God is not a Homophobe: An unbiased look at Homosexuality in the Bible [Paperback]

Philo Thelos (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 6, 2006

Is God a gay-hating ogre? This author's research demonstrates that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality as a consensual life-style. Find out what the Bible really says about homosexuality.

Product Details

• Paperback: 150 pages
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing (July 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1412020301
• ISBN-13: 978-1412020305
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,574,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A rambling book with additional insights, August 11, 2010

By 

Norm - See all my reviews

This review is from: God is not a Homophobe: An unbiased look at Homosexuality in the Bible (Paperback)

As with several recent books, this book intensely examines those scriptures used to condemn homosexuality, providing another contribution to this critical reexamination. The author's analysis proceeds from three essential elements of Bible study: (1) the text itself and its true meaning, (2) the historical situation of the text, and (3) interpretation of the text in light of its historical situation. This book, as others like it, establishes and reconfirms how difficult a true understanding of these scriptures is. While we cannot be wholly certain that the author's particular interpretations are correct, we can be certain that interpretations by traditional translators are in many ways inadequate, incomplete, or in error.

The book has two particular weaknesses. It in many ways represents a stream of consciousness, and the writing rambles and returns to the same subject numerous times. The book thus lacks an over-arching, coherent organization, and a sympathetic, professional editor would have helped both its structure and technical correctness. Nevertheless, the author at times produces true gems of insight, interpretation, and expression, ones that you want to hold onto.

One issue that detracts significantly from the book and the force of its arguments is its ending. The author references a previous work of his in which he argues that any type of sexual expression is permitted as long as the participants engaging in it do so in a loving way. He thus appears to be a sexual libertarian who would have permitted homosexual expression even without his analysis and thorough discussion of scriptural misinterpretation. For conservative Christians struggling with the issue of homosexuality, this deflects attention from their deep concern about faithfully following scripture and again associates homosexuality with behaviors that they cannot accept.

I will conclude with a quote from the book in which the author particularly cogently summarizes the principal difficulty with many current Biblical interpretations of homosexuality:

"No practice, sexual or otherwise, is acceptable when offered to pagan "gods" or when it exploits other people. Heterosexuality as such cannot be condemned on the basis that some heterosexuals stalk and abuse children, or commit heterosexual rape, or use sex as a form of economic injustice or extortion or manipulation. In the same spirit, homosexuality as such cannot be condemned on the basis that some homosexuals stalk and abuse young boys, or commit homosexual rape, or use sex as a form of economic injustice or extortion or manipulation. In either case, it is not the nature of the sexual orientation that is to be condemned but the act of exploitation that hurts others."

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars There's better Lit. out there., July 28, 2011

By 

Judah M. Trimmer - See all my reviews
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This review is from: God is not a Homophobe: An unbiased look at Homosexuality in the Bible (Paperback)

This book is sketchy and doesn't seem to have a voice of any human being. Reading it I felt like it was possibly written by a robot of some kind. A better title is "What the Bible Really Says about Homosexuality"

10 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars God Is Not A Homophobe, May 19, 2007

By 

John W. Robinson "JW ROBINSON" (NEW YORK CITY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: God is not a Homophobe: An unbiased look at Homosexuality in the Bible (Paperback)

The book is very informative and objective allowing you to either agree on the facts or disagree. I am well pleased with the book and have recommended it to others who need to know how to study the Bible properly and understand what is written in the context that it is written.