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===Homosexuality in other civilizations===

===Homosexuality in other civilizations===

Certain other societies may provide evidence in the history of homosexuality. Gordon J Wenham, in his article, ''The Old Testament Attitude to Homosexuality'' refers to ''Homosexualität'' in Reallexicon der Assyriologie (4. 559-68) as his  prime source, and states that ''From iconographic evidence dating from 3000 BC to the Christian era it is clear that homosexual practice was an accepted part of the Mesopotamian scene. This conclusion is confirmed by many literary and legal texts in which homosexual activity is mentioned.''<ref>[http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/article_attitude_wenham.html Wenham, The Old Testament Attitude to Homosexuality, p. 360]</ref> 

Certain other ancient societies provide some evidence in regards to the history of homosexuality. Gordon J Wenham in "The Old Testament Attitude to Homosexuality" refers to ''Homosexualität'' Reallexicon der Assyriologie (4. 559-68) as a prime source, and states,  

MAL (Middle Assyrian Law) 19 provides a penalty for false accusation of passive homosexuality,  requiring the false witness to be beaten, fined and suffer a mark of shame on him.<ref>So G. Cardascia, Les lois assyriennes (du Cerf [1969]), p. 130.</ref>  

From iconographic evidence dating from 3000 BC to the Christian era it is clear that homosexual practice was an accepted part of the Mesopotamian scene. This conclusion is confirmed by many literary and legal texts in which homosexual activity is mentioned.<ref>[http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/article_attitude_wenham.html Wenham, The Old Testament Attitude to Homosexuality, p. 360]</ref>

MAL 20 is more specific, ''If a man has intercourse with another and they indict him and prove him guilty, they will have intercourse with him and turn him into a eunuch.'' Wenham comments, ''This is what Cardascia, Les lois assyriennes, 134-35 suggests. Bottero and Petschow in Reallexicon der Assyriologie 4, 462 are more dogmatic. 'The verb niku/ náku ... implies a certain constraint on the part of the protagonist. Its literal translation would be "to do violence to" and almost "violate". It is precisely because the victim submits to violence that obliges its author to submit in his turn to violence himself.''<ref>Wenham, footnote #8</ref> Unlike in the Bible  where both parties are guilty and are to be punished, (Lv. 18:22; 20:13) here only the active male partner is punished.

 

 

MAL 20 is more specific, "If a man has lain with his male friend and a charge is brought and proved against him, the same thing shall be done to him and he shall be made a eunuch."<ref>H.W.F Saggs, The Greatest That was Babylon, (New York: Hawthorn, 1962), p. 212</ref>

 

Wenham comments,  

 

This is what Cardascia, Les lois assyriennes, 134-35 suggests. Bottero and Petschow in Reallexicon der Assyriologie 4, 462 are more dogmatic. 'The verb niku/ náku ... implies a certain constraint on the part of the protagonist. Its literal translation would be "to do violence to" and almost "violate". It is precisely because the victim submits to violence that obliges its author to submit in his turn to violence himself.''<ref>Wenham, footnote #8</ref> Unlike in the Bible  where both parties are guilty and are to be punished, (Lv. 18:22; 20:13) here only the active male partner is punished.

Wenham further states,  

Wenham further states,  

Nor were homosexuals shut away in Mesopotamia. There were homosexual cult prostitutes, who took part in public processions, singing, dancing, wearing costumes, sometimes wearing women's clothes and carrying female symbols, even at times pretending to give birth...Sometimes they are called 'dogs'. 'It therefore appears that these types of person, as in other places and periods including our own, formed a shady sub-culture where all sorts of ambiguities, mixtures and transformations were possible.<ref>ibid. Wenham</ref>  

Nor were homosexuals shut away in Mesopotamia. There were homosexual cult prostitutes, who took part in public processions, singing, dancing, wearing costumes, sometimes wearing women's clothes and carrying female symbols, even at times pretending to give birth...Sometimes they are called 'dogs'. 'It therefore appears that these types of person, as in other places and periods including our own, formed a shady sub-culture where all sorts of ambiguities, mixtures and transformations were possible.<ref>ibid. Wenham</ref>  

A further possible contrast is that the Bible is seen to also separately forbid homosexual activity near the Temple, (Dt. 23:17,18) this likely being homosexual prostitutes, called ''dogs'', and nowhere offers sanction for homoeroticism, in contrast to its explicit Divine blessing on heterosexual relations in marriage, while in Assyria men prayed for divine blessing on homosexual love.<ref>[Reallexicon der Assyriologie p. 465</ref>

In addition, it is understood that Assyrian men prayed for divine blessing on homosexual love.<ref>[Reallexicon der Assyriologie p. 465</ref> This is seen to stand in contrast to the Bible, which nowhere offers sanction for homoeroticism, in contrast to its explicit Divine blessing on heterosexual relations in marriage. The Bible is also seen to separately forbid homosexual activity near the Temple, (Dt. 23:17,18) this likely being homosexual prostitutes, called ''dogs''.

 

The Reallexicon der Assyriologie concludes:  

The Reallexicon der Assyriologie concludes:  

Homosexuality in itself is thus nowhere condemned as licentiousness, as immorality, as social disorder, or as transgressing any human or divine law. Anyone could practise it freely, just as anyone could visit a prostitute, provided it was done without violence and without compulsion, and preferably as far as taking the passive role was concerned, with specialists.''  <ref>Reallexicon der Assyriologie pp. 4, 467, 68</ref>  

Homosexuality in itself is thus nowhere condemned as licentiousness, as immorality, as social disorder, or as transgressing any human or divine law. Anyone could practise it freely, just as anyone could visit a prostitute, provided it was done without violence and without compulsion, and preferably as far as taking the passive role was concerned, with specialists.''  <ref>Reallexicon der Assyriologie pp. 4, 467, 68</ref>  

   

   

Among the Hittites,  Law 189 states, ''If a man violates his daughter it is a capital crime. If a man violates his son, it is a capital crime''.  However, the violation here may be more due to its incestuous nature, than the homosexual aspect.<ref> H. A. Hoffner, 'Incest, Sodomy, and Bestiality in the Ancient Near East' in (Orient and Occident: Essays in Honor of C. H. Gordon, Neukirchen, Neukirchener Verlag [1973]), 83.</ref>

Among the Hittites,  Law 189 states, ''If a man violates his daughter it is a capital crime. If a man violates his son, it is a capital crime''.  However, the violation here may be more due to its incestuous nature, than the homosexual aspect.<ref> H. A. Hoffner, 'Incest, Sodomy, and Bestiality in the Ancient Near East' in (Orient and Occident: Essays in Honor of C. H. Gordon, Neukirchen, Neukirchener Verlag [1973]), 83.</ref>