By Lisa LoCascio
Correspondent
Textbooks are constantly updated with new theories, facts and politically correct terms, yet the 3,500 year old Bible, one of the most prominently used texts, has remained untouched.
Michelle Stecker, professor of women and gender studies, noted this discrepancy in her Oct. 16 lecture called “The Bible and Homosexuality.”
According to Stecker, the “Bible has been used to justify witches, slavery and until 1967, to avoid interracial marriage.” Now, Stecker says the Bible is being used to discriminate against homosexuals.
Stecker told the audience that while reading old-age writing, it is necessary to “determine literary judgment.” At the time the Bible was written, life was vastly different than life today. For example, slavery and polygamy were common practices. Therefore “it is a huge challenge to apply our lives in 2009” to the teachings of the Bible, Stecker said.
In times of need or when confronted with societal controversies, “a lot of people are opening the Bible and putting their finger on the text” for answers, she said.
In one example, Stecker described an incident of opening the Bible to a random page, finding the words “Judas hung himself” and after randomly selecting another sentence on a different page, the combined advice stated, “Judas hung himself, go and do likewise.”
Stecker also read several passages from Genesis, Judges and Leviticus. In Leviticus 20:13, should there be any form of sexual activity between two men, both must be killed for committing an “abomination”.
Stecker concluded by saying “no text from the Bible can validate homophobia … it is time to stop (it).”
According to PRISM Treasurer Liz Ehret, October has been dedicated to bringing “awareness” to the College. Ehret also said the activities of Queer Awareness Month have been the “biggest thing PRISM has put together.”
Academic-based lectures such as Stecker’s are just one of the many programs PRISM has put together to educate and inform the College community.
