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Faith

Rev. Jesse Jackson: I’m ‘Not Convinced’ That ‘Homosexuality Is Wrong’ Since Kings Solomon & David ‘Had Many Wives’

Oct. 10, 2012 3:34pm Billy Hallowell

TheBlaze’s Benny Johnson contributed to this report.

On Tuesday evening, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, singer Monifah and community advocate A.R. Bernard joined BET’s T.J. Holmes to discuss homosexuality, voter suppression and other social and political issues on the latest episode of “Sleep Talkers.”

Perhaps the most controversial — and debated — subject covered on the episode was gay marriage, with some of the panelists disagreeing over how the issue should be handled within religious communities. Jackson explained that he believes “marriages are protected by one’s own choice.” In his view, gay matrimony is both a moral and a legal issue.

“People have the right to live with the people with whom they choose to be faithful,” he explained.

Jesse Jackson Says Hes Not Convinced Gay Marriage Is Wrong

Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. stands in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on October 10, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Of particular note, though, was a separate response that Jackson gave about homosexuality as a societal norm. Holmes pointed out that the central tenets of the Christian faith point out that “homosexuality is wrong.” The host then asked if Jackson agrees with this sentiment.

“I’m not all-together convinced of that,” the civil rights leader responded, going on to claim that marriage has “blurred” definitions. “King Solomon had many wives in that culture. Then David had many wives of that culture. The Muslims today have three or four wives of that culture.”

Rather than focusing upon a defense of traditional marriage as a central component of the faith, Jackson said he sticks to the “moral imperatives” that Jesus described in the Bible.

“All I really know is — Jesus said that ‘I was hungry and you fed me,’ ‘I was naked and you clothed me,’” he explained. “I stay as closely as I can to the moral imperatives as he described them as what’s really important.”

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Comments (377)

Meyvn1
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:31pm
Well, that makes little sense. But what else should we expect from Jessie?

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blackstone22
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:30pm
Jesse fold your tent and go home, you are just embarassing yourself. Find a hobby.

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Oldmantex
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:30pm
Jesse
Read Mark 10:6-9 It explains exactly what God condoned as marriage. If he was going to approve gay marriage he would have done it at this time, same for polygamy. But he didn’t, one man and one woman who become one flesh. It really is that simple.

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- milou
  Posted on October 11, 2012 at 11:44am
  Read Deuteronomy 22:28-29. Apparently God was also in favour of forcing women to marry their rapists, as long as the rapist pays 50 pieces of silver for her. Let’s bring that law back, too! Go traditional marriage!
  
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- Oldmantex
  Posted on October 11, 2012 at 12:41pm
  Milou
  If you understood the Bible and what a covenant is and who is under what, you wouldn’t make such silly remarks. Dont speak about things you dont understand or quickly Googled.
  
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- milou
  Posted on October 11, 2012 at 3:23pm
  @oldmantex: Don’t presume to dictate morals to others based on a book that you cherry pick from to support things you would believe anyway, book or no, just to feel superior. If the bible doesn’t even agree with itself, how can anyone agree with it?
  
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jeffcare
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:29pm
Dude, Having “wives” is not the same thing as having a gay lover, and wanting to marry them. If you are going to sound so stupid at least get your biology straight.

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- milou
  Posted on October 11, 2012 at 11:30am
  You misses his point, JC—although it was pretty obvious. He was saying that marriage has changed over time. It even changed within the pages of the bible. So…if it changed before, why not again?
  
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Chromo200
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:27pm
And that is why his son is nuts .. Also let the “Rev” read Luke 16:18. The “Rev” just wants an excuse to bang a few more women and justify it. The “Rev” is running scared because many of the Black Ministers are not listening to him and more and more Blacks are standing up to him and idiotic racist diatribe. So he has to make noise to get any one to listen to him.

Thank God Dr. King is not alive to see what has happened to this schmuck.

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PlanetReality
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:27pm
WHAT About ABORTION and all the rest of the laws of balance????? REVEREND!!! NOOOO we arent selling soul for a vote for the dem party!!!! And what religion do u minister REVEREND????

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Larry E
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:27pm
Maybe someone could ‘splain the good Rev the differences between polygamy and homosexuality? It’d likely be more than his simple brain could comprehend though….

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Witness1974
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:27pm
“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).

A student of scripture should know the grave toll poligamy took on both David and Solomon. The children of Abraham are still paying the penalty for Abraham having more than one wife.

Homosexuality (Romans 1:24-27) carries its own penalty, just as all sin does.

Anyone who reveres the “Reverend” should take this opportunity to have a change of mind. Jackson is obviously not leading anyone toward God.

Now before any of you atheists out there goes into the standard “You’re a self-righteous, racist, homophobe.” I count myself as a sinner deserving of God’s wrath and lost if not for Jesus Christ. Though I am saved by grace, I am a sinner still. Sin is a serious matter. From the beginning it has separated us from God and one another. Martin Luther King said, “Sin is separation.” Jackson, the pretender to King’s legacy would do well to contemplate that. He has been one of the great dividers of our generation. He risks his soul in encouraging others to sin.

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00100111
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:23pm
Well, of course this argument makes perfect sense. Why, the other day someone asked me if it was appropriate for the Jewish people to be against eating pork. I replied “I’m not convinced of that. Many people put mustard and ketchup on their burgers. Many people like powdered sugar on their funnel cakes.”

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republic2011
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:23pm
What a dumb POS

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IL_Conservative14652
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:20pm
““People have the right to live with the people with whom they choose to be faithful,” he explained.”

Said the guy who was photograhed with his mistress and Bill Clinton…..

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lisa2994
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:17pm
Well something now tells me that the “Down Low” thing could be true.

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AvengerK
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:16pm
And if Jackson is going to cite old testament figures as his reason…the old testament is explicit that homosexuality is a sin. There’s no question or “I’m not convinced” about it.

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AvengerK
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:15pm
ummmm Reverend? Polygamists or not…they were still heterosexual.

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PontiusPirate
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:11pm
No clue what he is talking about. What he should have articulated is that homosexuals should be able to get married and that there’s no harm in allowing them to do so. You can’t use the bible to justify prohibiting same-sex marriage either, because America is a diverse nation and not everyone subscribes to the bible. Using the scriptures to legislate is therefore unreasonable.

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- donaldchar
  Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:32pm
  “No clue.” True enough. And you’re quite right, we don’t need the Bible to justify prohibiting “marriage” of sodomites or lesbians. Those who pay attention to the very nature of humanity see the obvious. The Bible is a great help in understanding life’s why’s & wherefores, but it’s not necessary to address this issue. Abraham and Lot didn’t even have Genesis, and yet were very aware as to why God was forced to “overthrow the cities of the plain.” All we’ve ever needed is a pair of functioning eyeballs, a clear thinking mind, and an honest heart. Using these three well enables one to retain a clear conscience.
  
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- milou
  Posted on October 11, 2012 at 11:02am
  how did you arrive here, PONTIOUSPIRATE? you are the only sane voice i’ve found here so far. my disappointment with jackson is that he wavered later on in the debate to say that there are more important issues. there are NO more important issues than equality. and anyway, that’s just a cop-out. if the question were about racial civil rights, no one, especially this panel, would be arguing that jobs were more important.
  
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donaldchar
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:07pm
Kings David & Solomon had many wives, therefore homosexuality might be okay? Talk about non-sequiturs! Jesse! You need a refresher course in 2nd grade logic. Sodomizing folks has NOthing to do with love – check with guards at any prison around.

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- milou
  Posted on October 11, 2012 at 10:52am
  his point was that marriage has changed over time, even within the pages of the bible. sorry you missed it.
  
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PAUL_THE_APOSTLE
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:02pm
When he stands before God, The Lord will “I never knew you” and send him to Hell

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2SENSEWORTH
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:00pm
That’s right Jesse – and they also had concubines – like your concubine and self-described Democrat and political pundit Tamara Holder who apparently worked under you.

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coyote1hell
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 3:59pm
Hey Jess…did you know Syphilis affects the brain..?…

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Joshua81
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 3:57pm
What an idiot. I’m tired of the “Pastors” being so weak to not stand up for what IS IN THE BIBLE. It’s not even an interpretation thing. The BIBLE is very clear on homosexuality. Jackson makes me sick, like that money changers in the temple. He will have is day before the Lord, the Bible is also very clear on how God will deal with people who claim to speak His word and is a supposed “leader” and yet spew lies and false preaching.

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wingnut1955
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 3:56pm
Rev. Jessie Jackson: I’m not convinced that homosexuality is wrong since Kings Solomon and David had many wives. Two wrongs don’t make it right. If you read the Bible you will see that both David and Solomon had many problems because of that fact that they had many wives. If God says homosexuality is a sin, that is good enough for me. He, also, said that more than one wife is a sin. The Bible shows the sins of the people of the Bible as a warning to those who believe in His Word. It seems that the Rev. Jessie Jackson is not one of those who believes in the Bible.

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- donaldchar
  Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:21pm
  Really? There are thousands of us on the edge of our chairs waiting for your answer. Polygamy (“more than one wife”) is a sin, you say. Chapter and verse(s) please. We’ve never found it. Abraham is not confronted by God about his bigamy in Scripture. He sent away his second wife at Sarah’s demand and God’s concurrence. One man one woman is always God’s ideal, but the polygamous variation was tolerated only for non-royalty.
  
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- wingnut1955
  Posted on October 10, 2012 at 5:42pm
  @donaldchar Abraham wasn’t confronted by God? He had no problems from his second wife. His two wives didn’t get along and that is why he sent Hagar away. Even today the Jews are confronted by the descendants of Ishmael. Jacob had problems in his home because of multiple wives. If you want to join in with polygamy be my guest. God never condones more than one wife at a time.
  
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Ducky657
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 3:56pm
Hey Jesse–you are supposedly a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Both Jesus and the Apostle Paul spoke openly on this subject and I can assure you Romans chapter one deals with this issue. You are either a minister or you are not–CHOOSE!

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snapper451
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 3:55pm
Excuse me! Did he say they can live with someone provided they are “faithful”? This from the man who cheats on his wife and fathered children out of wedlock – “counseled” the shamed and impeached 42nd President for his unfaithfulness – and is the father of a coke snorting and cheating Congressman son? I guess this makes him an expert on being faithful to your spouse!

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cessna152
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 3:55pm
First off, Corinthians 5 is very clear that blatant sin in the Church is wrong, so how could the Church marry and support a “gay marriage”?

Second: The government should NOT be in the marriage business. I thought all these liberals believed in “Separation of Church and State”. Well, how come the government is involved with Marriage…Hence, religion and state?

Third, Jesus calls us to “Love one another”….not forced by the government to love and accept but to do it willingly. My goodness, I hate when anti-christ tries to explain scripture.

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Detroit paperboy
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 3:54pm
He’s probably a member of reverend Wrights low down club…………………google it.

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- dinkydau
  Posted on October 10, 2012 at 7:05pm
  Exactly…hillbuzz.com for details
  
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