How did you decide that Romans 1:26 does not condemn lesbians?

by J

Let's read Romans 1:26 in context

Rick Brentlinger Answers -

Great question. Its important to keep in mind that Romans 1:26 was written to Christians in Rome around A.D. 58. To understand what God and Paul meant, we need to understand how Roman Christians would have understood this verse in the first century.

Lesbians are not condemned anywhere in the Old Testament. Therefore Paul could not possibly have based his alleged condemnation of lesbians on anything the Tanakh (our Old Testament) says about lesbians.
Ancient Jewish teaching in the Talmudic tradition understood that the Tanakh did not condemn lesbians. Therefore it is unlikely that Paul would have based his alleged condemnation
of lesbians on ancient Jewish oral tradition which was pretty much silent about lesbians.
The Old Testament (the Tanakh) DOES condemn one form of idolatry in which both women and men committed the same kind of sin (anal sex in worship of the fertility goddess - viewed as being "against nature" because it was not procreative).

Therefore, since the context of Romans 1 is idolatry (not lesbianism and not homosexuality), Paul most likely was referencing shrine prostitution, not lesbianism or homosexuality in Romans 1:26-27.
The way early Christians understood Romans 1:26-27 helps to inform our understanding. Aristides in A.D. 126 and Justin Martyr around A.D. 150, understood Paul to be writing about shrine prostitution. I believe they were right on the money in that assessment.

There is additional information
at these helpful Links.

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Full text of the questions
that J asked

"I don't want to start an argument. I came here because I want to understand. I love women. (I am a woman). I also love men. I study the Bible and religion extensively. I have always understood that God condemns homosexuality and was intrigued when I came across this page.

I was a little hopeful. However I do not understand how you came to connect Romans 1:26-27 with it being okay to be lesbian.

Is there a version of the Bible I haven't read? This scripture clearly condemns us. How do you reconcile what it says and homosexuality?

And what about Jude 7? There are others but I would like to know your thoughts on these first. Please be patient with me I am just trying to learn.

Please no emotional stuff, I work with the facts and reasoning. I don't do well with emotional pleas or insults. I will do the same for you. Thank you so much."

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