Recently I read several readers’ opinion pieces in our local newspaper which attempted explain their bigoted views on homosexuality.  One in particular provided several quotes from scripture, including the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, to bolster her argument that “the gay lifestyle is not consistent with Christian teachings”.  

Now this person was no biblical scholar – in her piece she stated that Jesus (not John) wrote the book of Revelations – but in a larger context I firmly believe that we need to be very careful about using quotes from scripture in sociological arguments.  It is said with some justification that one can find something in the Bible to justify almost any position.  In Mathew 4.1-11, when Satan was tempting Jesus in the desert, did the devil not quote scripture to his own ends.  

Today no one would argue that slavery is justified by the Bible, yet when slave owners were battling with abolitionist to defend the institution of slavery they used the following quotes from the Bible to justify their positions: “slaves obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling” (Ephesians 6.5) and “tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and give satisfaction in every respect” (Titus 2.9).

I am also old enough to remember that when segregationists were fighting their losing battle against integration they also  quoted from the Bible to justify their cause.  Some white pastors even preached from their pulpits that integration violated God’s plan to keep the races separate.

It should be noted whenever bigoted “Christians” use the Bible to justify their beliefs, they always quote passages from the Old Testament.  The reason for this is clear – the New Testament, the stories of Christ’s life on earth, is devoid of materials that the bigoted can quote for their purposes.  

For instance, one can read the entire New Testament and not find any indication that Jesus condemned homosexuals despite the fact that they certainly existed in the population to which he ministered.  Christ consistently taught inclusion and love for all of our fellow human beings.  Apparently bigoted Christians (supposedly followers of Christ and his teachings) should not be be classified as Christians at all. 

The road to true civil rights for all is long and difficult one.  The most difficult of all is the battle to stomp out bigotry in the hearts and minds most individuals, though there will always some bigots among us.  As per John Lewis once said, “Ours is not the struggle of one day, one week, or one year.  Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or maybe even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part.”   Perhaps thirty years from now Christian teachings will be universally reinterpreted to once again support the equality and rights of yet another oppressed minority.

Cajun   1/22/2022