Here are some of the findings of his research. The original Hebrew texts of Leviticus do not refer to homosexuality at all. The texts are referring to pagan fertility rituals that took place in the fertility cults of the Canaanite, Babylonian and Egyptian religions. It wasn’t until the 4th to 6th centuries that the texts of Leviticus and Deuteronomy were used to condemn homosexuality.

The Byzantine Christian Church viewed sexual activity as sinful. This church was very bias toward women and viewed the normal process of menstruation as a sign of sexual impurity and it also regarded women as religiously impure because they believed women engaged in witchcraft and devil worship. Thus, the Byzantine Church looked upon homosexual men as women in male bodies and therefore saw them as having the same impurities that this church applied to women.

Since Judaism is the foundation of the Christian faith, the Byzantine Church needed the texts of Leviticus to be taught and understood as condemning homosexuality. They needed the texts to agree with their teachings on homosexuality and sexual perversion. Therefore, in the 5th century the Byzantine Church began burning Jewish commentaries on the Hebrew Bible since these commentaries did not agree with the church’s stance condemning homosexuality and women.

Leviticus 18:22

“You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination."

Leviticus 20:13

“If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.”

The Hebrew word for abomination is toebah and it refers to pagan practices and idolatry. Whenever the word abomination is used in the Bible, it always refers to idolatry. The two verses above are addressing the practice of men who engage in Baal fertility rituals in hopes of securing good crops and healthy flocks. These verses are directed toward temple prostitution, not homosexuality.

There are many laws in the Book of Leviticus. Today’s churches don’t follow these laws because they believe they are no longer binding on the modern day church. Why then, do they feel a need to use the Book of Leviticus to condemn homosexuality when they themselves daily break law after law?

Leviticus 11:6-7 declares rabbits and pigs as unclean and therefore are not to be used as a food source. Yet, many people, including Christians, eat rabbits, pork, bacon and ham. Why aren’t they speaking out against pig farmers, grocery stores that sell pork or restaurants that serve barbeque.

Leviticus 11:10 declares any seafood that does not have fins or scales as unclean. This means that seafood such as shrimp, crabs, clams, oysters and lobsters are off limits and cannot be used as a food source. Yet, there are many Christians who have no reservations of attending a clam bake or going to dinner at Red Lobster or some other seafood restaurant and enjoying a plate full of crab legs.

Leviticus 19:27 says that you shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beards. Yet, many men groom their beards.

Leviticus 19:28 forbids tattoos on one’s body. Yet, you don’t see Christian fundamentalist groups picketing tattoo parlors.