On Sunday, July 22nd, a 'Christian' pastor/minister calling himself 'Hud' came onto my Yahoo Chat Room and, claiming to be fluent in Greek, said that he had been reading his New Testament in that language for 30 years, that he was in no further need of instruction, that I was twisting the scriptures, and then proceeded to call the three of us 'perverts'. He then had the audacity to ask me how old I was with the sole purpose of 'proving' that just because I was young that my husband wanted me only for my young body.
It is not often that my blood boils but this was one of those occasions. All attempts to politely remind him how Christians should behave were of no avail. I pity both his wife and his congregation that they should have such an obnoxious bigot to lead them. I am obliged to a pagan gentleman who came to my defence and exposed this pastor's hypocrisy. I may not be a Greek scholar but I have every bit as much a claim to use the Word of Elohim (God), just as the Apostles did before the Scribes (Torah-teachers).
However, the purpose of this short essay is not to assassinate 'Hud's' inflammible character but to see what the Bible says about 'perversion'. So my questions are: 'What is perversion?' and 'What constitutes perversion in Elohim's (God's) eyes?'
'Perversion' is any abnormal means of obtaining sexual satisfaction. A 'pervert' may be defined, by modern English usage, as one who uses wrongly or badly, who interprets wrongly or badly or distorts, one who leads into deviant or perverted beliefs of behaviour - one who corrupts or debases, or one who practices sexual perversion.
Yahweh defines a pervert as one who has no faith (Deuteronomy 32:20) and closely associates such with rebellion (1 Samuel 20:30). He declares that one who has a perverse heart with depart from Him (Psalm 101:4) and explains that such rejoice in doing evil (Proverbs 2:14). Such a man is an oppressor and an abomination before Yahweh (Proverbs 3:32):
"A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;
He winks with his eyes,
He shuffles his feet,
He points with his fingers;
Perversity is in his heart,
He devises evil continually,
He sows discord"
(Proverbs 6:12-14, NKJV)
Well, 'Pastor Hud' did a lot of finger pointing and sowed much discord in my chat room, and the pagans had a good laugh at his expense. Like most perverts, all 'Pastor Hud' seemed to be able to think about was sex, relegating Scripture to a firm 2nd place (Proverbs 8:13):
"Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool"
(Proverbs 19:1, NKJV)
'Pastor Hud' take note, for only a fool would, by taking his stance, actually end up calling Elohim (God) Himself foolish and perverse. And in actual fact, that's probably what 'Pastor Hud's' god is, for in truth it is but a figment of his own imagination:
"Your eyes will see strange things,
And your heart will utter perverse things.
Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
'They have struck me, but I was not hurt;
They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?'"
(Proverbs 23:33-35, NKJV).
People get drunk in their own hormones and traditions. And no matter how brilliant scholars they may be - even if they are fluent in Hebrew, Aramaic, Chaldee, and Greek - if they are drunk in their own vanity and foolishness, their learning will not make the slightest bit of difference:
"He catches the wise in their own craftiness,
And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.
They meet with darkness in the daytime,
And grope at noontime as in the night"
(Job 5:13-14, NKJV)
"The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction"
(Proverbs 1:7, NKJV)
The good pastor would do better to fear Yahweh than to twist His Word.
I suspect the mystery and joy of polygamy will always be hidden from 'great ones' like 'Pastor Hud' for the reason the Master gave:
"In that hour Yah'shua (Jesus) rejoiced in the Spirit and said, 'I thank You, Father, Master of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight'" (Luke 10:21, NKJV),
And the illustrious Paul, knowing all too well how those steeped in the traditions of the world would see things, said:
"Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not Elohim (God) made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of Elohim (God), the world through wisdom did not know Elohim (God), it pleased Elohim (God) through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe" (1 Corinthians 1:20-22, NKJV)
For centuries the 'Christian' and 'Messianic' word has declared that monogamy is pure but polygamy is perverse. But it was not always so. Before the Popes and Pastor Huds of this world came along to declare sinful that which is holy, Elohim (God) made plain His views of marriage to men and women greater than 'Pastor Hud' ever will be. For let us now pause and consider whom 'Pastor Hud' actually believes to be 'perverse'.
The Gospel of Pastor Hud
According to the learned 'Pastor Hud' Elohim (God), the Patriarchs, noble Kings and friends of Deity are perverse. According to our learned friend, even the Creator of Universe, he who made 'Pastor Hud's' little head, is perverse.
Let us, therefore, seek enlightenment from this extraordinary clergymen who brings to the world a new revelation on where poor Elohim (God) went wrong.
Let us begin with Yahweh's Law of which the Apostle Paul said:
"the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good" (Romans 7:12, NKJV)
Let us inscribe these words about the Torah in gold for we dare not forget them. The Law - the Torah - the Pentateuch - the Five Books of Moses, the Nevi'im (Prophets) and Kethuvim (Writings) - i.e. the whole Tanakh or Old Testament - are
HOLY - JUST - GOOD
I am sure that no one will dispute that adultery is not 'holy, just and good' - or that perversion is 'holy, just and good'? Do I hear anyone objecting? I am glad I cannot for everyone who claims to be a Bible-believing and -loving Christian/Messianic can by no means say these things. An unbeliever or a liberal, perhaps, but not a man or woman who loves the Word of Elohim (God).
Of course, as we know, Martin Luther regarded the Law as pretty disgusting and contemptuously looked down upon it as some barbaric relic of the past, but luckily for us Martin Luther, or those who share his views, aren't the Apostle Paul! And neither are are those whose war cry is Sola Scriptura! (the Scriptures Alone!) able to compell us to accept any man's interpretation (including the esteemed 'Pastor Hud') that is at variance with Elohim's (God's) Holy Word. As for myself, my sister-wives and my husband, we will stick with the Word and cry with the beloved apostle:
"Indeed, let Elohim (God) be true but every man a liar!" (Romans 3:4, NKJV)
The LAW which is HOLY, JUST AND PURE specifically protects polygamous wives by forcing husbands who take more than wife to behave in a certain way. Note - the law does not prevent him from living polygamously but insists that if he chooses to do so that he must live it in a certain way just like those who have only one wife (Exodis 21:10). If polygamy were in any way 'adultery' or 'perverse', would the Creator of the Universe have been so careless and negligent as to speak about it only 22 verses after the commandment not to commit adultery?? (Exodus 20:14). What the Huderites and other monogamy-onlyers would have us believe is that God is stupid.
Let me illustrate. Yahweh clearly spells out in His Word that homosexuality and lesbianism are a perversion ŕ la Hud. Would such an Elohim (God) then go and legislate to protect homosexual liasons having only just condemned them?? And yet this is the Logic According to Hud! He wants us to believe that Yahweh writes a law protecting polygamous wives after having, 22 verses earlier, contradicted Himself by saying it is adultery! What sort of morons does he think we are?
In our exchange yesterday the illustrious Hud (PBUH/Peace Be Upon Him, as the Moslems say) declared that the 'Apostolic Fathers' consistenly spoke against polygamy. But he is quite wrong. The apostles defended it. And would you like to know where and when?
Well, dear friends, consider this.
In 1 Corinthians 5:1 we are told by Paul that a son had fornicated with his "father's wife". This does NOT refer to the man's mother. Indeed, the term, "father's wife", is a very specific term. Leviticus 18:8 refers to "father's wife" as specifically separate from "mother" in the previous verse of Leviticus 18:7. Note that the "nakedness" of a "mother" is referred to as her own "nakedness" while the "nakedness" of a "father's wife" is referred to as the FATHER's "nakedness". This same differentiation is observed again in Deuteronomy 27:20,16. In fact, what the fornicator had done as per 1 Corinthians 5:1 was the same sin as that of Jacob/Israel's firstborn son. Reuben had committed the identical sin with Jacob/Israel's wife, Bilhah, in Genesis 35:22. (Yes, Bilhah was Jacob's wife; see Genesis 37:2.) And for Reuben's act of "uncovering his father's nakedness" by fornicating with his "father's wife", Bilhah, Reuben lost his birthright as firstborn. 1 Chronicles 5:1 reveals that this was because Reuben had "defiled his father's bed". Indeed, the reference to "father's wife" in 1 Corinthians 5:1 does reveal an actual polygamist identified in the New Testament, i.e., the father of the mentioned fornicator. Matthew 19:8-9, Jesus simply repeats the Deuteronomy 24:1 "as it had been in the beginning" when it was written. In Matthew 19:3, the Pharisees were asking about "every" reason for divorcing, but Jesus returned back with the only one allowed reason (the woman's "fornication/uncleanness"), as per Deuteronomy 24:1 .
It is perfectly obvious to all but those who are spiritually drunk in the blindness of their own passions and traditions that this was a Christian/Messianic polygamous family. It is perfectly clear that Paul was here arguing in support of the Torah as given by our Heavenly Father. If polygamy had been 'adultery', 'perverse' or 'sinful' here was the apostle's perfect opportunity to condemn it. But did he? Of course not! How could he? For he would then have called the Torah 'unholy, unjust and bad' and thereby repudiated his apostleship and salvation.
It is obvious that 'Pastor Hud' does not worship Yahweh who made these polygamous laws which were upheld in the New Covenant by one no less than the Apostle to the Gentiles. It is obvious he does not worship the Elohim (God) of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, two of whom were polygamists and who, in spite of their failings as men and their wives' as women, never were perverts or adulterers. It is obvious that he does not worship the Elohim (God) of David, whom Yahweh called his friend, as polygamist Abraham was too (James 2:23 ... oooh, that horrible "straw gospel" of Martin Luther) and as Moses that Law-giver was (Exodus 33:11).
Are you Elohim's (God's) friend, Hud, or do you count Elohim's (God's) friends as 'perverts' and 'adulterers'? Indeed, what do you say of so perverse a god who actually gave King David his wives? (2 Samuel 12:8). Oh horror of horrors, O iniquity of inquity, Yahweh, the Father of our Master Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), GAVE King David his wives by His Word. Come on Pastor Hud, fall down onto the ground in shock - wave your fists in disgust - blaspheme the Most High and call HIM a pervert and an adulterer and not just Bible-believing and -abiding Christian/Messianisc polygamists. The Word of Elohim (God) condemns you - REPENT!
You have, without knowing it, fulfilled in your own life the prophecy of Paul to the Thessalonians:
"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which Elohim (God) created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth" (1 Timothy 4:1-4, NKJV)
Now what did Paul mean by "marry"? Not Hud's Roman doctrine of monogamy-only but the BIBLE ONE of one man married to one or more women, as defined by the Torah - Yahweh's own Law - as upheld by CHRIST ("For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the Torah (Law) till all is fulfilled" - Matthew 5:18, NKJV)
But 'Pastor Hud' is deleting parts of the Scripture he doesn't approve of and, in so doing, is storing up wrath for himself. For it is written:
"if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, Elohim (God) shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book" (Revelation 22:19, NKJV)
(inserted here knowing how Hud in all likelihood interprets this passage).
I really don't think I need to say anything more to this wise and learned man, save to remind him what Yahweh thinks of the kind of reviling and mocking behaviour which he stooped so low to use yesterday:
"Happy is the man who is always reverent,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity"
(Proverbs 28:14, NKJV)
I feel nothing but the deepest pity for a man who professes to be so wise and who is yet so foolish. What does one, who claims to have been reading the New Testament in Greek for 30 years, know about the Word of Elohim (God) when he cannot even see the plain meaning of simple words?
Yes, those who lived polygamy anciently had plenty of faults, just as contemporary monogamists do, but this does not invalidate polygamy or monogamy. Are there perverse pastors in the Churches/Assemblies? Yes, but that doesn't make the pastoral office perverse, does it?
It is one thing to rebuke a bad monogamist or a bad polygamist, but it is another matter altogether to rebuke YAHWEH-ELOHIM, THE LORD GOD for inspiring his prophets to write laws to define and protect marriage, which is one man married to one or more women within reasonable (yet undefined) bounds ("not to excess" as Solomon did). Yes, we can fault King David for adultery with Bathsheba but not for his other marriages, and not for taking the wives which GOD GAVE HIM.
The New Testament says nothing directly about polygamy because there isn't any need to. Yahweh established His marriage laws millennia before and never changed them. The Torah is immutable because Elohim (God) is immutable, and never changes (Malachi 3:6a-b; Hebrews 13:8). However, men change Elohim's (God's) laws, and 'Pastor Hud' and his band of scripture-twisters are simply perpetuating an old Catholic heresy.
I speak harshly to him because he purports to be a Bible teacher and was rude and disrespectful to me. Yah'shua (Jesus) reserved his severest condemnation for religious hypocrites, and 'Pastor Hud' is one of them. Though he may be consumed in self-righteousness, he is actually condemning himself to spiritual death by his course of action, now that he knows what the Word says (30 years of 'Greek' notwithstanding). By his behaviour he demonstrated that he was under demonic influence - reviling, making lewd suggestions, character-assassinating, and the like.
For the record, my husband is 23 years older than I am. His other wives are 6 and 7 years younger than he is. So what? What that filthy-minded Hud insinuated was that my husband married me for sex. Hud, you are the pervert! Shame on you! And what will you say to all the many monogamous marriages where younger women marry older men - that the men there are perverts too?? May Elohim (God) have mercy on your disgusting mind!
Are there perverts out there? Of course there are - monogamists and polygamists alike - but that makes neither practice perverse. But how dare you intimate that either my husband or I are perverse because there is an age difference between us? HOW DARE YOU! In this case, perversion is in the eye of the beholder - in a man who reviles the truth of Elohim's (God's) Word and would rather accuse others of perversion than repent of his own foolishness, stubbornness and pride, hiding his sins beneath his supposed scholarship. He who would, if he had the means to, prevent my marriage (and even undo it) is, according to Paul, preaching a doctrine of demons.
Let it be stated that there is no such thing in the Bible as monogamy or polygamy. The Bible teaches, without variation, that a man may marry one or more women, but not to excess (in other words, not beyond his means to take care of them emotionally, spiritually, and materially). Adultery is unlawful sex - any sex outside a marriage covenant between a man and one or more women.
"Therefore what Elohim (God) has joined together, let not man separate" (Matthew 19:6-7, NKJV)
A Letter from a Reader
Hi,
I just read your wonderful reply to the monogamaniac “Pastor Hud” and his ilk. Truly righteous indignation is a awesome thing to behold. It is a shadow of how God himself will hold in contempt those who have despised His Word on that Day.
But it is also a relief to those of us who have come under similar such attacks. On the http://freebooks.forums.commentary.net (now defunct - 2016) that I run I was continuously grilled as to whether my wife was in agreement with me (which she is but I wanted to maintain my privacy on the forum and just discuss the Biblical case for polygyny) implying that I was unhappy with my marriage (we have easily the best marriage of anyone we know). My main antagonist went so far as to say that God merely tolerated Abraham’s (and the other patriarch’s) polygyny, as it was a godless custom of the day. Then the attacks just got more and more personal when the Biblical case for polygyny became irrefutable.
God bless you and Stanisław, et al, for the great work you are doing. No one is doing more to re-establish Biblical polygyny than you all are.
AJ, July 27, 2001
Authors: SBSK, KMK
