Warning: There is quite a bit of personal venting in this blog.
A message to experts on what the Bible says:
Please do not tell me you know what the Bible says about marriage if you cannot tell me what the words for husband and wife are in Hebrew and Greek. And while you are at it, explain what the lack of unique words for husband and wife says about the culture from which those languages came.
Please do not tell me that you know about sexuality in the Bible if you cannot tell me how the stories of the Levite’s concubine and King Saul’s suicide are linked. While you are at it please justify Moses’ actions against the Midianites, or Jacob’s lack of action in defense of Dinah or King David’s lack of action in defense of Tamar.
Please do not tell me you know about the sin of Sodom if you cannot tell me how God can promise Abraham that he will not destroy the righteous with the wicked, then destroy the women and children of Sodom along with the entire city of Gomorrah. Then tell me why zakar and ishshah when paired together denote a different relationship than zakar and neqebah.
Please do not quote a “desert father” who preferred to live in isolation rather than in human society as an expert in healthy human relationships.
If you want to take the words of the Bible literally, please make sure you know what the words of the Bible actually say. You will find it gives us a much different message than is heard from many hate-filled and legalistic people who claim to be experts.