Sexist? Homophobic?

Some claim that the Bible propagates sexism and homophobia. First, I'll tackle the sexism charge. According to dictionary.com, sexism is "attitude or behavior based on traditional stereotypes of sexual roles" and "discrimination or devaluation based on a person's sex, as in restricted job opportunities; especially such discrimination directed against women." In all honesty, according to the first definition, the Bible does teach sexism. From the very beginning, man and woman have had their differences. Genesis 1:27 says "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." From the very outset, it is evident that man and woman were not meant to be one and the same. Otherwise, they would not have been distinguished as man and woman. Now that we have determined that there have been differences between male and female since the outset, let's discuss the formation of stereotypes. Women, as the givers of life in the form of childbirth, are assumed to be nurturing and maternal, since their role as mother is intrinsic in their biological makeup. Men, since biologically women are assumed to tend to the children because of their role as mother and the already close bond they have with said children because of the process of childbirth, thus assume the responsibilities such as hunting and gathering and providing for the family. These two major stereotypes are the foundation for much of modern-day stereotyping of gender, and the Bible supports these traditional ideas. However, this form of sexism in the sense that women and men hold different roles is not just a biblical perspective, it is a biological and historical one, and I see no fault in differentiating between the genders beyond simple anatomy.

On to the second definition, which defines sexism as a derogatory view that imposes limits on people socially because of their gender, I have to argue in favor of the fact that the Bible does NOT teach this. While the Bible does identify certain things a woman cannot do (e.g. 1 Corinthians 14:34 "Women^{a]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]} should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says."), the Bible does NOT devalue women or discriminate against them. Yes, the Bible does not give men and women the same roles, but it is because, as previously stated, men and women are not the same and they never have been. In fact the Bible portrays some wonderful, strong women who do God's work unbridled by their sexuality. Take Romans 16:12 for example: "Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord. " IN 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 and 11-12, the overarching view of sexual roles in the Bible is spelled out: "For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man..... In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God."

Now, onto the claim that the Bible teaches homophobia. Homophobia, by definition, is "unreasoning fear and antipathy towards homosexuals and homosexuality." This is a dicey topic, since the Bible demonstrates GREAT antipathy towards all sin, and thus great antipathy towards the sin of homosexuality. However, homosexuality as a lifestyle and a persona did not exist in the time of the Bible. The only homosexuality discussed and damned in the Bible is homosexual intercourse. Take Leviticus 18:22, which commands "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman, that is detestable." Or Romans 1:26-27, which says "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men,received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion." So, the Bible is "homophobic" in the sense that it demonstrates antipathy for the sexual intercourse between homosexuals. However, there is no basis for fear or derision of homosexuals in today's society in the Bible beyond their sexual promiscuity, which is a sin many heterosexuals succumb to. Any fear or discrimination of homosexuals by the church or Christians beyond considering their sexual trysts sinful is NOT Biblically based and is a misrepresentation of the teachings of the Bible.