Re: evil desires/lust or lust

David L. Moore (dvdmoore@ix.netcom.com)
Thu, 14 Nov 1996 11:12:13 -0500

At 08:11 AM 11/14/96 -0500, Nichael Lynn Cramer wrote:
>David L. Moore wrote:
>> Among the papyri one finds reference to the practice under
>>discussion. In one marriage contract from 92 B.C., written in Greek,
>>keeping a boy (MHDE PALLAKHN MHDE PAIDIKON EXEIN, MHDE TEKNOPOIEISQAI EC
>>ALLHS GUNAIKOS) is classed, along with concubinage and having children by
>>another woman as a breaking of the marriage contract (_Select Papyri_, A. S.
>>Hunt and C. C. Edgar, eds., [Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard, 1932] vol. 1, 2:19,
>>20).
>
>(Thank you David, for bringing us back to Greek. ;-)
>
>A useful reference here, again, is Dover (pp15-17) where he discusses the
>use of <paidika> in the sense of "eromenos", i.e. as "youth/lover" (i.e. as
>distinct from "boy/child") in these contexts.
>
>> The New Testament, of course, taking pointers from the Old Testament
>>in its attitude toward aberrant sexual behavior, treats the practice of
>>homosexuality as sin.
>
>True (certainly, pace Bernadette Brooten, male homosexuality), but I think
>the topic under discussion was how did the Greeks viewed such things.

What I had in mind - perhaps I didn't make it specifically clear -
is that the New Testament's stance on the practice of homosexuality may be
seen as counterpoint to its apparent acceptance in some sectors of Greek
society. Paul's expressions about its practice, for instance, show that
contextualization of the Gospel to Greek society, which he championed
regarding other matters, did not extend to acceptance of such behavior among
the faithful.

David L. Moore Director
Miami, Florida, USA Department of Education
dvdmoore@ix.netcom.com Southeastern Spanish District
http://www.netcom.com/~dvdmoore of the Assemblies of God