What are Catamites?
I saw Dennis Miller on TV as I was house sitting this weekend. He is a funny guy and now a sage for conservatives and liberals alike. He is a commentator and now he is a moralist. He said that the reason people object to the new Bishop of the Episcopal Church is because the ONLY people who object are latent homosexuals. That may or may not be true and I doubt that it is true but he is a moralist as if we are to be moved. I have been studying this as well as many other things in the Bible and have reached a place in my spiritual maturity and walk with the LORD that I feel comfortable consulting those who teach in secular universities and seminaries through their writings and commentaries on the Bible. Here is one reference among many commentaries and other books that disagree with Dennis Miller. In this one reference are listed contributors to the work. I find it hard to believe their opinion on scripture is based on latent homosexuality. The book is New Geneva Study Bible. Contributors to the New Geneva Study Bible are:
General Editor, R. C. Sproul, Drs. Ligonier Ministries
Old Testament Editor, Bruce Waltke, Th.D., Ph.D. Regent College
New Testament Editor, Moises Silva, Ph.D. Westminster Theological Seminary
Executive Director, Luder Whitlock, Jr., D.Min. Reformed Theological Seminary
Associate Editors, James Boice, D.Th., Tenth Presbyterian Church; Edmund Clowney, S.T.M., D.D. Westminster Theological Seminary; Roger Nicole, Ph.D. Reformed Theological Seminary; J. I. Packer, D.Phil. Regent College
Assistant Editors, William B. Evans, Ph.D. (cand.) Erskine College; John Mason, Ph.D. (cand.) Nashville Presbytery,Presbyterian Church in America
Old Testament Contributors; Carl E. Armerding, Ph.D. Schloss Mittersill Study Centre; Raymond Dillard, Ph.D. (deceased) Westminster Theological Seminary; William Dumbrell, Ph.D. Moore Theological College; Mark Futato, Ph.D. Westminster Theological Seminary in California; Graeme Goldsworthy, Ph.D. Moore Theological College; J. Alan Groves, Ph.D. Westminster Theological Seminary; R. Laird Harris, Ph.D. (emeritus) Covenant Theological Seminary; Kenneth J. Howell, Ph.D. Reformed Theological Seminary; M. M. Kline, Ph.D. (cand.) Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; Gary Knoppers, Ph.D. Penn State University; Donald Leggett, Ph.D. Ontario Theological Seminary; V. Philips Long, Ph.D. Covenant Theological Seminary; Tremper Longman III, Ph.D. Westminster Theological Seminary; J. Gordon McConville, Ph.D. Wycliffe Hall, Oxford; Allan A. MacRae, Ph.D. (emeritus) Biblical Theological Seminary; Jeffrey Niehaus, Ph.D. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; Dirk H. Odendaal, Ph.D. (deceased) University of Stellenbosch; Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr., Ph.D. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; Gary Pratico, Th.D. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; Richard L. Pratt, Jr., Th.D. Reformed Theological Seminary; Elmer Smick, Ph.D. (deceased) Reformed Theological Seminary; Marion Ann Taylor, Ph.D. Wycliffe College; Willem A. Van Gemeren, Ph.D. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; J. Robert Vannoy, Th.D. Biblical Theological Seminary; Bruce Waltke, Th.D., Ph.D. Regent College; Barry Webb, Ph.D. Moore Theological College; Gordon Wenham, Ph.D. Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education; John Woodhouse, Ph.D. Moore Theological College
New Testament Contributors Knox Chamblin, Th.D. Reformed Theological Seminary; Karl J. Cooper, Th.M. Providence, RI; Sinclair B. Ferguson, Ph.D. Westminster Theological Seminary; T. David Gordon, Ph.D. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; Wayne Grudem, Ph.D. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; Charles Hill, Ph.D. Reformed Theological Seminary; Kenneth J. Howell, Ph.D. Reformed Theological Seminary; Dennis Ireland, Ph.D. Reformed Theological Seminary; Dennis Johnson, Ph.D. Westminster Theological Seminary in California; Peter Jones, Ph.D. Westminster Theological Seminary in California; Reggie M. Kidd, Ph.D. Reformed Theological Seminary; Simon J. Kistemaker, Th.D. Reformed Theological Seminary; W. Harold Mare, Ph.D. Covenant Theological Seminary; Dan McCartney, Ph.D. Westminster Theological Seminary; Leon Morris, Ph.D. (emeritus) Ridley College; Vern S. Poythress, D.Th. Westminster Theological Seminary; Moisés Silva, Ph.D. Westminster Theological Seminary; R. C. Sproul, Drs. Ligonier Ministries; Frank Thielman, Ph.D. The Beeson Divinity School; Joseph Trafton, Ph.D. Western Kentucky University
The contributors to this book and others cited and referenced below are from many different denominations and include Episcopalians as well as a secular contributor.
The comment of Dennis Miller was a backhand slam at the integrity of people of faith who differ with the decision by the Episcopal Church concerning homosexuality. I suspect that some who are homosexuals as well as latent homosexuals might think the decision unwise without their sexuality being the predominant factor in their reasoning. He assumes that there is no legitimate reason for one to agree that there is right or wrong and if there is, there are hidden motives that are not healthy that impel people of faith to speak.
We tend to see everything as liberal or conservative in the popular segment of society. It would appear that the brainless comments are taken very seriously and trump anything people of faith have to say about our own faith. He has some weight as a conservative and is to be more believed because he was a liberal and has a balanced opinion. He is a modern-day truth teller by virtue of this. Maybe so, maybe not. It is odd that the Bible and God have no say in this matter according to the lights of our time in the popular media. Pat Robertson admitted that he prays that the more liberal Supreme Court Justices will retire and was raked over the coals for it. The popular media seems the standard for faith and morals, even higher than the Bible or God in some people's eyes. I don't think so, but then I am not everyone.
You may get the impression that Christians just had things wrong all this time and the gay Bishop is here to set us all straight. He says that he is a Christian. I won't argue with that self-delusion that is his to nurse to his destruction. I will however refer to the Bible as the guide to faith and morals as opposed to the media or the Bishop. Later on you will see commentary from people who consider the Bible to be true. This includes people from Baptist to Episcopal to Roman Catholic Christians.