Can Christians Be Homosexuals?
The issue of whether Christians can be homosexuals is hotly debated today. Those who say “No” to this question are often labeled as “narrow-minded,” “bigoted,” “homophobic,” “hateful,” “divisive,” etc.
Make no mistake about it, God loves people! “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NASB). But, does God’s love and concern for everyone mean that people have carte blanche to act any way they want without consequences? “The Lord . . . doesn’t want to destroy anyone but wants all people to have an opportunity to turn to him and change the way they think and act” (2 Peter 3:9 GWT). No, “each of us will give an account of ourselves to God” (Romans 14:12 NIV).
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, reiterated God’s standard for marriage, that “the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘for this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh'” (Matthew 19:4,5 NIV). Almighty God’s standard for marriage, Jesus said, is between a man and his wife, male and female. “Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching'” (John 14:23 NIV).
First, we’ll look at a BBC article which addresses various views of the issue of “What does Christianity say about homosexuality?”:
BBC article:
“Attitudes towards same-sex relationships
What does Christianity say about homosexuality?
Most Church statements that deal with homosexuality only refer to male homosexuality, but the same principles can apply to lesbians.
There are great divisions within the Christian community on this issue, with the Roman Catholic Church and some sections of the churches holding very similar views.
The main arguments for and against homosexuality
Arguments against homosexuality:
- God made male and female according to the to complete each other and to . Even if the couple are unable to have children, the sexual union is theoretically open to the production of children.
- The natural order represented in nature is for male and female to unite.
- Homosexual practice is forbidden in the book of , “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death.” (Leviticus 20:13).
- In some of Saint Paul’s letters included in the Bible, he condemns homosexuality as “unrighteous” and claims that men who practice homosexuality will not inherit the .
Arguments in favour of homosexuality:
- Simply because a sexual union cannot result in children, it is not right to forbid any action that is a physical expression of genuine love.
- Homosexuals are simply following their natural instincts. This is how God created them, so they should not be condemned.
- There is evidence of homosexual activity throughout the animal kingdom.
- There are many laws in the Bible that would not be accepted now because the nature of society has changed, eg capital punishment and slavery. We should not be restricted by ancient standards.
- Some people believe that Saint Paul’s comments were about male prostitutes, not homosexuality in general.
What does this mean in practice?
Most Christian churches hold the position that you should love the sinner, but hate the sin. This is generally interpreted to mean that Christians should show love and compassion to homosexuals, but that homosexuals should not engage in sexual activity. This is because most churches teach that sex should only happen within marriage between a man and a woman.
The Roman Catholic Church states:
This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided … Homosexual people are called to chastity.
The Quaker view on homosexuality is accepting:
Where there is a genuine tenderness, an openness to responsibility, and the seed of commitment, God is surely not shut out. Can we not say that God can enter any relationship in which there is a measure of selfless love? … To reject people on the grounds of their sexual behaviour is a denial of God’s creation.
Most Christians will take a position somewhere between these two views.
Some churches offer support to homosexuals in leading a life, while others readily accept openly homosexual people in positions of authority. However, few Christian groups will give a definitive statement on the issue as it would cause divisions within the community. “– End of BBC article quote
Christians are exhorted to, “Do your best to present yourself to God as a tried and true worker who isn’t ashamed to teach the word of truth correctly” (2 Timothy 2:15 GWT). That is, Christians should honestly and accurately teach “the word of truth,” the Bible, not distorting it.
BBC article:
LGBTQ+ church bid: ‘I was told being gay would send you to hell’
Betty Harper is so “sick and tired” of trying to find a church where she feels truly welcomed as a gay woman that she is planning to start her own.
The 21-year-old charity worker from Llanddulas, Conwy county, is engaged to her partner of two years. Both are Christians who want to find somewhere accepting to practise their faith but have so far not found what they are looking for locally.
Betty has travelled a long road to accepting her sexuality. Raised in a “very, very strict” Christian household, the message she heard growing up was that same-sex relationships were sinful.
But she knew from an early age that was what she wanted.
She explains: “When I was younger I felt different to my friends. I wasn’t attracted to the boys [but] I was attracted to the girls.” — End of BBC article quote
What does the Bible tell us?
“Don’t you know that wicked people won’t inherit the kingdom of God? Stop deceiving yourselves! People who commit sexual sins , who worship false gods, those who commit adultery, homosexuals, or thieves, those who are greedy or drunk, who use abusive language, or who rob people will inherit the kingdom of God”—1 Corinthians 6:9,10 GWT
Some don’t like what the scriptures say, and claim that the Greek words do not really refer to homosexuals. The Greek words rendered “homosexual” above, more literally translate to “men who have sex with men” (1 Corinthians 6:9 NIV). (The words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.—NIV footnote)
The scriptures quoted above warn us not to ‘deceive ourselves into thinking that people God considers to be wicked will inherit his kingdom.’ Among the examples listed are “homosexuals.”
“Church of England backs services for gay couples
Gay couples will be able to have special services of blessing in Church of England parishes for the first time.
The services, while not formal weddings, will be able to include the wearing of rings, prayers, confetti and a blessing from the priest.
The amendment to back the services on a trial basis passed the Church’s parliament by one vote.
The Church of England’s official teaching is that marriage is only between one man and one woman.
Earlier this year, bishops refused to back a change in teaching which would have allowed priests to marry same-sex couples, but said they would allow prayers of blessings for people in gay relationships as part of wider services.
It had been thought approval for standalone services might not come for well over a year from now.
But Wednesday’s vote, which passed narrowly in the General Synod, the Church’s legislative body, means distinct services of blessing could now be allowed, rather than simply prayers within a normal church service.”–End of BBC article quote
What does the Bible say?
“God allowed their lusts to control them. As a result, the dishonor their bodies by sexual perversion with each other. These people have exchanged God’s truth for a lie. So they have become ungodly . . . Their women have exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. Likewise, their men have given up natural sexual relations with women and burn with lust for each other. Men commit indecent acts with men, so they experience among themselves the punishment they deserve for their perversion. And because they thought it was worthless to acknowledge God, God allowed their own immoral minds to control them. So they do these indecent things”—Romans 1:24-28 GWT
Thus, God’s clear and unequivocal unfavorable view of homosexuality is expressed in these scriptures.
BBC article:
“Pope says Roman Catholic priests can bless same-sex couples
Pope Francis has allowed priests to bless same-sex couples, a significant advance for LGBT people in the Roman Catholic Church.
The leader of the Roman Catholic Church said priests should be permitted to bless same-sex and “irregular” couples, under certain circumstances.
But the Vatican said blessings should not be part of regular Church rituals or related to civil unions or weddings.
It added that it continues to view marriage as between a man and a woman.
Pope Francis approved a document issued by the Vatican announcing the change on Monday. The Vatican said it should be a sign that “God welcomes all”, but the document says priests must decide on a case-by-case basis.
Introducing the text, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, the prefect of the Church, said that the new declaration remained “firm on the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage”.
But he added that in keeping with the Pope’s “pastoral vision” of “broadening” the appeal of the Catholic Church, the new guidelines would allow priests to bless relationships still considered sinful.”—End of BBC article quote
What does the Bible say?
“They use God’s kindness as an excuse for sexual freedom and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. What happened to Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities near them is an example for us of the punishment of eternal fire. The people of these cities suffered the same fate that God’s people and the angels did, because they committed sexual sins and engaged in homosexual activities”—Jude 1:4,7 GWT
God’s viewpoint of sexual sins such as homosexuality has not changed. What did the people of Sodom and Gomorrah do that was so bad? “The people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD” (Genesis 13:13 NIV). Specifically, what was so bad? “They committed sexual sins and engaged in homosexual activities.” The Bible gives us a specific example of this. “The men of Sodom, both young and old, everyone without exception, surrounded the house. They called to Lot: ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we may have intercourse with them'” (Genesis 19:4,15 REB).
BBC article:
“The evolutionary puzzle of homosexuality
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Published By William Kremer, BBC World Service
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s hit song Same Love, which has become an unofficial anthem of the pro-gay marriage campaign in the US, reflects how many gay people feel about their sexuality.
It mocks those who “think it’s a decision, and you can be cured with some treatment and religion – man-made rewiring of a predisposition”. A minority of gay people disagree, maintaining that sexuality is a social construct, external, and they have made a conscious, proud choice, external to take same-sex partners.
But scientific opinion is with Macklemore. Since the early 1990s, researchers have shown that homosexuality is more common in brothers and relatives on the same maternal line, and a genetic factor is taken to be the cause. Also relevant – although in no way proof – is research identifying physical differences in the brains of adult straight and gay people, and a dizzying array of homosexual behaviour in animals.
But since gay and lesbian people have fewer children than straight people, a problem arises.
“This is a paradox from an evolutionary perspective,” says Paul Vasey from the University of Lethbridge in Canada. “How can a trait like male homosexuality, which has a genetic component, persist over evolutionary time if the individuals that carry the genes associated with that trait are not reproducing?”
Scientists don’t know the answer to this Darwinian puzzle, but there are several theories. It’s possible that different mechanisms may be at work in different people. Most of the theories relate to research on male homosexuality. The evolution of lesbianism is relatively understudied – it may work in a similar way or be completely different.”—End of BBC article quote
What does the Bible say?
Homosexuals often claim they were born that way, but scientific evidence does not support that idea. In fact, evolutionary theory, which most homosexuals believe, claims the doctrine of “survival of the fittest.” Since homosexual behavior cannot produce offspring, the idea that homosexuality is inherited, or that people were born that way, is debunked on the face of it. The Bible is clear that:
“God created human beings in his own image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase'”—Genesis 1:27,28 REB
Humans were created “male and female” by Almighty God, not homosexual, and designed and encouraged to reproduce offspring. Homosexual behavior cannot result in reproduction of offspring. The Bible, God’s Word, refers to homosexual activity as being “unnatural” (Romans 1:25 NASB; NIV).
Northern Ireland News Letter article:
It is considered to be OK to change your sex but not to change your sexual orientation