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6. “For the anger of God is being revealed
from heaven against all the evil and wickedness of men, those who are holding the truth with evilness; Because the knowledge
of God is revealed in them, for God has revealed it in them. For the secrets of God from the foundation of the world are appearing
to His creatures (or creation) through understanding (or intelligence),
even His power and His eternal Godhead, that they shall be without defense (or
excuse). Because they knew God and did not glorify Him and give thanks to Him as God, but became deprived (or
empty) in their thoughts, and their heart was darkened so that it was not understanding. And while
they were supposing in themselves that they were wise, they became fools, And they changed the glory of the uncorruptible
God into the likeness of the image (idol) of corruptible man, and in the likeness
of birds and of four-footed beasts and of creeping things on the earth. Because of this God gave them
up to the unclean desires of their heart, that they shall be dishonoring (or treating shamefully)
their bodies by them; And they changed the truth of God for lies, and they revered and served the created things more than
their Creator to whom belongs praises and blessings for ever and ever. Amen. Because of this God has given them up to
griefs of shame; for their women changed their natural use, and in the thing that wasn’t natural was used (or
familiar with); and likewise also their men in this way have left the natural use of their women and were ravished
with desire one for another, even the male for the male, they committed shame (or behaved unseemly),
and the recompense that was right for their error they received in their nature (or themselves). And
as they did not determine in themselves that they should know God; God has given them over to an empty mind that they shall
be doing the thing that is not appropriate (right, proper or ought to be done),” (Romans 1:18-28
Peshitta). Romans is often quoted as scripture that forbids relations between persons of the same sex. But
Romans is actually referring to idolatry. It says of the people “…And they changed the glory of
the uncorruptible God into the likeness of the image (idol) of corruptible man, and
in the likeness of birds and of four-footed beasts and of creeping things on the earth.” These people glorified
and worshipped their idols of man, birds, four-footed beasts, and creeping things. It also says of these idolaters “..And
they changed the truth of God for lies, and they revered and served the created things (idols)
more than their Creator to whom belongs praises and blessings for ever and ever. Amen.”
The actions of these idolaters as detailed from the Aramaic text have to do with people abandoning their natural sexual orientation
and with men ultimately sleeping with other men. For the first part, the book of Romans tells us that their women changed
their natural (or instinctual) use. The word kyan means nature, disposition and
instinct. These words don’t necessarily mean that the women slept with other women. The reader could also conclude that
the women may have remained celibate.
Because these men also repressed their sexual desire and left women, the Aramaic text says that these men were ravished
with desire for one another. It could be that pagan heterosexual or bi-sexual men turned to prostitution to satisfy their
sexual urges because their religious beliefs prevented them from being themselves.
If the women were sleeping
with one another, then the honest reader would have to conclude that both the men and women were either heterosexual or bi-sexual.
We know this because these men and women had sexual desire for the opposite sex, went against their instinct, and had sex
with the same gender because they were blinded by their religious beliefs. Hosea 4:14 talks about women sleeping with women
because of their pagan beliefs. That verse states that the daughters and brides of men will mingle themselves with whores.
The word “whores” has the feminine plural ending. The word “harlots” or “female shrine prostitutes”
(Per the Hebrew text) are feminine in ending as well. Additionally, and back to Romans, verses 21-25 (and beyond) tell us
that these pagans hearts were darkened (they were in ignorance) and that they made images of God's creation. These idolaters
may have also been practicing gross bestiality (see v. 24).
The words saying that
"the women changed the instinctual use [of their sex into] that which is against their
instinct" and "the men have left the instinctual use of women" (Lamsa)
does not sound like gay people. It is natural for gay people to be with the same gender and is according to their instinct
/ disposition. Gay men or women have not left the opposite gender because they were never with them to begin with.
Verse 27 of Romans says "and receiving in themselves the due recompense of their error."
The Aramaic words ba-qnom-hon mean “in their nature” but can be translated
as they are by Dr. Lamsa as in themselves. These men and women received shame and mental grief in their very
nature as a recompense from God because they were committing shameful acts against their instinct. Qnoma
is the same word that the Church of the East uses to describe the two natures of Christ.
Is the Bible
Against Homosexuality? by Mattai "the Preacher" © 2003-2009. All rights reserved.
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