Newsweek on Homosexuality and the Bible: A Response
Family Issues, Politics, Religion — By Dustin R. Steeve on December 16, 2008 at 5:36 pmAccording to Newsweek’s senior editor and religion commentator Lisa Miller:
More basic than theology, though, is human need. We want, as Abraham did, to grow old surrounded by friends and family and to be buried at last peacefully among them. We want, as Jesus taught, to love one another for our own good–and, not to be too grandiose about it, for the good of the world. We want our children to grow up in stable homes. What happens in the bedroom, really, has nothing to do with any of this. My friend the priest James Martin says his favorite Scripture relating to the question of homosexuality is Psalm 139, a song that praises the beauty and imperfection in all of us and that glorifies God’s knowledge of our most secret selves: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” And then he adds that in his heart he believes that if Jesus were alive today, he would reach out especially to the gays and lesbians among us, for “Jesus does not want people to be lonely and sad.” Let the priest’s prayer be our own.
And her boss, Newsweek editor Jon Meacham:
No matter what one thinks about gay rights–for, against or somewhere in between –this conservative resort to biblical authority is the worst kind of fundamentalism. Given the history of the making of the Scriptures and the millennia of critical attention scholars and others have given to the stories and injunctions that come to us in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament, to argue that something is so because it is in the Bible is more than intellectually bankrupt–it is unserious, and unworthy of the great Judeo-Christian tradition.
I know that this is an issue sensitive to many readers of this blog, myself included. I am writing this post because I believe that Newsweek’s editors capture what I perceive to be the mainstream left’s response to conservatives on this issue. Several writers for Newsweek’s blog “On Faith” wrote an ecumenical response to the articles. They are worth reading because they are illustrative of the sloppy nature by which Newsweek, and others who make similar claims engage this issue.
Here’s a portion of the ecumenical response (penned in part by EO’s own John Mark Reynolds):
In the latest issue of Newsweek, editor Jon Meacham explains: “To argue that something is so because it is in the Bible is more than intellectually bankrupt–it is unserious, and unworthy of the great Judeo-Christian tradition.” Indeed, he continues, “this conservative resort to biblical authority is the worst kind of fundamentalism.” Curiously, he intends this as a defense of Lisa Miller’s cover story, which announces that we should approve homosexual marriage because the Bible tells that Jesus would want us to.
On any plane of argument, the contradiction would appear stunning, but, then, neither Jon Meacham nor Lisa Miller are engaged in argument. They’re speaking, instead, in familiar tropes and fused-phrases and easy clichés. They’re trying to convey a feeling, really, rather than an argument: Jesus loves us, love is good, homosexuals love one another, marriage is love, love is loving–a sort of warm bath of words, their meanings dissolved into a gentle goo. In their eyes, all nice things must be nice together, and Jesus comes to seem (as J.D. Salinger once mocked) something like St. Francis of Assisi and “Heidi’s grandfather” all in one.
The Bible has been one of the most influential texts in all of human history. Yet two of the top editors of one of America’s most recognized news magazines cannot even demonstrate basic competence of the text nor demonstrate an appreciation for the complexity of that great and Holy work. Even if one were to bracket the question of homosexuality, the lack of carefulness that these editors demonstrate is shameful.
Lisa Miller fired the first shot with her essay titled: “Our Mutual Joy” with sub-heading: “Opponents of gay marriage often cite Scripture. But what the Bible teaches about love argues for the other side.” Savvy readers will make the right assumption that views expressed in this article reflect thinking along the lines of “Jesus was warm and fuzzy like your bunny slippers.” In it, Ms. Miller makes a number of astounding claims, not the least of which include this gem:
Newsweek, in their unbiased and cool headed wisdom, anticipated a response. They were not disappointed. In fact, the response gave Jon Mechem, Newsweeks senior editor, another chance to
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Yes, Jesus loves gays and lesbians, but He loves his Father’s will more. He provided a way for all to be reconciled to God with His own life; however, The Father would be a liar if He said something in His Word and did not back it up. He tells us in Numbers 23:19 that “He is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of a man that he should repent. Hath He not said and shall He not do?” The Apostle Paul can be seen in his old lifestyle as the religious Saul, in Acts chapter nine. As you continue on reading in that same chapter you will see his transformation into Paul, the man God wanted him to become and not what he thought God wanted him to be. The regenerated Paul (St. John 3:3-12) said in ICorinthians 6:9-10 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,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. God is a Father that has laid out His plan for man, but He has left us with the freewill to chose whom we will serve.
Yes, Jesus loves gays and lesbians. He also loves adulterers, murderers and liars- but He loves his Father’s will more. He provided a way for all to be reconciled to God with His own life; however, The Father would be a liar if He said something in His Word and did not back it up. He tells us in Numbers 23:19 that “He is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of a man that he should repent. Hath He not said and shall He not do?” The Apostle Paul can be seen in his old lifestyle as the “religious” Saul, in Acts chapter nine. As you continue to read on in that same chapter you will see his transformation into PAUL, the man God wanted him to become and not the man he thought God wanted him to be. The regenerated or Born Again Paul (St. John 3:3-12) said in ICorinthians 6:9-10 “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, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” God is a Father that has laid out His plan for mankind, but He has also left us with the freewill to chose whom we will serve. Just like a parent, because of the dangers and traps He wants us to avoid, He shows us a clear and safe path to follow which leads to Eternal Life. And also just as a responsible parent, He will punish disobedience. When Jesus returns to get those who are His, the disobedient will have earned Eternal Torment (Hell)! Yet, as long as we have breath in our bodies, as soon as we Pray and ask for the true revelation of God’s instructions-or what He means in The Bible- and repent (2 Corinthians 7:10), He will forgive all sins and disobedience. Many cannot see God as a Father who is loving that would allow anyone to go into eternal torment. Yet, He allows us chance after chance to align ourselves with His Word, live according to His principles and to reject the lies of His enemy, satan. Satan wants as many of God’s creation as he can get to follow him. What will you do? Where will you spend eterinty? with the father or satan and those who refused to believe what The Heavenly Father has said in His Word (2 Timothy 3:16)? Lastly, Revelation 12:12, says “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time”. A short time to do what? To deceive as many of God’s Beloved Creation as he can. He is still brooding because he was kicked out of Heaven for lifting himself as God; therefore, he was kicked out of heaven. He is a spirit just as God is (although he is a spirit created by God to be an angel and God is The Spirit that created all that is) he is at work to deceive as many as he can because he knows how much God loves His Creation, whom He blew His own breath into. Whom will you chose? Read/Study your Bible for God’s Truth. Genuinely Pray and ask Him what His views are on this sensitive subject, and He will reward you with Revelation of who He is and what does and does not please Him. Don’t take my word nor anyone eles’, not even the fallen angel, satan- Go straight to the Source! THE WORD OF GOD.
“Again you show the inconsistencies of you position. In a world created by chance, why is the murder of a little girl, or a million little girls, morally significant at all?”
Poor ucfengr! He still hasn’t figured out that it is not the inconsistency of atheism and morality but the limits of his own worldview that have been exposed. To ucfengr, the only morality that has any meaning is objective morality, which, of course, must have a source other than the human mind or human society. He ignores the very real possibility, the overwhelming likelihood, that morals arose because they provided a survival benefit for the species. Plus, they make our lives a little less “nasty, brutish, and short.”
I’m afraid it does not speak well of ucfengr’s opinion of himself and mankind in general that he thinks there is no reason outside of God that we should be nice to each other. I wonder how his own behavior would change if he were suddenly imbued with the certainty that his beliefs were groundless. My guess is that he would surprise himself by comporting himself in much the same manner he does now, albeit with a bit less arrogance.
That’s just a rumor, actually. There’s a short list on Wikipedia, although, since it’s Wikipedia, it includes Cartman’s mom.
Your larger point is quite accurate, though; the development of male or female gender is determined by a single “master switch” gene called SRY; if this gene is missing or inactivated, an XY-genotype person will display a female phenotype. If SRY is translocated to an X chromosome, an XX-genotype person will display a male phenotype, though they’ll be infertile. There are also a variety of other possible reasons for genotype and phenotype not to match up, or for a person’s sex to be ambiguous. On the other hand, most people fit neatly into categories of male and female, such that almost everyone can get by without really thinking about it, and, in fact, we base quite a bit of our society on the binary nature of gender.
They’re wrong from a utilitarian point of view; Mill had this one covered about a hundred and fifty years ago. They’re wrong from a “do-unto-others” point of view; following the Golden Rule isn’t inherently religious. The idea that the rules only apply to other people is the morality of the criminal (wanting to change the rules for everyone is the morality of the revolutionary); therefore, it’s pretty straightforward to define rape and murder as wrong without any mystical handwavery.
I assure you, even if you lose your faith at some point in the future (I neither hope nor think that it will happen; I’m just covering the possibility, given what you said above), it is not okay for you to become an ax-crazy killer. It’s still wrong to rape and murder. Really. Clever philosophers have covered this.
grendalkhan:
That’s just a rumor, actually.
You are right, I should have noted that.
In Luke 17 in the New Testament, Jesus said that one of the big “signs” that will happen shortly before His return to earth as Judge will be a repeat of the “days of Lot” (see Genesis 19 for details). So gays are actually helping to fulfill this same worldwide “sign” (and making the Bible even more believable!) and thus hurrying up the return of the Judge! They are accomplishing what all of the Bible-thumpers couldn’t accomplish! Gays couldn’t have accomplished this by just coming out of closets into bedrooms. Instead, they invented new architecture – you know, closets opening on to Main Streets where little kids would be able to watch naked men having sex with each other at festivals in places like San Francisco (where their underground saint – San Andreas – may soon get a big jolt out of what’s going on over his head!). Thanks, gays, for figuring out how to bring back our resurrected Saviour even quicker!