Gay Rights in America
and how they relate to
Christianity, Judaism and Islam
By Stephanie Dewald
Overview
•
•
•
•
What are Gay rights?
Thesis/Introduction
Core Documents of the United States
Scripture references that fuel controversy
– Hebrew Bible
– New Testament
– Qur’an
• Current Events
• Conclusion
Gay Rights?
• To seek acceptance, tolerance and equality for lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
•
Heterosexual couples have many more rights than
homosexual couples including: marriage, adoption, tax
benefits, hospital and jail visitation rights, visa and work
permits for a foreign partner, health care decisions for his
or her partner, suing for wrongful death of a partner,
rights involving wills, and access to family health
insurance
•
Many states have adopted civil union laws allowing
same-sex couples some of these rights, however only
one state has legalized same-sex marriage.
What is in question?
•
What role does Christianity, Judaism
and Islam play in the struggle for gay
rights in America?
– A persons personal opinions are shaped
through culture, upbringing, religion
– Religion plays a key role in shaping
Americans’ view towards gay rights, and
consequently towards policy decisions
Opposition to Gay Rights
• Comes in many forms, however religious opposition is
often the root of the debate.
• The United States founded by people seeking religious
freedom
• However religion is an important part of American culture
–
–
–
–
85 percentage of Americans identify themselves as Christian.
Christianity in particular influences our nation as a whole.
However Christianity shares its roots with Judaism and Islam
Therefore, in reflecting upon the current state of gay rights in the
US, I find it relevant to look into the scriptural references that
provide religious opposition to same-sex couples in society
The US Constitution
•
The US constitution is a secular
document stating that "no religious test
shall ever be required as a qualification to
any office or public trust" (Art. VI), and
"Congress shall make no law respecting
an establishment of religion, or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof" (First
Amendment).
Majority Rule, Minority Rights
• The US is a representative democracy
with minority rights. Democratic laws
protect the rights of all citizens.
• 1.5% of the US identifies themselves as
gay, lesbian, or bisexual
What is considered a right?
The Declaration of Independent
•
We are not governed by the Declaration, however it
does set forward many of our nations core beliefs and
principles.
•
”We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all
men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among
these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments
are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed...”
Many rights which are not available to homosexual
couples allow people the pursuit of happiness: perhaps
the most prominent being the right to marry.
Gay Rights Movement Timeline
• 1924: Started by the Society for Human Rights in Chicago
• 1948: Alfred Kinsey published “Sexual Behavior in the Human
Male” which said that homosexuality was widespread and even
common, opposite to popular belief.
• 1951: The Mattachine Society was the first official gay rights
organization formed. This was considered the beginning of the Gay
Rights Movement.
• 1993: Don’t ask don’t tell policy is instilled in the US Military
allowing gays to serve however still banning homosexual relations in
its members.
• 2004: Gay Marriage is legalized in Massachusetts
• 2005: Civil Unions are legalized in Connecticut
• 2006: Civil Unions are legalized in New Jersey
Homosexuality in Religious Text
•
The texts of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam’s
understanding is based on interpretation. The
passages we will look at today have two major
interpretations:
– against homosexuality
– or having nothing to do with homosexuality (merely
misinterpreted)
Regardless of the varying opinions, those who believe
these scriptures are anti-gay have provided great
opposition for gay rights in America as well as the rest
of the world.
Judaism: Genesis 1:26-28
• Adam and Eve / Creation
– Key Verse: God created man in his image; in the
divine image he created him; male and female he
created them
– Key Verse: God blessed them saying to them: “Be
fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it...”
• Male-Female Relationships blessed by God
• Men and Women Created to Procreate
• On the other hand, some argue that God is
above Gender therefore being created in His
Image does not have to do with being male or
female
Judaism: Genesis 2:18-24
• God created woman for man only
– Key Verse: It is not good for the man to be
alone. I will make a suitable partner for him
That is why a man leaves his father and his
wife, and the two of them become one body.
-Suggests men and women compliment each
other by nature, and have purpose for one
another.
Genesis 19:4-26
• Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
• “Where are the men who came to your
house tonight? Bring them out to us that
we may have intimacies with them”
• The Lord rained down with “sulphorous fire
upon Sodom and Gomorrah”
Why is it interpreted as against
homosexuality?
• Many Christians can argue that the wickedness
of the men in Sodom is explained through their
demands for homosexual acts. Because this
was the primary event that drove Lot and his
people away from the city, it is argued to reveal
the reason the people of Sodom and
neighboring cities were wicked
• It can be argued that Lot believed they wanted
the men for sex because he offered his virgin
daughters as an alternative.
Arguments by Christian Websites
• Abundantly clear the homosexuality was the primary evil;
although the people of the city committed many other
sins, homosexuality was the cause of their destruction
• Another argues that there is no scriptural evidence that
the city was connected with homosexuality. It argues the
primary evils were pride and inhospitality.
-Nomadic environment: Hospitality was a matter of
life or death
• Statistics show an average of 1.5 percent of the US
population is homosexual males. Therefore it is not
reasonable to infer that the city had a majority of
homosexual males: not the primary evil
Judges 19:4-30
• Very Similar to Sodom and Gomorrah
• man offers shelter to another male traveler. When they
returned to the mans house, a gang of men came to the
door demanding he bring out his guest for them
to abuse. Like Lot, the man offers his concubine instead
who is then raped and killed.
• Key Differences:
– The mob accepted a female in replacement for the male
– The people of Gibeah were not punished by God (however killed
by Hebrews)
– It can then be argued that they were not punished by
God because they did not engage in or prefer homosexual
conduct
Judges Cont…
• Conservative Belief: This is another story
in the bible, separate in location and time
to Sodom and Gomorrah. Shows that
homosexuality and rape is immoral
• Liberal Belief: This is another version of
the Sodom and Gomorrah story. However
it is not in reference to homosexuality.
A Few Facts about the term
“Sodom”
• Modern term Sodomy traces its roots to the story
of Sodom
• US Law:
-By the end of 2000 the 47 US States had
repealed Sodomy laws prohibiting homosexual
conduct, 37 of which repealed Sodomy laws all
together.
-By 2003 all anti-homosexual laws were revoked
due to Lawrence v. Texas
• The Hebrew root for Sodom translates to “burnt”
• The Hebrew root for Gomorrah translates to
“ruined heap”
Leviticus 18: The Sanctity of Sex
• Leviticus 18:22
“You shall not lie with a male as with a
woman; such a thing is an abomination.”
• Leviticus 20:13
“If a man lies with a male as with a
woman, both of them shall be put to death
for their abominable deed; they have
forfeited their lives.”
Leviticus 9:20-25
• Moses became drunk and lay naked in a tent.
• Ham saw his father naked and told his two
brothers
• His two brothers covered his body without
looking at their father
• Moses Woke up and cursed Ham
• This section has been argued to be an example
of homosexual activity because one man saw
another man naked. However, the verse is
vague as to why Moses was angry with Ham
– good example of varying interpretations
Christianity: The Letter of Jude 1:7
• Revisits the story of Sodom and Gomorrah
– “Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding towns, which in the
same manner as they, indulged in sexual promiscuity and
practiced unnatural vice-serve as an example of undergoing a
punishment of eternal fire”
– “Similarly, these dreamers nevertheless also defile the flesh,
scorn leadership, and revile glorious beings..”
– To defile: To make unclean, dirty. To violate the chastity of
Liberals may argue that Jude does not clearly say what type of
sinful sexual behavior is being referred to, therefore it cannot be
attributed to homosexual acts
Conservatives may argue that Jude is referring directly to the
homosexual activity in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah as
unnatural vice and a defiling of the flesh
Further Examples of Sodomite
references
• 1 Corinthians 9-11
-Mentions that the kingdom of God is not to be
inherited by sodomites
-References the Story of Sodom and Gomorrah
previously discussed
1 Tim 8-11
-In warning against false doctrines, Paul says to
Timothy that the law is good and meant for the
unrighteous person, including sodomites
Mark 1-12
• Although it is discussing why divorce is
immoral, it also revisits the story of Adam
and Eve
• ...God made them male and female. For
this reason a man shall leave his father
and mother [and be joined to his wife] and
the two shall become one flesh
• Reinforces the HB
Matthew 19:9-12
• “Some are incapable of marriage because they
were born so; some, because they were made
by others; some, because they have renounced
marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever can accept this ought to accept it”
• To say they are incapable of marriage because
they were born so could imply they are
homosexual, therefore cannot marry because it
is viewed as an abomination.
The Letter to the Romans
• Written by Paul to the Christians in Rome
• “longest and most systematic unfolding of
the apostle’ s thought”
• Arguably the most “anti-gay” section of the
bible
Letter to the Romans 1:24-32
• “God handed them over to degrading passions. Their
females exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and
the males likewise gave up natural relations with females
and burned with lust for one another. Males did
shameful things with males and thus received in their
own persons the due penalty for their perversity”
• Furthermore, Paul states that “They are filled with every
form of wickedness, evil, greed...”
• Flaws of Pauls writing: His interpretation of what is
natural for men and women
-ex: 1 Cor 11:14 Paul writes that it is degrading
according to nature for men to wear their hair long
Islam: Qur’an 4:15-16
• “If any of your women are guilty of lewdness,
take the evidence of four (reliable) witnesses
from amongst you against them; and if they
testify, confine them to their houses until death
claim them, or Allah ordain for them some
(other) way.”
• “If two men among you are guilty of lewdness,
punish them both. If they repent and amend,
leave them alone; for Allah is oft-returning, most
merciful.”
• Strongly suggests that homosexuality is wrong,
as well as the different treatment of men and
women by Allah
Qur’an 7:80-84
• For ye practice your lusts on men in preference
to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing
beyond bounds.
And his people gave no answer but this: They
said, “Drive them out of your city: these are
indeed men who want to be clean and pure!”
• Surah 27:54-56 almost identical
• In reference to the story of the city of Sodom
• Lut (Lot) and his people fled from the city and
homosexuality
Current Events
• In January of 2004 the Jewish Community
Relations Council, which represents the majority
of the Jewish community in Boston, has voted in
favor of same-sex marriage.
”The Jewish Community has been in support
of civil liberties because we understand that
discrimination against one group leads to
discrimination against” -Rabbi Barbara Penzner,
Reconstructionist Judaism
Current Presidential Candidates
• Both Democratic candidate John Edwards
and Republican Candidate Mitt Romney
announced their opposition to Gay
Marriage
• Both also state they do not want to be
interpreted as intolerant of gay rights
• Appealing to a majority of citizens and
religious groups who may share this view
Republican Candidate:
Mitt Romney
• "What you look for in a leader is someone who
will welcome and treat with respect people who
made different choices and have different beliefs
in their lives and have differences. I have
nothing but respect and feelings of tolerance for
people with differences from myself and feel that
way with regards to those who are gay,"
– Will push to make a constitutional amendment to ban
same-sex marriage
– Claims he is a better candidate for gay rights than a
democrat
– States that his stance against gay marriage is to
protect children from being raised by gay parents
George Bush: Constitutional
Amendment to “Protect Marriage”
• Cited that 8 years previous (1996) Clinton
signed a Defense of Marriage Act defining
marriage in federal law as between one man
and one woman. However in 2004
Massachusetts passed a same-sex marriage law
– “The union of a man and woman is the most enduring
human institution, honoring -- honored and
encouraged in all cultures and by every religious faith”
– “Marriage cannot be severed from its cultural,
religious and natural roots without weakening the
good influence of society.”
– Bush one of the most openly religious Presidents in
HIstory
Conclusion
• Majority rule, minority rights are difficult to
achieve when the majority shares one view. Our
leaders play a key role in providing citizens with
equality, therefore it is important to have leaders
who will fight for equality, even if the issue does
not fit with their personal beliefs. A person’s
personal beliefs are often shaped by their
religious views since religion in itself guides
people on how to live, as well as what is right
and wrong. Therefore religion will be likely to
sway policy makers in their decision.
Conclusion
• The different interpretations of the
scriptures are important to discuss
because of the great affect they have on
society
• The US should strive for a more clear cut
division between Church and State
Websites Used
• http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=politics&id=53
38422
• http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/02/2004
0224-2.html
• http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/01/16/je
wish_group_oks_same_sex_marriage/
• www.Religioustolerance.org
• http://www.alinaam.org.za/library/homos.htm
• www.Bible.Org
• http://www.biblebb.com/files/HOMOSEX.HTM
• http://www.narth.com/docs/muslim.html
• http://www.ilga.info/Information/Legal_survey/Summary
%20information/homosexuality_in_the_quran.htm