Dear Mr. Morgan:
I believe you have been promoting bigotry and helping to perpetrate a fraud.
During both of your interviews with Pastor Joel Osteen on your CNN broadcast, you let the religious leader tell your audience that Scripture calls homosexuality a sin. But you didn't ask him where the Bible says that.
It's both an important point and an easy one to settle. You could have asked Pastor Osteen for the chapter and verse that he thinks calls homosexuality a sin. What you would have found is that he couldn't provide it, because Pastor Osteen was expressing his personal opinion, not quoting the Bible. The Bible doesn't say that homosexuality is a sin.
In fact, even though Scripture discusses "sin" a lot, the word never appears in connection with homosexuality.
Certainly there are passages in the Bible that address aspects of homosexuality, most notably in Leviticus and Romans. But years of interpretation have distorted their original meanings. And there are other passages that may even support homosexuality.
Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 describe certain male homosexual behavior in the same terms as meals that seat Egyptians and Israelites together (Genesis 43:32). Both are called a to'evah in Hebrew, a term that was apparently meant to suggest something that isn't inherently wrong even though a particular culture frowns on it. The leap from "certain male homosexual behavior" to "homosexuality in general" is a clear mistake, as is the jump from "culturally odd" to "sin." Leviticus doesn't say that homosexuality is a sin. It says that some behavior was unusual.
Romans 1:24-27 also deals with homosexuality, putting it in the context of a penalty that God doled out in response to human mistakes. That's why Romans 1:24 begins with "Therefore, God delivered them..." Though nothing is specifically called a "sin" in Romans 1, what comes closest is the behavior in Romans 1:18-23 (primarily idolatry), not the punishment for that behavior (homosexuality). Romans 1:24-27 doesn't list human sins but rather God's actions.
Genesis 2:18, by contrast, suggests that it is "not good for people to be alone." If it turns out that in order to avoid being alone some men have to be with other men, and some women with other women, then Genesis 2:18 may mean that supporting homosexuality (and, therefore, same-sex marriage) is not only permitted by the Bible but in fact required.
Obviously, people may expand on Leviticus, Romans, Genesis and other passages in ways that turn homosexuality into sin. But these are interpretations, not "what the Bible says."
It seems to me that Pastor Osteen, as a religious leader, has a right to believe what he wants and to encourage others to follow. So if he doesn't accept homosexuality, it's his prerogative to spread his anti-homosexuality message. But I think it's dishonest when he pretends that his opinions are those of the Bible.
Similarly, if you don't like homosexuality, it's your right to say so on air. But I think it's irresponsible of you to let a guest tell your audience that something is in the Bible without even asking where.
This glaring omission is all the more surprising in light of your claim to be "challenging." Why didn't you challenge Pastor Osteen on this basic factual issue?
I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Joel M. Hoffman, PhD
Follow Dr. Joel Hoffman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JoelMHoffman
One needs to be extremely careful when attempting to justify anything through the Word of God. To use it for a purpose of man - any purpose, or to interpret the Word as we would have it read, and not as God intended it is a grave risk.
To any who have questions about scripture, I would suggest that one go and read not just the directly germane passages, but all scripture, for only then one has the full context in which to make a decision. Read prayerfully, and with your heart open to the guidance of the comforter that Jesus Christ provides.
If you seek God, and not justification, you will find the answers you seek; if you seek only justification, you will find nothing but what you put there.
I think the real difference is not whether people pick and choose, but whether they are honest about it.
He is far more nuanced and far more informed on the subject than you clearly are. And since no one can take the matter up with God, he is in his right to take it up with people who use the Bible to fallaciously support a specific agenda, just as you are.
Go to his website blog. Read what he has to say, on all the topics he's discussed. You will find he is far more knowledgeable about the Old and New Testaments than you clearly are.
My question however is -- what is your opinion - I know the author had his own agenda on this, but from what I see he was VERY well versed on the subject - I know he died of AIDS - so no need to go into all of that - just what is your overall opinion of his work? http://anthropologist.livejournal.com/1314574.html
You Mr. Hoffman, teach wrongly a subject you have no understanding of and therefore are unqualified to speak, for you are yourself unregenerate. Sin of any kind will damn people to an eternal HELL. Especially the sin of heresy and of compromise which you are instructing those who read your literature to follow. You are in great danger! I would suggest that you read your Bible a lot more carefully...
Exactly. Now my question: how do you know that God has granted to you the understanding of scripture instead of granting such understanding to Joel Hoffman? Maybe you are the one who is being led astray and not he.
In my opinion, a T.V. host who didn't challenge a guest who said that was promoting slavery.
And, similarly, I think that a T.V. host who doesn't challenge a guest who wields the Bible in the same way against gays is promoting bigotry.
I think the reason you feel the way to do is that you have been misled about the Bible. Too many prominent religious leaders present their own opinions as the views of the Bible.
"Too many prominent religious leaders present their own opinions as the views of the Bible."....no, really? And just what is it you are doing?
Listen, homosexuality is wrong according to the Word of God. Period.
Time for humanity to move on from antiquated superstitions.
Its all "interpetation", a game of he said she said, everyone claiming that its what their gawd says.....really? You keep this garbage going?
Why?
As for why, if nothing else, it's interesting to know what people wrote 2,000-3,000 years ago about the human condition.
I do agree that "the Bible condemns homosexuality" and "the Bible supports homosexuality" are both statements of interpretation.
But then, the Bible talked a hundred times more often about heterosexual sins than homosexual sins, so apparently heterosexuals are far more prone to sin than homosexuals... (That's a less nuanced statement on my part.)
Piers is assuming - maybe wrongly - that he is dealing with an intelligent audience.