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 Phil Robertson of A&E's "Duck Dynasty" has been suspended for his comments on homosexuality.
December 20th, 2013
11:23 AM ET
Does Phil Robertson get the Bible wrong?By Daniel Burke, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor (CNN) - The Robertson family of "Duck Dynasty" fame has rallied around its patriarch, saying his controversial comments on homosexuality are "grounded in the teachings of the Bible." But Scripture is fiercely contested ground, and some experts say Phil Robertson misinterprets a key Bible verse. A&E, the network that broadcasts the hugely popular "Duck Dynasty" show, suspended Robertson for a now infamous interview with GQ magazine. In the article, Robertson, who became a born-again Christian in the 1970s after a prodigal youth, is asked to define "sin." Here's what Robertson says: “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men." Robertson, 67, then paraphrases a Bible passage from the New Testament: “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers - they won’t inherit the kingdom of God.” That's a pretty close citation of 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, which is a letter from Paul, often called the father of Christianity theology, to a fledgling Christian community in Corinth, Greece. Here's what Paul's passage says, as rendered in the New International Version, by far the most popular translation among evangelicals and conservative Christians such as Robertson: "Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." Evangelicals, who make up about a quarter of the U.S. population, tend to take that passage at face value. The Robertson family pastor, for instance, told CNN on Thursday that "the verse explains itself." Robertson himself is no religious neophyte. He's an elder in the White's Ferry Road Church of Christ and offers spiritual counseling, charity and Bible studies to many in his hometown of West Monroe, Louisiana, the family pastor, Mike Kellett told CNN. The "Duck Dynasty" star also preaches around the country to conservatives that flock to hear his blend of woodsy, plainspoken Christianity. Many conservatives backed Robertson's views on Scripture and homosexuality this week, if not the "crude" way he argued his point to GQ. My Take: The Bible really does condemn homosexuality But other Bible experts said the Scripture Robertson cited isn't quite clear about homosexuality. "A lot of people misread this text because it's so complicated," said O. Wesley Allen Jr., an associate professor at Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky. First, scholars say, we have to look at the context surrounding Paul's letter. The Christian leader is trying to get the quarreling Corinthians to stop taking each other to civil courts and being judgmental. "The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already," Paul says. Things were supposed to be different after they became Christian believers, Paul continues; they were supposed to stop their sinful ways. Then Paul lists some of their sins of the past, including greed, drinking too much, worshipping idols and sexual immorality. "That is what some of you were," Paul says. "But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." The list of sins is likely based on rumors that Paul heard about Corinth, says Warren Throckmorton, a psychology professor at Grove City College in Pennsylvania who has studied the Bible's teachings on homosexuality. Bible scholars call it a "vice list," and it appears several times in Scripture. So what does Paul's "vice list" say about homosexuality? That's the tricky part. The first word Paul uses is "malakoi," which means "soft" in Greek, according to Allen. By analogy, the word came to mean "effeminate," which is how the King James Version of the Bible translates it. "In the ancient world, it would refer to a boy in a relationship with an older man," Allen said. "It was pederasty, not homosexuality as we think of it today." The other relevant word on Paul's "vice list" is "arsenokotai," which means "male sex." It refers to the other half in the man-boy relationship, common in Greece at the time, Allen said, the older male having sex with the "soft one." "It isn't anything to do with what we would see today in an intimate, mutual relationship between gay adults," said Allen, who is co-authoring an upcoming book on homosexuality and heterosexuality in the church. My Take: The Bible’s surprisingly mixed messages on sexuality Even so, scholars such as Allen acknowledge there are no Bible passages that support same-sex relationships, and at least seven that appear to condemn gay sex. "There's no way around the fact that those passages take a negative view of homosexuality, and nowhere in the Bible is a positive view offered," Allen said. "So conservatives and liberals continue to debate." Liberals say that some parts of the Bible offered particular truths for a specific times and places but those times and places, as well as human understanding of sexuality, have progressed dramatically. "The Bible may be divinely inspired, but its authors were human and saw, as St. Paul puts it, through a glass darkly," said Jim Naughton, a Christian gay rights activist and communications consultant. "On the subject of homosexuality, the Bible doesn’t mean what Phil Robertson thinks it means." Conservatives such as Robertson, on the other hand, argue that the Bible is the bedrock of their faith, unchanging and unalterable. "We want you to know that first and foremost we are a family rooted in our faith in God and our belief that the Bible is His word," the Robertson family said Thursday. For decades, the gulf between the two sides has divided denominations, churches and families. To paraphrase Lincoln, both sides read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and both invoke his aid to argue against each other. Which is why our contemporary debate over homosexuality is so fierce, and so seemingly unending. soundoff (5,719 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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I come to read these blogs, not to argue or demean anyone, but to get the user name(s) of all who are opposed and call our great gospel "a lie, fairy tale" etc., and place them in my prayers to God. It amazes me how the basic logic of the awesomeness of this beautiful world we live in, just the basic idea of how it could have possibly been created (which scientist could never , ever explain) just by "hypothesis" ; The foundations of how it came to be, the skies, the moon, the sun, are no where in the minds of non-believers in accepting that there is something greater than all of us!
And no, It wasnt Donald trump who built it 🙂
God Bless.
You and your meaningless prayers can Piiss off
I wont give up on you; thank you for your response.
Do whatever dumbass thing that makes you feel relevant...
Jay, I too have come to read the names and place them on my prayer list. I will be sacfricing a goat to Baal this evening and have included your name in the sacrifice. Baal's blessing be upon you.
But, even if someone accepts that this universe was created by a divine being, they don't necessarily accept that Christianity defines God and his mandates. If they did, we would have to accept that 70% of the people on this planet are condemned for not accepting Jesus as their savior. Why would a loving God allow that to happen?
That, my friend, is exactly what they believe.
Speak for yourself, Lunacy. Not every Christian believes that all non-believes will suffer for being non-believers. You hold a stereotype out as the truth and its offensive that you do.
And these so-called religious people are also condemning everyone who doesn't adhere to their religious "purity" tests."
LET's Religiosity Law #8 – If you habitually and incessantly say things like, “have a blessed day,” or “god bless,” or “prayer changes things,” or “amen,” without regard to the recipients’ beliefs or disbelief's then be advised all we hear is “Heil Hitler!”
Coming from the twin of Lucifer, "Heil Hittler" should be sweet music to your ears, so we will keep praising God and passing blessings.
Do not cast your pearls before swine.
Baal is a false God that the Israelites worshipped it's mentioned in the bible, so I really hope that's not who you're praying to. Also due to Jesus Christ's ransom sacrifice, the sacrificing of animals is no longer necessary, and that's been the case since 33 C.E
Anyone who uses the bible for their morals is starting from a very low point, indeed.
I disagree because I have found the bible to be the supernatural word of God , and I have personal data and proof.
God has delivered evidence supernaturally.
The Holy Spirit is a sanctifying spirit that bears the truth of God's word on one's heart. This authentic ministry is a supernatural work of God.
"...and I have personal data and proof. "
No, you have "evidence" that you consider sufficient for YOU. That is not proof.
Perhaps you should read what the Bible says before you comment.
Midwest rail, what I have is proof of spiritual live, all of which comes from one author. The bible was the supernatural medium that gave me this . if there is any other road, let me know, and I am talking "supernatural road" and revelation.
Do you wear clothing from two different fibers?
Leviticus 19:19
"'Keep my decrees. "'Do not mate different kinds of animals. "'Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. "'Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material."
Guess you just like to cherry pick which parts of the bible YOU feel are important, and to hell with the rest, right?
Hypocrite.
The New covenant replaced the old covenant, you cant read the bible and not understand that this is a change in the covenant because Christ fulfilled the purpose of the old covenant.
The New Covenant is better. it changes us .
@ Austin, And the New Testament was replaced with ... PEOPLE WHO ARE SMART ENOUGH TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES AND MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS. And besides, your comment is quite anti-Semitic. But I guess that's not a surprise.
You dont even get that this is a metaphor for something else. Bible often used this to describe something. But you wouldn't know, because clearly you have not read it all.
I know it teaches to love your neighbor as you love yourself and do good for people. How low this is, im outraged!
Do democrats get life wrong? (Rhetorical)
No. (Logical)
It's blatantly obvious, YES.
Conservatives like Gingrich and Sanford preach morality and family values, but have mistresses.
How does that fit with your neat little hate speech?
I don't like any politicians and your assumption that I'm a republican is laughable.
Throw something else at the wall and see what sticks
Anybody that willing to condemn others who are different isn't a Christian. Period. That includes a whole boatload of Americans too.
Liberals condemn Christians all the time.
You must be extremely lonely in California.
Lonely but correct.
Conservatives condemn liberals all the time, especially for their lack of morality and family values. Yet, these same conservatives have mistresses.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........
I.O.I.Y.A.R.
Robertson didn't condemn anyone.
Indeed. Jesus famously states "God is Love." There is no room for hate in my faith.
I don't think Robertson's interpretation of Scripture is at issue. He can believe it says what he interprets it to say, without being subject to the judgment of CNN's battery of "scholars" who don't believe in unison either.
A&E took a stand on it, and from reports today, they'll likely lose the show, the audience and the ad revenue. The LGBTQ demographic didn't watch the show before, so they have nothing to offer A&E on this other than their being 'assuaged'.
The Robertsons will enjoy the "Chik-Fil-A" effect, seeing a spike in sales of their duck calls and other products associated with them and the show.
Winner-Robertsons.
Loser-A&E.
Hope A&E parent company shareholders are happy. I wouldn't be if I was one.
So well said
good riddance to the redneck kardashians!
If the religious right is so happy with the "ducks" reality show....how about a reality show with the KKK ...they can say whatever they like ...I'm sure there's an audience for that (probably the same audience...) ....or one about ( pick a group that hates ...your choice...)....... Remember it's free speech.....how about a show of atheists that bash religion ...etc.....put the shoe on the other foot and step back and look....let's get some common sense and courtesy going....it's time people...
I like the way you think. Is there a show like that I can watch.
Sure! We can follow it with a show about the black panthers, new black panthers, and the NAACP! This is wholesome family entertainment!
A show of atheists bashing religion? Doesn't that already exist...I can name several whole networks dedicated to religion bashing by atheists and you happen to be posting to a website hosted in the name of one of them.
Historians now agree that the south lost the civil war because generations of inbreeding resulted in an abnormally high number of mentally challenged soldiers in the confederate army. Also, physical deformities such as webbed feet prevented the confederates from running from the northern army, thus insuring their capture and defeat. One has only to take a casual drive south of the Mason-Dixon line to see the descendants of the confederate forces, easily recognizable by their lack of teeth and sloping foreheads.
That is horrible. Not even the tea-party, Sarah Palin, Republican enemy you oppose has said something so ignorant and hateful. You should seek help. Your mind is sick.
The story of blacks in America. They cannot succeed without Affirmative Action, Obamaphones, EBT cards and section 8 housing.
LAU,
Your posts read like they are written by a poorly educated third grader. Your grammar is horrible, your thoughts are rambling, and your webbed feet smell like tobacco spit.
The free phone program actually started in 1985 under Reagan.
Ha Ha!! Ever drive through Detroit or Chicago?
Hilarious!!! A reverse commentary on what was/is said about blacks by all manner of racists.
Dear America: While this issue is REALLY important, across the world there are natural disasters, war, slavery, crime... and valiant people taking a real stand against the ills that plague us all. I understand that duck people and Kanye sell your products, but the REAL news is still out there, waiting to be reported.
why is it wrong to compare perversion and bring up beastiality?
You got to love those anti-christ that think the know about Christ and the bible who don't have a clue. Saying silling things like Christians believe in slavery, beating a wife etc..... is like saying is you live in the USA you believe in slavery, genicide (native americans), and gender bias because at one point in our past we did all these things. So has the world did all these things and more, even today. It is all sin, all the debates in the world does not change the truth on millionth of a percent. God gave you freewill to choose to live how you want. You either live according to the world or you can live according to God's word in the bible. So choose and get on with your life. Don't condemn me for my choice. I tell you truth and if you don't believe then don't. God tells Christians to tell people the truth of the bible. You are not going to like it if it convicts you. I get that, but as a Christian, just as Phil did if presented with the opportunity we are to tell the truth. Truth based on the bible, not what we, you, the government or even this world proclaims as truth.
Amen
"The same Bible... ....used to keep white churches white is the source of the inspiration of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the social reformation of the 1960’s.
The same Bible that anti-feminists use to keep women silent in the churches is the Bible that preaches liberation to captives and says that in Christ there is neither male nor female, slave nor free.
And the same Bible that on the basis of an archaic social code of ancient Israel and a tortured reading of Paul is used to condemn all h.mo.exuals and h.mos.xual behavior includes metaphors of redemption, renewal, inclusion and love – principles that invite h.mos.xuals to accept their freedom and responsibility in Christ and demands that their fellow Christians accept them as well. "
Peter Gomes
Amen
America doesn't believe in slavery.
The bible does.
Yea, right. America believed in slavery. And still supports and allows it to flourish today.
Google "slavery footprint" You most likely contribute to slavery, my fellow American.
What kind of god would create a doctrine of content (the bible) that is so open to interpretation? Exactly, no god. Just a group of human men making crap up; that's what the bible is.
What kind of god would create a doctrine of content (the bible) that is so open to interpretation? Exactly, no god. Just a group of human men making crap up; that's what the bible is..
NOPE. It's been written and interpreted too many times to say one person is wrong or right. Its his faith, his version and his opinion. Only he and God can decide. Why is it a big deal for a Christian to share his opinion that is fiarly common? When a non Christian or person with different ideology disagrees, who are usually the minority its the end of the world and the other person should be stoned? Who cares what he thinks? You don't like it, don't watch or listen. The GLAD *odd name for angry pople) need to quit forcing their ideology down the throats of the majority. Most of us don't care what you do. Stop asking for special treatment and being such whinney babies.
The problem is about 98% of people use the government issues Bible – the King James Version. The most viable Bible was written in 1599 in Geneva and it is called the "peoples Bible". It is called the Geneva Bible and this is what it says:
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not
deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wantons, nor
buggerers,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extortioners shall
inherit the kingdom of God.
Now anyone want to interpret the above Gospel text – anyone??
Phil has the exact proper grasp on the Gospel, regardless of the devils that try to pervert it to make their sinful activity seem okay
oh yea, Stephen is the chosen one that knows exactly what gods want people to know. Listen to him 'cause he must be right. There's no way he's wrong unless god chooses a different person.
So it's their "activity" that's sinful, not their disposition. So you would have no problem with gays so long as they waited for marriage?
Anyone who has studied the very political and messy history of the Bible realizes it for what it is – a work of man. Same goes for Christianity. It is a creation of man – not whoever or whatever created the universe.
I fail to see how one can "misinterpret" something. Either it is interpreted, in which case anyone reading it can determine what it means, or the person who wrote it can explain exactly what it means, in which case interpretation isn't necessary.
You can say you don't agree with someone's interpretation, but that is far different than saying it is wrong.
It is when both sides are claiming infallibility and/or divine inspiration for their interpretations.
Can't we just agree that everyone is a sinner and move on with it? I think at some point in your life, you realize that it is impossible to live a life without harming someone or something else (e.g., driving your car pollutes the air and causes cancer, eating meat kills animals, etc.).
If you then think logically about right and wrong, you realize that you can't right a wrong by performing an equal yet opposite action (e.g., you can't correct the murder of someone by saving the life of someone else). If there is no way for a person to right their own past wrongs, then there is no real way to make yourself into a "good" person after you have performed a wrong in your life. Christianity offers a solution to this by stating Christ is the way to redeem your past wrongs and make yourself right in the eyes of God.
Basically, everyone, Gay, Straight, whatever else there is, is in the same position in the eyes of God and everyone needs a savior.
No, we cannot just agree. First you have to prove your god exists, then you can move on to showing that The Babble is truly the word of your god. For bonus points, you can definitively show why anyone needs a savior. Until you address these small matters, you are just hacking over the rules to the world's oldest fantasy role playing game, with heavy emphasis on fantasy.
Actually HotAir, it's people like you that have to prove there is not a God. A majority of humans believe there is a higher power as do governments founded on religious principles. The burden of proof is completely on you.
You are completely wrong as you will learn after successfully completing any course in logic, where you will also learn about the logical fallacies you just committed.
Your name is causing my irony meter to overload. Would you mind picking another?
I cannot prove that God exists. I cannot even prove that reality exists. If we are going to go down the path of arguing about logical proofs, I think we are going to get as far as proving that mathematics stands on a strong foundation in the realms of our experience.
I don't want to go down that road so I will say this: Assuming that this reality exists and that there is some sort of moral right and wrong (I know that neither of the above points are provable, but just go with me here), the moment that you commit a wrong, there is no logical way to right that wrong (sin time travel where you actually go back and prevent yourself from performing the wrong to begin with, but that opens up its own can of worms). If you abuse your wife for example, you cannot right that wrong by apologizing. She may forgive you, but you still performed the action, you still harmed another human being.
Without a method to right the wrong, that person is screwed. No matter how much good he does, he cannot undo the bad. So Christianity's solution to this issue is Christ, who absolves all the wrong and leaves only the good. You might not agree with the solution, but you have to admit that there is a problem here and without a Christ figure, there is no good solution.
Bullsh!t!! Being absolved of a wrong by a real or alleged god does not mean that the wrong has been righted. A beaten wife is still injured and afraid. A molested child is still molested. A dead person is still dead. You chanted a bunch of voodoo that does nothing but make you feel good. Again, your beliefs are completely unfounded. You are pretending to know things you do not.
Sounds good, HotAir. So if "chanting Voodoo" doesn't right any wrongs. What is your solution to the issue I raised? How does someone, who has committed a wrong, right that wrong? Is there just no way out of it at that point? You steal a loaf of bread, you are a bad person forever? You lie to a friend, you are a liar forever? Is everyone in the world just condemned to be bad people because there is no way to remediate past wrongs?
You make rest!tution, at a minimum as is required by law. more if you can, and stop doing wrong. That's it, that's all, no gods required.
He agrees with Athanasius of Alexandria and the Council of Nicaea, nothing more.
These men wrote their own personal limits to the powers and loves of God and Jesus into the bible. Lot of folks still believe these men were divinely inspired, a higher morality reveals them not to be.
"So is this related to hockey or Warner Brother cartoons?"Anyway, that was my first thought on seeing the headline.
After learning something about them my second thought was,"Who cares?" Believe what you want, try not to hurt anyone and ignore these characters for other than their marginal entertainment value. You might as well worry about what the Cake Boss or "Yes to the Dress" staff think about religion or politics.
No True Scotsman!!!!!