Midnight Whispers
QAF Brian and Justin Fanfiction

Jerry, Brian, Mark and Justin read the research from their team of people outlining the love affair between Jonathan and David.

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David and Jonathan were heroic figures of the Kingdom of Israel, whose covenant was recorded favorably in the Old Testament books of Samuel. Jonathan was the son of Saul, king of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and David was the son of Jesse of Bethlehem and Jonathan's presumed rival for the crown. David eventually becomes king.

The covenant they form eventually leads to David graciously seating Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, a cripple, at his own royal table instead of eradicating the former king Saul's line.

The traditional and mainstream religious interpretation of the relationship has been one of platonic love and an example of homosociality. Some later Medieval and Renaissance literature drew upon the story to underline strong personal friendships between men, some of which involved romantic love.

In modern times, some scholars, writers, as well as activists have emphasized what they interpret as elements of homoeroticism (chaste or otherwise) in the story.

The relationship between David and Jonathan is mainly covered in the Old Testament First Book of Samuel, although elements are to be found also in the Second Book. The episodes belong to the story of David's ascent to power, which is commonly regarded as one of the sources of the Deuteronomistic history, and to its later additions.

David the handsome, ruddy-cheeked youth and the youngest son of Jesse, is brought before Saul, the first king of Israel, having slain the giant Philistine warrior Goliath. Jonathan, the eldest son of Saul, is immediately struck by this first encounter:

That same day, when Saul had finished speaking with David, he kept him and would not let him return any more to his father's house, for he saw that Jonathan had given his heart to David and had grown to love him as himself. So Jonathan and David made a solemn compact because they loved the other as dearly as himself. And Jonathan stripped off the cloak he was wearing and his tunic, and gave them to David, together with his sword, his bow, and his belt. (1 Samuel 18: 1-4)

The Israelite people are quick to accept David amongst them. However, this provokes the ire and jealousy of Saul, who makes several failed attempts to kill David. Learning of one of these attempts, Jonathan warns David to hide because he "took great delight in David."(1Sam 19: 1-2) David eventually flees; but still seeks solace with Jonathan while alleging that Saul knows about the friendship and therefore keeps his real intentions or undertakings hidden from his son, "Your father knows well that you like me." (1 Sam 20: 3)

The two connive to find out more about Saul's intentions and swear to each other eternal friendship, which would encompass both families. So "Jonathan pledged himself afresh to David because of his love for him, and he loved him as himself". (1 Sam 20: 16-17)

David agrees to hide until Jonathan can confront his father and ascertain whether it is safe for David to stay. Jonathan approaches Saul to plead David's cause: "Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan. He said to him, 'You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?” (1 Sam 20: 30)

Jonathan is so grieved that he does not eat for days. He goes to David at his hiding place to tell him that it is unsafe for him and he must leave, and the episode ends with a heartbreaking farewell.

"...David rose from beside the stone heap and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He bowed three times, and they kissed each other, and wept with each other; David wept the more. Then Jonathan said to David, 'Go in peace, since both of us have sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, "The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants, for ever."' He got up and left and Jonathan went into the city." (1 Sam 20: 41-42)

 As Saul continues to pursue David, the pair re-new their covenant, after which they do not meet again. Eventually Saul and David reconcile. When Jonathan is slain on Mt. Gilboa by the Philistines along with his father, David laments his death saying:

"I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; greatly beloved were you to me; your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women." (2 Sam 26)

Some modern scholars and writers have interpreted the love between David and Jonathan as more intimate than platonic friendship. This was first pioneered by Horner, and then rehearsed by Boswell and Halperin. This interpretation views the bonds the men shared as romantic love, regardless of whether or not the relationship was physically consummated. Jonathan and David cared deeply about each other in a way that was arguably more tender and intimate than a platonic friendship.

David's praise in 2 Samuel 1:26 for Jonathan's 'love' (for him) over the 'love' of women is considered evidence for same-sex attraction, along with Saul's exclamation to his son at the dinner table, "I know you have chosen the son of Jesse - which is a disgrace to yourself and the nakedness of your mother!" The "choosing" (bahar) may indicate a permanent choice and firm relationship, and the mention of "nakedness" (erwa) could be interpreted to convey a negative sexual nuance, giving the impression that Saul saw something indecent in Jonathan's and David's relationship.

Some also point out that the relationship between the two men is addressed with the same words and emphasis as other love relationships in the Hebrew Testament, whether heterosexual or between God and people.

When they are alone together, David confides that he has "found grace in Jonathan's eyes", a phrase proponents say normally refers to romantic or physical attraction. Throughout the passages, David and Jonathan consistently affirm and reaffirm their love and devotion to each other, and Jonathan is willing to betray his father, family, wealth, and traditions for David.

That there is more than mere homosociality in the dealings of David and Jonathan is asserted by two recent studies: the Biblical scholar Susan Ackerman and the Orientalist Jean-Fabrice Nardelli. Ackerman and Nardelli argue that the narrators of the books of Samuel encrypted same-sex allusions in the texts where David and Jonathan interact so as to insinuate that the two heroes were lovers. Ackerman explains this as a case of liminal, viz. transitory, homosexuality, deployed by the redactors as a textual means to assert David's rights against Jonathan's: the latter willingly alienated his princely status by bowing down, sexually speaking, to the former. Nardelli disagrees and argues that the various covenants Jonathan engaged David into as the superior partner gradually elevated David's status and may be seen as marriage-like.

Although David was married, David himself articulates a distinction between his relationship with Jonathan and the bonds he shares with women. David is married to many women, one of whom is Jonathan's sister Michal, but the Bible does not mention David loving Michal (though it is stated that Michal loves David).

For more information see:

Jonathan Loved David: Homosexuality in Biblical Times (ISBN 0-664-24185-9) by Tom Horner, Ph.D. (pgs 15-39)

What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality (ISBN 1-886360-09-X) by Daniel A. Helminiak, Ph.D. (pgs 123-127)

Lord Given Lovers: The Holy Union of David & Jonathan (ISBN 0-595-29869-9) by Christopher Hubble. (entire)

"The Significance of the Verb Love in the David-Jonathan Narratives in 1 Samuel" by J. A. Thompson from the Vestus Testamentum 24 (pgs 334-338)

John Boswell's Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe (pgs. 67-71)

Craig Williams' Yale University Ph.D. Dissertation Homosexuality and the Roman Man: A Study in the Cultural Construction of Sexuality (pg. 319).

Martti Nissinen, Homoeroticism in the Biblical World, Minneapolis, 1998

Rick Brentlinger: Gay Christian 101 (ISBN 978-0-9792461-0-4) 2007. Note: Rick Brentlinger is a gay conservative southern Baptist minister who details the Bible and the false teachings of today's churches against gays.

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“Fuck Jerry, the evidence for the love affair of Jonathan and David is overwhelming. How can the Baptists and others deny it was real?” Brian asked him.

“They base it on the common sense argument that their love was only as good friends, and they base the Bible against homosexuals by using two Hebrew words to mean effeminate and gay when those are not what the words meant back then. The entire lie against gays by Christians was created during the Renaissance and Puritan Era by the church’s holy men who needed to dictate new moral codes for their societies. There’s significant evidence that homosexual relationships were common and accepted in Old Testament biblical times and in Jesus’ time.  The definition of sodomy meaning anal intercourse was created centuries later. The term comes from the Ecclesiastical Latin: peccatum Sodomiticum, or "sin of Sodom."  The real sin of Sodom was attempted rape and lack of hospitality which in ancient times would be against God’s Law in a very big way. Latin didn’t even exist at the times the Bible books were originally written.”

“So you’re saying the men of Sodom didn’t try to have sex with the angels?” Justin asked him.

“No one was seeking a loving relationship; it was perhaps attempted rape; condemned for straights too in the Holy Bible. The research says scripture never mentions homosexuals in Sodom, never tells us that anyone in Sodom committed a homosexual act, never tells us that anyone in Sodom lived in a loving same sex relationship, never tells us that God destroyed Sodom because of homosexuality; it was destroyed for wickedness. Sodomite, in scripture, never refers to homosexuals as we understand the term now.  Any time the word sodomite is mentioned in scripture, it refers to cults, shrines, and temple prostitutes of both sexes who worshipped the Canaanite fertility goddess. The theological data shows that The Bible never connects homosexuality or lesbianism to Sodom or Gomorrah.”

“I want to read the story of Jesus blessing two gay men.” Brian said. They all found those pages and read the details.

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The location was Capernaum; a Roman centurion stationed there approached Jesus begging him to heal his beloved pais (servant) who lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. (Matt 8:6) It was rare for a Roman to have feelings for a slave. In Luke 7:2 the blessing is mentioned again by saying the centurion’s servant (doulos) was dear (entimos) unto him. Entimos is the word from which we get the term intimate. Ancient Romans did not view slaves as friends. Next is the meaning of the word pais; beyond the Bible ancient writings show it to mean the boy in a pederastic relationship with an older mentor male commonly practiced in that day where the age of consent for a male was 14 by Roman law and there is written evidence that men made marriage contracts and money bought mates both male and female from their families. Easily the Roman guard could have bought the boy as his pais/lover. The fundamentalist Christians argue pais only means slaves but the historical record is overwhelming against them.

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“If we make a movie showing the real reason for the fall of Sodom, the gay love between Jonathan and David, and end it with Jesus blessing the Roman and his pais boy lover, with captions quoting the scripture as we go with the panel changes, we can blow the national shame against gays by the Christian church into the ocean. We defend ourselves with their Bible; we use their own Bible to show they have it wrong.” Jerry said smiling.

“It’s not the first time; how long did the church demand the Earth was the center of the universe?” Justin asked.

“And this false teaching will also soon face the light of truth.” Mark added.

“I’m putting my best script writing team on this right away. Marvel will make a press release stating we’ll make a biblically based movie in response to the boycott to show no hard feelings.” Jerry said as he gathered his papers. “I’m very excited about this picture, boys.”

“Who can play David; Zack or Devin?” Justin asked.

“His hair has to be long and red, and the tan very olive dark brown. Either one could handle it for the beginning of his story.”

“How soon can we have a script to read?” Brian asked.

“Maybe a month; I’m putting the rush on this project big time. And the content is top secret; all the public will get to know is that it’s based on the Holy Bible.”

“This should get very interesting when the movie comes out.” Justin said grinning. “Devin can be the pais boy.”

“They can flip a coin.” Mark added.

"In reality, this shows the beginning of the modern Christian church at the arrival of the Jewish man Jesus and after the Jewish Religion as the decendants of David, to all orginate from a gay love affair of two boys. Of course they had to cover this shit up." Jerry said laughing.

Chapter End Notes:

For those who want all the evidence in one book this is the one to buy:

Rick Brentlinger: Gay Christian 101 (ISBN 978-0-9792461-0-4) 2007

Google it for a link to order.

Rev. Troy Perry, Founder of Metropolitan Community Churches (the largest gay denomination in the world), recommends this book.

"Rick Brentlinger's new book, GC101 - Spiritual Self-Defense for Gay Christians, is a must-have book for any person who is seriously interested in what the Bible really says about homosexuality. It is a wonderful intelligent book for any person who is seeking answers to the continued debate around the Bible and human sexuality. Rick knocks the ball out of the park with his knowledge of Scripture and his love for the Bible. If I could only afford to purchase one book this year, this would be it! Rick, you've done an incredible job.”

 

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