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Re: Homosexuality vs Christianity--The debate that was inevitable. [no otr]
"I trust God.
But He hasn't said to very much.
"I don't trust His children.
They are saying way too much."
- James Thornton, Catharsis & The Humdrum
-----Original Message-----
From: RBGockley at aol_com
>Leviticus 18:22 "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is
>detestable." (NIV; i think the NASV reads that it is an "abomination"),
and
>
>Romans 1:26-27 "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.
Even
>their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same
way
>the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with
>lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and
received
>in themselves the due penalty for their perversion." (NIV)
>
>Now, if anyone can find any way to interpret those verses such that they
>aren't condemming homosexuality, let me know.
>
In both of those instances, the first with Moses instructing the Children of
Israel on how to react to the inhabitants of the land they were about to
possess, and the second, with Paul instructing the Roman church on how to
conform to the likeness of Christ, the reference is to a pagan culture that
used homosexual sex as part of their religious and cultural practices. It
was common in both examples for naturally heterosexual people to have
homosexual relations with temple prostitutes or with their servants as a
matter of religious duty or a show of a person's authority over another. It
was about power, authority and manipulation, not consenting, monogamous,
loving healthy relations. It is very important to realize the cultural
distinction there. Homosexuality, as it was expressed in ancient times, is a
very, very different thing than it is today. (A great book on this subject
is "Embodiment" by James Nelson.)
I am a Christian. I believe God is at work in my life through the redeeming
blood of Christ. I am also gay. I believe that because of circumstances
beyond my control be they biological, sociological or psychological. Rather
than blame God for it, I choose to
do like Job did and praise him for it, believing that (one) God can not work
in this area of my life if I do not confess it or be honest about it and
(two) that he has some purpose for it and that he will work through it.
Living in the closet or in denial is, I believe, what leads to gay
promiscuity and middle-aged men meeting in rest areas at midnight. When you
cannot carry out healthy relationships in the open, you will seek out
self-destructive ones in secret.
The Scriptures appear to be very black and white about carrying on relations
with someone of the same sex, regardless of the cultural context. But *I*
cannot change who I am, and I realized some time ago I am not capable of
living my life by myself. So I choose to seek a healthy, loving,
monogamous, life-long partnership with a man with similar tastes and
beliefs, and pray that homosexuality is no greater a sin than, say,
gluttony, or divorce, or alcoholism, or losing your temper at a stranger.
All sin stems, essentially, from self-interest or self-gratification. So a
marriage, even between men, would seem to not be a sin. But if it is, I have
to trust that God's grace is big enough to cover any indiscretion. Live my
life, every moment aware, as all christians should be, that every breath is
a gift of mercy. And pray that God is pleased that I strive to uphold the
spirit of the law when I cannot meet its letter.
And I know I'm taking a big chance talking about this. Even in this kind of
a setting, far more than with believers involved with, say, adultery, or
divorce, or alcoholism, or Lust, Gluttony, Sloth, Envy, Pride, Covetousness,
and Anger, the church rejects homosexuals and holds them at arm's length. I
mean, it is undeniable that a great number of people have lost their jobs
(in a secular setting), been denied health benefits, tax benefits and the
rights of marriage, all because they were gay. These things are wrong. They
are discrimination, regardless of the sexual orientation involved. And the
church should say so. But the church tacitly approves of these actions
because to do otherwise would be misconstrued as approving of homosexual
relations.
I cannot say 100% there is nothing wrong with homosexuality. I also can't,
however, also say the Bible says 100% what the church says it does about the
subject. I know I am not judged by my temptations. I know that I am not more
dangerous, as mark said, than a murderer or theif. I just want to live my
life and serve God the best I can. If other people want to tell me I'm
wrong. That's their business. I know I love God. I know Christ has saved and
redeeemed me. And the judgement of fellow believers cannot take that away.
And that is where the church falls short a lot, by ostracising people for
admitting the very attraction to someone of the same sex, even if they
struggle to stay pure. Promiscuous sexual behaviour is wrong by any
standard, gay or straight. But it is over-looked and tolerated by straights.
Where even a monogamous relationship between gays is not. I think that is a
dichotomy the church at large should deal with. I am not asking that you
give me license to sin and get a "get into heaven free" card. Just admit
that I struggle with sin and temptation the same as you. I am not deserving
of judgement anymore than you because of my desires. That, essentially, I
want the same thing as you - to love and be loved. That we all sin a great
deal making sense of our sex organs. And let's extend each other a little
grace and love each other in the name of Christ and let God worry about
who's sinning and who's not.
BSC