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From: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Christian Homosexuals
Message-ID: <138@spar.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-Mar-85 03:56:41 EST
Article-I.D.: spar.138
Posted: Wed Mar 20 03:56:41 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Mar-85 04:43:38 EST
References: <225@unc.UUCP> <756@bunker.UUCP>
Reply-To: ellis@max.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Organization: Schlumberger Palo Alto Research, CA
Lines: 57

>Now, since someone will no doubt ask why I consider homosexual
>behavior to be sinful, I will try to explain, probably once and
>only once, since there has already been enough flaming about it.
>Genesis says, "A man shall leave his father and mother and cleave
>unto his wife."  It doesn't say he may cleave unto anyone who
>suits him, only his wife.  

    This argument makes gays no more sinful than, say, old maids, or
    Catholic Priests.

>Perhaps a little clearer is I Cor. 7:2,
>where Paul says, "Because of the temptation to immorality, let
>each man have his own wife and each woman her own husband."  The
>implication that the only way to avoid immorality (other than
>total abstinence, which Paul agreed was too hard for some) is
>heterosexual monogamy seems pretty clear, and such implication
>does not depend on any particular translation of "porneia," rendered
>"immorality" here.

==============================================================================

Corinthians 7 (From the Nestle Greek Text):

    1. Peri de      hwn   egrapsate: kalon anthrwpw  gunaikos my haptesthai
       Concerning of that you wrote: good  for a man a woman  not to touch.
    2. dia de tas porneias,  hekastos tyn heautou gunaika exetw,
       Because of [??????]   each man     his own wife    let have
       kai hekasty    ton idion   andra   exetw.
       and each woman     her own husband let have.

    1. Now concerning the things you wrote: It is good for a man
       not to touch a woman.
    2. But because of [porneias], let every man have his own 
       wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

From Follett's "Classic Greek Dictionary":

    porneia (fem n.) fornication, prostitution
    porneuw (verb) to prostitute:- Pass., of a woman, to be or become a harlot
    porny, (fem n.) a harlot
    pornoboskew (verb) to keep a brothel
    pornoboskia (fem n) brothel-keeping

    BTW, `porneias' is the accusative plural of `porneia'.

==============================================================================

    Your reference would seem to actually PREFER longterm homosexual
    relationship, especially if it kept people away from brothels!

    Incidentally, I DO wish people be more careful when announcing their own
    beliefs. Contributors to this group often say "Christians believe P" 
    when they oughta say "Orthodox Christians/Catholics/X/I Believe P".

    How many people here can speak for the Quakers or Christian Scientists?

-michael