A Biblical Curse on Certain American Legislators
American state legislators who invoke the god of Christians in support of their attacks on LGBTQ+ Americans should take note of the following verses from Isaiah, chapter 66 (KJV):
Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord; but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
Some witty interpreter will insist that these verses are more properly seen as a condemnation of LGBTQ+ folk than of those that condemn them; but the error of this view is proved in the last sentence of the translated text: “I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them.” LGBTQ+ people have been experiencing the worst of their fears in real time for centuries. There is no question of their fears coming upon them; they are already here, and have been through all our lives.
No, the fears of religious hypocrites and bigots are in fact coming upon them, for the reason that they have not answered the call of God: “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” Because they refuse to answer that call, they fear the acceptance of LGBTQ+ people by society. And yet, that acceptance is growing; and in the long arc of history, it will surely continue to grow, because it is opposed only by bigotry and ignorance.
And so the judgement of the ungodly, who mime devotion to God by hypocritical, performative gestures, comes upon them through their own abominations.
