"Gay" here is used in its formerly-unique sense of "happy" as well as its newly-minted sense of, well, GAY. MFoD has become weary of those sorts who use this wonderful, but ancient text to "prove" the falsity of modern understandings of human sexuality. A fundamentalist approach to the Scriptures about the inappropriateness of homosexual behavior in Israelite society, which had been promised Land and Descendants, was, possibly all well-and-good when the nation was living on subsistence level in the Sinai desert. Today, however, with over six billion humans on the planet, it smacks of overkill.
The few texts in the Bible concerning homosexuality have been used as excuses to hurt and kill (both physically and spiritually) lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered folk for millennia. But, that's not the worst that has happened. No, indeed, the persecution of glbt people has caused untold pain for them, but even more pain for people who love the Bible itself.
Persecution has kept the Bible from being fabulous.
Just imagine what could happen if gay men got their hands on the Bible. The joyful texts, calling upon the people to clap their hands (properly manicured), strike their cymbals (glittery, shiny things, oooh, aaah) and dance (disco is not dead) would achieve unprecedented exposure in the hands of gay men. Lesbians would give new life to the texts, speaking eloquently about such spiritual powers as Ruth, Esther, Judith and Mary, cleaning away all of the veils that have been dropped over their heads throughout the centuries of patriarchal Christianity. Bisexuals would give us pause to appreciate Jonathan and David, and Jesus and John at the Last Supper. Transgendered people, living as they are the mystery of Spirit, could be our new shamans.
A few blogs ago, MFoD complained about dour Catholic clergymen. Biblical fundamentalists, for all their forced heartiness, are just as bad. All of these people have something in common: they need an enemy, a devil, an object to hate. Any use of the joyful Bible mocks them; love is the primary component of the Biblical message.
And, more than anything else, love proceeds joy.
The few texts in the Bible concerning homosexuality have been used as excuses to hurt and kill (both physically and spiritually) lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered folk for millennia. But, that's not the worst that has happened. No, indeed, the persecution of glbt people has caused untold pain for them, but even more pain for people who love the Bible itself.
Persecution has kept the Bible from being fabulous.
Just imagine what could happen if gay men got their hands on the Bible. The joyful texts, calling upon the people to clap their hands (properly manicured), strike their cymbals (glittery, shiny things, oooh, aaah) and dance (disco is not dead) would achieve unprecedented exposure in the hands of gay men. Lesbians would give new life to the texts, speaking eloquently about such spiritual powers as Ruth, Esther, Judith and Mary, cleaning away all of the veils that have been dropped over their heads throughout the centuries of patriarchal Christianity. Bisexuals would give us pause to appreciate Jonathan and David, and Jesus and John at the Last Supper. Transgendered people, living as they are the mystery of Spirit, could be our new shamans.
A few blogs ago, MFoD complained about dour Catholic clergymen. Biblical fundamentalists, for all their forced heartiness, are just as bad. All of these people have something in common: they need an enemy, a devil, an object to hate. Any use of the joyful Bible mocks them; love is the primary component of the Biblical message.
And, more than anything else, love proceeds joy.
Image credit: Wonder Boogie
3 comments:
Considering the veritable throng of practicing and celibate homosexuals within the ranks of the Catholic and protestant clergy, it's sad that the Good Book continues to be used in a self-hating manner. If anything, the nasty bits one finds there on the subject of sex say more about human structures of order (i.e., power) than any divine conception. To hurt people (or worse) for using creatively (and pleasurably) those slightly silly dual-use organs the Creator gave us is downright insane.
To the point, as always, Vetivresse.
Well written article.
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