Why does Rick Warren lie?

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"men who have sex with men" is NOT a good translation of 1 Cor 6:9

I recently received an email from Colin Smith of gaysandslaves.com encouraging me to contact the NIV Committee and recommend that they change their translation of 1 Corinthians 6:9 from homosexual offenders to "men who have sex with men."

While I am thankful that Colin is my beloved brother in Christ, I do not agree with him on the issue at hand.

Here is my response.

To suggest THAT as an accurate rendering of malakoi and arsenokoitai is deeply offensive to gay men for many reasons.

First, malakoi and arsenokoitai are rarely, if ever used with that meaning (according to conservative heterosexual scholar, Dr. Gordon Fee).

I list the first 56 uses of the arsenokoit stem on my website (which covers the times the word is found in Greek literature during the first 600 years of church history). arsenokoitai was NEVER used with the meaning, "men who have sex with men" in its first 56 uses during the first 600 years of church history.

The Greek word, arsenokoitai, where there is enough information in the context to guess at its meaning, indicated:

1. Rape
2. Shrine prostitution, according to Philo the Alexandrian Jewish philosopher
3. Humans having sex with angels or the gods, or
4. A man having sex with his wife

Second, switching from "homosexual" to "men who have sex with men" does nothing to improve the translational difficulties of the NIV. To phrase it, "men who have sex with men" is a flat-out negative blast at EVERY gay man in committed partnership. It makes the verse say that gay men in committed partnership will NOT have a heavenly inheritance or will NOT go to heaven.

Third, there is absolutely NO linguistic evidence that Greek speaking people in the first century used the word arsenokoitai to mean "men who have sex with men."

Fourth, "men who have sex with men" is an interpretation of 1 Cor 6:9 based on anti-gay bias and guesswork, not historic usage of arsenokoitai. Dr. Gordon Fee, noted heterosexual Greek scholar (in his commentary on 1 Corinthians), admits that translating 1 Cor 6:9 to mean "homosexual" is "a best guess." He then admits that we do not know what the word arsenokoitai means.

In my opinion, it sends the wrong message to ask gays and lesbians to request that the NIV committee translate 1 Cor 6:9 in a way that attacks gay men in committed partnership, "men who have sex with men," when there is NO historical evidence that anyone in the first century used arsenokoitai with that meaning.

Fifth, if there was strong historical substantiation that arsenokoitai meant "men who have sex with men," then the anti-gay crowd might have a case.

But given the fact that there is no historical evidence which points to arsenokoitai meaning, "men who have sex with men," it is a horrible attack on gay men in committed partnership to suggest THAT as the meaning.

"Men who have sex with men" is NOT more accurate and is NOT less offensive.

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Pope Rick Warren's "Encyclical" To Ugandan Pastors

Under extreme pressure from gay Christians and gay media for almost a year, as to why he didn't oppose Uganda's Kill Gays bill, and with only a few weeks before the bill may become law, Pope Warren, who supported supporters of the Kill Gays bill, finally speaks out against it in this "encyclical.". Its awfully late AND about time.

I wonder if he finally spoke out because he really supports the right of GLBTs everywhere to live free from persecution or if he spoke out in an attempt to salvage his damaged public image...

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Mary Did You Know?

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Rick Warren is a Moral COWARD!

Rick Warren is a moral coward who, after supporting the Ugandan politicians who birthed the "Kill Gays" bill, now refuses to condemn their hate legislation.

If you support Rick Warren's duplicitous "ministry," shame on you.

Read about Rick Warren's moral cowardice
at Box Turtle Bulletin.

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Struggling with loneliness

Thanksgiving to Christmas always feels like running a marathon for me. This is my least favorite time of year.

I struggle against crushing loneliness that threatens to overwhelm my soul. We were not created to live alone, without a significant other, without a deeply intimate, emotional, spiritual, physical relationship and yet, here I am, alone.

Christians from the past like C.S. Lewis testify that I am settling for far less than God intends.

I don't know where "he" is or how to find him so I'm trusting God that He will guide "him" to find me.

"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

-from C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delights in his way." -Psalm 37:23, American King James Version


I'm trusting God...

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Pray, then kill gays and lesbians?

NEW YORK – Truth Wins Out (TWO) today urged world leaders and members of Congress to skip the National Prayer Breakfast, February 4th, in protest of ‘The Family’s (aka The Fellowship) direct role in promoting a bill that would lead to severe human rights abuses against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in Uganda.

“The National Prayer Breakfast is giving legitimacy to those who promote barbarism in the name of the Bible,” said TWO’s Executive Director Wayne Besen. “We hope that world leaders who care about human rights will reconsider attending this year’s breakfast. To say grace with the people pushing this hateful and dehumanizing bill in Uganda would be disgraceful.”

Read the rest of the story here... http://www.truthwinsout.org/pressreleases/2009/11/5048/

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Those kooky Ugandan heterosexuals

Uganda wants to pass legislation mandating life in prison or death for homosexuals.

Seems to me Ugandan legislators are doing some serious over-compensating, especially when kooky Ugandan heterosexuals are pulling stunts like this.

Ugandan heterosexuals told to hold their genitals in church while they pray...

"KAMPALA-A pastor in one of the churches in Kamwokya, a Kampala suburb, recently caused laughter when he asked worshipers to hold their genitals in prayer. The man of God told people to close their eyes and hold their private parts in order to cast out demons of premarital and extramarital sex.

While some people took it seriously and embarked on serious prayer, others, especially the youth, giggled as they exchanged glances with one another. The pastor was not amused and rebuked them, saying this was a serious matter. He insisted on seeing everyone’s eyes closed with their hands on the groin."

from, The New Vision, Uganda's Leading website, click title of this Post for more information

And the Ugandan legislature intends to criminalize gays and lesbians?

Strange, really strange.

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