Review of For the Bible Tells Me So (2007) by Joshua H — 12 Sep 2008

For the Bible Tells Me So is a socially relevant documentary that explores the root of homophobia, how families cope with a gay child, and how Christians use the Bible to justify their bigotry and hatred towards gays. Now more than ever, this discrimination towards homosexuals is prevalent and the film hopes to show society's wrongs and teach them the truth. In other words, it's one of the most important documentaries to emerge recently and is a must see for everybody.

Leviticus 20:13 says, "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." This one simple verse is the whole basis of scripture that Christians hide behind to support their false beliefs about homosexuals. But the fact that it comes from Leviticus is even more striking. As the film points out, there is a hypocrisy present in Christians who practice this train of thought. In the same book that condemns homosexuality it says that it's an abomination to eat shrimp, wear linen and wool together, and plant two seeds in the same hole. I don't know about you, but I've never seen a Christian activist protesting outside of a Red Lobster. It shows that Christians pick and choose what scripture to follow.

However, the movie never really blames Christians, which is commendable given the subject matter and its obvious slant towards the acceptance of gays. As one talking head puts it, "Ordinary people shouldn't read the Bible because most of us get it wrong." To a certain extent, that is true, and the film explains why. To really understand what the Bible is saying, you have to keep the customs, traditions, and historical context in mind. For instance, the word "abomination" as it is used in Leviticus 20:13 has a different connotation today than when the scripture was written. Back then, abomination was used to refer to something against ritual rather than something immoral. As Reverend Dr. Laurence C. Keene of the Disciples of Christ put it, "Eating pork was not innately immoral for a Jew, but it was an abomination because it was a violation of a ritual requirement." The word abomination did not mean what it does today.

The reason a lot of Christians take the Bible word for word as it is written is because of the biblical literalists. Basically, these are the people who think, "If the Bible says it, I'll follow it." And it's these people that are teaching this intolerance. But again, there is a hypocrisy in literalists. Matthew 19:21 says, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." Popular literalists like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson have made millions of dollars preaching the opposite of what they're doing. Jerry Falwell was even a supporter of racial segregation, a little known fact that his blind followers may not know about.

Speaking of racial segregation, did you know that the Bible was also used to justify slavery and the subordination against women? That's right. And you don't support those do you? Just because the Bible says something does not necessarily mean it is true or even morally right.

Being a Christian myself, I believe certain things that lots of other Christians do. But times change and when something is practically proven, like evolution for example, I reevalute my beliefs and adjust them accordingly. Too many Christians have a foolish refusal to do so. Believe it or not, there is concrete scientific evidence that homosexuality is natural. As the film points out, when two twins are born and one of them is gay, the other is also gay 70% of the time, which shows that genes do play a part in it. Even animals have homosexual tendencies. Lions, zebras, sheep, dolphins, pigs, mice, and many more have all shown it. The movie even gives lots of examples of doctors, scientists, and major associations that have claimed that homosexuality is not a choice and cannot be changed. It is natural. Ask yourself this. Did you wake up one day and choose to be straight? I know I didn't. I just knew I was. It's the same for gay people.

Of course, this homophobia and hatred has to come from somewhere and the film shows that it mostly comes from the church, as if that wasn't obvious to begin with. Popular Christians have compared gays to Nazis, thieves, and prostitutes. The movie even shows video evidence of a pastor saying in front of his congregation that he is going to kill a gay, and actually getting applauded. Lots of churches, especially Catholic churches, don't simply preach the Word. They preach intolerance, hatred, bigotry, prejudice, and discrimination. They teach that homosexuality is a perversion, unnatural, and a disgrace. They hide behind the Bible to justify their sinful beliefs.

What they should be doing is teaching that gays are people too and deserve to be loved equally. They should be welcoming them into their congregation rather than shunning them away, but unfortunately that isn't the case. The movie points out a startling fact that gay and lesbian people can be up to seven times more likely to commit suicide because of society turning their back on them and/or their parents disapproving of them.

The surprising element of this movie though is that it is very fair to Christians, never telling them that, because of what they believe, they are stupid. Rather it simply tells them that they are misinformed. It also doesn't tell them that Christianity is a false religion. It actually does the opposite. It interviews very religious people who uphold the standards that they believe is right, but have gay children or are gay themselves. The movie simply wishes to show the hypocrisy in some Christian beliefs rather than undermine or make fun of them.

Evil is spawning from our churches and that's a sad fact. Every time I hear or see an act of hatred towards homosexuals, it breaks a piece of my heart. To think that we as a nation haven't learned from our mistakes and grown enough to get past such childish notions of homophobia is saddening. I realize not all Christians believe this way, as I myself do not, but For the Bible Tells Me So does a great job of bringing to the forefront this monumental problem. Love is love, no matter who it is with. Homosexuals are not an abomination in the eyes of God. We are all His children and He loves us regardless of who we love.