The Religious Right Is Wrong: The Ethics of Religion and the Gay Community

In this energetic, rambling polemic, Barham, a medical doctor, dissects the Bible in search of evidence that conservative and religious groups hostile to homosexuality distort the very principles they claim to uphold. To show that biblical admonitions of homosexuality are taken out of context by today's religious leaders for a host of political purposes, the author%E2%80%94who experienced firsthand the "stigma that fundamentalist Christianity imposed on homosexuals" while growing up in the South of the 1940s%E2%80%94delves into religious history and interpretations of Biblical passages, providing what amounts to a scathing critique of the hypocrisy of the religious right. Though his intentions are good, many of Barham's arguments are confusing and repetitive. While this work will likely appeal to left-leaning readers, it is unlikely to win many converts, due to its partisan tone and its lack of critical focus.