you know i just realized I don't think I have ever really read from Leviticus ... i wonder if there is anything in my lifestyle that is considered against the law in the book of Leviticus
I'll try to keep it brief because I could go on for hours.
But essentially the laws were understood to fall in three separate categories; two (the Judicial stuff, ceremonial) don't apply anymore.
So when people bring up sea food, shaving, tattoos, wearing polyester(!), you're free to roll your eyes.
The last, the one that applies still, are universal morals. Don't kill. Don't steal...
The question is where would homosexuality fall?
It's pretty obviously the last. What this "bible" did was try to pull the 'ol "temple prostitution" type argument. But it fails.
In the Chapter 20 homosexuality reference it falls smack in the middle of sexual morality and explains these are the reasons the other nations are being judged.
The Chapter 18 reference from what Strat posted is rendered as: Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind in the temple of Molech: it is an abomination. (QJV)
That particular line is sandwiched between a reference to child sacrifice and bestiality; I'd like to ask the QJV translators if they think child sacrifice and bestiality are permissible outside of temples of Molech or does only homosexuality get special exemption?
I think the Molech mention is important and it goes over the QJV crowd's head. I would say the Ch 18 reference is a bit of a polemic (mirroring what Paul would do with Homosexuality in the NT as well). Basically Ch 18
isn't saying "homosexuality [human sacrifice, bestiality] is wrong when connected with Molech." It's saying child sacrifice, homosexuality, bestiality, are all reasons why Molech worship is wrong!
As a bit of a throwaway to keep in mind when people say "Jesus didn't say anything about homosexuality..." there's like at least three things off the top of my head that are very wrong with that statement. But I always kinda chuckle to myself because of the Second YHWH concept in the OT. Basically, you have a good number of times where you have God interacting with...another God. For Christians this isn't an issue; that's Jesus who God is interacting with. And if we understand it as such there's two Sodom and Gomorrah verses that become very interesting. They say essentially "the Lord rained down fire
from the Lord." So if Jesus is to be identified as the second YHWH, he maybe didn't mention homosexuality explicitly in the NT, but in the OT he punished homosexuality personally!
Anywho...Merry Christmas LGM.