Steven Colbert (Practicing Catholic) Asks What Would Jesus Do About Gay Marriage

By Katie Halper
May 28, 2008
6 comments

Time 100 2006 gala, Stephen Colbert, with his wife.Steven Colbert took on homophobia and intolerance during an interview with Tony Perkins the founder of the Family Research Council and a vocal opponent of gay civil unions and gay marriage. Colbert challenged Tony Perkins' use of religion to attack homosexuality by asking Perkins where in the bible Jesus talked about gay people. When Perkins mentioned a reference in the gospel according to Paul, Colbert responded that Paul also encourages adult circumcision. He also asked Perkins if he kept Kosher (as mandated by the Old Testament). Colbert was, of course, doing this under the guise of satire. Steven Colbert's character was asking Perkins these difficult questions because he wanted to know how to win arguments on gay marriage. But the real Steven Colbert was asking these difficult questions to challenge Perkins: if you claim to ground yourself in a literal and narrow reading of the bible, then by all means do so, but be consistent. Just make sure you tack on adult circumcision and keeping kosher to your platform.

But Colbert is not merely a satirist taking on homophobia. He is a practicing Catholic and Sunday school teacher! He's not an atheist or agnostic (not that there's any thing wrong with that), but he's critiquing from the inside, within a Christian framework, This makes him that much more effective, and that much more persuasive. And it makes me that much more in love with Steven Colbert.

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Comments

6
khentloujohnson
posted on May 13, 2011
I am not in the right position to judge homosexual beings for I don't know how the really feels and if they we're also fighting hard their selves to be straight. When Jesus was asked questions about marriage he went straight back to the defining passages in Genesis that say that marriage is between male and female and is meant to be life long. He saw the creation accounts in Genesis as authoritative in His day. And what is authoritative for Jesus is authoritative for Christians also. While Jesus did not specifically teach on homosexuality, His establishment of the Genesis passages as the fundamental passages on marriage (even more fundamental than the Law) leaves no doubt as to the outcome. PFG Best
posted on Nov 7, 2009
Yeah, I like Colbert and respect his faith. But this is one issue I disagree with him on. The Old Testament Law is divided into a few categories, one being "ceremonial uncleanliness" which includes things like circumcision, keeping a kosher diet and what kinds of fabrics to wear. And no tattoos, etc. The moral law, which includes the 10 commandments and much of Leviticus 18 talking about sexual relations, is recognized as still valid by most Christian churches. It's not a "narrow" reading that leads many Christians (most) to believe homosexuality is not God's plan - it's found alongside commands against incest, beastiality, and other sexual behaviors that we still hold to be a deviation today. True though, the gospels never record any specific teaching by Jesus on homosexuality. That doesn't mean he'd endorse it, though.
posted on Oct 26, 2008
I saw this show and was extremely puzzled by Colbert's comment that Paul advocated adult circumcision, especially considering he was sunday school teacher. I would assume that Colbert was referring to physical circumcision done for religious reasons, but his assertion is particularily baffling considering that Paul never encouraged circumcision and even discouraged it in his writings. In 1Corinthians 7:18, Paul says if a man is uncircumcised then "he should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing..." In Galatians 5.2, Paul warns his readers that "if you let yourself be circumcised, Christ will be of no value" and in Galatians 5:3 he again asserts that "in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value." In Romans 2:25, Paul repeats that physical circumcision is nothing and that an inner "circumcision of the heart by the Spirit" is what essential. Never does Paul encourage adult circumcision. It is difficult to assess Colbert's comment, since his character is satirical in nature, so I couldn't say whether he was trying to be funny, but he is just plain wrong.
posted on Jul 20, 2008
There is no Gospel according to Paul. Paul actually is the biggest advocate AGAINST adult circumcision. And, of course, the New Testament specifically mentions that kosher laws are no longer to be observed (Jesus in the Gospels AND a vision to Peter in Acts).
posted on Jun 5, 2008
Sorry Tokio
posted on May 29, 2008
I don't like this article