For Christians, it would be hard to believe that Jesus Christ would not address a subject which many Christians consider the single most important issue for Christianity. Yet the same people claim that Jesus Christ said NOTHING about homosexuality.
When confronted on the issue of hatred against gays based on religion, they say this is their tradition -- that it is GOD who hates gays and not them. Yet Jesus opposed many of the religious traditions of the time, pointing out that they were traditions of men, and NOT the word of God. And while doing so, Jesus DID discuss homosexual acts -- and per Jesus Christ those acts are neutral, not sinful.
Those promoting the anti-gay message try to pretend that Jesus was talking ONLY about food, or ONLY about washing hands, but Jesus himself makes it absolutely clear that this is not the case. His words are MUCH more inclusive.
Jesus mentions the MANY of the traditions Pharisees which they CLAIM are of God but which in actuality are merely the traditions of men over and over and over again in Mark 7. When pointing out how to recognize those things that are NOT of God, but rather the traditions of men, Jesus said specifically:
"There is NOTHING from without a man, that entering into him can defile him:"
That is a pretty definitive statement, and the word NOTHING is not used frivolously by Jesus Christ. Those are his actual words.
Jesus pointed out more than once that he was discussing the MANY such things the Pharisees did in condemning others through their false teachings.
In Mark 7:4 "And many other things there be,"
And again in Mark 7:8 "and many other such like things ye do"
Mark 7:13 "and many such like things do ye."
So Jesus Christ is specifically saying that he is discussing MANY things, not just one. The words of Jesus Christ are very clear.
Jesus (and the Pharisees) BOTH made a point that this entire story was about their TRADITIONS -- the ones they CLAIM came from God but which, per Jesus Christ, came from MAN instead.
Mark 7:3 "holding the tradition of the elders."
Mark 7:5 "Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders"
Mark 7:7 "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
Mark 7:8 "Mark 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men"
Mark 7:9 "And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition"
Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
Jesus Christ also SPECIFICALLY identified the words that HE said were IMPORTANT -- the very ones I discuss. Jesus Christ said:
Mark 7:14 ..."Hearken unto me EVERY ONE OF YOU, and UNDERSTAND:"
And then he IMMEDIATELY said:
Mark 7:15 "There is NOTHING from without a man, that entering into him can defile him:"
THOSE are the words that JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF says are important. Jesus Christ was speaking ex-cathedra in this case. He was NOT being careless with his words. He was NOT speaking to just a limited audience. He was speaking to EVERY ONE OF YOU. He says so himself. Other things he says can be directed to specific people, but THESE are directed to EVERYONE. Jesus Christ says THESE are the important words -- and those are the very words that show that homosexual acts are not sinful.
And to accent that fact he emphasizes the point by summarizing:
Mark 7:16 "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear."
Eating, and the kosher laws, are included only as a subset of the items covered by those words. Other things covered by those words would be homosexual acts, taking medicine, artificial insemination, etc.
The May 2005 issue of National Geographic unwittingly echoed these words in the issue of poison:
"But while poison can kill, it can also cure. Name your poison, and there's probably a healing side to it. Arsenic has been used to treat leukemia. Mercury was an early treatment for Syphilis. It's a matter of dose, and, most of all, it's a matter of intent.
INTENT is the determining issue. If sexual acts are made out of hate, or a desire to harm, then they are sinful. If they are part of an expression of love, then they are NOT sinful. It is not the act that creates the sin, but the intent to harm. THAT is the message of Jesus Christ.
© 2005, by JRichards. All rights reserved, except that free distribution via any medium is permitted as long as author's credit is given and no profit is involved.
