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Straight from the Pastor: A Message of Enlightenment and Modernity Amidst the Insanity of Zealots
It has been awhile since I last posted an article by Pastor Howard Bess of Palmer, Alaska…but on the heels of my last entry yesterday - and all this nonsense by Christian extremists who insist that they are living by the inerrant word of the Bible, I felt his submission today was timely. Thank God for sanity! Christians such as Pastor Bess are why I call myself an Agnostic Christian rather than an Atheist.
Pastor Bess puts his words into action when he wrote a book titled, “Pastor, I am Gay” which caused him blow-back from the fundamentalists in his region – including Sarah Palin. Here is an excerpt from a Salon.com article from September 2008…
Inevitably, his work brought him into conflict with Palin and other highly politicized Christian fundamentalists in the valley. “Things got very intense around here in the ’90s — the culture war was very hot here,” Bess said. “The evangelicals were trying to take over the valley. They took over the school board, the community hospital board, even the local electric utility. And Sarah Palin was in the direct center of all these culture battles, along with the churches she belonged to.”
Bess’ first run-in with Palin’s religious forces came when he decided to write his book, “Pastor, I Am Gay.” The book was the result of a theological journey that began in the 1970s when Bess was asked for guidance by a closeted homosexual in his Santa Barbara congregation. After deep reflection on the subject, Bess came to the conclusion that “gay people were not sick, nor they were special sinners.”
When it was published in 1995, Bess’ book caused an immediate storm in the Mat-Su Valley, an evangelical stronghold dotted with storefront churches. Conservative ministers targeted the book, and the only bookstore in the valley that dared to stock it — Shalom Christian Books and Gifts – soon dropped it after the owner was barraged with angry phone calls. The Frontiersman, the local newspaper that ran a column by Bess for seven years, fired him and ran a vicious cartoon that suggested even drooling child molesters would be welcomed by Bess’ church.
And after she became mayor of Wasilla, according to Bess, Sarah Palin tried to get rid of his book from the local library. Palin now denies that she wanted to censor library books, but Bess insists that his book was on a “hit list” targeted by Palin. “I’m as certain of that as I am that I’m sitting here. This is a small town, we all know each other. People in city government have confirmed to me what Sarah was trying to do.”
His email today had this to say regarding the article he sent to me as an attachment which I am posting in full below…
Dear Friends!
Attached is this week’s column is attached. For some recognizing that the Bible material is time located and bound is a disturbing thought. We would like religious truth in a timeless and fixed form. It is simply not that way. Just today a very fine lady told me about being denied any leadership role in her church because she cut her hair, she wore make-up, and she was not sufficiently submissive to her husband. She left the church. I trust that the column will be helpful.
Howard Bess
I CHOOSE NOT TO LIVE BY SOME BIBLE STANDARDS
by Howard Bess
We all have a mind’s eye picture of a preacher with Bible in hand declaring that something is true because it is written in the Bible. It is not just preachers. Lay people spout the same attitude. Well intended and devout believers constantly write letters to the editor expressing their confidence in the Bible. They all are certain that the Bible is God’s Word to the world. If it is in the Bible, it must be true.
In the past this attitude has led to advocacy of slavery, segregation, subordination of women and corporal punishment for children. It has been only when these Biblical teachings were challenged and set aside that justice has prevailed. The latest challenge to Bible standards is the current debate about Biblical marriage and same-sex marriages. The Bible standard advocates are calling for Biblical standards for marriage.
Many of the relevant passages are found in the book of Leviticus. The place of women is set out as a part of the property codes. Women were property. Men were owners of women. A man could own as many women as he could afford. Polygamy was the standard, not monogamy. Men owned women in three categories.
- They owned wives;
- they owned concubines;
- and they owned slaves.
All were available to their owner for his sexual use. Most of the women involved were little more than breeding stock. These standards were prevalent all over the Middle East and reflect Mesopotamian and Babylonian traditions.
Over the centuries, custom changed and, while polygamy was allowed and was common, cultural pressures and standards evolved toward monogamy. One standard did not change. Women in Jesus’ day were still seen as property. Marriages were still arranged. A woman had no voice in the acquiring of a husband. A young woman was provided for marriage for what was deemed the best interests of the father.
During the times of Jesus, the life of many women in a poverty economy was precarious. A man could divorce a woman by declaring his freedom from her. The worst scenario for a woman was to have no owner. The so-called prostitutes that hung around Jesus were not prostitutes in a modern sense. They were vulnerable women who had no owner. Evidently Jesus accepted them and provided them with a level of protection and security. One of the criticisms of Jesus was that he associated with prostitutes.
To his credit, the Apostle Paul declared that in Christ there was no longer slave or free, male or female. In spite of the acceptance by Jesus and the declaration of Paul, the early church embraced and perpetuated patriarchal dominance and female submission. The Leviticus standard of male ownership of wives continued in most of Christianity until the 20th century. It now seems incredible that women in the United States did not have a vote until the 19th Amendment was adopted in 1920.
I scratch my head when I hear someone declare that we need to return to Biblical standards for marriage.
Around the world and within the United States the understandings of marriage and marriage practices are hugely diverse. In that diversity a new question has been inserted in the public discussion. Should two persons of the same sex be allowed to marry? It is a subject that is never addressed in the Bible. It is a modern question that has evolved over the past 50 years. The Bible is a collection of ancient writings. I would not expect any of these writings to address a question that is so recent. Bible quotations seem so very irrelevant.
Today the typical marriage is clearly outside Biblical standards. Women are as active in choosing a mate as is a male partner. Arranged marriages are no longer the norm. The relationship is seen as a partnership, not an owner/client arrangement. Most Americans have happily rejected Biblical marriage.
Is there no standard for marriage that can be embraced in our modern world? I suspect that diversity of understandings will win the day. The need to formalize the attractions that we have for a loving companion will not go away.
I like the simple formula that Darlene and I embraced. Before a small group of witnesses, we stood before a minister and spoke words to one another. First, I said “I Howard take you Darlene to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health so long as we both shall live. To this I give you my promise.” Darlene responded by speaking the same words to me. We were married.
The Bible standards seemed so very irrelevant.
The End
The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer, Alaska.
I don’t know how to add any more to the Pastor’s words, other than to share with you that he is a fellow graduate of Wheaton College with Billy Graham in 1943, as well as other notable alumni. About the Author ~ Leah L. Burton
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15 Responses to Straight from the Pastor: A Message of Enlightenment and Modernity Amidst the Insanity of Zealots
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TE
May. 27th, 2012 at 7:38 pm
The hatred dripping from evangelicals had become so dense that I was forced to take one step further tan Pastor Bess: question not just te Bile,but the whole crumbling edifice of superstitious nonsense that is religion.
Rudy Mentary
May. 27th, 2012 at 8:04 pm
What a very welcome and long overdue breath of fresh air this post is ! Thank you !
And before the arrival of the False Argument Response Team (the acronym for which is most fitting), let’s be clear that the issue is marriage equality among adults — it’s not about marrying animals or abusing children, or any of the other ridiculous diversions that inevitably get tossed around.
Faith does not exclude knowledge, people.
If you choose to believe in the Bible’s teachings, at least have the conscience and intelligence to learn what the Bible REALLY says — as opposed to all the misunderstood, misinterpreted and mistranslated passages which some people insist on spewing solely in order to gain power over others.
Chris Jones
May. 27th, 2012 at 8:20 pm
u have to wonder if some people even bothered to read the bible\
A Walkaway
May. 27th, 2012 at 10:42 pm
It’s sad that they want their Jesus second-hand.
They don’t pay any attention to what He TAUGHT, they pay attention to what is taught ABOUT Him (and all of the other excess baggage that is often dead wrong).
Maybe they might then remember the Golden Rule when dealing with others – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I’d also recommend the Muslim and other versions of the Golden Rule… I believe the Muslim version is “Do not unto others what you wouldn’t want done to you”.
robyn ryan
May. 27th, 2012 at 11:41 pm
Actually, they are already reading a translation into English. King James, a homosexual poisoner, wanted to be sure his subjects read what he wanted them to read.
Rudy Mentary
May. 28th, 2012 at 12:50 am
robyn ryan,
For years I’ve been interested in what the Bible really says about homosexuality — what the original texts really mean, what was the context, etc. …
But until you posted that info about King James, I was unaware of it !
Now, one of the first sites I’ve found has some interesting anecdotes — for example, that James’ sexual orientation was so well known, Shakespeare joked publicly that “King Elizabeth” had been succeeded by “Queen James” … ! (Can that be true ??)
etb-history-theology.blog...
Anyway … just wanted to let you know that you educated somebody bigtime today.
Thanks!
A Walkaway
May. 28th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
(LAUGH!) True, true. I often tell them the steps that went from the original language to KJV English, and that often flabbergasts them. Another thing that has brought up ministers short (when they start ranting about “Only Jesus name!”) is telling them how His name got from the original Aramaic to English, including the mispronunciations.
I have a huge advantage over most of them, in that I’ve studied a lot of linguistic anthropology (M.A. applied anthropology), and that included the problems inherent in translating from one language (and worldview) into another. Rarely do you meet one who has even the faintest clue as to how the Bible came to be. They usually think that God sat in heaven and dictated the Bible to someone on earth.
Rudy Mentary
May. 29th, 2012 at 9:11 am
A Walkaway,
I’d be fascinated to hear some of the variations on Jesus’ name as it was translated from Aramaic into English !
How ironic that while Jewish scribes have traditionally striven to create EXACT copies of the Torah, translators of the Bible have so often allowed ego and bias to essentially re-write entire passages.
Like Genesis 19:5 …
The Vulgate (translated by St. Jerome in 382 A.D.) reads:
“vocaveruntque Loth et dixerunt ei ubi sunt viri qui introierunt ad te nocte educ illos huc ut cognoscamus eos”
(Note that the verb is cognoscamus — “to know, to be acquainted with.”)
In English, that’s:
“And they called Lot, and said to him: Where are the men that came in to thee at night? bring them out hither that we may know them.”
The KJV changed this only slightly:
“And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.”
Yet in the modern New International Version, it’s become:
“They called to Lot, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.’”
(Hrmph ! From “know” to “no-no” in 1500 years ?)
An article in the Guardian on the occasion of th KJV’s 400th anniversary (1611 – 2011) offered additional KJV trivia:
“In the 18th century, new editions of the King James Version were notable mostly for the errors introduced by drunken printers’ employees, who were quite capable of rendering ‘parable of the vineyard’ as ‘parable of the vinegar’, earning one edition the sobriquet ‘Vinegar Bible’.”
tinyurl.com/2etoo66
Kinda reminds me of Monty Python’s “Life of Brian” when some people are having trouble hearing the sermon on the mount: “Blessed art the CHEESE … ???”
I also never knew that the KJV has long been severely criticized for the “ludicrous obscurity” of its language … such as:
“Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and makes kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls.”
Say WHAT ??
Just to be clear, I mean no disrespect and hope I’ve not offended anyone with the above. (Bored, okay, but offended ? Hope not.)
I just think the more one knows about the Bible’s history, authorship, context, etc. the greater its humanity and therefore the deeper its meaning.
It’s helped me a lot over the years to believe that Jesus not only wept, he also laughed.
BLA
May. 29th, 2012 at 10:40 am
You have not completed your research on Genesis 19:5. The original Hebrew word, and remember Hebrew is the language of the Old Testament, was yT yada’ which is the same word used in Genesis 4:1 when Adam
had sexual relations with his wife. These men at Lot’s house were clamoring and angry, because they wanted these visitors in a lustful way.
A Walkaway
May. 29th, 2012 at 1:57 pm
BLA, that’s the error of trying to translate by using words and not knowing cultural practices, and then applying one’s own prejudices (which is especially the error of the modern fundamentalist/dominionist churches).
The way cities of those days treated men they thought were spies for others was to rape them. It was a way to demean and shame them… forcing them to take the “woman” (=submissive, passive, etc.) role. It wasn’t lust driven. (I don’t have the reference available here, but I do remember it was from a reliable source.)
Read Ezek. 16:49. The real sin of the city wasn’t sexual, unlike the LIE told by preachers. It was a rich city mistreating and ignoring the needs of the poor.
You can’t find it in clearer language, and I understand that unlike other passages, that one is clear and understandable and falls right in with ancient Jewish understanding.
KatzKids
May. 28th, 2012 at 4:55 am
Bless you Pastor Bess and Leah! Gryphen, at Immoral Minority, some time ago shared a chart of Biblical marriage practices that I’ve found very useful in dealing with these fanatics.
In doing further research I came across the chart again along with an excellent article about “Biblical Marriage” practices. It should be required reading for all. Whenever I cross paths, online or in person, I share this article/chart and it never fails to silence any argument they can come up with and makes me quite unpopular for pointing out the truths they don’t want to hear or accept. Hopefully it also makes them think. Hey – I’m an optimist. :-)
robertcargill.com/2011/10...
Sally
May. 28th, 2012 at 9:13 am
I was having a discussion with a friend at church about this yesterday. We belong to a Brethren congrefation, and the issue of treating gays as equals is tearing the denomination apart. Twenty years ago there was a ‘position paper’ that determined that we should love and accept gays into our congregations, but allow them no leadership roles. Well, times have changed, and many gays ARE leading congregations. The older people are leaving to find groups more like the old days, and Brethren are still having the same fight at every Annual Conference.
I pointed out that nowhere does Jesus condemn gays, and with all the translations out there, don’t you think if HE had said anything about it, it would be in there? The verses people hang onto are not the words of Jesus, but Paul. That tells me all I need to know. God gave us brains and words to live by “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And “Treat others the way you would be treated.” And “Love your enemies.” None of these is apparent in the commands of mainstream churches today. Not one. And that is why this nation is so torn apart by supposed Christians telling people what to do.
A Walkaway
May. 28th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
I’m glad that our chosen denomination (UU) has put that behind some time ago. Our church is officially (and unofficially) welcoming and a delight to attend. The denomination we left – we were actually driven out of by the steeplejackers and their cohorts. The last time we set foot in that church, one of the lay leaders advocated murdering all gays!
I’m concerned, however, that the ramped-up hostility and rhetoric is going to hurt innocent people whose only “sin” is that they weren’t born straight. Those of us who actually value the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth need to be aware of this and reach out with comfort and acceptance to those who have experienced pain at the language and hate from the “Good Christians”.
In other words, we need to be aware and try to be even more Christ-like than before.
zyxomma
May. 28th, 2012 at 10:48 am
Too bad so many so-called Christians cannot find love and acceptance in their hearts.
Rudy Mentary
May. 29th, 2012 at 3:11 pm
BLA,
re: More about Genesis 19
Out of fairness, I need to disclose that I’m both a gay man and, at best, an “armchair” theological historian.
Your comment about the Hebrew verb “YADA” exemplifies why knowing the Bible’s history, authorship, context, etc. is so crucial.
Some additional facts:
* The verb YADA is used 943 times in the Bible but can be construed to indicate sexual behavior in only a handful.
* There is, however, no term in the Bible for “homosexual.”
* The city of Sodom had, prior to the story of Lot, engaged in warfare with outsiders. The two angels who appeared took human form and would, therefore, have been STRANGERS — highly suspicious characters to the Sodomites.
* One of the most important of all virtues in those days was hospitality toward wayfarers — lives depended on it.
* At the other end of the scale, homosexual rape of men was among the worst of degrading insults.
* The original wording states that “both young and old, all the people to the last man” of Sodom’s citizenry demanded to “know” Lot’s two guests, not just the men.
* Ezekiel 16:49-50 clearly states:
“Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.” (No mention of men wanting to “YADA” any angels.)
But here’s the REAL kicker: even if Genesis 19 WAS about homosexuality, why would Lot try to placate his fellow Sodomites by offering his two virgin DAUGHTERS ?
Please stick around for my dinner show, “Biblical Abominations on Parade.”
And please also excuse any perceived flippancy — humor is one of the few defenses for gays in our society — but where you are defending a Biblical precept, I’m fighting for my dignity as a human being.
You see, I’m 51 years old and, unless old fat gay guys suddenly become objects of adoration, I WILL DIE WITH THE PRIVILEGE AND RIGHT OF MARRIAGE DENIED ME.
Think about that for a while. I’ve spent nearly 35 years pondering it and am still unable to write it here without starting to cry. (A big sissy, that’s me.)