"Religion is bunk"

First of all, the opening five books of the Bible or "Pentateuch" which are frequently cited by homophobes are of highly questionable authenticity having been discovered in the reign of Josiah in 621 B.C.E., over 300 years after David and 600 years after their putative author, Moses (2 Kings 22). Even Jeremiah who was active after the discovery deemed the "book of law" of little account and repudiated its authority (Jeremiah 7:22, 14:14).

In none of the Old Testament citations: not Leviticus 18:22 nor Deutoronomy 23:18 nor 1 Kings 15:12 nor 22:46 nor 2 Kings 23:27 is there a reference to homosexuality. The term is "kedesh": cult prostitute. Cult prostitutes were considered unclean and were forbidden in purity codes.

Furthermore, Leviticus' purpose is to elaborate a system of ritual cleanliness whereby the Jews will be distinguished from neighboring peoples. The prohibition against cult prostitution is on a par with its other prohibitions against the consumption of pork, shellfish, and rabbit, and its condemnations of hybridization, clothing of more than one type of fabric, and cutting of the beard or hair.The key word "toevah" in Leviticus often translated as abomination could also be translated as uncleanness or impurity. Another Hebrew word "zimah" meaning injustice or sin could have been used but was not. There is an important distinction between intrinsic wrong and ritual impurity.

Even sodomy is a misnomer. In Matthew 10:14-15 and Luke 10:10-12 Jesus publicly stated that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of their inhospitality to strangers. The people of Sodom wanted to know who the foreign strangers were rather than desiring carnal knowledge of them. The Hebrew verb "yada" is very rarely used in the sexual sense.

The letters of apostle Paul are often cited. Yet despite his title of "apostle", Paul never personally met Jesus Christ but only saw him in a vision, a clear indication of a mental problem. In the "Writings of Thomas Jefferson"(volume 15 page 245) this apostle is denounced: "Of this band of dupes and imposters, Paul was the...first corruptor of the doctrines of Jesus."

Paul saw no necessity for any sexual relations (1 Corinthians 7:6-9) since he believed the world was coming to an end soon (7:29) and thought people ought to be preparing for that event.

Furthermore, Romans 1:27-29 can be interpreted as a denunciation against heterosexuals who voluntarily chose to engage in homosexual activity. This is perversion--- conscious choice--- as opposed to inversion--- unconscious/innate biological choice.

Moreover, there are positive homosexual affairs reported in the Bible such as that between King David and Saul's son Jonathan in 1 Samuel 18:1-4, 20:41-42, and 2 Samuel 1:25-26; and between Naomi and Ruth in the Book of Ruth. King Solomon even wrote homoerotic poetry in the Song of Solomon 5:4-8, 5:10-16, and 8:1-3.

Yes, these Christians do protest too much. Jesus was a gay male who lived nearly exclusively in the company of men and even had a beloved disciple who was allowed to lay his head on Jesus' chest while they ate and talked as described in John 11:36, 13:25, 21:7, and 21:20. A naked boy was present at Jesus' trial (Mark 14: 51-52) and, indeed, the chief priests and scribes accused Jesus of "perverting the nation" (Luke 23:2,14).