Other Sheep - Multicultural Ministries with Sexual Minorities

Clobbering back with the Clobber texts:
Taking the Bible Seriously - Are There Clobber Texts in the Bible?
Rev. Dr. Thomas Hanks

Part 4:
Deconstructing our homophobia: with Paul in Romans

4.7 Scientific Limitations, Phenomenological Language

4.7 Scientific Limitations, Phenomenological Language

Whatever we may conclude about the apparent deconstruction process as Romans unfolds, we
cannot pretend that in 1:24-27 Paul provides us with a modern scientific view of "homosexuality" that
can provide a sufficient basis for sexual questions today and a modern pastoral response. In this
sermon illustration, similar to Jesus' mustard seed, we find a popular description of common "gentile"
phenomenon "as they appear" to the ordinary xenophobic, homophobic Jew of the first century. The
limitations in Paul's scientific horizons regarding homosexuality are evident in numerous ways: (1) his
fundamental understanding of human psychology is totally prescientific, presupposing that the
human "heart" (Romans 1:24) is actually the locus of emotions, passions and sexual drives; (2) Paul
presupposes that same-sex desires and genital acts always represent the kind of insatiable lust,
freely chosen (see "exchanged"), that does harm to the neighbor (like "coveting" in the Ten
Commandments); (3) Paul presupposes that the desire for same-sex genital experience is a kind of
punishment God imposes because of the idolatry long dominant in gentile culture -- the exchange of
worship object resulted in a change in sexual desires (1:21-27). (See Charles D. Myers, Jr.,
"Romans, Epistle to the," in The Anchor Bible Dictionary; David Noel Freedman, ed.; New York:
Doubleday, 1992:V, 825-826); (4) Paul often appears to work from simplistic, rigid notions of gender
implying the inferiority and subordination of women (Brooten 1996:245,327-8 and passim). As Dale
B. Martin concludes: "In sum, modern people, even Christians, do not believe the mythological
structure that provides the logic for Paul's statements about homosexuality in Romans 1" (1995:339).

As in the case of Jesus' mustard seed, we have a bit of "mythology" reflected in the sermon
illustration. Modern anthropological studies find no correlation between worship that is idolatrous
(from the Christian perspective) and homosexual practice. About 10% of the children from pious
Christian homes are left-handed and about 10% are homosexual -- and the same is true in families
practicing other religions or none at all. And as for excessive desire, a lesbian couple having tranquil
sex once a week may exercise much more self-control than a heterosexual couple having passionate
sex nightly. What scientists began to discover in the 19th century is that most consensual same-sex
genital acts are simply the result of a different sexual orientation -- and this has nothing to do with
the idolatry of one's ancestors nor any lack of self-discipline in the sexual area. This modern
understanding of sexual orientation was as unknown to Paul as was Galileo's astronomy and
Columbus' geography -- and Paul's limited scientific horizon in pschology and sexology is clearly
reflected in his choice of sermon illustration. Brooten (1996:115-141) points out that ancient
astrological notions of lifelong sexual preference determined by the position of the stars at the time
of one's birth, but her sources to not speak literally of "orientation" and their concept is totally
superstitious and prescientific.