I watched a couple of short video's that expounded on the virtues of homosexuality, and why it is nothing but another lifestyle that should be afforded all the rights that heterosexuals have. The video's talked about the same things that I have heard before: love and virtue, and that God loves everybody. However, the real question is simply, Is homosexuality a sin or not?
The obvious question is YES; it is a sin, and very offensive to God. It is interesting that in our day and age; anybody expounds righteous indignation and moral attributes, is considered homo phobic and judgmental. Nobody ever suggests that the homosexual could actually be hetero phobic; which they truly are. There are several things that have to be considered when dealing with this subject of homosexuality. They are; An Historical Background, the Nature of Sodomy, and What the Bible truly says concerning the matter. There are definitely more subjects involved, but I will start with these.
"Be not judging according to appearance, But {just judgment} be judging. (Gospel of John 7:24, Rotherham's Emphasized Bible)." or "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgement (John 7:24 KJV)."
"The term "sodomy" was derived from the ancient city of Sodom which, according to the Bible, was destroyed by fire because of its sexual excesses and perverted practices (Wharton's Criminal Law, 14th Edition, Volume 3, 1980, section 294 page 75)."
"The word "sodomy" is derived from the city of Sodom, where the crime against nature had its origin, and was universally prevalent until that city was destroyed by the wrath of God (Commonwealth v. Poindexter, 118 S.W. 943, 944, 133 Kentucky 720 (1909)."
AN HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Sodomy ranks as one of the most ancient of illicit activities being found mentioned in the annals of the oldest civilizations. The earliest legal argument for outlawing homosexual conduct is found in Plato's Laws (c. 380). Plato argued that homosexuality is unnatural because it is sterile, and that it undermines the development of desirable masculine traits such as courage and self-control. He also mentions that the proper role of sex is for procreation within marriage. Aristotle expresses similar comments regarding sodomy.
1) Medieval Europe and the Christian Church - believed that homosexuals should be put to death by burning, hanging or burying alive because of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
"If a man also lie with a man as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them (Leviticus 20:13, King James Version)."
Sodomy was recognized as an offense by the common law as a result of an early English statute under King Henry VIII in 1533, which transferred powers of the ecclesiastical courts to the king's courts. Here is where the term "buggery" was used instead of "sodomy." This provided for a clean separation from the Church to the Kings court. The statute was later revived under Elizabeth I (1562), here confirmed the biblical grounds for the legitimacy of the law. It was stated to be necessary to combat the prevalence of the "horrible and detestable vice of buggery (sodomy), aforesaid, to the high displeasure of Almighty God."
NATURE OF SODOMY
"Over the years the offense of sodomy has been characterized as "the crime against nature," "the infamous crime against nature," "the bestial crime against nature," or "the abominable and detestable crime against nature with mankind or beast (it should be noted that the Bible actually calls the black race "beasts," or "brute beasts," "beasts of the field.") Whatever the label, the essence of the crime is clear: an act of deviate sexual intercourse with or without consent (Wharton's Criminal Law, 14th Edition, Volume 3, 1980, Section 294 page 76)."
"It is held to include all acts of unnatural carnal (sexual) copulation with mankind or beast (State V. Langelier, 8 A.2d 897 (Me. - 1939)." "The corruption of morals, the disgrace of human nature by an unnatural sexual gratification, of which reason and decency forbids a more detailed description (Murray V. State, 143 N.E.2d 290, 292 (Ind. - 1957)."
Sodomy "lewd and lascivious acts (State v. Bateman, 547 P.2d 6,9, 113 Arizona 107 (1976)."
An "abominable crime not fit to be named among Christians (Herring v. State, 46 S.E. 876, 882, 119 Ga. 709 (1904); State v. Whitemarsh, 128 N.W. 580, 583, 26 S.D. 426 (1910)."
The existence of the crime was always viewed as an embarrassment to society, and was not fit to be discussed in its details even in statutes or court records. "On account of the vile and degrading nature of the crime of sodomy it is uniformly held that it is not necessary to describe the offense with the same particularity which is required in other crimes (People v. Battilana, 126 P.2d 923, 928 (California 1942); Connell v. State, 19 N.E.2d 267, 268 (Indiana 1939)."
The Court of Illinois held that; "The statute gives no definition of the crime, which the law, with due regard to the sentiments of decent humanity, as always treated as one not fit to be named. It was never the practice to describe the particular manner or the detains of the commission of the act, but the offense was treated in the indictment as the abominable crime not fit to be named among Christians. 4 Bl. Comm. 215. The existence of such an offense is a disgrace to human nature (Honselman v. People, 48 N.E. 304, 305, 168 Illinois 172 (1897)."
SODOMITES ON THE BIBLE
"The men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly (Genesis 13:13)."
1) Genesis chapter 18 and 19 is recorded the first trial of sodomites. Genesis 19:1 angels were sent to the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah to see first hand the conduct of the inhabitants.
2) The inhabitants attempted to sodomize the witnesses God sent (Genesis 19:5)
3) This revealed great "iniquity in the city" (Genesis 19:15)
4) God officially gives his people specific laws regarding the regulation of this type of activity. "Thou shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination. Neither shall you lie with any beast (Possibly a "beast of the field," or the Negro race) and defile yourself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is an abomination (Leviticus 18:22-23)." The reason for issuing the declaration against sodomy is then given: "Defile not yourselves in any of these things; for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled; therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomits out her inhabitants (verse 24 & 25)."
5) When the people allow defiled sodomites in their nation it defiles the land like the Canaanites had defiled the land, and God will expel them from the land like He did with the perverted Canaanites, or curse them like he did with Egypt. God warned Israel, now the result: otherwise the "land shall spit you out, as it spit out the {Canaanite} nations that were before you" (Leviticus 18:28). Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, "A commentary on the Whole Bible, volume I., page 86, states: "Ancient history gives many appalling proofs that the enormous vices described in this chapter (Leviticus 18) were very prevalent, nay, were regularly practiced from religious motives in the temples of Egypt and the groves of Canaan; and it was these gigantic social disorders that occasioned the decree for the expulsion of the inhabitants of Canaan."
6) The Canaanites and Egyptians had incorporated the practice of sodomy and other deviant sexual acts into their religion. Making these acts something to be esteemed and respected. In other words, they were considered socially and politically correct. God warned Israel against this, and not to follow these practices: "There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel (Deuteronomy 23:17 KJV), or "There shall be no female devotee (prostitute) of the daughters of Israel,-- neither shall there be a male devotee (prostitute) of the sons of Israel (Rotherham's Emphasized Bible)." The punishment for practicing the sodomite (homosexual) lifestyle. He speaks of sodomy, bestiality, and other defiling acts: "whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, shall be cut off from among the people (Leviticus 18:29 KJV)."
7) King Rehoboam of Israel allowed the practice of Sodomy, bestiality, and other defiling acts; "And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel (I Kings 14:24 KJV)." King Josiah read the law to all the inhabitants and the priests and prophets (2 Kings 23:1-2). He destroyed the idols, burned the groves, "and he broke down the houses of the sodomites" (2 Kings 23:7 - KJV). He also slew the priests that allowed all this debauchery.
8) The New Testament changed nothing in regards to God's law and condemnation towards sodomy. "Effeminate" or homosexual with idolaters and fornicator's, "shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (I Corinthians 6:9).
9) Sodomites were also recognized as 'dogs' in New Testament times (It should be mentioned here that calling some one a dog, or by any animal name back then was not only showing disrespect; but was actually a form of swearing at them. When Jesus Christ called Herod a fox; in essence he was calling him "a bastard," or a son of a bitch. It was just like in the Old West. You never questioned anybody's honesty or you might find yourself in a gun battle). "The price of a dog" (Deuteronomy 23:18 KJV) was a figurative expression used to denote the gains of a "kaw-dashe (Sodomite), who was called kin-ahee-dos, by the Greeks, from the dog-like manner in which he debased himself (see Revelations 22:15, where the unclean are distinctly called "dogs"). The Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopedia, ed., Samuel Fallows, Chicago, 1908, volume 3, page 1602.
The Apostle Paul states: "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves the due recompense of their error (Romans 1:25-26 KJV)." Therefore the Scriptures are clear. Homosexual activity is an abomination and such a deviate sexual conduct that it is regarded as a capital offense.
IN SUMMARY
1) Sodomy is a crime and an immoral wrong that has never been seriously questioned until modern times. Generally, personal belief and preference only is considered here; but in the annals of law there is not one bit of data to support such a position.
2) Every civilized state has prohibited Sodomy and homosexuality in one form or another. The Supreme Court of Arizona revealed: "Sodomy has been considered wrong since early times in our civilization. Deuteronomy 23:17, Leviticus 18:22-23; 4 Blackstone, Commentaries 215; 2 Pollock & Maitland, "The History of English Law 556." (State v. Bateman, 547 P.2d 6, 10, 113 Arizona 107 (1976).
3) "The criminalization of unnatural sexual relations is embedded in common-law history and finds its broader sanction in the settled mores of western civilization. The courts are routinely unimpressed by sociological arguments against the desirability of criminalizing consensual adult sodomy, as well as arguments that the tide of public opinion has turned against such laws. The prohibition against sodomy and its definition as a crime have been described as of ancient vintage and biblical extraction. The term "sodomy" appears originally as part of the Hebraic law, taking its name from the practices reputedly indulged in by the inhabitants of the cities of Sodomy and Gomorrah (American Jurisprudence, 2nd. edition, volume 70A, "Sodomy," section 1-2, page 1040)."
4) The U.S. Supreme Court also revealed: Sodomy was a criminal offense at common law and was forbidden by the laws of the original thirteen States when they ratified the Bill of Rights. *** In fact, until 1961, all 50 States outlawed sodomy. *** Against this background, to claimed that a right to engage in such conduct is "deeply rooted in this Nations history and tradition" or "implicit in the concept of ordered liberty" is, at best, facetious (Bowers v. Hardwich, 478 U.S. 186, 192-94, 106 Supreme Court 2841, (1986)."
5) Sir Edward Coke in 1644 referred to sodomy as "buggery," and he stated: "If any person shall commit buggery with mankind, or beast (negro); by authority of Parliament this offense is adjudged felony without benefit of Clergy." He continues, "Buggery is a detestable, and abominable sin, amongst Christians not to be named, committed by carnal knowledge against the ordinance of the Creator, and order of nature, by mankind with mankind, or with brute beast (member of the Negro race), or by womankind with brute beast." (member of the Negro race) Edward Coke, "The Third Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England - London: Printed by M. Flesher, 1644 - chapter 10, page 58-59. "Buggery" had a broader term than "sodomy," as it meant all unnatural sexual connections.
PUNISHMENT
1) The Bible - The punishment for sodomy (homosexuality), those that were found guilty are to be put to death. (Leviticus 20:13; KJV, Rotherham's Emphasized Bible)
2) Most of the reputable legal treatises on criminal law recognized the biblical decree of punishment.
3) The American colonies were settled by European men and women who were soundly Christian and rejected the humanistic and secularization of society increasingly found in Europe. They sought theological purity in biblical text applied to the affairs of family, society, and government. When ever a society and civilizations opens its doors to hybrids and non-European whites; you can expect a change in government and society, and debauchery will abound. Jamestown founded the first law prohibiting sodomy. A list of laws known as "Articles, Lawes, and Orders, Devine, Morall, and Martiall," issued by Sir Thomas Gates in 1610 prohibits sodomy: "No man shall commit the horrible, and detestable sins of Sodomie upon pain of death (Mary Cable, American Manners and Morals, - American Heritage publishing Company N.Y., 1969, page 23)."
It is interesting to note that the terms "homosexual" or "lesbian" did not come into fairly common usage in American literature until the 1920's. It was the Jewish radical movement that actually promoted the homosexual lifestyle through the American Law Institute that they took over. They helped to repeal the sodomy statutes of France, Great Britain, Canada, Mexico, Italy, Denmark, and Sweden. The Jewish radicals instigated and promoted the "gay rights movement." Organizations such as the "Gay Liberation Front" (GLF) and the "Students for a Democratic Society," were started or heavily populated with radical Jews such as Michael Brown, Bill Katzenberg, Susan Silverman, Paul Goodman and others.
It is apparent that God made no "preferences" or distinctions between public and private sodomy. The sociological premise in the Bible is based on the law of the Bible, and the law was quite plain and explicit. There is no argument in support of homosexuality can be lawfully raised for God has condemned and prohibited that "lifestyle." Therefore the attacks against all true moral precepts are nothing more than a direct attack and defiance against God and His law. The Jew Dr. George Weinberg said that "the real psychological crisis in our culture remains male homophobia (john J. McNeill, The Church and the Homosexual, (Sheed, 1976), page 86)." However, Chief Justice Burger said: "to hold that the act of homosexual sodomy is somehow protected as a fundamental right would be to cast aside millennia of moral teaching." (Bowers v. Hardwick, supra, page. 197).
The testimony from history reveals all ages have condemned the act of Sodomy; and evidence is thus presented against the sodomite. The Bible prohibited the conduct of Sodomy in both the Old Testament and the New testament. The law finds no foundations that allows the conduct. Society has never supported the act of sodomy, or homosexuality. Therefore, the sodomite has no case for his defense. Daniel 5:27, states: "Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting."
