My Thoughts on Homosexuality

Gay-Marriage is perhaps one of the most confusing and emotionally charged issues for Christians to wrestle with in modern times. Many gay, lesbian, and bisexual Christians have been so judged by their families and church communities as to hate themselves for something they cannot help and yet believe makes their existence an abomination before God. Still others believe they can be gay and Christian without being in conflict with themselves; for some this means living an open and practicing homosexual lifestyle, and for others this means a vow of celibacy not unlike those taken and lived out by Roman Catholic and Orthodox nuns and monks or actively trying to find someone of the opposite sex to spend their life with. The truth is that only six passages are traditionally used to condemn homosexuality, but do these passages condemn the passions themselves or the action of engaging in homosexual behavior, and do Jesus’ teachings about compassion for ones fellow man apply when there is reason to suspect that the other person has violated the laws of God?
The first place in the bible where homosexuality is condemned is in the nineteenth chapter of the book of Genesis: “Thus they called to Lot and said to him “Where are the men who came tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.” But Lot went out to them and said, “By no means my brethren, do not act wickedly.” (Gen. 19:5-7). In this scene from the infamous story of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot is protecting a group of outsiders in his home. Based on what the men who were from town said it is clear that they wanted to gay-rape these visitors. What is interesting here is that a careful reading of the text suggests that it is the action that these men are trying to take, and not the passions that make them want to do so, that is the sin. The text, at least in this passage, does not say that it is wicked to be homosexual but that it is wicked to carry out the act  of homosexual relations.

The next passage used to condemn homosexuality is in the eighteenth chapter of Leviticus. “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.” (Lev. 18:22). Again the act of homosexual relations is condemned, more explicitly this time, but the passions that lead to the action are never even mentioned let alone condemned unless they are acted upon. Leviticus goes on later to outline what is to be done with those who commit homosexual actions. “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both have committed an abomination. They shall be put to death for they are guilty” (Lev. 20:13). Yet again there is only condemnation of the action. The language used in this verse is almost as if to stress that it is the action alone which is condemned. “Both have committed an abomination” is not the same as saying that they are abominations.

Now for the next passage one must jump to the New Testament book of Romans, which has this to say on the subject.

“For this reason they were given up unto uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the creator who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason were they were given unto vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.”  (Romans 1:24-27)

In this passage the writer, almost certainly the apostle Paul, references the natural relationship between a man and a woman that God established way back in the days of Adam and Eve. He suggests here that deviating from that natural order, as God ordained it to be, is in essence saying that man is more important than God and that it is therefore blasphemy against God. The passions that lead to these acts are mentioned here for the first time but again it is not they that is condemned but the acts they cause and letting the passions gain control and make the individuals sin.

The Apostle Paul mentions homosexuality again in his first letter to the church at Corinth.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1Cor. 6:9-11)

Of the six passages traditionally used to condemn homosexuality this is the first and only one, which at face value, seems to condemn the people themselves. However the text here lists homosexuality as one of a whole list of sins which make one unrighteous and every single one of the other sins mentioned is one of action. As a result of this and in combining this passage with the other five, it can be inferred that it is still the action that is being condemned here. It is also worth pointing out that the word, which is translated here as homosexuality is used in the original Greek as a more general term for sexual sin of any kind, not necessarily just homosexuality 

The sixth and final passage said to condemn homosexuality does not actually mention it at all. Instead it reiterates the list of sins from 1Corinthians but leaves some out and makes a more general statement that implies the others.

“Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.” (1Timothy 1:5-11).

 Now it becomes a question of how should Christians react to homosexuals? As of yet no proponents of Gay-marriage have suggested that various opposing church groups be forced to accept it, that is a commonly held misconception floated by perhaps overly defensive ministers. The judgment and hatred exhibited by some groups, most viciously and most famously by the Westboro Baptist Church who are well known for protesting the funerals of fallen armed forces members due to America’s toleration of homosexuality is completely contradictory to Jesus’s teaching about how to treat other people. This is exhibited clearly by Jesus’s sermons in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:14-16) Here Jesus states essentially that Christians must be held to a higher standard of morality because they have knowledge of a greater morality than that which is provided by the laws of men including their treatment of others.

After thorough examination of the passages in question it is made clear that the Holy Bible does speak against homosexuality, but in the sense of actions. All are tempted and tried at some point during their lives and the passages that come into question here are not meant to say that some people are evil or ungodly, at least not more so than others, because of some aspect of their being. Rather, the message is to not allow ones temptations to control them but instead cling to the commandments and one’s moral conscience and let them guide their actions.

As Christian Writer Molly Sabourin once said:

“Who of us dare to sit idle with our assurances, interpreting the conditions of the bridegroom’s invitation while our lamps for illuminating the darkness run out of oil? My individual salvation is being worked out with fear and trembling through the unique responsibilities God deemed best to set before me…I am careful to not assume I have a handle on the spiritual state of others, I would do best rather, to stay focused on my own flagrant shortcomings, reverencing both friends and enemies as living icons of Christ Jesus.”

To conclude, though it is human nature to do otherwise, what would be best for humanity and what the biblical text states that God demands of us, is to abandon the fear and hatred born of ignorance and not take God’s words out of proportion. Man is not God and everyone on this planet who is of an age of awareness has their own sins, since none but Jesus has ever lived and died without sin, at least of those who lived long enough to make such judgments, it is not for man to judge the nature of another man, that is the place of God alone.

While I do not support the ability of homosexual couples to wed in a house of God I believe firmly that marriage in the eyes of the state is another matter entirely and so long as no one else is harmed in any way, each person's lifestyle and decisions are between them and God and that hatred, bullying, harassment, and violence suffered by some homosexuals at the hands of people who profess to be my brothers and sisters in Christ, is inarguably and fundamentally wrong, as such treatment of any human being will ever be wrong.