Every person holds special beliefs in their heart that give them comfort towards the confusing concept that is life. It could be following one of the Abrahamic religions, Buddhism, or simply no religion at all. When America became a country, they were built powerfully under the belief of freedom and justice for all, aiming to separate church and state at all costs. This goal has not been met as religion constantly influences the United States and its politics. One of the most prominent discussions in modern politics is gay marriage. When arguing against it, many tend to use the Bible as a source of evidence, which already ruins the country’s goal of keeping church and state separated. In a political debate, if one has to cross the lines of the First Amendment to try to prove a point, the argument is flawed.

     One of the most popular examples used to condemn homosexuality is Leviticus 18:22, where, almost always, a mistranslated version of the verse is used to prove a point. This invalid strategy of argumentation is rarely pointed out, as many just believe “a Bible quote is a Bible quote,” though it is not that simple. In the 70s and 80 a Christian movement that struck America with the “Christian right” ideologies. During this time, many newly translated editions of the Bible, such as the NIV (New International Version), were released, which brought themes of homosexuality into the theological space. Many editions also included informational sections, which were added by publishers aiming to make passages more understandable, allowing groups to build their own narrative on top of the already sloppy mistranslation.

     Leviticus is the third book of the Bible, which provides laws that the ancient Israelites were commanded to follow that will help them hold a strong relationship with God. It is a foundational text that builds the understanding of God’s character, where a small mistranslation can make a monumental difference in the way the meaning is perceived. The exact translation of Leviticus 18:22 from Hebrew is as follows: “And with a male you shall not lie the lyings of a woman; it is an abomination.” Translating something exactly word-for-word can oftentimes turn out messy, giving people that as an excuse to twist the words of the Bible through mistranslation by claiming that their goal is to make it a more “user-friendly” read. Let’s say, somehow, that it was condemning homosexuality, people who use Leviticus 18:22 as proof, to keep their argument valid, cannot eat shellfish, pork, mix fabrics, etc., as those are also forbidden.

     The use of cherry-picking within Christian right ideologies is glaringly apparent. Many fail to recognize the contradictions and the importance of context regarding many teachings of the Bible. They are too focused on spreading insecurity and hate to spread the love of the gospel. A forgotten verse that is rarely obeyed is Ephesians 4:29, which reads: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Christians who spread hurtfurl mistranslated rhetoric fail to recognize the importance of respecting others. Other examples of forgotten verses include Leviticus 19:16, John 2:15-17, Philippians 2:3-4, and Luke 6:27-28, just to name a few.

     The use of religious texts in political debates, particularly arguing against gay marriage, removes the important foundational rule of the separation between church and state. The constant regurgitation of misinterpreted Bible verses, influenced by Christian movements in the 70s and 80s, creates bias and misrepresents the original meaning of the text. This is ultimately a flawed argumentation strategy that not only disregards the complexities of biblical interpretation through translation but also oftentimes fails to consider the broader context of Leviticus and the laws it presents. To carry the values of freedom and justice for all, it is necessary to examine the use of the Bible in political debates and critically monitor popular arguments that are based on accurate interpretations rather than cherry-picked readings.