Bible publisher faces $60M federal lawsuit over homosexuality

Posted on July 9, 2008

In the article indented below, we read that a homosexual is upset that some Bibles translate the Greek word “arsenokoites” in 1 Corinthians 6:9 as “homosexual” instead of “sodomite”. Politeness gets you nowhere, it seems. My Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon just gives “sodomite” as the meaning of the word. The word that Americans spell as “ass” (NOT meaning a donkey) is spelt and pronounced in the British Commonwealth as “arse”. It is tempting to see a convergence with the Greek there!

I note that the highly-regarded New English Bible published by the Oxford University Press renders the passage as “homosexual perversion”. Wow! Are they in big trouble! Actually, nobody is in big trouble. The lawsuit is so thin that it is obviously just “go-away” money that the guy and his lawyer want. I hope Zondervan resists.

Some more points: The historic Geneva Bible translates the word as “buggerers” so that is pretty frank too. And note that in the original Greek, St Paul groups together for condemnation both sodomites and effeminates (”malakoi oute arsenokoitai”) so it is perfectly clear that he is condemning homosexuality generally — JR

Christian publisher Zondervan is facing a $60 million federal lawsuit filed by a man who claims he and other homosexuals have suffered based on what the suit claims is a misinterpretation of the Bible. But a company spokeswoman says Zondervan doesn’t translate the Bible or own the copyright for any of the translations. Instead, she said in a statement, the company relies on the “scholarly judgment of credible translation committees.” That is to say, setting aside whether the federal civil rights lawsuit is credible, the company says Bradley Fowler sued the wrong group.

His suit centers on one passage in scripture — 1 Corinthians 6:9 — and how it reads in Bibles published by Zondervan. Fowler says Zondervan Bibles published in 1982 and 1987 use the word homosexuals among a list of those who are “wicked” or “unrighteous” and won’t inherit the kingdom of heaven. Fowler says his family’s pastor used that Zondervan Bible, and because of it his family considered him a sinner and he suffered.

Now he is asking for an apology and $60 million. “To compensate for the past 20 years of emotional duress and mental instability,” [I can believe the mental instability] Fowler told 24 Hour News 8 in a phone interview. He claims the company is misinterpreting the Bible by specifically using the word homosexuals. Fowler admits that every Bible printed is a translation, interpreted in some way, but he says specifically using that word is not a translation but a change. “These are opinions based on the publishers,” he said. “And they are being embedded in the religious structure as a way of life.”

More here

Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don’t forget your roundup of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH

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» Filed Under 1st Amendment, Homosexual Agenda, News, Stupidity


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3 Responses to “Bible publisher faces $60M federal lawsuit over homosexuality”

  1. T F Stern on July 9th, 2008 10:34 am

    I suppose telling him to sit on it and rotate would be out of the question…lol

  2. Bradley Fowler on July 9th, 2008 5:29 pm

    This is cute! People are talking about the bible once again. Unfortunately, it takes someone like me to bring about changes in our religious structure that has been dictating our laws for centuries- under the guidance of these invisible scholars who failed to follow the sacred law itself in Revelation 22:18 & 19 which opposses any changes be done to the bible in the first place. Read it and learn it. It also states in IIPeter 1:20 that there are no interpretation for these words. That means there are no interpretations, so scholars are wrong once again for tampering with the scriptures. Zondervan is the publisher, therefore they have a moral obligation to its readers not to willfully impose opinions upon any document that is for the guidance of others.Regardles if they wrote it, they agreed with the context and are selling it. Learn the law.

  3. Damien on July 9th, 2008 11:39 pm

    He’s suing over that?

    The Koran says much worse, in fact they kill gay people in Iran and the gay rights activists of the world say nothing with almost no exception.

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