HOT AIR: LGBTQ Life, Mental Health & Modern Love · Joshua Robert: LGBTQ Podcaster | Self-Help, Culture & Queer Perspectives

The Bible and Mistranslations: How Anti-LGBTQ Messages Were Written (and Rewritten)

·46 min·4 clips

The word 'homosexual' didn't appear in any English Bible until 1946, a mistranslation that changed everything.

This episode explores how the Bible has been translated and interpreted to condemn LGBTQ+ people, arguing these views stem from historical mistranslations rather than original texts. Host Joshua Robert, a commentator on LGBTQ+ life and modern love, presents this analysis with a blend of sarcasm and historical critique. He frames the discussion as an educational exploration of scripture's evolution, not an attack on religious belief. The episode traces the Bible's compilation from oral stories through translations in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, edited by councils and political powers. Robert focuses on the specific modern translation of the word "homosexual" into English Bibles, noting it first appeared in the Revised Standard Version of 1946. He examines the ancient Greek word *arsenokoitai*, which scholars link to exploitative acts, not loving relationships, and the Hebrew term in Leviticus tied to ritual impurity. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is analyzed not as a condemnation of homosexuality but as a story about violence and inhospitality. A key insight is that concepts of sexual orientation and identity did not exist in the ancient languages of the original texts. Robert claims the translation choice in 1946, later admitted as a mistake by some translators, politically weaponized scripture. He notes Jesus never mentioned homosexuality, focusing instead on themes like love, poverty, and hypocrisy. The episode connects modern global homophobia to the export of rigid European Christian views during colonization, which suppressed indigenous gender and sexual fluidity. Robert describes the profound personal impact, stating many queer people internalize shame and trauma from being labeled sinful based on these translations. He argues that controlling sexuality became a tool for psychological and political power, distracting from what he calls "real sins" like greed and corruption. The tone is conversational, candid, and heavily sarcastic, blending historical analysis with personal commentary and humor. The style is educational but opinionated, using modern analogies and casual language to dissect theological and historical points. This episode would resonate with LGBTQ+ individuals exploring or healing from religious backgrounds, or anyone interested in historical biblical criticism and its social consequences. Listeners seeking a traditional, devotional perspective on scripture or those uncomfortable with irreverent humor and critique of religious institutions might choose to skip it.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from HOT AIR: LGBTQ Life, Mental Health & Modern Love