1st Same Gender Loving Couple in the Bible?

The 1st Same Gender Loving Couple in the Bible?

By Samuel Marcus Brown

Most traditional Christians will assume and then dare anyone else not to embrace their ideology; that the loving covenant shared between David &Jonathan was nothing more than a deep brotherly love just as I love my 3 biological brothers.


Traditional Christians and non-Christians will accuse me or anyone else of twisting the scriptures; even if we actually read and understand the story within the context of how it was actually written.


 It would be considered a "holy" offense to most traditional Christians and non-Christians and their ideology for anyone to assume or even allow the thought of anything close to homosexuality to enter their brain when it comes down to the story of  David & Jonathan in the books of  1st & 2nd Samuel in the bible.


The definition of ideology is a meaningful belief system: a set of beliefs, values, and opinions that shapes the way a person or a group such as a social class thinks, acts, and understands the world.


Our hard lined anti-homosexual Christian tradition has trained us not to read anything extra into the heavily passionate expressions of love shared between David & Jonathan. When you read the story of David and Jonathan in the King James Version of the bible; it is abundantly clear that they had a special love for each other that was expressed like no other covenant of love between 2 individuals through-out the entire bible. 


 I have extracted 9 passages of scripture from the story of David & Jonathan from 1st and 2nd Samuel; after reading the passages, I would like for you to grab your King James Version of the bible in order to read the entire story; 1st Samuel 13th chapter through 2nd Samuel 1st chapter. Your interpretation of the story may or may not differ from mine however, understanding the story within it's context is the key; not ones ideology.

1 Samuel 18:1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

4And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.


1 Samuel 20:4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.

17And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

^**30Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?**

41And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.

1 Samuel 23:17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.


2 Samuel 1:26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

A few years ago I read this very fascinating "observation"  regarding the story of David & Jonathan; it was linked in one of the comments on my blog site.  This "unknown" writer did an outstanding job of chronicling the above verses and chapters in 1st & 2nd Samuel with historical data infused with his or her personal commentary.
 The reader who sent me that link back then did not indicate if he wrote this piece or not even after reaching out to him. I have decided to share it with everyone.  Open your heart and soul to this very captivating historic experience.


The bible is a book that despite it's graphic detail of murders of entire cities, cutting off of hundreds of dead men's foreskins, beheadings, and fire and brimstone all-over, is actually pretty conservative when it comes to sex.

Most of the sexual situations and implications are hidden in allegory or colorful, well chosen language. This is done as to be direct in what it's trying to say, without being too blunt and unsettling to the reader or congregation being spoken to.

One of the stories that contain several innuendos that are constantly ducked and weaved is the tale of David and Jonathan.

It is a story that would be described as a romantic friendship. A romantic friendship is a term in literature that more-so applied to men in the 1500's-1800's. It described a deep intimate friendship between two men where the relationship went deeper than that of a man and woman. These were relationships where men sometimes lived under each others roof, sometimes slept in the same bed, and shared all that the other had.

These men in romantic relationships were usually grown men with beards and money and businesses and education. Or they were dirt poor and dirty with nothing but their families and their friendship to one another. But the friendships were deep, spiritual, life-long, and sometimes out in the open.

They even included blood covenants of sorts.  Sometimes it was almost like a civil union.
It was small and intimate and not always legal binding but a testament of commitment and love to one another. In other words these men had these marriages mainly for themselves and not as an institution of society like traditional marriage between a man and a woman.

So how does this apply to David and Jonathan. Well the King James version of the Bible was written by you guessed it King James the 1st. A man who ruled in Scotland in the mid 1500's.


King James was open with his bi-sexuality to the point where it made people extremely uncomfortable, having live-in male lovers and courtesans and the whole nine yards.

He oversaw the editing of the final version of the bible you and me read today.
The bible needed to be a book that people could carry around with them, instead of an entire encyclopedia. To spread the message of the word of God, the story needed to be simplified dramatically. And so it was simplified.....dramatically.

Every word in the bible was meticulously translated from other languages, entire books were cut out, stories chopped in pieces and re-edited

What was lost in the original text is still preserved in the Jewish and Greek translations which tell us a lot more about certain stories and passages.

What we can find in the story of David and Jonathan in the original Greek are constant emphasis on Phallic images. And a language of love usually only reserved for a man and a woman. What we have in the tale of David and Jonathan is the deepest love story in the bible. And it's between one man and another.

It was a Romantic Friendship including a "Marriage of Brotherhood" or a Blood Covenant in the very beginning of the story.

1 Samuel 18:3-18:4
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

I won't get into the implications of the entire story too much as the numerous homoerotic text have been covered over and over again. Just do a google search and there are a hundred sites which can help explain these better than I ever can.

But there is one verse that always seems to be missed, and it is an important one.
1 Samuel 20:30
Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?

It sounds strange but it's not.

The words "sin of thy mothers nakedness", almost always refers to sexual deviation in the bible. As it was thought that if a child of a certain age had seen his mother completely naked he/she would be sexually malformed for life. It's an old wives tale.

The words "son of a rebellious woman" is basically an off- hilt insult to someone's character, kinda like calling someone a "son of a bitch" would be today. It is not necessarily an insult to one's own mother.

The word "have chosen" is in the original Greek are a lean on the words Comrade or Paired with or Bonded together.

Ok.

So here is the context of the situation. Saul the king of Israel has been repeatedly trying to kill David by spontaneously throwing his spear at him on some Dr. Jekyl type madness every time David plays his wonderful harp music for him.
David eventually gets scared of Saul and his mental problems and goes into hiding by himself, away from everyone in some cave out in yonder.

Prince Jonathan(Saul's son) finds David in his hiding place and tells him he is being silly and his father wouldn't really want to kill him.

But, David stays in hiding away from Saul just in case.
King Saul knows that David and Jonathan are very very close, to the point were it makes Saul uncomfortable as he sees David as a threat to his son's throne and his lineage. There is a looming tone in the story that David will one day be the King of Israel. Saul does not like that idea, and is insanely jealous of David for a variety of reasons.

He thinks his son Jonathan is throwing everything away for his love of David.

So while sitting over the dinner table having a feast one day Saul quietly ask Jonathan where David is, as he hasn't been seen in a few days.

Jonathan dodges the question with some made up bullcrap answer that Saul easily sees through.
Saul becomes enraged, at his son and shouts:

You son of a Bitch!!!!
Don't you think that I already know you have chosen David as you Lover/Comrade in the confusion of your twisted sexually versus your right to the throne. You are a disgrace to yourself __________________________________

Then Saul bluntly ask Jonathan to go find David and Bring him back so he can kill him.

1 Samuel 20:31
For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

Yeah he was pretty blunt with it. He was saying that you will never inherit your rightful place on the throne unless David is gone.
______________________________________

Jonathan then ask Saul, Why should he die? What has he done?

1 Samuel 20:32
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
_____________________________

Saul answers Jonathan kindly by picking up his trusty javelin and hurling it at his own son.

1 Samuel 20:33

And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
_____________________________________

After that stunt Jonathan obviously hauls ass out the room like a bat out of hell.

Jonathan realized a while ago that David is the right man for the throne, the one chosen by God to rule over Israel.

In order to keep this destiny from being sidelined and to protect David's life, he has to keep his distance away from him permanently. If he is seen with David again his father has a chance of finding him and killing him. So the men cry together and hold each other and say their final goodbyes. And these sweet words are spoken as they solidify their covenant to one another.

Samuel 20:41-42
And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.

And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.



There is so much more to the story, that is just as beautiful, including the famous words of David to Jonathan after he has died in battle. If you want to know more you can research that for yourself.

But I draw attention to this verse 1 Samuel 20:30 as it seems to be one that no-one can explain.

It's a verse obviously drawing attention to some perceived sexual sin. All other verses in the text can be explained away as a deep male friendship.

This one indeed cannot. It is obvious in it's implications. It's Sexual.

King James and those men who edited the bible in the 15th century knew what they were doing, and they knew what the original writers were trying to imply with this story. I'm sure many of them has set foot in that world of romantic male friendships and have been blessed with it's graces. It was a common concept throughout their day.

They left in more words and innuendos than they needed to, to color the story in a way that certain perceptive people would get the idea. Or, at least to install the proper picture in the back of your mind.

The question is do people in this world of today get the picture at all.
Or do they simply just refuse to see it.............

Author, Unknown


I would like for you to forward this posting to some of your Christian friends & family.


I would love to hear your comments after you have spent some time perusing this site. If you have an experience that you would like to share and you would like to have it posted/featured on this site, email son_of_a_bishop3000@yahoo.com or just click comment below this line.

Encouraging Messages that Inspires & Motivate...

I decided to share just a handful of fairly recent messages from among many that I have received in the last 4+ years from some of my readers. All of the messages and comments that I have received vary from positive and some negative; some have been posted to the blog site and others were sent via email.

The negative messages assist me in sharpening the point of what I am implying in my communication and the positive energy of encouragement inspires and motivates me to keep fighting the good fight of faith and truth.

 I am sometimes overwhelmed with tears of gratitude and thanksgiving from your positive expressions; for the very simple fact that someone clearly understood and got the message. I sincerely thank you all for reading, sharing and expressing your thoughts with me so eloquently.

Living an authentic life is truly the key to life, love and happiness. Being  fearful of
"what the people" family, friends or church folk may say or think of you is certainly not a healthy "religious" way to live out your life.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Samuel Marcus Brown



Mr. Brown,

 I find everything you had to say to be really fascinating. You handle what you say with bravery and a sense of integrity. As a gay man, I have gone down some dark roads trying to reconcile myself with my spirituality. I just want to say that I found what you had to say to be inspiring. I have come to realize that if being gay is a sin, it is worse of a sin to lie to yourself and members of the opposite sex, because that is what I think is hurting people more. Lies are not good. Godly people shouldn’t get us to lie to ourselves.


Your findings about the psychology of religion today is spot on. They have turned Christianity into a passionate tirade against homosexuality than an adoration for God. Thanks again for your time and God bless you.

 Brent Arnold



Good morning...


Yes, its past 6 a.m.....and I haven't been to sleep all night (long story)....and was just on your blog page. First of all, I have to say thank God for a friend of mine who sent your link to me. I just wanted to also thank you for having the courage to be so fearless and revealing. Sooooooo many of us are having the same struggles. And the struggles come in so many different varieties. I found your blog to be refreshing and confirming. I am going through my own spiritual renewal at the moment and perhaps will share with you at another time. However, in short, I am a Black gay man, about to turn 50 next year (unbelievable) who has known his sexuality all his life....grew up in Evangelism...father an Elder of the church....etc., etc. I am constantly having to fight depressive episodes due to not living a truly authentic life, especially in respect to true intimacy and actually believing that I will ever have a meaningful and fruitful relationship (never even been in love....and almost 50.....pathetic!!! LOL) But I have withdrawn from the church world for some time now, trying to figure out just what I have been doing all this for and why? I feel that God has been bringing certain things across my path, such as Rev. Carlton Pearson's book..and now your blog. Things that are helping me find a clearer road, without all the superfluous church chatter!


Although I do not blog, I have many continuous conversations/discussions going with a handful of close friends who are struggling...that could really be turned into one! I will certainly be forwarding your link to several more people in order to stimulate our dialogue further. I really look forward to your continued submissions.
God Bless,

D.C.


Elmundo6 said...


Hi. I am new to your site but I love it. Thanks for your blog and your insight. I am a 45 year old black gay man, and I have been affected by the message from the black church on homosexuality. In my life I have felt suicidal and down. For years, I shut myself off from family and friends because I didn't want to get too close to people because I feared they would find out who I really was--a gay man. I've lost a lot of good people being in my life that way. Jesus came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. I was not living that abundant life and I'm afraid so many of my gay brothers and sisters are not either. Even now, it's a daily journey. Thank you, man for sharing your story and words with us. It helps more than you know.

Sam,

I'm go glad u sent this 2 me. I've read thru the 1st part of this and I find it extremely interesting. It's so great 2 me, because some of my thoughts and views R in agreement with the article. I'm glad that articles like this R being written and put out there. There is so much ignorance in the world when it comes 2 Homosexuality. Even though this article may not make a difference 2 someone who firmly believes that Homosexuality is a "choice" , it still may make someone who does believe that way "think" about it. I do know 4 a fact that my twin brother's perception has changed 4 the better. He knows now and understand that I didn't "choose" 2 B this way and he loves and accepts me and now he has gay friends.


Some of them R his frat brothers. (He's a KAPPA) He's teaching his sons tolerance and about diversity and about not being judgmental .

D. Matt


Alicia said...
Long time coming!


It is long overdue, and there should be even more repentance and apologies going on. The way that LGBT are treated is a disgrace and God is not pleased.
There is no TRUE Christian with the LOVE of God in them that can spread hate and intolerance in the name of God. You just won't find a true follower of Christ thinking or acting this way.


There are many gays and lesbians who need to be set free who are also Preachers as well but have to hide in closets. They should not have to hide, I can't imagine how frustrating that must be.
Honestly, I am somewhat glad this scandal hit with Eddie Long, I say that because enough is enough of hiding and condemning and trying to 'change' a someones sexual identity when you yourself are the very thing you preach against.
I pray God uses all of these things for a NEW BEGINNING in the Christian world, it is overdue.

Thanks for posting this, love ya my brother!

Alicia


I would like for you to forward this posting to some of your Christian friends & family.
I would love to hear your comments after you have spent some time perusing this site. If you have an experience that you would like to share and you would like to have it posted/featured on this site, email son_of_a_bishop3000@yahoo.com or just click comment below this line.

Anniversary of the Bishop Long Scandal approaching; I was interviewed by BET as a gay member...

Black Entertainment Television (B.E.T) News Correspondent Tony Anderson conducted an interview with me; Samuel Brown as a gay New Birth Missionary Baptist Church member since 1993 (now former member) last year in October 2010.

When the scandal first surfaced in September 2010 I gave my then pastor and spiritual leader the "benefit of the doubt" in sincerely trusting that he would have fully understood the gravity of displaying honesty and integrity at such a time as this... was that too much to expect?

This is what I wrote in my open letter to Bishop Long. http://sonofabishop.blogspot.com/2010/09/open-letter-to-bishop-eddie-long.html

As a believer and follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ; granting forgivness to one another is a given... losing trust & respect for a spiritual leader is a completely different ball game.

You’ll have to understand my background and my aspirations in order to understand why I stayed at New Birth for so long even in the midst of the stormy infamous homophobic sermons and the "notorious march".

I would like to address those of you who just don’t understand.

I was raised in a very large traditional religious family where both my parents were and are ministers in the notoriously brutal anti-gay Church of God In Christ organization
(that is simply the truth) there is still much that I love about C.O.G.I.C due to my roots.

I have always loved the Lord and the church and have always had a heart to worship and please the Lord. After years of feeling personally bashed by the church, I continued to fellowship with the “saints.”

After moving to Atlanta to attend Morehouse College and finally joining New Birth a few years later. New Birth became a breathe of fresh air compared to where I came from… in spite of the negative attacks that came across the pulpit against innately born homosexual people. I was finally forced to rely on my strong convictions that my mentor Jesus Christ loved and accepted me just the way that I was made by God. Although I really tried, I could never receive those nasty messages from the traditional organized church that I would be “damned to hell” and that I was “not in the Lord’s will” due to the authenticity of my innermost being.

One day I read a book entitled “What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality” by Daniel Helminiak Ph.D. I read that book and many others of that genre including a Bishop Long book a few years later entitled “Gladiator, Strength of Man” This book transforms men into gladiators that stand against injustice amidst impossible odds. My life has not been the same since that spring of 2000. I finally got my footing; I have grown spiritually in the most non-traditional religious manner and I truly know my purpose.

My heart is filled with joy when I visit Pastor O.C Allen’s “Vision Church of Atlanta”, Pastor Dennis Meredith’s “Tabernacle Baptist Church” Pastor Randy Morgan’s “New Covenant Church of Atlanta", Bishop Jim Swilley’s Church in the Now and Dr. Kenneth Samuel’s “Victory for the World Church” these and a few other churches provides a refuge of inclusion to the traditionally renounced individual.

In the bible at the Last Supper before Jesus was crucified; he had a conversation with Simon who is known as Peter and this is what he said: Luke 22:31And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. This is what I have been charged to do; strengthen my same gender loving brothers and sisters who have not yet found refuge by sharing my blog site with Bishop & Mrs. Long, his staff and other members of the church and the community at large for the last few years. I have also self-published my personal testimony entitled “Son of a Bishop, My Testimony” the tool that I used to “come-out” to my parents with in 2005. I am prepared and ready to eradicate the prejudice and the ignorance that surrounds sexuality which prevents people from completely loving and embracing one another around the world.

You may click on the title of this posting that will link you to the complete transcript of my B.E.T News interview.

Samuel Marcus Brown

I would love to hear your comments after you have spent some time perusing this site.

If you have an experience that you would like to share and you would like to have it posted/featured on this site, email son_of_a_bishop3000@yahoo.com

Just click on comment below this line.

Christians Apologize to the Gay Community

This posting and the video is a reflection of spiritual truth, love and humility. This is an example of what will unfold when true Christians lay down divisive doctrine and the "religious" traditions of men that have only harmed and driven a wedge of derision towards a misunderstood population of people for many generations; assigning personal prejudice and injustice to the sovereign God.
My heart and soul is satisfied to see what just happened last month in the Heartland of America.  I pray for a "ripple affect" from the center of our country to each coast and then global saturation.
To God Be The Glory.


Samuel Marcus Brown

The Heartland Proclamation

by the Heartland Clergy for Inclusion As Christian clergy

we proclaim the Good News concerning Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) persons and publicly apologize where we have been silent. As disciples of Jesus, who assures us that the truth sets us free, we recognize that the debate is over. The verdict is in. Homosexuality is not a sickness, not a choice, and not a sin. We find no rational biblical or theological basis to condemn or deny the rights of any person based on sexual orientation. Silence by many has allowed political and religious rhetoric to monopolize public perception, creating the impression that there is only one Christian perspective on this issue. Yet we recognize and celebrate that we are far from alone, as Christians, in affirming that LGBT persons are distinctive, holy, and precious gifts to all who struggle to become the family of God.


In repentance and obedience to the Holy Spirit, we stand in solidarity as those who are committed to work and pray for full acceptance and inclusion of LGBT persons in our churches and in our world. We lament that LGBT persons are condemned and excluded by individuals and institutions, political and religious, who claim to be speaking the truth of Christian teaching. This leads directly and indirectly to intolerance, discrimination, suffering, and even death. The Holy Spirit compels us:


to affirm that the essence of Christian life is not focused on sexual orientation, but how one lives by grace in relationship with God, with compassion toward humanity;


to embrace the full inclusion of our LGBT brothers and sisters in all areas of church life, including leadership;


to declare that the violence must stop. Christ’s love moves us to work for the healing of wounded souls who are victims of abuse often propagated in the name of Christ;


to celebrate the prophetic witness of all people who have refused to let the voice of intolerance and violence speak for Christianity, especially LGBT persons, who have met hatred with love;


Therefore we call for an end to all religious and civil discrimination against any person based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. All laws must include and protect the freedoms, rights, and equal legal standing of all persons, in and outside the church.


235 signers so far: To See The List (click on the title of this posting to see the website and the full list)
If you are Clergy and wish to have your name added, please email us at:

PattiT@countrysideucc.org

I would like for you to forward this posting to some of your Christian friends & family.
I would love to hear your comments after you have spent some time perusing this site. If you have an experience that you would like to share and you would like to have it posted/featured on this site, email son_of_a_bishop3000@yahoo.com or just click comment below this line.

Anti-Christ Christians...

Anti-Christ Christians;
This Letter Has Been Written to Challenge the Traditional Christian
By Samuel Marcus Brown

I was raised in a traditional Christian home and have attended the traditional Christian church most of my life; I've always heard about the "Anti-Christ" and that the Anti-Christ will come as an individual man who will be manifested as the great deceptive leader of the world that will reign 3.5 years before the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ certainly did not return on May 21st 2011 as recently prophesied.

Traditional Christian folk have speculated for many years of whom they predicted to be that great deceiver who is to come. Popular secular leaders from Adolf Hitler (absolutely one of the worst)  to President George W. Bush and more recently President Barack Obama has been chosen, prophesied (prophelied) by many in the Traditional Christian world as the chief candidate for that damnable position. Traditional Religious folk will continue to make costly errors with their interpretation of scripture; turning people off from getting to personally know how great, loving and just our God is through his son Jesus Christ.

The definition of "anti" is to be opposed to something or expressing or holding an opposing view, especially with regard to a political issue or moral principle.

The definition of Christ is the same as Jesus Christ; Christ is the English term for the Greek Χριστός (Khristós) meaning "the anointed one It is a translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Māšîaḥ ...

Matthew 24:23 KJV Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.


Recently I had a personal profound revelation concerning what is now actually happening in the world; physically and spiritually... I briefly mentioned this epiphany in my previous post;
I declared that:
"America is changing for the better in many different aspects"...  "The bigots are starting to lose in all areas of life... there's a spiritual shift going on in the world right now..."

The traditional evangelical, pentecostal, holiness "charismatic" church has been prophesying and predicting a shaking and a shifting in the church world for many years now... the true part about that prediction is that it is really happening; but not so much along the lines of their anticipated, cynical condemning message that demonizes and announces doom and gloom toward same gender loving people who didn't have a choice regarding their sexuality.

Let's talk about this "shaking" that is going-on in the church world... the irony is that "this shaking" it is the very core foundation of biblical truth and reality that is being "shook" concerning the very disparaging message of condemnation to the many same gender loving congregants of these church institutions. Mega church pastors and religious leaders world wide are being called out on their traditional doctrine of "holiness". Their feet is being held to the fire that is burning away the hypocrisy of spewing vitriol from the pulpit toward same gender loving people; some are living a double life of those that they condemn.
Some people are starting to read and understand the word of God within it's proper context and direction; some have stopped listening only to their pastors and the religious community who thrives on clinging-on to the unjust, anti-Christ tradition in the name of holiness. Holiness is living a life of spirit led truth and peace; not some form of religion that postulate and pontificates a battered soul into judgmental submission.

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Jesus Christ; he is also the reason and the meaning of why Christianity exists. Did he not determine and define what is considered sin? It amazes me of why and how could a body of believers who are followers of Jesus Christ actually read and interpret the holy scriptures within its proper context; regarding the scriptures that have been misused and misinterpreted so badly on the subject matter of homosexuality or same gender loving people and then declare that they have discovered such a Rhema word in so many different other areas of ministry but they have willfully failed to ascertain a Rhema word on sexuality.  Rhema (ῥῆμα in Greek) literally means an "utterance" or "thing said" in Greek. It is a word that signifies the action of utterance. In Christianity, it is used in reference to the concept of Rhematos Christou; Jesus Christ's sayings.

Was Jesus Christ the Son of God aware of God fearing people who were born naturally with spiritual, mental and physical emotions for the same gender? Matthew 19:12 KJV (The words of Jesus) For there are some eunuchs, which were so 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. What are eunuchs? http://www.well.com/user/aquarius/contents.htm  An interesting study by Faris Malik.

If the body of Christ were to share complete bible truths within it's proper context and leave out the traditional (anti-Christ) disguise and coloration that has blanketed the body of Christ (the church) with the sensationalized historic sexual acts that specifically displayed the rampant orgy and idol worship from a sect of heterosexual people who whole-heartedly and purposefully turned their backs on God and their sexuality to worship an idol god; so God abandoned them for choosing to worship an idol god in Romans 1st chapter KJV.
 If the church were to continue with bible truth in its proper context then one would see that 1st Corinthians 6:9 KJV spoke to male prostitutes; the scriptural examples does not speak to same gender love, innate sexuality or gay people.

Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself .

Contrary to popular religious belief; it is a very dangerous and an unloving practice to use the bible to lead a young man or young woman to live a life of "concerted deception" based on man made religion and  personal traditional ideology. Concerted deception (for this subject matter) is when a person decides to live their life and make personal choices for their life that is contrary to their God-given innate sexuality in order to please family and church society and then claim "deliverance".  Man made traditional religion and personal ideology has lead many in the body of Christ in to mental and spiritual anguish in trying to change something that God has never asked anyone to change. The body of Christ (church) has inflicted some of the most subversive, anti-Christ behaviors on many of God's same gender loving children and they are responsible for hurting and damaging many of those souls.

Before you revert back to the old testament verses in  Leviticus chapter 20 & chapter 18 and the infamous story of Sodom & Gomorrah in Genesis chapter 19 as a means of justification for assigning your personal prejudice and bigotry to the sovereign God; I beseech you to actually read those entire chapters word for word in the King James Version of the bible and understand them in their proper context; it was man made religious doctrine (the letter) that tainted the world with divisions, denominations, homophobia,  racism, sexism and bunch of other whodo to satisfy their judgmental egos of hierarchy; undermining and disrespecting the sacrifice and accomplishments of Jesus the Christ to persecute others by inflicting pain to others in God's name. 2nd Corinthians 3:6 KJV Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

It would "behoove" the Traditional Christian Church World to self evaluate before looking outside of Christendom for that great deceiver who is to come as the "Anti-Christ".

Matthew 24:23 KJV Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

I would love to hear your comments after you have spent some time perusing this site. If you have an experience that you would like to share and you would like to have it posted/featured on this site, email son_of_a_bishop3000@yahoo.com or just click below this line to make a comment.

American Idol's Jacob Lusk: The Oppressor's Bigotry is Losing in all Areas of Life...

 American Idol's Jacob Lusk: The Oppressor's Bigotry is Losing in all Areas of Life...

By Samuel Marcus Brown

 

Please patiently follow me in this posting as I attempt to make a point concerning the real bigots and oppressors in this life and tie this together with the incomparable 'Jacob Lusk' from this season of the 'American Idol' competition that is showcasing the most formidable contestants in 'American Idol' history.

An oppressor is someone or a system that harshly dominates or subject a person or a people to a harsh or cruel form of domination.

A bigot is basically an intolerant person who refuses to accept different views.

There are many forms and examples of personal, domestic and government wielded oppression that subjects people to harsh and cruel treatment.

We are now seeing the results of institutionalized oppression unraveling on a global basis; the proof is the unrest of the people in several Middle Eastern nations who've been under the oppression of dictators & tyrants for generations and are now fighting relentlessly for their freedom and the oppressors are losing in most of those countries.

Even here in the United States of America which is a fairly young nation that was built on the promises of equality for all  people; the land of the free and the home of the brave where everyone has the right to have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; yes we have ours issues as well.

The USA's history of equality & freedom for all people is quite embarrassing based on the initial pretense of the development of this nation. However the oppression and the ills of USA Slavery, the oppression of the Women's Rights Movement,  the oppression & segregation of the Civil Rights Movement and the oppression & discrimination of the Gay Rights Movement; we are fortunate to say that the oppressor has completely lost regarding USA Slavery and is all but losing steam pretty badly regarding the rest of those cancerous ills in our society today.

The oppressors are everyday people like you and I who participate in forming systems and upholding those systematic institutions, religions and even attitudes that judges, discriminates and represses people often times in the name of tradition or religion; those individuals are called bigots.

A very good friend of mine asked for an update on the latest episode of 'American Idol' via text messaging since he missed it the night before; this particular friend is a very closeted, discreet same gender loving person who prides himself on only associating with other people who are like minded which was somewhat my method of operation once upon a time.

This particular friend and I are very much into critiquing music and the craft of singers, gifted singers & their voice qualities. I assumed that he and I would be in agreement that 'Jacob Lusk' is the best vocalist among the many other very talented and gifted singers on the show this year.

It was this part of the conversation that struck me to write this posting:

I will call my friend Dante to protect his identity. Knowing that Dante and I would be in agreement when I said that 'Jacob Lusk' was the best singer in the competition; Dante said  "Jacob is great, but for some reason I aint feeling him." Foreseeing my friend's mentality about certain people who are different... I stated "I hope that your reason for not feeling Jacob is not because he naturally possesses effeminate qualities?" Dante responded "I hope not either but when he performs he does kinda irk me" so I proceeded to make the point that Jacob's overall singing ability, range and voice quality is superior to the other male contestants; not making light of any of the other gifted singers. (I have other favorites as well)  Dante somewhat agreed that Jacob indeed sounds better but then Dante said "Maybe Jacob should try to hold it together so that he can win" (speaking of Jacob abandoning his natural effeminate qualities) I said to Dante that "you have just answered my 1st concern of when I asked you about Jacob's natural effeminate qualities; I knew that the truth would come out!"

I made the point that "Jacob's talent and ability is so great that he could win just being himself" 

Dante said "Yea, a great possibility but let's not forget that this is America and unfortunately they are not ready" then I said "America is changing for the better in many different aspects"...  "The bigots are starting to lose in all areas of life... there's a spiritual shift going on in the world right now..." We all must learn to take personal responsibility for our own personal actions and reactions to injustice.   

I too have been guilty of having a bigoted attitude towards other same gender loving people who were different from me just as Dante expressed the same bigoted attitude toward Jacob Lusks' natural effeminate qualities over his extraordinary gift of song. Those bigoted attitudes are the same attitudes that represses, judges and discriminates which equals oppression.

Lord please forgive us all and give us all the courage and the fortitude to do better when we know better; to make the world around us a better and more peaceful place for all of our brothers and sisters.

PLEASE listen to Jacob Lusk sing "God Bless the Child" by clicking on the title of this post. You will then understand the magnitude of this young man's gift. I would like for you to forward this posting to someone very near and dear to you.

I would love to hear your comments after you have spent some time perusing this site. If you have an experience that you would like to share and you would like to have it posted/featured on this site, email son_of_a_bishop3000@yahoo.com or just click below this line to make a comment.

My Personal Tirade for Black History Month...

Religious & Non-Religious Prejudice towards Same Gender Loving People = Equals Racial Prejudice and Discrimination which undermines the Civil Rights Movement
By Samuel Marcus Brown

Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

How dare I compare the two... Yes I said it and I mean it with every beat of my heart.
I am so sick and tired of the hypocrisy from religious church folk and non-religious black and non-black folk assigning their personal prejudices and their "holy" misguided fundamentalist doctrine, condemnation, customs, traditions and contradictions on homosexuality to the all knowing creator of mankind; the sovereign God.

Hateful preachers who passionately and arrogantly disseminate the "ignorant" message that one must be set-free and holy ghost delivered from homosexuality which is not God's best choice; maybe it is not the best choice for you if you actually chose your sexuality. You are not preaching the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and your rhetoric is not ordained by God.

My heart aches for my same gender loving/gay/homosexual/lesbian brothers and sisters who continuously succumb to the spiritual and scriptural enslavement and abuse that's handed down from generation to generation in the religious church establishment and in our society.

People within that establishment will misuse and abuse the popular statement: "The bible is certain that we are all born in to sin." That holds true for everyone, however when the traditional religious establishment disingenuously places an undue & unjust burden on people who were innately/naturally born with same gender attraction; when you demonize us and tell us that we are intrinsically evil and that our basic human natural need for spiritual, mental and physical intimacy and companionship is an abomination and off limits for covenants and marriage; you all have overstepped your scriptural & judgmental boundaries over the sovereign God the creator:
Hebrews 13:4 (KJV) Marriage is honourable in ALL, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. It didn’t say homosexuals will be judged. Sin takes place when a heterosexual or a homosexual takes part in adultery, whoremongering, killing, stealing, lying, anger, idol worship, etc.

The religious establishment circumvents biblical truth in order to interpret scripture completely out of historical context or alter scripture that is now displayed in the many other versions of the bible to uphold man-made religious customs than can destroy a homosexual person's soul. When reading those isolated verses within their proper context and in all their TRUTH; those 5 or 6 verses condemns bisexuality, gang rape, a group of heterosexual people who abandoned God and their sexuality to worship idol gods of sex etc., and male prostitution; those particular verses do not address or define Same Gender Love or Same Gender Loving people.
Just compare the King James Version bible text to any other bible version that you may have and specifically look at the verses used against homosexual people; you will find a biased homophobic example of audacious wickedness and immorality operating... Jesus Christ, Apostle Paul and the eunuchs of the bible will confirm for you that there is no mandate or commandment to marry the opposite gender and procreate.

"If you are practicing homosexual you can't be a Christian" Let's get one thing straight and be totally clear that it is man made religion that has made that ghastly judgment and ungodly mandate for the homosexual; that statement and position drips from that strain of poisonous venom that has been injected in divisive doctrine which is the deep seated problem with Fundamentalist Christians in the body of Christ (the church) that statement is certainly not true, scriptural or godly. There is nothing sinful about being heterosexual or homosexual; one chooses to sin not their sexuality. The Fundamentalist Christian establishment has been riding roughshod over Same Gender Loving People and SGL Christians long enough.

It's very disturbing when people reduce their displeasure & prejudice of same gender loving people down to a vilifying stereotypical sexual act that some straight people love and not all same gender loving people participate in... Loving, monogamous, emotional, intimate, nurturing long term relationships are not exclusive to heterosexual people by no stretch of the imagination.

Comparing the sexuality of 2 consenting adults coming together in the name of love or lust for that matter; comparing that human emotion to murder, bestiality and any other evil that does not include 2 consenting adults to whatever the other evil is... those are egregious, outrageous and disingenuous comparisons.

I strongly believe and trust in the sovereign God of all creation that has established one of his laws of nature in me because I am fearfully and wonderfully made by him; marvelous are his works. I strongly believe in the sovereign God of all creation just because of that very reason; he is SOVEREIGN he can do exactly what he want to do without considering the ideology of your thoughts and feelings of how you think he should operate and rule all of his creation.

Anyone can make a prejudiced statement that is popular among traditional religious church folk; however it is the rightly divided word of God (understood in it's proper context) that establishes truth (not mine) not the popular traditions of men.

Being a part of God's great creation that has been demonized due to religion has taught me to love and embrace him and my fellow man even when I don't understand the great mysteries of his sovereignty.

The purpose of homosexual people & same gender love is identical to the purpose of heterosexual people &  heterosexual love; many heterosexuals procreate and some homosexuals procreate (of course not together) GOD fulfills himself in all humans. Galatians 3:27(KJV) For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

 John 3:16(KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

We undermine the valuable innovative and powerful contributions of our African American forefathers and mothers from history when we use divisive double standards to uphold prejudice and bigotry in the name of religion. To put your foot on the necks of a people that you fail to understand; that's the ultimate
 "crabs in a bucket syndrome."

Happy Black History Month!

Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Please click on the title of this posting; it will give you more interesting history.

I would like for you to forward this posting to someone very near and dear to you.
I would love to hear your comments after you have spent some time perusing this site. If you have an experience that you would like to share and you would like to have it posted/featured on this site, email son_of_a_bishop3000@yahoo.com or just click comment below this line.

True Story of Attempted Suicide: Man made Religion can be a Bully

A good friend forwarded this young man's video "Del'Antonio James" to me in hopes that I would post it on my blog site in order to help someone who may be contemplating suicide and so that church folk can see what their religious ideology can sometimes produce.

Del'Antonio and I share a background from the same national religious organization called the 'Church of God In Christ' which is synonymous to the anti-homosexual/gay sentiment. When any church's agenda becomes so judgmental & mean spirited and practices alienating and demonizing people by inflicting pain in God's name; it becomes a humanity problem. You nor I had a choice regarding our innate sexuality. The divisive doctrines & religious manipulation of the holy scriptures to cast judgment on a population of God's creation can be considered religious bullying; something is fundamentally wrong.

 Church folk will tell you that "I love you but I hate your sin" "I'm just telling you what God said about your homosexuality"; Do they really know the truth of what God actually said or did not say? Man made doctrine; divisions; denominations and religious ideology only voices man's personal prejudice that has altered original passages to read differently in other versions of the bible to discriminate which has nothing to do with the sovereign God our father or his son Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit of Truth; I must tell you that that kind of love has never hurt and divided so many people so badly.

  I applaud this young man for having the courage to triumphantly share this very personal story which could have ended with tragedy in order to help stop the maddening affects in this sometimes cold & judgmental world. He chose to love and encourage his brothers and sisters who may be where he was.

I truly thank God for him.

It's very unfortunate that Del'Antonio became a victim of childhood molestation... (my thoughts are very clear on sexual predators in the previous posting) adults are to stay in their own lane when it comes to sexual relations just as we tell children to stay in a child's place. Thankfully the young man now has a very healthy approach concerning his past and his adult sexual attraction. He nor you and I can say that his sexual attraction would have been any different toward the same gender if that very damning incident had never occurred. I will say that I am the confident, compassionate and sometimes cocky, God fearing man that I am today and I have never experienced any kind of sexual abuse from anyone. I have a very strong  personal opinion that sexual abuse does not define your innate sexuality; one may suffer mental dysfunctions due to sexual abuse but that's just my personal opinion.

You may want to view Del'Antonio's blogsite of poetry by clicking on the title of this posting above

 Same gender loving people are individual emotional human beings with hearts & and souls just as heterosexual people; we are a very diverse people and we exist in every nationality, religion, country and community; we vary from the most conservative to the most liberal, from the most celibate to most promiscuous; from the most masculine to the most effeminate, from the most spiritual to the most heathen just as heterosexual people and we all don't fit into just 1 or 2 stereotypes and no we are not all a part of the same "lifestyle" sexuality is not a lifestyle.

By Samuel Marcus Brown

I would love to hear your comments after you have spent some time perusing this site. If you have an experience that you would like to share and you would like to have it posted/featured on this site, email son_of_a_bishop3000@yahoo.com or just click comment below this line.