The church has gone through change after change after change. The most recent change during another era of conscience is acceptance of LGBTQIA, which some reject and split church denominations over. Jesus made some changes while ignoring other things because his primary change is in people’s hearts. Then they make change.
Leviticus 18 the forbidden sex acts.

image by OpenClipart-Vectors / 27385 on Pixabay
Is this love? What I will do is ask you to use the stricter standard of law that asks, “Beyond a reasonable doubt?” Or at least appeal to the lesser standard of civil law, “More likely than not.” The standard of belief and conduct for Christianity is love.
Working with new generations (Gen Z) – Series
Religion is locally and culturally situated. The Law of Moses developed over time and notably opposed the customs and religion in Egypt and Canaan. While this origination doesn’t place doubt on those laws, especially for that time, the origination does question the why of these prohibitions and if this fits with the overall nature of the Bible and today’s world.
A major argument dividing Christian denominations today is LGBTQIA+. It’s something that straight people find difficult to understand and accept. But many older societies have seen gender-sex as a continuum (Native Americans, India, etc.), not two poles. These things have always been, everywhere.
I personally have no idea what men see in men (or women in women), but then I have no idea what women see in men. � Having worked with many who weren’t “straight” since the mid-1960s, I really never felt they were objectionable.
In ministry I never felt that anyone should be judged for their sexuality … or for any other reason. As Christians we’re not under law and we are specifically told not to judge others. People try to get around this by saying they are just judging the sin, not the person, but the effect is the same on the person being judged, and we are totally not to judge at all.
The controversy has become heated in recent decades, so I did extensive research over a period of years.
Biblical Origins of LGBTQ ban
The issue of men lying with men was mentioned in the 1500 BCE Biblical writings (not put into writing until around 1200 BCE), and not again until the Apostle Paul witnessed the extremes in Roman and Greek society. Those societies frowned on same sex relations, considering participants to be weak, but they allowed it.
The Hebrews considered Abraham to be descendants of Shem, Noah’s son, and they consider themselves to be descendants of Abraham. Abraham migrated to the land of Canaan from the area of Ur in Mesopotamia. They were a nomadic people who lived in tribes. The Midianites were the descendants of Midian, who was a son of Abraham and his wife Keturah. Many migrated to Egypt.
The descendants of Abraham had no official religion, and like Abraham they likely worshipped the Most High God, the Creator God. Abraham once visited Melchizedek, Priest of the Most High God. In Egypt the Hebrews didn’t worship the “one true God” (Joshua 24:12), Yahweh, but likely worshipped the Egyptian gods.
Moses escaped Israel after killing a guard and lived for a time with the Midianites. There were metal smelters in the region, and archaeological digs found the inscription YHWH over a smelter from that time. YHWH was in Hebrew writing, which doesn’t record vowels.
“Through their apparent religio-political connection with the Moabites they [Midianites] are thought to have worshipped a multitude, including Baal-peor and the Queen of Heaven, Ashteroth.” By the 14th century BC, before the cult of Yahweh had reached Israel, groups of Edomites and Midianites worshipped Yahweh as their god;” this conclusion is based on identification between Midianites and the Shasu.”
– Midianites on Wikipedia
Shasu and YHWH: “… the “hieroglyphic rendering corresponds very precisely to the Hebrew tetragrammaton YHWH, or Yahweh, and antedates the hitherto oldest occurrence of that divine name – on the Moabite Stone – by over five hundred years.” K. Van Der Toorn concludes: “By the 14th century BC, before the cult of Yahweh had reached Israel, groups of Edomites and Midianites worshipped Yahweh as their god.””
The metal smelter motif fits the story well of Moses and his followers following plumes of smoke through that area, and of a burning bush on the mountain. The Midianites transformed the Egyptian Hathor mining temple into a desert tent-shrine, and Moses used tents for this purpose.
What about LGBTQ? In Egypt, homosexuality was frowned on and specifically mentioned later in the Book of the Dead (a funerary text meant to reunite the dead with the god Ra [Re]), even though it’s thought to have been practiced. The Hebrew Bible (Leviticus 18:3) cites Egyptian practices and prohibits them. Even forms of prostitution were practiced later. While not banned, LGBTQ relations were probably giggle fruit in ancient Egypt, not something done in the open or in worship, but not banned.
Moses
Moses, who is known as the first prophet of Israel and gave the Law, rejected the bull symbol which was present in both Egypt and Ba’al worship in Canaan. Moses’ reaction to Baal and Canaanite religion likely wasn’t good. Human sacrifice. Child sacrifice. Prostitution, both male and female in the Canaanite temples. People were not to worship Yahweh in this way. Did the prohibition go beyond ritual purity and worship practices?
An exception to the non-practice of child sacrifice in Judaism is found in Exodus 22:29 “You shall not delay the offering from your harvest and your vintage. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.” Ezekiel 20:24-31 indicate God gave this command to sacrifice in wrath.
Many in Judaism feel that the ritual emphasis on purity in Judaism is the reason “men lying with men” was a prohibition. What does Judaism say?
Judaism on change and LGBTQ
Jesus tried to bring change to Judaism. He said certain laws were made for man, not God, and using law as a reason to not treat others properly was not correct (Mark 2:27).
Jesus was a practicing Jew. He took the Torah and the 613 laws in the Torah seriously, and possibly even the Oral Torah (Traditions of the Fathers). But he said in contrast that his burden is light. So we need to see what Jesus said in the context of Judaic thought. Our brothers the Jews are the authority on their scripture, having lived with it for over 3000 years.
Judaism throughout history has a similar view to Jesus’. The laws are seen as a guide to daily living. The Pharisees were people who tried to make the law relevant to life. If that meant the scripture had to have a slight change, they made the change in context with the meaning. Some modern Christian translators do similar things.
Judaism on love and human dignity
Judaism overall is accepting of LGBTQ. More fundamentalist sects are not. Working within the limits of traditional halakhic discourse, reviewed in the HOMOSEXUALITY, HUMAN DIGNITY & HALAKHAH: A COMBINED RESPONSUM FOR THE COMMITTEE ON JEWISH LAW AND STANDARDS, this is said:
“Contemporary Jewish law is based upon the legal and moral texts found in the Written and Oral Torah. The Written Torah famously pronounces that “God created humanity in His image” (Genesis 1:27; 9:6), that “It is not good for man to live alone” (Genesis 2:18), that you must “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18) and that “God is good to all; His mercies apply to all creatures” (Psalms 145:9). The Oral Torah (Talmud, Midrash and Codes) draws upon these and many other biblical passages to create a system of law that sanctifies the daily lives of those who serve God in truth.”
“The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS) has a long and proud history of addressing weighty issues of ritual and social practice as our community wrestles with the challenges of observing Jewish law in a modern context. We are motivated always by our tradition’s mandate that rabbis in every generation apply Jewish law sensitively and effectively to the new circumstances of their time, drawing upon not only the precedents of our tradition but also its fundamental concepts and values. The issue of homosexuality and halakhah is particularly contentious in our historical moment, but it is hardly unique when compared to the complex topics addressed by our predecessors.”
This is from the framework that could also apply to Christian interpretation of the Hebrew Bible: “each generation demands its own interpretations of Jewish law. As the Torah says, “When a matter shall arise that confounds you…you shall go and inquire of the judge who shall be in that day, and they will tell you the law.” (Deut. 17:9).” And “We, however, believe that [human] dignity is a central concern of the Written and Oral Torah and is a well established halakhic principle.”
But the Jews do consider human dignity: “The Human Dignity of Homosexuals Tel Aviv University professor Delphine Haiun writes perceptively about the relationship between dignity as an internal state and dignity within a social context:97 Kavod is the inner value that makes man a human being, that gives him/her identity as such; it constitutes a condition of human existence for him/her. This signification can slide into more institutional connotation, also present in the Bible. The kavod is, then, the social nature of a human being, his/her status, his/her importance, his/her value in society….Since the Middle Ages, the word kavod has represented the name of God. What makes us human beings is the divine part of us, the presence of God in us. This description resonates with our experience. For gay and lesbian Jews, it is impossible to ensure an internal state of dignity as long as their social status is one of utter humiliation. The Rabbis recognized the social component of shame in calling attention to the fact that people are shamed (and are owed compensation for that) not only when they themselves feel humiliated, but also when that person’s family or community recognizes something that has happened to that person as embarrassing.”
Judaism concludes
The Rabbis and scholars, affirming “…biblical law and depends upon established halakhic principles and precedents for its conclusions.” concluded: “… gay and lesbian Jews are to be welcomed into our synagogues and other institutions as full members with no restrictions. Furthermore, gay or lesbian Jews who demonstrate the depth of Jewish commitment, knowledge, faith and desire to serve as rabbis, cantors and educators shall be welcomed to apply to our professional schools and associations.”
Christianity has difficulty with change and the Law
Does Christianity ever consider human dignity? Nope. Christians are less likely to consider all of scripture, and often place perceived sin in a place over love in their considerations.
To many Christians, somehow scripture doesn’t need to be relevant to life, it just stands there like a brick wall. Many shout, “Obey.” Yet Christianity is extremely selective in that it doesn’t practice the 613 Laws found in the first five books of the Bible (Torah), nor does it even consider practicing the traditions found in the Oral Torah (traditions of the fathers) which were well known in Jesus’ time and still practiced today. Christianity simply picks and chooses what it wants to be “law” when it knows full well it isn’t under law at all. It’s selections are largely cultural.
Take Home Points
Three thousand five-hundred-year-old writings are difficult to interpret given the horribly different culture and the many traditions coming together in the first five books of the Bible. Many Christians point to the prohibition of “men lying with men” in the Hebrew Bible (Christian Old Testament) as the nail in the coffin of LGBTQIA+. Yet the authority on those scriptures, the Jews, have arrived at an accepting view, and not without considerable review. They cast their acceptance on Biblical principles of love and human dignity.
Many Christian denominations aren’t known for considering human dignity, not understanding that it is part of love, yet it is Biblical and revered by the Jews.
Series Links
Church Eras and Chang – Part 2
The organized church – Change Part3
New Era of Change – Part 7 – LGBTQIA++
New Era of Change – Part 8 – LGBTQIA++
New Era of Change – Part 8b – LGBTQIA++
Law and Love – New Era of Change – Part 9 – LGBTQIA++
Deconstruction – New Era of Change – Part 10 – LGBTQIA+
Apostle Paul on LGBTQ – – New Era of Change – Part 11
Paul and same sex activity – New Era of Change, Part 12 – LGBTQ Final
New Era of Change – Conscience and Reassessment
Additional Resources
New Generations Walk with Jesus: The missions in a changing world (by author on Amazon). Young adults not only don’t find what they need in churches, they’re pushed away, and they have a no tolerance policy for the nonsense they see in churches. How do you minister to them? Answers.
Promiscuous America: Smart, Secular, and Somewhat Less Happy. Institute For Family Studies.
How Casual Sex Can Affect Our Mental Health. Psychology Today
https://christianstudies.wordpress.com/2011/05/14/230/
Free Speech – Rabbi Berel Wein.
Judaism and the Gays: Part 1 – Dealing with Mishcav Zachar. Oral Torah.
Sexual Morality? Is it the same today as in 1200 BCE?
Some series references:
How to Keep Millennials Engaged in Church – on Patheos
What Is Meant by Truth? – on Patheos
Tabernacle of Hate – False Religion – on Patheos
10 Reforms Christianity Needs to Make Right Now – on Patheos
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The standard of belief and conduct for Christianity is love. Legal standard.
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