Lesbian NIV Editor Speaks....
In a recent Baptist Bible Trumpet we mentioned that one of the translators of the very popular NIV - New International Version of the Bible, Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, was a lesbian and an outspoken feminist. Several people took me to task on this report so we have put together a Virginia Ramey Mollenkott report.
For the record as previously reported Ms. Mollenkott is a pro-abortion feminist who claims to be a left-leaning Evangelical. She denies the God of the Bible and worships an idolatrous female god of her own making. She grew up in a Plymouth Brethren fellowship and moved in Fundamentalist circles during her early years. She studied at Bob Jones University and taught at Shelton College in the 1950s. Now she is an Episcopalian, serves as professor of English at William Patterson College in New Jersey. As previously stated, in the 1970s, Virginia Mollenkott was a consultant for the New International Version translating committee. She did work on the NIV during the entire time it was being translated and reviewed.
In 1978 she co-authored (with Letha Scanzoni) the book entitled "Is the Homosexual My Neighbor?', in which she called for nondiscrimination toward homosexuality. 'Me book argues that the Sodom account in Genesis does not teach the evil of homosexuality, but the evils of violent gang rape and inhospitality to strangers. The book also claims that the idea of a life long homosexual orientation or 'condition' is never mentioned in the Bible'(p. 71), she adds that Romans chapter one does not "fit the case of a sincere homosexual Christian' (p. 62). This is the same position taken by another one of the actual translators of the NIV, Dr. Marten H. Woudstra, in a report he assisted in producing for the Christian Reformed Church in 1973.
In 1987 Mollenkott wrote an article claiming that refusal to ordain homosexual "clergywomen" is unscriptural discrimination. She wrote: "To ask lesbians and gay men to pretend they are like the majority is to deny them the self-identification and affirmation that is the natural legacy of every healthy adult. Forcing gay Christians into silence also denies them the opportunity to celebrate in gratitude to God for their authentic nature and for their life-enriching mutual relationship with a loving partner" (Christianity and Crisis, Nov. 9, 1987).
In the year 2001, Mollenkott published "Omnigender., A Trans-religion Approach". In this book she describes her hatred of wearing dresses. Curiously, her remarks sound like many women in our Fundamental Baptist Churches. She writes in her book, "I feel myself to be female all right, but masculine at the same time, so that dresses and skirts feel rather ridiculous -- and this despite the fact that as a child I was not allowed to wear overalls, shorts, or pants. One of the greatest benefits of coming out publicly as lesbian was that I could go through my closets and give away all my dresses and skirts except for a few Gertrude Steinish floor-length skirts that somehow seemed less of an affront to my nature." This lesbian's admission that dresses are feminine reminds us that clothing is a form of language. We make social statements by our clothing choices. In our society, pants have long been associated with masculinity and dresses with femininity. When we breach this barrier we have moved in lock step with the sodomite culture.
Finally let me say, I've never used an NIV, and by the Grace of God I hope I never do! I do not want any books edited by sodomites - especially bibles. I will never understand how anyone can defend these God rejecting liberals yet I am sure someone will send me a scalding letter asking me how I could possibly judge this woman! Sick!
Steve Mays - Trumpet Editor