Prof. Rob Gagnon at AFTAH Truth Academy in August. Gagnon questions whether those supporting "rights" based on homosexuality would do the same for incest and polyamory.

Part Two of Peter LaBarbera’s interview with Prof. Rob Gagnon of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (part Three is next week). This interview aired Sept. 11, 2010. In this discussion, Gagnon (www.robgagnon.net) goes deeper into his biblical analogy between homosexuality and ”adult committed incest” and polyamory (multiple-partner sexual unions). He also further critiques liberal evangelical Andrew Marin’s ministry approach in Chicago, noting that repentance — i.e., turning away from homosexual practice – is ”part of the conversion process.”

Pegging off Marin’s line about once being a ” Bible-banging homophobe,” Gagnon questions whether Marin would ever say, “I was once a Bible-banging incest-phobe.” He said the fact that liberals object to this sexual sin analogy does not make it invalid — and said it is more relevant than comparing the Bible’s prohibition of homosexual practice to biblical writings about slavery, women’s roles and dietary laws. 

Gagnon addresses the homosexualist challenge that the biblical concept of homosexuality was different than today’s homosexuality, noting that monogamous homosexual relationships did exist in Bible times. He also discusses lesbianism and critiques the NIV (New International Version) translations of homosexual terms in 1 Corinthians 6.  

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9-11-10, Robert Gagnon, All

Press Release – For Immediate Release

Protest Against President Obama and EEOC Nominee Chai Feldblum

Rabbi David Eidensohn issued the following statement (web links added by AFTAH):

“I protest President Obama’s claim that his support for EEOC nominee Chai Feldblum is because “if any of my nominees are attacked not for what they believe but for who they are, I will not waver in my support.” This is a gross distortion of the honest opinion of people who oppose his nominee, not for what she is, but for what she believes.

“At one time Ms. Feldblum belonged to a NSDP “non-sexual domestic partnership” with three other women. She demanded for them government support and recognition similar to married mixed-sex couples. And why stop at relationships between caring people? Why not declare support for sadists and masochists who marry their mothers and fathers? And what of those people in the closet because they sleep with their pet dogs? Surely polygamy and prostitution should not be a problem.

“In 2007, 40 percent of mothers who gave birth were unmarried, and they were mostly mature women who had simply rejected marriage. What will happen when the President of the United States nominates and supports people like Ms. Feldblum? What will happen when the President of the United States supports those who don’t discriminate in defining marriage against those who do discriminate in defining marriage as something based on family values?

“I believe Mr. Obama when he says that he will do anything to oppose discrimination. One thing he is doing is to twist the argument against twisted marriages into an attack on family people. This must stop.”

By Peter LaBarbera

What President Obama calls an “obscure line” in the New Testament Book of Romans condemning homosexual behavior is not obscure at all. In fact, in Scripture the proliferation of homosexual sin is a key sign of the downfall of a culture. The following is the culmination of key passage in Romans describing mankind’s descent into wickedness. We read in 1:18: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” The passage continues as men stopped glorifying God “but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” The downward spiral into idolatry (1:22-23) continues:

[24] Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. [25] They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

[26] Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. [27] In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. 

The following are the study notes for the NIV (New International Version) Study Bible on Romans’ “God gave them over” verses, 1:24, 1:26, and 1:28:

God gave them over. God allowed sin to run its course as an act of judgment.

Here is the NIV Study Bible (Zondervan 10th Anniv. edition: 1995) note on Romans 1:27:

 Homosexual practice is sinful in God’s eyes. The OT [Old Testament] condemns the practice. (see Leviticus 18:22).

Old Testament prohibitions

Here is the passage in the Old Testament Book of Leviticus (18:21-23), proscribing homosexual acts (v. 22). Note that it is sandwiched between the detestable act of sacrificing one’s children to the Ammonite god of Molech, and committing bestiality. (Seen any Bestiality Pride parades lately?) Earlier in the chapter are a series of condemnations of incest and adultery (emphasis added):

[21] “‘Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

[22] “‘Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.

[23] “‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.”

Here is the NIV Study Bible note introducing the section in Leviticus on unlawful sexual relations (Chs. 18-20), followed by the notes on Lev. 18:21 and 18:22:

Lev. 18:1-20:27.  Here God’s people are given instructions concerning interpersonal relations and a morality reflecting God’s holiness. Israel was thereby prepared for a life different from the Canaanites, whose life-style was deplorably immoral. Ch. 18 contains prohibitions in the moral sphere, ch. 19 expands the Ten Commandments to detail correct morality, and ch. 20 assesses the penalties for violating God’s standard of morality. …

Lev. 18:21.  Molech. The god of the Ammonites (see 20:2-5; 1 Kings 11:5 and note). The detestable practice of sacrificing children to Molech was common in Phoenicia and other surrounding countries. Cf. 1 Kings 3:26-27. King Manasseh evidently sacrificed his sons to Molech (2Ch 33:6; see 2Kings 23:10). Jer. 32:35 protest the practice.

Lev. 18:22.   lie with a man. See 20:13, where the penalty for homosexual acts is death.