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In this article:
- For centuries, gay Christians have wrestled with what society has told them is an inherent conflict of identity. If homosexuality is seen as a sin, how can you possibly be a good Christian and accept your LGBTQ+ identity?
- The Queen James Bible is an effort to undo that damage and create a queer-friendly space in Christianity for LGBTQ+ folks to find both faith and acceptance.
- It’s a gay-friendly adaptation of the King James Bible, resolving the interpretive ambiguity of certain passages commonly cited as evidence that homosexuality is a sin.
For much of the history of Christian religious thought, conservative Christians have condemned homosexuality, causing immeasurable harm to the growth and self-esteem of LGBTQ+ members of Christian denominations.
Imagine being born into a Christian family and having your sexuality regarded as an act against God rather than what it is: an inextricable part of your identity.
For too long, LGBTQ+ individuals have been made to feel guilty about their sexual identities and struggled with the internalized homophobia that develops in communities where they are seen as sinful.
Now, thanks to the Queen James Bible, the first gay-friendly version of the Bible, that’s starting to change. It’s described by its creators as a “big, fabulous Bible” and features a big rainbow cross on the front cover.
Before we go into the specifics of what makes this translation different, let’s take a moment to imagine how pissed off certain homophobic so-called “Christians” are about this. Somewhere out there, there’s someone reading about the Queen James Bible with boiling blood and clenched fists.
They’re just going to have to deal with the fact that these gay-friendly Bibles are being distributed all over the world. Poetic, isn’t it?
Enough gloating. Let’s look at the history of the Queen James Bible and some of the major redactions and reinterpretations that have made this version of the Bible more suitable for LGBT+ Christians.
The History of the Queen James Bible
In creating the Queens James Bible, the publishers meant to set the record straight about certain passages that have been used to support homophobic arguments for years. In their new interpretation of the Bible, these eight specific verses have been clarified to allow their true meanings shine through.
The revision makes clear that these passages lack any inherent anti-gay sentiment, but rather have been perverted by bigoted minds who wish to use them to their own ends.
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On the Amazon page for the Queen James Bible, the publishers included a brief note about the anti-LGBT history of biblical interpretation:
“Homosexuality was first mentioned in the Bible in 1946, in the Revised Standard Version. There is no mention of or reference to homosexuality in any Bible prior to this—only interpretations have been made. Anti-LGBT Bible interpretations commonly cite only eight verses in the Bible that they interpret to mean homosexuality is a sin; Eight verses in a book of thousands!”
The revisions made to the Queen James Bible show that the Bible doesn’t ever condemn homosexuality and render any homophobic interpretations of the texts invalid.
Gay-friendly interpretations of the Bible passages in question have been around for a long time. But the Queen James Bible seeks to make them more official and mainstream.
Who Is Queen James?
The name for the Queen James Bible is clearly a play on the King James Bible, the most popular version of the Bible in the United States today. That version was named for King James I of Scotland.
To resolve discrepancies in the Christian community, King James I selected an approved collection of books to be made into the Authorized King James Bible, which was completed in 1611 and was nearly identical to the modern version of the King James Bible.
What you might not know, however, was that King James I was a known bisexual. Though he was married to a woman, James I was known to have had several male lovers, the most famous of which was George Villiers, First Duke of Buckingham.
He was also known to have had a sexual relationship with Robert Carr, First Earl of Somerset. Apparently, the pair had a pretty nasty breakup that involved Carr being put on trial for his life for poisoning someone and then blackmailing James I in court. Yikes.
King James I’s homosexual relations were so well-known throughout the kingdom that some of his friends and members of the court started referring to him as “Queen James.” Hence, the name for the Queen James Bible.
The Revised Passages in the Queen James Bible
The publishers of the Queen James Bible focused on revising eight specific passages that have historically been used to condemn homosexuality as “sinful” or an “abomination.”
Such hurtful terminology has forced LGBTQ+ members of Christian communities to choose between their faith and being true to their sexual identities, a choice that they should never have to make.
With these new interpretations of these passages, LGBTQ+ Christians can now feel comfortable practicing their faith and continue to love whoever they love, without feeling conflicted or guilty.
Here are the revised passages in the Queen James Bible, alongside their King James counterparts.
Genesis 19:5
King James Bible
“And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, ‘Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them.’”
Queen James Bible
“And they called out unto Lot, and said unto him, ‘Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may rape and humiliate them.’”
This revision clarifies that the same-sex nature of the sexual relations referenced is not what makes them sinful. It’s the forceful, degrading treatment that is at issue.
Leviticus 18:22
King James Bible
“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.”
Queen James Bible
“Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind in the temple of Molech: it is an abomination.”
This revision also makes clear that it’s not the same-sex nature of the sexual relations that make the act sinful. The point is, again, that you should not rape anybody — Molech (or Moloch) is thought to be an ancient fertility deity whose worship may have included sex rituals and child sacrifice.
Leviticus 20:13
King James Bible
“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”
Queen James Bible
“If a man also lie with mankind in the temple of Molech, 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”
Again, it is because these sexual relations are associated with the temple of Molech — a pagan deity that you should not be worshipping if you’re a Chrisitan — not because they occur between two men.
Jude 1:7
King James Bible
“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
Queen James Bible
“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after nonhuman flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
This revision clarifies that the word translated in the King James Bible as “strange” was really meant to refer to an animal of another species rather than a partner of the same sex.
Romans 1:26-27
King James Bible
“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.”
Queen James Bible
“Their women did change their natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, left of the natural use of the woman, burned in ritual lust, one toward another; Men with men working that which is pagan and unseemly. For this cause God gave the idolators up unto vile affections, receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.”
The revisions made to these two verses show that the sin being committed is not homosexuality but rather the performing of pagan rituals to false idols, an act that disgraces the one true God.
1 Timothy 1:10
King James Bible
“For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.”
Queen James Bible
“For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.”
This revision clarifies that “defiling” one’s self is not about homosexuality. It’s a broader term that includes everything from committing sexual crimes like rape or adultery to violent acts to failing to uphold a religious ceremony (like eating meat that hasn’t been properly prepared or failing to observe proper behaviors in Church).
1 Corinthians 6:9
King James Bible
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind.”
Queen James Bible
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor morally weak, nor promiscuous.”
This revision clarifies that the word translated in the King James Bible as “effeminate” was really meant to refer to moral weakness rather than the skewed hypermasculine idea that femininity can be equated to weakness.
The negative connotations society associates with femininity are recent relative to when the Bible was first written so the idea that the original text would have condemned “effeminate” is unlikely. Plus, if showing feminine traits banished you from the kingdom of God, that would imply that no women are welcome.
The phrase “abusers of themselves to mankind” was also redacted to “promiscuous” to clarify that this passage is referring to immodesty rather than homosexuality.
May God have mercy on your soul.
Amen. Pray for the deceived before God turns them over to a reprobate mind.
Homosexuality is wrong and isn’t rite whoever doesn’t repent n turn is going to hell point blank.i Don’t care how y’all try to twist the word of God. It won’t work because I know the truth…
So now people are telling God what is acceptable and what is not…seems a bit misguided
And mankind created a god in their own image. The reasoning behind this work is specious, and utterly self-serving, not God serving. That is the problem. Our identity is not to be in things of the flesh which is to be mortified with Christ on the cross, but in God and in Christ.
This is moral cowardice, plain and simple. Christianity demands, when you read the original, non-whitewashed text, to say you have to give up certain things and only have sex within marriage between a natural male and female. You want to peddle this parody of the original, so be it, but it had to outright lie about the context of the original to pull it off.
Also, I adore the fact the stuff about being gay is being pinned on Molech, the god people sacrificed children in the fire to. Considering how many children the alphabet team’s lives have ruined via molestation and genital mutilation, I’ll be blunt, their god is Molech, not the real God.
Heaven and earth shall pass away but my word still be everlasting.
I pray that god will have mercy on the poor souls.
I grieve for them deeply.
Stop with such blasphemy and turn back to Father lord…
I love it
Ridiculous!
The Queen James bible is NOT the word of God! It is a Bible version for those who want to justify and excuse sin and immoral, godless behavior. The Devil is laughing at any and all who believe that this perverted version is actually holy scripture. Beware! God is NOT pleased….
God is not confused about your gender who you are or think you are,He knows exactly what you are, God the creator of Humans period knows you!
This author doesn’t know the Lord. Neither does anyone that buys this perversion.
The queens version is nothing more then a blasphemous, un-spirit filled, uninspired book not inspired by the true living God, written by a human. Where as the Christian Bible, was “Inspired” by, the living God of Heaven, written by a host of people to include, tents men, scholars, sheep herders, kings, priest, disciples etc etc.
WARNING ⚠️
Revelations 22:19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
God forgive them of their sins for they dont know what they done
So how much further in world history do we need to go before pedophilia and murder are deemed normal behavior
No matter how much we may try to bend the word of God, His Truth remains settled FOREVER, through all ages and generations. You are not in the wrong body and God is not mistaken about your identity. Thankfully, God is so rich in mercy, full of love and patience. This is God coming after you for redemption. Return to Him now before it’s too late.
Grace