# Maybe Jesus was gay? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 19, 2006, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067 "2006-10-19T08:52:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067/21 "2006-10-19T19:19:49Z")
We don’t know a lot about Jesus, but we know a heck of a lot about same-sex erotic behavior in the Greco-Roman world, of which Palestine was a part. I am not an expert in this field by any stretch of the imagination, so feel free to correct any misstatements. “Sexual orientation” wasn’t really a concept that was understood by the ancients. Many people engaged in homosexual behavior, but a host of factors including age, position, frequency, perceived gender identity, and heterosexual relations make it difficult to label people as “gay” even if we know quite a bit about their sex lives, as with some Roman emperors. So even if Jesus had left a diary this would be a difficult question. Personally, I think the argument “Jesus was what-would-now-be-labeled-as-gay” is a reasonable hypothesis, even if all we have are a few stereotypes. But equally, he could have lost his beloved wife and six children to an outbreak of cholera at the age of 29, snapped, and began his preaching career. The only reason it could conceivably matter is because it would be ironic given the later church’s position on homosexuality, but: 1. Most of the anti-gay Christian doctrine is down to the writings of Paul and friends; there’s no evidence that Jesus cared one way or the other. 2. The contemporary discussion is oddly disproportionate to church dogma. Compare the outcry against adultery (nil), and the medieval church’s pronouncements against sodomy (strong, but not the Greatest Eeeevil Ever, and like most of the sexual behavior not strongly voiced until several hundred years of Christianity had gone by). So: Jesus, gay? Maybe. Unsolvable. Nothing to do with Christianity, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067/22 "2006-10-19T19:36:52Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Maybe he caught the gay from John the Baptist. He wasn’t married either, was he? Coincidence…? I think not! [/QUOTE] Yeah, plus they were cousins!!! ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067/23 "2006-10-19T20:35:38Z")
> [@](#): > > We don’t know a lot about Jesus, but we know a heck of a lot about same-sex erotic behavior in the Greco-Roman world, of which Palestine was a part. I am not an expert in this field by any stretch of the imagination, so feel free to correct any misstatements. > > “Sexual orientation” wasn’t really a concept that was understood by the ancients. Many people engaged in homosexual behavior, but a host of factors including age, position, frequency, perceived gender identity, and heterosexual relations make it difficult to label people as “gay” even if we know quite a bit about their sex lives, as with some Roman emperors. So even if Jesus had left a diary this would be a difficult question. You are talking about GREEKS or ROMANS. They were wealthy, prosperous people who turned to same-sex relationships, I’m sure, for the exact same reason that our society (rather, our urban society) is warming up to homosexuality now. It must be something instinctual (i mean indirectly, such as part of an overall relaxation toward sexuality associated with prosperity). I am certain that the people living in Judea, living through rather miserable political predicaments, did not hold anything close to such views. In fact, if those cultural attitudes can be inferred, it suggests that a lack of Jesus’ part to say things pro or against homosexuality meant that he wasn’t harboring some deep secret himself. Such quiet I would only expect in a society where being gay did not matter. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067/24 "2006-10-19T20:55:54Z")
[QUOTE=Rigamarole] Let’s look at the facts. [/quote] Ok, lets. > [@](#): > > - The washing of the disciples’ feet thing. Honestly, how many straight guys would really give a bunch of other men foot sponge-baths? Would you? Would your _priest_? (altar boys don’t count) Probably not very many in our culture but then in other cultures males hug and sometimes kiss one another on the cheek. Doesn’t say anything about sexual orientation. > [@](#): > > - Fashion sense. Common depictions of him show flowing robes, sandals, and long hair. I fail to see how this is any indication of homosexuality. > [@](#): > > - Water into wine. I suspect a majority of straight men, unless they are trying to impress someone by looking sophisticated, would rather turn water into beer or liquor. This is a joke I’m sure. I think the preferred drink back then in that area of the world was wine not beer. Again, nothing to do with sexuality. > [@](#): > > - Lack of a father figure. God may have been absent part of the time but where was Joseph? > [@](#): > > - Plenty of compassion and empathy. In other words, emotionally-oriented. Yep, I see a caring compassionate male and I immediately think to myself “flaming queer” :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > - Again, no female companion Ok, you got me there, I find it completely unnatural for a human being not to desire or persue a sexual relationship of some kind. (of course, M.M. is rumored to have been a love interest, but AFAIK the church still officially and fervently denies this), and spent most of his time surrounded by men. > [@](#): > > OK, I’m not saying it’s a fact, but I think we ought to consider it as a possibility. What do you say? Consider it based on what evidence? Unfortunately the OP hasn’t given us many valid reasons to speculate about Jesus’ sexual orientation. Marc ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067/25 "2006-10-19T20:58:59Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] I read years ago that it’s a common theory in Europe that he was gay, especially since he’s reported to have had a “special love” for one of the Apostles ( John ? ). [/QUOTE] The [Beloved Disciple](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beloved_disciple) does send up a red (pink?) flag. This was Jesus – he loved all his disciples and all his enemies and everybody else. Why single out one disciple as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” unless their relationship was, you know, really special? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067/26 "2006-10-19T21:37:20Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] The [Beloved Disciple](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beloved_disciple) does send up a red (pink?) flag. This was Jesus – he loved all his disciples and all his enemies and everybody else. Why single out one disciple as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” unless their relationship was, you know, really special? 😉 [/QUOTE] Did he send him some suggestive text messages? _John u r so hot!!!_ ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067/27 "2006-10-19T22:09:52Z")
[QUOTE=Alex\_Dubinsky] You are talking about GREEKS or ROMANS. [/QUOTE] Er, no, I am talking about the Greco-Roman world, not just the upper-class rulers of same, though I find your “decadence leads to homosexuality” argument fascinating and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. The writings we have from the first century are by and large products of people who were educated and / or functioning within the Roman Empire, whatever their culture of origin. Just because Jesus wasn’t Greek or Roman doesn’t mean we can ignore those cultures when trying to understand his life. On another note, that line about “I will make you fishers of men” is a little clearer if Jesus was recruiting for Team Gay. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067/28 "2006-10-20T00:14:30Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] I’ve heard all sorts of interpretations (from all kinds of sources, including non-Christian documentary) of the account of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. None of them even remotely suggested it was some kind of sexual thing. It’s just a preposterous presumption. [/QUOTE] I have heard from a fairly respectable media source (can’t remember which, but nothing like The Sun or News of the World) that there is a reasonable theory that in some cases the term “washing a persons feet” was a euphemism for the sexual act. That claim did though say it wasn’t used that way in all cases. (and since Jesus washed the feet of all his disciples on occasions that would be quite an orgy). I’m not sure if that is a valid interpretation of “washing feet” in some biblical passages, or if this is considered a minor (even crackpot) idea that it is used as such a euphemism. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067/29 "2006-10-20T05:40:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Er, no, I am talking about the Greco-Roman world, not just the upper-class rulers of same, though I find your “decadence leads to homosexuality” argument fascinating and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. Decadence? Where the hell did you read decadence? I said prosperity. Prosperity leads to homosexuality, which is one facet of a general loosening regarding sex. Harsh conditions lead to the opposite, to sexual repression. I think you will see the pattern quite effectively if you look at our modern world. (Wealthy blue coasts vs economically-stagnant red states, wealthy America vs empoverished/war-torn Middle east, upper-middle class hippies vs… i dunno but you get the idea). I will wager anything that the predicament of Jesus’ middle east, which was war-torn and subordinated by empire (hell, that’s a big reason Jesus’ doomsday cult took effective root) pushed people’s attitudes more toward the anti-sex mode (or at least definately not toward the who-cares-which-gender-you-sleep-with mode). ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067/30 "2006-10-23T12:39:30Z")
Since Jesus had no biological father how did he get male chromosomes? All his genes would have come from hios mother. Monavis ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067/31 "2006-10-23T12:41:24Z")
[QUOTE=monavis] Since Jesus had no biological father how did he get male chromosomes? All his genes would have come from hios mother. Monavis [/QUOTE] Not hios mother but His,don’t know why I didn’t catch the spelling error before it went through. Sorry, ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067/32 "2006-10-23T12:49:39Z")
[QUOTE=Bippy the Beardless] I have heard from a fairly respectable media source (can’t remember which, but nothing like The Sun or News of the World) that there is a reasonable theory that in some cases the term “washing a persons feet” was a euphemism for the sexual act. That claim did though say it wasn’t used that way in all cases. (and since Jesus washed the feet of all his disciples on occasions that would be quite an orgy). I’m not sure if that is a valid interpretation of “washing feet” in some biblical passages, or if this is considered a minor (even crackpot) idea that it is used as such a euphemism. [/QUOTE] As so often seems the case with these kinds of surprising interptretations, this one simply doesn’t make any sense at all in the context of the passage; it doesn’t just say “Jesus _washed the disciples’ feet_ (nudge, nudge, knowhatimean)”, it says: > [@](#): > > It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. > The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. > Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; > so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. > After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. > > He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” > Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” > “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” > > “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” > Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” > For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. > > When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. > "You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. > Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. > I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. > I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. > Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. There’s no way you can replace the term ‘washing feet’ with a sexual act and have it still make any kind of sense at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maybe-jesus-was-gay/377067.md?page=1)