There was a letter to the editor in Monday’s DA that had me fuming, so I went home and fired off a letter to the editor of my own. Yesterday there was a very elegant response, so I assumed that my letter was not going to be published, but they did print it today.

Letter:
Bible condemns homosexuality

The following is a correction to the article “Morality is broad-based.” These verses are from the King James Study Bible; after reading your article I assumed you, as well, used a King James Version of the Bible. To quote you, “Which brings me to the other ‘moral standard’ of the day: gay rights. One time, after being annoyed that someone told me that morality is defined by the opposition to gay marriage because ‘it’s against God’s law,’ I handed him my Bible and challenged him to show me one example of Jesus condemning homosexuality.”

Leviticus 18:22 – “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomi nation.” In the Old Testament as well as the New, the reference to mankind is used to describe man laying with man, or homosexuality.

Leviticus 20:13 – “If a man also lie with mankind (interpreted man), 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.” I am not condoning death of any kind or any type of hate crime; I am simply quoting the Bible.

Corinthians 6:9 – “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind.” Once again, mankind refers to man lying with man.

1 Timothy 1:10 – “For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind (again mankind refers to man lying with man), for men-stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.”

We are all sinners, but I must point out, homosexuality is a sin against God. The Bible clearly states this. I didn’t set out to write this e-mail to be against homosexuality; God does this for me. I was simply concerned with the wrong information stated in your article. Maybe you can pass these verses along to your friend who you challenged. After all, it’s good to become educated.

Julie Morrison
Secondary Education

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My Response:
Bible has many controversial passages

Following is a correction to Julie Morrison’s letter “Bible condemns homosexuality.”

Leviticus is in the Old Testament – written well before the life of Jesus. As most people who cite it ignore the majority of what Leviticus actually says, I hardly find it an authoritative source. (Unless Julie keeps kosher dietary laws, refuses to wear garments of mixed fibers and doesn’t leave the house when she’s menstruating, in which case, I apologize.) Nevermind the fact that in the United States we have even done away with Sunday Blue laws – which is directly disobeying one of the Ten Commandments.

As the original article stated, Corinthians was written by Paul, who did not even know Jesus when he was alive. Same goes for Timothy. Neither Corinthians nor Timothy is a Gospel source, which I do believe was the challenge mentioned in the article.

I notice also that the passage she quotes in Corinthians mentions adulterers. I hope that she speaks up just as strongly against those who are divorced or separated, and campaigns to make sure that those who are divorced and remarry are also ineligible to marry in the United States, for Jesus himself spoke out strongly and clearly against divorce

(Matthew 5:31-32).
“It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”

After all, it is good to become educated.

Michelle Klishis
MPH student