According to the Bible, is homosexual orientation a choice or is it a punishment for pagan worship?

Question

[See Romans 1 21-27]

Speaking about Roman former Christians who have returned to pagan practices:

"...they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man -- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things....

....For this reason God gave them up to 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...

In other words, Paul's saying God turned them from heterosexual to gay as a punishment for worshipping the usual Roman pagan idols.

Is Paul's theory about what causes homosexual desires valid today?

Answer 1

ok here's my perspective for ya



firstly- that passage in romans in actually addressing jews. i know the book is 'to the romans' but if you follow paul's argument through he backs up the passage you quoted with "so who are you to judge the gentiles. you have god's law and you still disobey it...why don't you listen to your own preaching?" (paraphrased)



why i point that out is important. paul was trying to get the self righteous people who thought they were really moral and pleasing to god to realise that they are just like the 'homosexual pagans' that they condemn....everyone needs god's love and forgiveness and is crap at obeying god's rules.



so anyway- pauls argument in the passage quoted-

its not just refering to romans but to the state all mankind-



he says that God's existence and goodness is obvious but humans didn't want to serve god- they wanted to be god- which amounts to self worship.

that happened in the 'fall and happens in each persons life... not just 'gays or pagans'.



so anyway- that was the foundation of the sin- and then paul outlines the results of that....we worship what our hands have made...(idols of animals...our own created gods)...we worship our own bodies and place our personal desires above all else (the foundation of any sexual perversion- homosexual or otherwise)



if you read it carefully and you could study the greek if your keen...

you will see that god doesn't turn them gay...

he gives them what they wanted... he lets them deny his diety and he lets them have sex with whoever they want. he doesn't stop them. he gives them over to their passions. like a father who lets his adolescent son choose his own path in life even though he can see it is unhealthy and damaging and is going to cause his son pain...he must let his son make his own choices.



so- your question- is paul's theory about what causes homosexual desires valid today?

yeah. we are self centered creatures, all wanting to be the best. this causes all sorts of problems in the world. it causes people to be wounded by others. it causes people to desire do things that aren't what they were designed for.

Answer 2

Your real question should be why do you care what Paul said? Paul changed the words of Jesus and created the Christianity that you see today which is corrupted. Jesus would never say that and never said what you quoted. Jesus also didnt say to pray to him and that he is God. Son of God was said about many people in the Bible so applying that logic means you should pray to Solomon and David all of God's children which is all of mankind.



Homosexuality is not something you are born with. No where in science is that proven. No geneticist has found the 'gay' gene. So that is ridiculous. Homosexuality is a choice and when you make a choice that offends God then what else should you expect.



When you start following Jesus and not Paul then you will see the Bible for what it is. Full of contradictions and errors. Jesus's words have been twisted. His followers never worshipped him or told to worship but only that he is there to guide them and show them the truth which is God's words. Jesus said I speak not of my own words but of the words of God.

Answer 3

I like this question, I hope its a serious one.



Is it Valid today? No. I dont believe many Homosexuals would fall under the category of Christian turned Pagan.

Answer 4

"God gave them up" is allowing them to continue in their course, not imposing anything upon them. Either way, the end state follows adult choices, it doesn't say that they were born that way.



Worship of idols and same sex desires are linked. Gays tend to be focused on appearance (theirs or others), and in physique or fashion, they're basically recognized as having it all together. Remember "Queer Eye (for the Straight Guy)"? When people "look up to" other objects or other people, it's idolatry.

Answer 5

I think it is mostly by choice even those born with a tendency have a choice what they do. as a tanager I went through a time of thinking I would be better off gay but I did not follow it up and now am glade I did not but today's youth are being told it is all fine in this world I think by the time they realize it is not they will be to involved in it much harder to break free.

Answer 6

in college we are taught that the Greek encourage their soldiers to practice homosexuality. As for as Paul's theory being Valid I don't think it is.

Answer 7

I suppose you could twist the words of the Bible to say whatever you wanted to say.Every anti gay Christian does it already.So, why not this one as well.Doesn't make it any more correct of a translation then what they do though.

Answer 8

Stop disdaining in the name of the Lord. Pork is also forbidden, but no one is making a campaign for that.

Answer 9

I do not believe God punishes anymore. I believe that God tells us that being gay is a choice and an abomination before Him. Anyway, who do you know that is gay that worships pagan gods?

Answer 10

homosexuality is a gift from god for those who like to be bad otherwise they would have to be good all the time and we couldnt tell who they were so we wouldnt know to avoid them

Answer 11

Homosexuality is an abomination!

Answer 12

IT is STILL a choice*****PERIOD!!!