A Common Bond’s response to the anti-gay teachings of the Watchtower.

The Watchtower’s view:

“You wouldn’t think of choosing to eat a meal of filthy garbage, would you? What, then, if you are continually exposed to mental garbage? It is bound to become part of your thinking. When watching a motion picture, you are, in effect, associating with the kinds of persons being portrayed on the screen. And movies are deliberately designed to involve you emotionally with the characters, often arousing sympathy for the wrongdoer—the fornicator, the homosexual, even the murderer. Do you want to get deeply involved in such a way with homosexuals, lesbians, fornicators, adulterers and criminals?” — Your Youth – Getting the Best Out of It — chapter 16

Over the years, Watchtower publications have repeatedly condemned homosexuality, claiming that same-sex relationships are scripturally forbidden. The most common adjectives used by Watchtower publications to describe homosexuality are “detestable” and “abomination”. As Jehovah’s Witnesses, we were taught to think of ourselves in such a way, believing that the Bible passages commonly cited in Watchtower publications were correct interpretations, and that our only hope for salvation was to attempt to lead a heterosexual lifestyle, or at least remain celibate for the rest of our lives. Known homosexuals who are proselytized into the Witnesses may be encouraged to marry (a common misconception that this will “cure” their homosexuality), but are absolutely expected to live a life of celibacy unless married to a member of the opposite sex. Gay and Lesbian Jehovah’s Witnesses are required to preach from house to house, often distributing Watchtower literature which carry condemnatory statements against same-sex relationships. Many such individuals, unable to reconcile their sexuality with what they have been taught the Bible says about them, have been led to enter into heterosexual relationships against their nature, often with disastrous results. Others, plagued by feelings of hypocrisy and/or self-condemnation, in an attempt to escape their guilty consciences, have found themselves faced with alcoholism, drug addiction, or the all-too-often worst case scenario, suicide.

This essay will examine the scriptures commonly used to bash gays & Lesbians over the head with the Bible. It will clearly show that the Bible passages commonly used by the Watchtower are mistranslated or taken out of context. Many scholars studying the Bible’s original Hebrew and Greek texts have reached markedly different conclusions about the correct usages of these verses. Support for this research may be found in their published works, a few of which we’ve listed under “Suggested Reading” below. We hope that, just as the ancient Beroeans, you will read these words below with an open mind, putting all misconceptions and prejudgements aside. (All scriptures cited will be quoted from the New World Translation, the Bible translation used by Jehovah’s Witnesses.)
Genesis 19: 1-28

The ancient story of Sodom and Gomorrah has been used throughout the centuries as a condemnation of homosexuality, to the point where certain sex acts have become referred to as “Sodomy”. The verses in this story most commonly referred to as proof that the Sodomites were homosexual are verses 4 and 5: “Before they could lie down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, from boy to old man, all the people in one mob. And they kept calling out to Lot and saying to him: ‘Where are the men who came in to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have intercourse with them.” Examining this scripture, the first thing we see is that all the people, in one mob, demanded that Lot bring out the visitors to them. If we are to believe that the account of Sodom & Gomorrah is a condemnation of homosexuality, then we must accept the fact that the entire city consisted of homosexuals. If we look in the previous chapter, Genesis 18: 16-33, we see an account of Abraham negotiating with God to spare the people of Sodom, with the final outcome of God promising “I shall not bring it to ruin on account of the ten” (verse 33). God promised Abraham that Sodom would not be destroyed if only ten “righteous men” could be found I the city. If we are to accept the Watchtower’s logic, this would mean that the “righteous men” referred to were heterosexuals. At this point, we need to ask ourselves: What would be the odds of less than ten people in the entire region of Sodom & Gomorrah being heterosexual? The obvious answer is: Impossible.

If homosexuality was not being referred to in this passage, then what was? Looking at the scriptures in Hebrew, we find an interesting usage of a couple of different words. When the mob cries out “Where are the men who came in to you tonight?”, the Hebrew word translated men is ‘enowsh which, literally translated, means “mortal”.

This indicates that the mob knew that Lot had visitors, but were unsure of what sex they were. The Hebrew word for “man” (utilized in this same passage in Genesis 19:8) is entirely different.