Bible Publishing Companies sued for anti-gay References

[Samaki]

shimbir http://www.gaiaonline.com/profiles/?u=13185550

A Michigan man is seeking $70 million from two Christian publishers for emotional distress and mental instability he received during the past 20 years from versions of the Bible that refer to homosexuality as a sin.

Bradley LaShawn Fowler, a gay man, claims his constitutional rights were infringed upon by Zondervan Publishing Co. and Thomas Nelson Publishing, both of which, he claims, deliberately caused homosexuals to suffer by misinterpretation of the Bible.

Fowler, 39, is seeking $60 million from Zondervan and another $10 million from Thomas Nelson.

According to a USA Today report, Fowler’s two separate suits against the publishers claim the intent of the Bible revisions that refer to homosexuals as sinners reflect an individual opinion or a group's conclusion.

Fowler says the deliberate changes made to first Corinthians, chapter six, verse nine caused him "or anyone who is a homosexual to endure verbal abuse, discrimination, episodes of hate, and physical violence ... including murder."

Fowler, who is representing himself in both lawsuits, claims the publishers are misinterpreting the Bible by specifically using the word homosexuals, which made him an outcast from his family and contributed to physical discomfort and periods of demoralization, chaos and bewilderment.

“These are opinions based on the publishers and they are being embedded in the religious structure as a way of life," he tells a local NBC TV station affiliate in Grand Rapids.

Fowler admits that every Bible printed is a translation that can be interpreted in many ways, but he says specifically using the word “homosexual” is not a translation but a change.

Fowler says Zondervan Bibles published in the ‘80s used the word homosexuals among a list of those who are “wicked' or unrighteous and won't inherit the kingdom of heaven.”

Zondervan, for its part, issued a statement to the Grand Rapids press stating it does not translate the Bible or own the copyright for any of the translations it publishes

“We rely on the scholarly judgment of the highly respected and credible translation committees behind each translation and never alter the text of the translations we are licensed to publish,” the statement reads.

“We only publish credible translations produced by credible Biblical scholars.”

U.S. District Judge Julian Abele Cook Jr., who will hear Fowler’s case against Thomas Nelson, says the court “has some very genuine concerns about the nature and efficacy of [Fowler’s] claims."


Newsmax.com - Bible Publishers Sued for Anti-Gay References

Someone on Gaia posted this and I thought it was interesting. I really hope that the guy wins!!!!!

[ballucanb]

Good I hope he wins his lawsuit,

[kite]

the bible never uses the word homosexual so this reprint was trying to target another group yet it does sound a bit like gold digging. why did it cause him hardship now and why can't he use a different book?

[Valentine]

So why didn't this guy sue 20 years ago when the Bibles were published?

This case needs to, like most cases of people suing, be thrown out of court.

[woof]

This is ridiculous, and will only fuel the Religious Right in claiming that gays are out to ban the Bible and destroy Christianity.

Just ridiculous...

[ballucanb]

You watch this someone is going to give this guy a couple million dollars to go away, I wish I tought about it first.

[Mr Alex]

I hope it fails horribly in a ball of flames.

The level of suage (not sewage) is over 9000 in our glorious country.

If he wins, the new version of the Bible will have to be refered to as the fail-ass version.

Before anyone thinks I hate gays, which would be ironic, as my straightness is not >9000% homosexuality isn't a sin.

[Neonite]

All this is going to do is give uber-conservatives (Note the uber) more reasons to scream that the evil evil gayz are trying to undermine religion and destroy the nuclear family as we know it. And then the world, too. >.>

But hey, you can't blame the guy for wanting something like that to be translated right.

[Chillhouse]

Dear Samaki, I am pressing charges for the emotional and mental anguish your post has caused me, a straight man. Your post has damaged my mental stability and my emotional quotient has been diminished. The posting of that article has affected me in many negative ways, and I have lost sleep and developed insomnia over it. My back has begun to ache again, and I attribute this to the negative effects caused by your post. You will have to pay for my health costs and also pay for my dire emotional damages.I am seeking a settlement of 500 million dollars. I feel this is enough to help me on the road to recovery.

Sincerly,
Prometheus
P.S. I have a multi-million dollar team of lawyers. Do your worse.

[anonymous]

If you ask me, can't we all just find peace gosh all I hear if people fighting.
Is there love in this world?