The Hebrew Bible (aka Old Testament to Christians) says that Jews should not have male/male sex. The word used to condemn homosexuality (To'evah) is the exact same word used to condemn mixed fiber clothing, the eating of shellfish and cloven-hooved animals, and sleeping in the same house (tent, whatever) as one's menstruating spouse.
Christians don't get too bent out of shape these days over poly/cotton T-shirts.
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah, widely used as proof that God will blast all homos to itty bitty pieces, is more likely a cautionary tale about the consequences of inhospitality. Ezekiel says, "This was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy." [Ezekiel 16:48] Jesus, in Matthew 10:14-15, is the one who comes up with the idea that the sin of Sodom was inhospitality when he compares the possible inhospitality the Apostles might experience to the inhospitality of Sodom, saying that on the day of judgment it will be more bearable for Sodom than for the cities that reject them! Finally Jude sees the sin as seeking to interbreed with angels.
Jesus never said a single (recorded) word about homosexuality, but it should be noted that the Roman soldier who came to Jesus asking for healing for his servant was almost certainly asking healing for his gay lover. Jesus would have known this, and didn't see fit to comment on it. He just healed the guy. (My GOD, could maybe some Christians use Jesus for an example???)
The bulk of anti-gay language in the Bible comes from Paul. Even that is open to interpretation. One prominent interpretation is that Paul was condemning the practice of older, wealthy men purchasing sex from younger, poor men and boys... in other words, prostitution.
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Christians don't get too bent out of shape these days over poly/cotton T-shirts.
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah, widely used as proof that God will blast all homos to itty bitty pieces, is more likely a cautionary tale about the consequences of inhospitality. Ezekiel says, "This was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy." [Ezekiel 16:48] Jesus, in Matthew 10:14-15, is the one who comes up with the idea that the sin of Sodom was inhospitality when he compares the possible inhospitality the Apostles might experience to the inhospitality of Sodom, saying that on the day of judgment it will be more bearable for Sodom than for the cities that reject them! Finally Jude sees the sin as seeking to interbreed with angels.
Jesus never said a single (recorded) word about homosexuality, but it should be noted that the Roman soldier who came to Jesus asking for healing for his servant was almost certainly asking healing for his gay lover. Jesus would have known this, and didn't see fit to comment on it. He just healed the guy. (My GOD, could maybe some Christians use Jesus for an example???)
The bulk of anti-gay language in the Bible comes from Paul. Even that is open to interpretation. One prominent interpretation is that Paul was condemning the practice of older, wealthy men purchasing sex from younger, poor men and boys... in other words, prostitution.