments around and condemn Mr/Mrs/Ms Liberal using the same shameful tactics and achieve the same degree of illegitimacy that you have without proving a damned thing. I’m just as tired of the intolerant-tolerance from the left as I am from the right. How about some REAL good writing for a change using your brain, some common sense and perhaps some helpful, thoughtful, positive, constructive, honest and accurate analysis. There is, despite your opposition and frustration, a great deal of legitimacy to much of the other side’s viewpoint. At your present rate you aren’t so much “writing” as you are pandering. Disappointed in New Jersey.

  6. Christians didn’t choose btw the old and the new, the book of Hebrews 8 refers to the Old Testament as that and it’s even clearer when you read the fool text, as for being gay, Corinthians calls it a cause put on some by God. If any one disputes that I could send that scripture as well. Stay bless people.

    • Eunuchs are not gay’s if that’s what you are referring to. And as of other possibilities, God turned some over to their sinful desires because their sinful desires caused a rejection in their hearts

    • Jesus said if you love me you will keep my fathers commandments, so Hebrews 8:13 does not mean old testament laws, but he specifies what ones like pork, and well to many others, so like always, study the bible every day

  8. Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NIV)

  9. If only Nigeria had more people who think like this. People simply despise what they cannot comprehend. That’s what I believe drives homophobia. The alienness of the sexuality tσ heterosexuals. And then they scurry behind the bible and use snippets of it tσ champion their cause. For shame.

    • Really?, lack of comprehension is your burden Walter Shakespearean, the bible couldn’t possibly be more clear, have you considered your views might be where God confused you to your selfish desires causing you to not understand clear message?, do yourself a favor and give your burdens and free will to God, and the Holy spirit will help you fight against that desires all the way to Jesus Christ, then you will be transformed into a holy life as you walk in it, you realize you are supposed to live for the glory of God through Jesus Christ not yourself

  11. I agree that a lot of the bible consists of cultural mores of the time and is recorded by men living in that context. So today we do not consider it a sin to attend church without a head covering, for one instance. However, there are eternal truths contained in the bible–especially those spoken by Jesus regarding caring for one another, including the outcasts and poor of society, and forgiving others. These are the fundamental thoughts we should keep in mind when sharing our faith, not judgments dredged up from old testament passages or ones clearly influenced by the culture of that time in history.

  14. It is kind of an odd theological question. In fact, the 10 commandments are in the Old Testament, and the theology of most Christian sects believe that the arrival of Christ rendered the Old Testament moot. In that, a new covenant with God was brokered by Christ rewrote all the rules and Old Testament rules no longer apply.

    And for the most part, no, most modern Christians do not consider Old Testament rules applicable. Of course, some of the most fundamental truths like “Thou shall not kill” can survive the new covenant by virtue of just being fundamentally just . But Christians don’t respect the forbidding of the eating of shellfish, or keeping a Kosher kitchen as orthodox Jews still do (since they do not recognize the New Testament as divinely inspired).

    But when it comes to the gays, the Old Testament still applies. The rules on how to appropriately treat your slaves? Or what price to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage? Or shunning women during hteir period? Mostly not considered as a part of God’s unchanging word today.

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