(No pun intended)

We’re back to the BBC website, but this time an entry in their “Magazine” section. It’s about what the Bible says about homosexuality – it shows the pertinent passages and gives a pro and anti view for each. And there’s strong arguments for both.

So, a good, and thought provoking article. However, the BBC spoil it all by then allowing the knuckle-dragging members of the general public to respond to it. My favourite being…

It is clear from the pro-gay viewpoints that they will twist and turn every Bible verse they want to say what they want it to say, or otherwise just brush over it and say that we are apparently a more enlightened society in the 21st Century. The Bible is God’s word and should be the only guide in a Christian’s life.

Which is missing the point entirely. You could equally say that the anti-gay exponents are twisting their views. The whole point is that “God’s word” can be interpreted whichever way you want it to – there is no clarity and no-one to turn to who can confirm in which way it’s meant.

How can “Gary from Coventry” know that his anti-gay view is the correct interpretation?

As someone else put it…

This whole article demonstrates one of the many fundamental problems with the Bible: its ambiguity. It is so vague and self-contradictory on so many issues…

Bearing in mind that slavery is seen as acceptable, and having sex with a woman who is having a period is wrong (and also women during this time are “unclean”), it is clear that many of these things being quoted are simply the views of the authors at that time in society, not necessarily the will of God.