Atheists, the Bible and homosexuality

I would like to offer an alternative angle on the topic mentioned. It has been extensively debated for decades and has caused much hurt and division and in light of the vote in the Methodist church I decided to offer up a short perspective for those who are perhaps unsure on the issue or struggling with holding on to their own convictions. However, before I begin, regardless of convictions on the above topic, the Bible is full of teaching on love, respect, treating people with dignity, freedom of choice and of the mind-freedom of thought. It also challenges any person condemning another person for their beliefs whether conservative or progressive. It also promotes that all conversations and dialogue on these types of issues must be handled with respect and integrity. Too many people have been hurt. If we are meant to love even our enemies and bless them, we are certainly meant to love those who disagree.

I have found it quite interesting in the church that one of the main causes of division over interpretation of scripture has been on the duel insistence of:

A. accepting homosexual marriage and

B. accepting that the Bible is the word of God.

So arguments regarding the Bible consist of a duel approach that attempts to: undermine the direct references that imply God's desire is for heterosexual marriage only and to try to emphasise that love is the most important thing so how is it loving someone with same sex attraction to deny them the chance of a romantic relationship.

But it seems for me these discussions revolve around one other central issue, the insistence mentioned above that the Bible is the word of God. So, if the Bible is clearly against homosexual relationships, that creates problems for those in the church who believe point B above along with point A.

I decided therefore to begin looking at the issue however, ignoring point B. Ignoring point B removes the theological tensions that churches and individuals find themselves grappling. It also aims to look at the Bible not through the lens of having to reconcile point A and B but would allow the freedom to evaluate what the bible says without having to fear challenges to the belief in point A. i.e. it allows the person to ignore whatever the Bible says regardless of conclusions. Basically, it allows for a great unbiased interpretation of the Biblical texts regarding homosexual marriage. Which, in the search for truth, is vital-which brings me to the views of atheists.

Atheists actually bring a rather unique and in some cases unbiased view on this matter because their understanding of the Bible is not motivated at all by point B. They are not interested in believing or proving point B nor are they worried about clashes between beliefs and opinions they hold and whether it agrees with the Bible or not.

Many atheists are quite happy to accept the moral or ethical validity of the principle of 'love your neighbour as yourself', but reject the notion of the need to love God. Many accept the validity of a range of Jesus' ethical teaching such as challenging hypocrisy and looking out for the poor, yet are happy to reject notions of Jesus' miracles and signs of his divine sonship. i.e. they are actually unbiased in how they interpret the bible perhaps more than some in the church because of the difference over point B. i.e. their conclusions about the bible do not impact their faith or their point A beliefs.

So in regards to homosexuality in the Bible, atheists offer an interesting and valid opinion, as they are not out to prove anything or reconcile their point A beliefs with a point B belief. In looking at this issue from this point of view, atheists tend to just reject the Bible as being anti gay or to use a modern term 'homophobic'. The scholar in Queer studies, Louis Crompton who is gay himself says of the culture arguments held by those in the church as validating homosexual marriage in his book 'Homosexuality and Civilisation' that 'Nowhere does Paul or any other Jewish writer of this period imply the least acceptance of same-sex relations under any circumstances'. He is certainly not the only one who believes this.

Most atheists, certainly in western cultures, accept homosexual relationships and have no issues with them, but they also do not have to justify this view through biblical eyes. They just reject the Bible's input on the matter.

I believe that their unbiased eyes can see scripture for what it is on this subject, as not promoting homosexual relationships in any form both in its actual text or in the cultural surroundings at the time. If a less biased view can see this in the Bible, why not the many in the church? It is because many want to accept a point A belief in the church, but they also want to maintain the insistence of point B-the bible is the word of God. To many outside the church it is a case of square peg in a round hole. They do not go together. It comes down to this-accept the Biblical view that homosexual marriage is not valid before God, or, reject the Bible as being the word of God. Atheists simply do the latter. Many accept what they want from scriptural truths and reject what they don't want.

Am I telling you what to think? Absolutely not. Every Christian has to figure out things like this and form their own judgements. God gives us this freedom. Am I even telling you you have to accept what the Bible says? Absolutely not. You can agree or disagree and work through issues, asks questions as much as you need to. But what I am challenging is the insistence on Christian's having to come up with a biblical basis for their point A belief when even atheists can see it doesn't match up.

Interestingly a progressive author suggests asking this question when looking at biblical interpretation: what is it that you want to believe? (paraphrase, Rachel Held Evans). This question is vital. If you fundamentally believe point A and point B you will always find a way to bring the two together, because that is what you want to believe. Atheists don't have that issue. They can believe point A with or without the biblical validation so their view of the Bible is not as coloured on this issue.

Therefore if you are wondering what the Bible says and looking at all the different and clearly conflicting views on the subject within the church, consider what I have written as part of your journey. Atheists are not trying to prove anything with this issue and are not trying to reconcile their beliefs with the Bible being God's word. But the majority see it for what it is on this issue, a book that rejects the notion of homosexual marriage.

Our understanding of scripture needs to be based on what it says, not on what we want it to say. Accept it/reject it is up to you. But realising our own biases on this and many issues, my dear brothers and sisters, will empower our faith to be purer and more focussed on the truth.

Are you challenged or encouraged by this?