David K. Mercier
The Clobber Passages: A Brief Look At What the Bible Really Says About LGBTQ People
What the Bible Really Says About LGBTQ People (The Clobber Passages)
This is a very brief overview of the verses historically used to clobber queer people out of churches, into conversion therapy, &/or toward suicide. It’s time to look at these clobber passages with honesty, compassion, and context.
If you’ve spent any time in conservative Christian spaces, you’ve probably heard of the so-called “Clobber Passages.” These are the handful of verses most often used to condemn LGBTQ people — used in sermons, conversations, and culture wars to argue that queer people are outside the bounds of God’s love. That make them believe God’s love isn’t available for them.
But what do these verses actually say?
Let’s take a look — not through the lens of fear or bias, but through context, culture, and the compassionate witness of Jesus.
I’ll be writing more on each of these clobber passages in future posts, so be sure to subscribe.
This isn’t about twisting Scripture. It’s about understanding what it really says.
📜 Genesis 19 — Sodom and Gomorrah
The first of the clobber passages is in Genesis. The destruction of Sodom is frequently cited as biblical evidence that homosexuality is sinful. But a closer read tells a different story. Sodom’s real sin wasn’t same-sex love — it was violence, xenophobia, and domination. In fact, Ezekiel 16:49–50 spells it out:“Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: arrogance, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.”
Lot even offers his daughters to the mob — showing the real issue was about power and humiliation, not desire. Jesus himself, in Matthew 10, references Sodom not for sexual immorality, but for inhospitality. And most Biblical scholars today agree on this (both from conservative and progressive sides). Your takeaway: This is about violence and abuse, not orientation.📜 Leviticus 18:22 & 20:13 — The “Abomination” Verses
You’ve likely heard, “Do not lie with a man as with a woman… it is an abomination.” This is usually the go-to clobber passage. But what does that mean? The Hebrew word used here — to’evah — is often misunderstood. It doesn’t mean “morally evil.” It refers to ritual impurity — the same kind of “abomination” used for eating shellfish or wearing mixed fabrics. These laws were part of the ancient purity code, meant to set Israel apart from its neighbors. They are not timeless moral decrees. And notably: Jesus never mentions this law. Paul later says the law is obsolete (Hebrews 8:13). Your takeaway: These were ancient purity codes — not divine condemnation of LGBTQ people.📜 Romans 1:25–27 — “Unnatural Lust”?
This passage is often used to say that being gay is “unnatural.” But even here, Paul is talking about something else: excessive lust, idolatry, and exploitation. He describes people who “abandoned natural relations” — meaning they weren’t gay to begin with, but engaged in excessive behaviors. Even the phrase para physin (“unnatural”) is used by Paul positively elsewhere (Romans 11:24) to describe God’s saving work. And immediately afterward, in Romans 2:1, Paul turns the mirror on the reader: “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else.” Your takeaway: Paul is not condemning orientation — he’s warning against the pagan practices of idol worship rituals.📜 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 — The Mystery Words
The English word “homosexual” wasn’t added to the Bible until 1946. Before that, translators struggled to interpret two Greek terms:- Malakoi — literally “soft.” Used in other texts to describe luxurious textiles. Occasionally used to describe a man, but this was more a Roman jab and not a sexual orientation label.
- Arsenokoitai — a word Paul seems to coin. Likely referring to exploitative sex, not loving relationships. Some think this was Paul’s way of not using harsh language in public spaces.
📜 1 Timothy 1:9–10 — Repeating Arsenokoitai
Here we see arsenokoitai again — this time grouped with slave traders and murderers. Again, the focus here is on violence and coercion — and many believe talking about rape and exploitative sex would be too taboo to speak and write about so blatantly. Your takeaway: This word is about abuse — not LGBTQ identities.📜Jude 6–7 — “Strange Flesh”
This is one of the most misinterpreted passages. Jude speaks of Sodom and “strange flesh” — sarkos heteras in Greek — which literally means “different flesh.” But Jude isn’t talking about same-sex attraction. He’s referencing Genesis 6, where angels have relations with humans — cross-species, not same-gender. Your takeaway: This isn’t about being gay — it’s about angels and humans crossing a divine boundary.Final Thoughts
Every one of these passages has been used to exclude people from churches, force them out of families, and deny them hope. But when we read them honestly and consider the cultural context, a very different picture emerges. None of these verses address loving, faithful, committed LGBTQ relationships. They speak of excess, violence, coercion, and idol worship — not love. They call out those turning away from God — not those earnestly seeking Him. If you’ve been told God can’t love you because you’re queer — I want you to hear me clearly: You’ve been lied to. You can be gay and follow Jesus. You can be queer and be loved by God. You can ask questions and still be held by grace. There is room for you in faith. In community. In Scripture. There is room for you here.Subscribe Below or follow me for updates. I’ll be unpacking more passages, sharing personal stories, and offering space for you to belong. You’re not alone. Be well, David P.S. Would you take a sec to subscribe on YouTube
Clobber Passages
An overview of the Clobber Passages — the verses often used against LGBTQ people — and take an honest look at what the Bible really says (and doesn’t say) about same-sex relationships.RECENT POSTS:
Disagreeing With You Doesn’t Make Me Less Christian: Theological Diversity
David K. Mercier Disagreeing With You Doesn’t Make Me Less Christian The Bible Has Always Made Room for Debate — Why Can’t the Church? Theological Diversity, LGBTQ Inclusion, and a Better Way to Do Church You don’t have to be right about everything to follow Jesus.You...
Dear Queer Christian: Justice Cries Out (James 5)
David K. Mercier Dear Queer Christian: Justice Cries Out (James 5)Dear Queer Christian, Dear Queer Christian, You’ve watched people thrive off systems that shut you out. You’ve heard sermons on prosperity from pulpits that never asked how you were surviving.You’ve...
Genesis 19 and Homosexuality: What Really Happened in Sodom?
David K. Mercier Genesis 19 and Homosexuality: What Really Happened in Sodom?Genesis 19 is one of the first passages of Scripture traditionally referenced in debating homosexuality. This post is for anyone wrestling with what Genesis 19 really says—and doesn’t...
Dear Queer Christian: A New Kind of Priesthood (Hebrews 5–7)
David K. Mercier Dear Queer Christian: A New Kind of Priesthood (Hebrews 5–7)Dear Queer Christian, You’ve probably been told—directly or not—that holiness isn’t for people like you. That spiritual leadership is for the straight, the safe, the sanitized. That empathy...
Why Pride Still Matters in 2025: A Message to LGBTQ+ Christians & Allies
David K. Mercier Why Pride Still Matters in 2025: A Message to LGBTQ+ Christians & AlliesPride Month, for many people, looks like glitter and rainbows and parades — and yes, that’s part of it. But Pride started as a protest. It began in June 1969, when queer and...
Resources in your Inbox
SUBSCRIBE
Select your email preferences:
0 Comments