The Lord's House and Homosexuality in The Bible

People often ask what The Bible says about homosexuality. Some clever antagonists are quick to point out that "Nowhere in Scripture (usually meaning The Bible, though the same is often said of The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ as well as The Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price) does it even mention the word homosexual or homosexuality. Therefore, it must be alright to engage in homosexual intimate activity." So their rationale goes.


The Term "Homosexual" in English


Did you know that the term "homosexual" entered English in the 1890's? Think about that. There already were gays in America and England (everywhere in the world), but English had no specific clinical term to denote attraction to one's gender. So as the term homosexual or homosexuality appeared fairly recently in English would we expect to find the term in ancient Scripture? No. Such an expectation would be groundless.


The question is, therefore, not whether the word "homosexuality" appears in Scripture. It does not. Does the term "heterosexual" ever appear in Scripture, for that matter? No, it does not either. Being that that there had to be homosexuals among the Hebrews, and there had to be heterosexuals as well, the question is how the subject was treated.


How Did The Lord Treat the Subject of Human Intimacy?


First, The Lord never called the experiencing of attraction a sin. It is not a sin to be attracted, be it to one's gender or the opposite sex.

The Lord's pattern for guiding His children is consistent: He teaches the path to come unto Him. Period. And thus the ancient Prophets and the people of God understood that any other alternative would not lead to The Lord. A Book of Mormon prophet-king, Benjamin, taught that there are diverse ways and means to sin, so many he could not number them, but the way to live was to keep the commandments of God. (Mosiah 4:29-30)

• 29: And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many I cannot number them.
• 30: But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.

That was the Hebrew way of teaching: Teach the right path, the one path to salvation, and all deviations from that path lead to spiritual death, the separation of us from God. When needed, due to the intransigence (stubbornness) of the people, the prophets would make lists of prohibitions. They were not exhaustive lists, though, because as King Benjamin said, the number of ways in which a person can sin cannot be numbered by a mortal.


What Did The Lord Say About Gays if Not By Addressing Gays as "Gays"?


So what did God actually instruct about homosexuality? After Heavenly Parentage brought Adam and Eve to life, raised them, taught them, Deity married them in the first Temple and prototype of all Temples of God: The Garden of Eden. God married Adam and Eve, by His authority, with no built-in separation at death because there was no death yet, and because God is God of the living and of eternity. From the Hebrew text God said, as reported by Moses:

• 24: Like that shall a man leave father and mother and cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)

"Like that" says the Hebrew. "That" is the way that people shall become one flesh, as man and woman only.

Now, most Christians get that The Lord prescribed marriage for man and woman only, but most Christians fail to see that the only marriage He prescribed was marriage in the Temple, by His power, "coeh" 'Priesthood', for all time and eternity.

So What About Gays?

But what about gays? What about us?

Folks ask about The Bible and homosexuality, and when they ask me they are asking a linguist who studies the Word of God and who knows God lives. I can answer for myself.

The term "eunuch" was used to refer not only to men born without genitalia, but to men whose genitalia was (always brutally) removed. These men either would not marry, for various reasons, or would marry for companionship, though with no coitus. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were made eunuchs through violence, and probably never married. Potiphar, the Egyptian who bought Joseph the visionary son of Jacob, was probably born a eunuch, and he did marry. His inability to perform intimately is the back story to his wife's hitting on Joseph.

The Lord, as did the Hebrews, included righteous homosexuals under the term eunuch. 

• 12: For there are some eunuchs, which were born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. (Matthew 19:12)

In what sense would a man make himself a eunuch? Such a man would not marry or experience intimacy, just as eunuchs would usually forgo marriage, but these men would forgo marriage with a woman (and intimacy with those of their gender) for their love of The Lord, in order to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.

Is Chastity in the Form of Lifelong Abstinence Fair?

But how is it fair that a man or woman who is healthy, normal in all physical regards, who has the capacity to fall in love, experience passion, should choose not to act on it? Well, what did Jesus say we should do when faced with all those wonderful experiences if we face the choice of either them or Him? He said to choose Him, forgo the rest, and He would reward us many times what we forwent:

• 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. (Matthew 19:29)
• 5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
• 5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. (Matthew 5:29-30)

One need not already have something in hand in order to forsake it for our Lord. One may have the opportunity to have obtain something, but choose not to pursue the option, opting instead to follow The Lord.

The Lord had even addressed this issue in what later came to be known as The Old Testament. In eternally consistent style, The Father addresses His children who face these challenges with enormous tenderness, affection and love. Let us examine this step by step. (Isaiah 56)

• 1: Thus said the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness be revealed.
• 2: Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepth his hand from doing any evil.

This passage has universal application. Though the entire chapter has universal application, it will become apparent that there is a specific and special target audience.

• 3: Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

This verse is touching. Due to apostate actions undertaken by rebellious factions among the Jewish ecclesiastical leadership, Gentile converts were no longer welcome in the Temple, and eunuchs were similarly barred from entry. These eunuchs bore the hard burden also of having no posterity, "a dry tree".

• 4: For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
• 5: Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

The Lord addresses the eunuchs directly and tells them that for choosing the things that please Him, and for taking hold of His covenant, He would (a) bring them into His House and within His own walls and there give them a name, His Name, better than what so many of the sons and daughters of the kingdom had, and His Name will be everlasting and not "cut off", that is, they will have posterity after all. As Jesus would later say, they would receive an hundred fold of what they forsook for His sake. The Lord continued:

• 7: Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
• 8: The LORD GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

The Lord states that He will lead these eunuchs to His Holy Mountain, His Temple and habitation, Zion, make them joyful in His House of Prayer, and in the highest blessing yet, He will accept their offerings on the altar, which is the expression The Lord uses for exaltation and eternal life. In one of the most beautiful utterances of all Scripture: "For mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people."

Some, Indeed Many, May Object


I can anticipate howls of objections from some scholars and readers with considered opinions to the effect that homosexuals are not to be classed among eunuchs. Perhaps. I am simply sharing inspiration that The Lord gave to me.


Before our births The Father already knew what physical challenges He would subject us to. He knew this before He sent our spirits down to earth. He chose these challenges to teach us humility by subjecting us to the choice between Him and the very aspects of our being where we would be most vulnerable. Why would a loving Father in Heaven do this? He did this in order to give us the experience of rising above the greatest difficulties and challenges through His Son, Jesus Christ. Like in weightlifting (though I am no weightlifter, though I would like to be, I digress), the more weight we lift, the stronger the muscles become. By overcoming these challenges we would learn the nature of Godliness and come to resemble Him more. Therein lies the fullness of eternal happiness.

• 136:31 My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion; and he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom. (Doctrine and Covenants 136:31)
• 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. (The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Ether 12:27)
• 121:7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
• 121:8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. (Doctrine and Covenants 121:7-8)

The Father already knows our actions, He loves us dearly, and His Son already paid for all shortcomings so that we could forsake our sins and follow Him, be blessed by wisdom wrought in experience, but not be burdened and held back by our mistakes.

The readers, I am certain, will come to formulate various opinions about what I have shared. You certainly are at liberty so to do. I ask always that you remember one thing: The passages I shared, they really are actually textual.

And Here's to You, Mrs. Potiphar

Through the miracle of studying the Word I learned something, and for days the lesson has been sinking in. 

Many of us are familiar with Joseph and Potiphar's wife. She made a series of passes at young Joseph, and when he resisted her, even by fleeing, she landed him in prison for, she alleged, attempting to assault her. 

In Genesis 39:1 we are given the following background information on Potiphar:

1: And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.

One single word in Hebrew was translated to what the term implicated rather than what the term actually denotes. Let me give that verse a more careful translation from Hebrew:

1: And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.

Anciently, and as late as the early twentieth century, some people allege even today, men were kidnapped and brutally castrated in order to render them not just slaves, but strong and cheap labor who had no possibility of violating women or procreating. Some men were also (are also) born without genitalia. Women too. Potiphar was an Egyptian, which makes me suspect he may have been born a eunuch. That Potiphar was "a eunuch of Pharaoh" means that Potiphar was an "officer", and in his capacity as "captain of the guard" Potiphar may have been in charge of protecting royal women. 

This makes me suspect that Potiphar showed mercy to Joseph by not having Joseph castrated. Joseph was his slave, and complete removal of genitalia was common practice, as I said, up until the twentieth century, so possibly as far back as then. Perhaps Potiphar, being in that state himself, could not bring himself to afflict another man the same way. Also, upwards of 80-90% of men would die from the procedure, so maybe Potiphar preferred not risking the loss of his investment. However, Potiphar's tender treatment of Joseph gives me to suspect that mercy was more likely the motivating factor.

But the main lesson is that Potiphar was married. As captain of the guard he had risen in rank, risen in authority, risen in wealth and status. He could offer a woman a very comfortable life, enviable social status, and they could enjoy affection and company. But as a eunuch Potiphar could not offer his wife physical intimacy, nor could he offer her children. 

Mrs. Potiphar made her decision to marry Potiphar, knowing the limitation on their conjugal closeness. It is also possible that Potiphar arranged for his marriage, and arranged marriages were the norm back then. Still, some arrangements were between an elderly man and a maiden, and others, apparently, with a man of means who lacked certain physical abilities. Either way, marriage was considered sacred.

As time went on, being physically normal in all regards, Mrs. Potiphar had needs that were going unfulfilled. This is the critical background to her attraction to the (per other attesting records) attractive young Joseph. 

Joseph knew that his lord was a eunuch, and Joseph had to know that Mrs. Potiphar was legitimately starved for real physical intimacy. 

Therein is the great lesson: We all have backgrounds, circumstances, unmet hungers, unanswered needs, unrequited passions. Joseph understood one thing perfectly: That all circumstances notwithstanding, there is one factor or circumstance that outlives all others--The Lord God and His holiness (Genesis 39:7-9):

7: And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8: But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth [knew] not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 9: There is  none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against Elohim. 

The lesson that is (rightfully) offered, "when in temptation, run away like Joseph did", is easy enough, though simplistic. Sometimes we have nowhere to run physically because Potiphar's wife, figuratively speaking, is within us. 

The lesson I want to offer is that we all have our reasons why entreaties work on us, why certain sins appeal to us, why these mistakes either pull on us or why we turn to them. I realized or am realizing that it is hard to become Joseph, but to grow into spiritual maturity I must accept that some unions have limitations similar to how Mr. and Mrs. Potiphar had a limitation in their relationship. Having such limitations is normal, and the limitations cause tensions within, which tensions are normal. These tensions expose us to temptations, which is also a normal process. But none of these reasons, however legitimate, is reason enough to betray trust and sin against Elohim, against God.

Fortunately, The Lord forgives. He wants to forgive. He wants to wash us in the blood of His Son, and set us back on the right path. 

In 1968 Simon and Garfunkel recorded a song for a movie called "The Graduate". The song was enormously popular. I will wind up this post with the opening stanza changing one name out for another:

And here's to you, Mrs. Potiphar,
Jesus loves you more than you will know.
God bless you, please, Mrs. Potiphar.
Heaven holds a place for those who pray.

Learning to marshal one's passions and kinky kicks is hard. I make no light of this. But it is true that Jesus loves us more than we will know, and that Heaven holds a place for those who pray. So let us unravel the snare that is "my reasons for doing it" and "my unmet needs" and choose not to break trust with The Father but confirm it, and not to sin against Him, but to embrace His peace. 

I have been Mrs. Potiphar, focusing on my reasons and hungers. And I am Mr. Potiphar as well, well-meaning, but woefully inadequate in certain arenas. I have it in me to be Joseph, and thanks to the Atonement by which The Lord forgives and the Mercy of God who lets me advance decades into the process, I am working on bringing out my inner Joseph. Time to give the hero within a chance to play his part. 

(If you don't know the song, Mrs. Robinson, you're in for a treat!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C1BCAgu2I8 )

I imagine the readers will exercise their prerogative to draw different conclusions. I would expect nothing else. Though do remember that the passages that I showed are, if nothing else, actually textual.