EUPHEMISM: THE OMISSION OF SEXUAL WORDS IN THE BIBLE.

The figure of speech we are going to study is Euphemismos, from which we get our English word “euphemism.” The root of the Greek word is eu meaning “good,” and phemi, meaning “speech.” The verb euphemeō and the noun euphemismos referred to “good speech”.

More along the lines of the English definition of euphemism, other ancient Greek meanings of the words were to abstain from inauspicious words, or phrases considered harsh and impolite, or which suggest something unpleasant and to speak in a mild, soft manner.

The modern definition of euphemism is “the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant.” Thus if we do not want to say someone “died,” we say he “passed,” or “passed away.” Genesis 15:15

If we do not want to say two people engaged in sexual intercourse, we say they “slept together.” If we do not want to say a couple is committing adultery, we say they are “having an affair.” Leviticus 18:6

Most people realize, of course, that the expression "Adam knew his wife" means he had sexual intercourse with her; for, as a result, "she conceived" (Genesis 4:1). To say Adam "knew" his wife (rather than to say he had "sex" with her) is an example of euphemism: the substitution of an inoffensive expression for one that may offend. 

Perhaps if the Bible stated "And Adam had sex with Eve" more people would see that it couldn't be the word of an Unholy God. To stop critics from seeing the Bible as an unholy and perverted book, all sexual words were substituted in the king James Bible with softer and inoffensive words. This is the reasons why SEX and SEXUAL WORDS are not mentioned anywhere in the Bible.

MODERN BIBLE TRANSLATIONS CHANGED THE TRUE MEANING OF SEX:

One of the reasons why the general public is not outraged about the sexual content in the Bible is that many modern readers don't understand the 17th century Old English which the King James Version of the Bible was translated into. The more modern translations also tend to water-down those passages which are less than pleasing and alter the original intent of the authors of the Bible. For example, Ezekiel 23:20 speaks of a whore who lusts after men who have penises as big as donkeys and who ejaculate as much as horses. The original King James translation says it this way: "whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses."

And the Revised Standard Version puts it like this: "whose members were like those of asses, and whose issue was like that of horses".

It is very clear that the words “flesh or members” refer to the male “PENIS” and the “issue” refers to “SPERM”, but omitted.

The Good News Bible translation completely removes the reference to the sexual organs and discharges of these animals, calling it merely "lustfulness" as follows: "She was filled with lust for oversexed men who had all the lustfulness of donkeys or stallions."

The actual intent of some biblical passages is masked by the use of phrases or words which don't carry the same meaning in today's society. One example of this is the use of the word "feet." In some passages, the word feet are used to mean "genitals." For example, Ruth snuck into the barn where her prospective husband was sleeping and she layed down next to him and uncovered his "feet." Apparently, she was "checking out the goods before she purchased" and the man, realizing that he was uncovered wakes up afraid until Ruth proposed to him, then he realized that he was not threatened (Ruth 3:7-8).

The Bible warns that God will make mothers who don't obey him eat their own newborn children which "cometh out from between her feet." (Deut. 28:57) The word “feet” here means her “vagina”. The Bible also tells of a time when the Israelites would be taken captive by the Assyrian king, who would shave their heads and their pubic hair, describing it as "the hair of the feet" (Isaiah 7:20).

THE KNOWING AND THE LAYING OF SEX

Another example of how meaning gets lost in the translation can be seen in the use of the word "knew" for "had sexual intercourse with". Whenever Adam had sex with Eve it is described as "And Adam knew Eve his wife" (Gen. 4:1). Some other ways the Bible has for saying a man had sex with a woman include "he went in unto her" (Gen. 38:2, 9, 18) or "he took so and so to wife." (Exodus 6:20)

How do we know that the word "knew" in Hebrew means "sexual intercourse?" The Hebrew word for sex is “yada” meaning, "known, recognized, understood, respected." Yada is not the only word the Bible uses for sex. Throughout the scripture, when a man had sex outside marriage it was said, “He lay with”, (e.g. Samson lay with Delilah, and Amnon lay with Tamar) but if it was done inside marriage, the word “knew” was used.

In Genesis 19:33, we find that in desperation to carry on the family name, Lot’s "older daughter went in and LAY with (her dad)." The Hebrew word for "lay" in this instance is “shakab”, which is defined as “a mere physical exchange”. It is a euphemism for sexual intercourse and is often paired with the root word “sikba”, which means “body fluid”. In essence, it means “to exchange body fluids or bodily emissions”. It is limited to the physical and is used to reference sex between strangers, casual sex, one-night stands, rape, prostitutes and incest.

No one really wants a mere exchange of body fluids, do you? In most cases, we’re looking for something more. We prefer the pleasure of body to be accompanied with the incredible delight of truly being emotionally known and respected.

HISTORY OF DEVIL’S ATTACK ON SEX:

In the olden days, the issue of sex was discussed in a hush tone, and not openly. Even in a marital relationship, it was not openly discussed as it was seen as a sacred issue. The mentioning of body parts was regarded as taboo in most cultures around the around.

The Church in the past saw sex as something not to be a sensualist. For a thousand years, single, celibate life had been upheld as the Christian ideal. Sex, though grudgingly permitted inside marriage ought not to be enjoyed. As the Church father, Jerome declared in the fourth Century:

“Anyone who is too passionate a lover with his wife is himself an adulterer”.

Augustine advocated sexual relationships within marriage to be “without emotion” and primarily for procreation.

A catechism of the Roman Catholic Church written in 1994, applies the third deadly sin (impurity) to married people enjoying sex within marriage. The catechism also insinuated that:

“the Holy Spirit usually leaves the room whenever couples are having sex”.

I wish I could speak as warmly about the witness of the church through centuries. Two major schools of thoughts from the biblical perspective began to develop soon after the apostolic age.

The first view: Physical pleasure is bad.

The second view: Sexual intercourse should be reserved for procreation only.

Sexual pleasure began to be looked upon as the enemy of the spiritual life.

Perhaps no one did more to bring these teachings into the heart of the church than Saint Augustine. No doubt his own sexual escapades as a youth help to account for his negative attitude toward sexuality after his conversion.

Even within marriage he saw sexual intercourse, except for the sake of begetting children, to be venial sin.

Many theologians, however, went even further than Augustine. Some warned couples that the Holy Spirit left the bedroom whenever they engaged in sexual intercourse.

One Yves of Chartres counseled the devout Christians to abstain from sexual intercourse on the following days:

• Mondays: Do not have sex on Mondays out of respect for departed souls.
• Thursday: Do not have sex on Thursdays in remembrance of Christ’s rapture.
• Friday: Do not have sex on Fridays in remembrance of Christ’s crucifixion.
• Saturdays: Do not have sex on Saturdays in honor of the Virgin Mary.
• Sundays: Do not have sex on Sundays in commemoration of Christ’s resurrection.

Couples were permitted to have sex only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Devil is a liar.

Martin Luther, however, declared war on Greek Philosopher Aristotle for depicting women as “botched males”. He also criticized Jerome, Cyprian, Gregory, Augustine and other Church fathers for “never having written anything good about marriage and sex.”

Luther and the first generation of Protestant Reformers rejected this tradition of over a thousand years, of ASCETIC SEXUALITY. Reformers rejection of the celibate ideal of the Middle Age was as great a revolution in the home.

SEXUAL REVOLUTION

In the same manner, Islam held a tradition that the woman was created so man can rest in her and get rid of his sexy storm. Therefore, she was called upon to yield at any time when the husband is sexually arousing. A quote from the Koran said, “When a man calls his wife to satisfy his desire, let her come to him though she is occupied at the oven… whenever a man calls his wife to his bed and she refuses, and then he passes the night in an angry mood, the angels curse her till she gets up at down”. Haddith 38-39.

Correspondingly, one temporary Muslim scholar wrote. “Sexual intercourse is an action, and the woman does not act”.

However, with civilization, high level of education and the Internet, sex has become a revolutionized topic, which can be discussed openly. In a truly Christian marriage, the husband and wife are mandated to talk about sex freely and enjoy it.

The modern world is over stimulated and oversexed. We are thoroughly saturated with sexual images and constantly surveyed about sexual attitudes and practices. However, something essential and precious has gone missing. Sadly, a persuasive Christian approach to sexuality is missing that could act as a balance to secular cynicism and obsession, which will help believers rediscover the elements of sacredness in a healthy sexual life.

Overall, however, we have to recognize that the church has not maintained the high celebrative view of sexuality that is characteristic of the Bible. How magic it is that the church has often ignored the unashamed eroticism of the creation story and the sensual ecstasy of the Songs of Solomon. How sad it is that the New Testament’s affirmation of sex and marriage has often been twisted unto a denial of our sexuality. We must turn again to a more biblical, more Christian posture.

SEX WAS VIEWED AS SIN:

Since the time of St. Augustine, certain in the Church decided sex was shameful and even sinful and that marriage was a lesser holiness than celibacy. Over the centuries, this control over people's sex lives has been loosened to something more unbiblical. To give you an idea, at its peak, Christians were taught that it was a SIN to have sex with your wife in daylight.

Further, that it was a sin to have sex with your wife for anything other than procreation. Also, it was a SIN for you to undress her (now try to figure that one out)! If I read you the whole list, you would be shocked and astounded. People were actually arrested and punished for such actions!

Were these doctrines of God? Or perhaps, where these doctrines of demons, as was prophesied in 1 Timothy 4? Would it shock you to realize, that you may have a doctrine and philosophy ingrained in you that might just be literally something the devil thought up? Would it shock you to know in the early days of America, people actually invented devices to keep young men from having hard-ons? Contraptions to put on your son's body to cause him pain? Does that not strike you as twisted? Or would it shock you to know that Kellog's corn flakes was invented to curb sexual appetite? Where did this obsession with controlling people's sex life come from? It has the intensity of a Jehovah's Witness on your doorstep. Could such a motivation be from God or is it more likely a doctrine of the Devil?

Doctrines of the Devil? Whoa. You never heard that one before did you? Yes, believe it or not, this doctrine that St. Augustine brought forth has been a cancer in the church since his time.

Now, it has to be said that St. Augustine's contributions to Christianity far outweigh his error, but the fact is, he is the primary source for this erroneous teaching regarding sex. You see St. Augustine, when he was a young Christian, still had not given up his sexual vices. He was a man who, prior to becoming a Christian and also a bit into his Christian walk, was obsessed with sex, even partaking in orgies. Before Augustine became a Christian, he was of a certain Gnostic sect called the Manicheans. The Manicheans condemned marriage and procreation, but participated in fornication, orgies and incest (Basically, they considered sex evil, as it is part of physical world, however, they considered themselves enlightened in the spirit, so it did not matter what they did with their bodies. Yes, twisted). So, instead of taking a balanced approach to the topic of sex, he turned his life into a Crusade against sex. He turned his theology into one where sex is always shameful or sinful in every instance. Basically, he took the Gnostic philosophy to a more pure form, saying and living as if ALL sex is evil (as it is physical), and the spirit is good (avoid sex, even in marriage).

Further, he taught that Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden was sex. However, anyone who actually studies the scriptures and is honest, knows that is not correct. Quite literally, St. Augustine taught all people should be celibate and that if you even think about sex (with even your wife), you should ask God for forgiveness. Is it too hard to conceive of the possibility that St. Augustine still had a problem with doctrine after becoming a Christian and tainted all Christian doctrine ever since?

So, we know the root of any theological mindset is where we should investigate. And Augustine is the father of this theology, which he derived from a non-Christian source. If we look at 1 Timothy 4-5, we see that it says:

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer”.

And also Col. 2:20 – 23; “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh”.

Now, these are going to be our scriptures to cut at the root of this deeply ingrained philosophy and doctrine taught indirectly within the church today.