Several years ago talk began in the news about American tobacco companies being sued for producing a dangerous product. A lot of us laughed. After all, everyone over the age of 8 knew cigarettes were bad for you. The first several lawsuits failed but those who pursued the lawsuits kept hammering away. They kept refining their arguments and learning from each previous setback. Eventually as you know, the tobacco companies did lose. They had to pay out billions of dollars. Something most of us thought could or would never happen came to pass.
Not too many years ago we started hearing about the idea of gay marriage. We laughed. After all, that was so far from reality and possibility how could anyone ever believe something like that would happen? Again, those pursuing the idea never gave up. Evil never ends. As you now know that concept is now reality in Massachusetts and California. Hawaii almost approved it a few years back and it's being reported that state will reconsider it again next year.
Obviously I'm not saying tobacco companies shouldn't have been sued. I mention that situation to remind us of how quickly and easily what seems impossible can become the reality. I bring up the gay marriage issue for two reasons. One, those who support that idea will say they only want equal rights and that's not true. It's not all they want. Secondly, forces of evil don't stop when they accomplish their objective. They continue to reach for more. A story came out last week that only proves that last point but also I believe, is another first step to something most of us would like to think is not possible.
The following story is reprinted from religionnewsblog.com.
"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-I 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.
Fowler says he came across the discrepancy while researching a book. He says Zondervan Bibles published in the 1980's use the word homosexuals in the Corinthian passage in question but earlier and later ones don't. 24 Hour News 8 (WOOD in Cedar Rapids) went to a library to do some research of our own and found Zondervan Bibles published both in the 80's and post-2000 use the word homosexuals in the passage.
Some translations, like the New American Standard use the word. Others don't. The American Standard version uses the phrase 'abusers of themselves with men.' The King James says 'abusers of themselves with mankind'. Still others, like the New American Bible use the word 'sodomites.'
Fowler says the idea that those phrases are another way of saying homosexuals is a misinterpretation as well."
I think we can all be pretty sure this guy won't win this lawsuit. I also think we should be pretty sure that this isn't the en. Situations like this don't end after one step. This is only the first step. As if the entire thought process behind the suit isn't scary enough, reread the last sentence of the article. Bradley Fowler and those like him want to eliminate all references in scripture that condemn their lifestyle.
There are several points that could be made about this suit and the overall attitude of those in today's world that don't agree with the Bible. For now though I just wanted to inform as many people as I could. Now more than ever we need to know not only what we believe but why we believe it and we had better be able to give a "ready defense."
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