Posted on 10/27/2003 8:03:56 PM PST by chance33_98
Reverend says people misinterpret Bible's view on gays
Jennifer Ross | Staff Reporter October 27, 2003
People read the Bible as the absolute truth, but they pick and choose words, phrases and sentences for support, a speaker said Sunday night at the Student Center.
Frank Gorman was the first speaker for Spectrum's People Respecting Our Unique Differences Week.
Gorman, professor of religious studies at Bethany College, discussed what the Bible says about homosexuality. He discussed possible interpretations and misinterpretations.
The church can support or discriminate against gays, lesbians and bisexuals, Gorman said.
"I feel very strongly about the church's role in hate-mongering on this issue," he said. "As an ordained minister, I take that seriously. I'm here as a friend of the people."
(Excerpt) Read more at bsudailynews.com ...
DN PHOTO / JEFF FURTICELLA
FRANK GORMAN spoke at Cardinal Hall Sunday night on how the Bible deals with issues of homosexuality.
Jennifer Ross | Staff Reporter
October 27, 2003
People read the Bible as the absolute truth, but they pick and choose words, phrases and sentences for support, a speaker said Sunday night at the Student Center.
Frank Gorman was the first speaker for Spectrum's People Respecting Our Unique Differences Week.
Gorman, professor of religious studies at Bethany College, discussed what the Bible says about homosexuality. He discussed possible interpretations and misinterpretations.
The church can support or discriminate against gays, lesbians and bisexuals, Gorman said.
"I feel very strongly about the church's role in hate-mongering on this issue," he said. "As an ordained minister, I take that seriously. I'm here as a friend of the people."
Ill feelings come from misinterpretations of the Bible and its history, Gorman said.
When fragments or verses are taken from the Bible, their meanings can be taken out of context, he said.
Gorman cited Leviticus 17-26, known as the Holiness Codes, as examples of popularly misused passages.
According to Gorman, the codes were used as a guide for the people of Israel. Codes were impurity rules defining the difference between clean and unclean.
One code describes how the Canannites were defilers of the land and sexually perverse, Gorman said.
"We make people bad and we immediately relate it to sex," Gorman said. "We think they must have a sexual problem ... we're too focused on sex."
For instance, the story of the men of Sodom reflects violence and power instead of sexual appetite, Gorman said.
In Genesis 19:5-11, a mob of men asked "to know" the visiting male outsider, Gorman said. When the mob's request is refused, they rape a woman all night. Gorman interpreted the phrase "to know" as "to have sex."
"This is about violence and rape," Gorman said. "This is about violence being used to put someone down. I find this disgusting. It's all about power. If you want to really understand sex and power, then go to prison."
However, Gorman said everyone, including Christians, have the right to their own interpretation of the Bible.
He encouraged students to read and to question the Bible.
"I don't think the Bible is the absolute truth," Gorman said. "I don't think it can provide me with the right answers. It provides me with the right questions."
Gorman's personal admission caused murmuring in the audience.
"He surprised me. He doesn't believe the Bible is the absolute truth. To me, what's the point of being a minister, if you do not believe it is the absolute truth," junior Jeremy Kinney said.
In today's society, believers need to be understanding and interpret the Bible with a contemporary context, Gorman said.
"Religion affects acts of Congress and many other things. It is unfortunate that the teachings of Christ are misused. If I was a Christian, I would be upset that my religion was being used as hate," Spectrum internal vice president Anthony Amstutz said.
Homosexual sex is pretty darned unclean. This would indicate that God actually had some concern for the people's health.
Sounds pretty loving to me.
Well, this language makes misinterpretation easy. Hmmmmm. The Bible certainly raises question, was Jesus the Son of God. But the Bible gives Gorman no guidance about the correct answer? Then what's the point?
bingo
The good reverend says...
This guy Gorman is what I call a "gobbledygook talker." He says a lot of stuff but it makes no sense.
Bill Clinton's CDC released figures a few years ago reflecting that fully 85% of all AIDS/HIV cases are
1. Active, non-monogamous homosexuals,
(the largest subset)
2. Heterosexuals and bisexuals who have had sex with group 1 and
3. IV drug abusers who share needles.
(Kinda gives new meaning to Romans 6:23, doesn't it?)
The remaining 15% (the REAL “victims” of AIDS!!) are those who have contracted AIDS via other, non-sexual/non-drug means SUCH AS TRANSFUSIONS OF TAINTED BLOOD (which one homosexual "leader" on the West Coast URGED his fellow homosexuals to CONTINUE to attempt to contaminate in order to involve the straight community in the push to increase federal funding for AIDS research).
What a guy -- er -- GAY!
Then he has nothing worth listening to. The Bible is God's letter to believers.
Gorman should not be reading someone else's mail.
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