Once again the Bible is proving how it wastes careers, holds back our culture and should be abandoned as a source of morality.
Professor Jennifer Wright Knust's new book, Unprotected Texts: The Bible’s Surprising Contradictions about Sex and Desire, and her recent blog on CNN both purport to show that the Bible does not actually prohibit homosexuality. She claims that the message is ambiguous at best, and that there are many passages that actually condone same-sex relationships.
I'm sure it's no surprise to anyone that her book and blog have provoked many responses from conservative Christians. Perhaps the most scholarly reply is this one by Professor Robert A. J. Gagnon. The good professor has written not one, but two books that prove that the Bible condemns homosexuality.
And you know what? We don't care!
This debate is just another illustration of why the Bible shouldn't be anyone's source of morality. The Bible is a mess. If there was a God and He wanted to ban homosexuality, wouldn't He have just said so with no ambiguity and no other stories that cast doubt?
Think about it. How hard is it for ordinary mortals like you or me to write a rule, like "Sex is only to be between a man and a woman. No exceptions." There, I did it. I'll bet you could too. So why couldn't God?
It makes you wonder if maybe the Bible was written by someone else ... like maybe Satan?
But back to my main point: This story shows why the Bible is bankrupt when it comes to morality. These are two intelligent people, both with PhD's and teaching at major universities. Both have devoted careers to studying the same book. And they can't agree on an incredibly simple question. Why? Because the Bible is nothing more than a collection of myths and stories from two thousand years ago, gathered under intense political pressure by unqualified people who had no idea what a mess they were creating.
Just think of the fantastic contributions two great minds like Professors Wright-Knust and Gagnon could make to humanity if they weren't sniping at each other over who is the best qualified to guess the Bible's true meaning. They might be writing great works of literature, discovering new medicines or contributing to our country's political debate. Instead, they're wasting days, months and years studying a dusty collection of stories and then attacking each other over its errors and inconsistencies. What a terrible waste of two great minds.
Common sense, science and humanist morality all tell us that homosexuality is both natural and harmless. Even if the Bible was clear (which it isn't), it doesn't change these facts. If the Bible condemns homosexuality, then the Bible is wrong and should be put aside in favor of a more enlightened morality.
So the next time someone asks you, "Does the Bible condemn homosexuality?" the right answer should be, "Who cares?" Don't argue the question. It's a fruitless, impossible debate that only diverts us from true moral progress.
(See also: How to go Crazy: Just Read the Bible.)
Friday, March 4, 2011
del.icio.us
reddit
StumbleUpon
4 comments:
Dear readers -- I am no longer blogging and after leaving these blogs open for two years have finally stopped accepting comments due to spammers. Thanks for your interest. If you'd like to write to me, click on the "Contact" link at the top. Thanks! -- CJ.
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
Good point. Who cares?
ReplyDeleteI would have a hard time trying to even respect a god that wanted a book as primitive and as ambiguous as the bible to be considered the ultimate source of truth, let alone worship such a god.
We have some great communication systems runnig today. If a god exists, and wants to share his opinions, he's welcome to do it. But please, don't expect me to believe in stories found on a primitive book. The indoctrination worked on me for a few years, but it eventually failed. And now it seems there's no way to go back to believing such crap without some serious evidence.
This entry certainly made me chuckle. I love the idea that I can just blink at someone and ask them a question that stops the argument cold.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why people would care what God does or does not say about anything except for the threat factor of the bible - flooding the entire earth, casting his two first sentient creations out of paradise and setting a flammable guard dog at the entrance, burning down entire cities and populations, and so on and so forth.
Anyone who claims that this guy is the basis for a moral argument is absolutely deluded.
In a reasonable world, no one would waste an hour of their life contemplating a religious text.
ReplyDeleteWith a reasonable tax code, no one would waste an hour of their life filling out tax forms.
Lurker111
Whatever goes against the bible is given more than ample time for salvation, no wonder people who have everything and are living a cormfortable life are not tested enough, just as the bible says, the very learned people, like thhle pharisees in comparison to the PhD s will have a hard time understanding the bible and going to heeaven, which doesnt mean they dont have a chance but they make it difficult for themselves to make it there.
ReplyDelete