"How history can be changed with a pen🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️" (the bible and the word "homosexual")

[orleans]

How history can be changed with a pen🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

— Democrat Cats (@democratcats.bsky.social) 2025-08-15T16:02:24.851Z

so i googled and google AI wrote:

The term "homosexual" did not appear in any English-language Bible until the Revised Standard Version (RSV) in 1946. This translation used "homosexual" to translate two Greek words, malakoi and arsenokoitai, which more accurately refer to exploitative relationships and abusive behaviors, not consensual same-sex relationships. This change, particularly in 1 Corinthians 6 : 9, has been criticized for influencing interpretations and contributing to anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, according to the Yale LGBTQ Center.

The word "homosexual" itself is a relatively recent term, coined in the late 19th century. Before the 1946 RSV, these verses were translated with terms like "effeminate" and "abusers of themselves with mankind" in older versions like the King James Version (KJV). The introduction of "homosexual" in the RSV was a significant change that some argue shifted the focus from specific behaviors to a broader category of sexual orientation.

This translation choice has been the subject of much debate and scrutiny. Some scholars argue that it is a mistranslation and that the original Greek does not condemn homosexual acts as a whole. Others maintain that the Bible does condemn homosexual acts, regardless of the specific translation used.

A documentary film titled "1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted Culture" explores this issue, examining the impact of the 1946 translation and the research surrounding it, according to the documentary's website. The film features interviews with scholars and religious figures, as well as personal stories from individuals impacted by the translation, according to The Guardian.

and then another google question and this:

A seminary student, whose name is not provided in the search results, wrote a letter to Dr. Luther Weigle, the head of the Revised Standard Version (RSV) translation team, highlighting a potential mistranslation of the word "homosexual" in 1 Corinthians 6 : 9 in the 1946 RSV.

According to the provided information, Dr. Weigle admitted the error in a response letter. However, he was unable to immediately rectify the translation because of a contractual agreement that prevented changes for a decade. During this time, other Bible versions, such as the New American Standard Bible, The Living Bible, and New International Version, were produced and unfortunately followed the RSV's initial erroneous translation.

The RSV was eventually corrected in 1971, replacing the word "homosexual" with "sexual perverts" to more accurately reflect the original Greek words "malakoi" and "arsenokoitai", according to CanyonWalkerConnections. The RSV team concluded that the original Greek word arsenokoitai was not condemning homosexuals, but rather those who are abusive in their pursuit of sexual encounters.

wow -- i didn't know this before i saw that video. that "error" dr. weigle admitted to sure as hell had a major impact on a lot of people's lives. what a fucking thing! how terrible