Yet another question for Christians about Homosexuality?

Question

I have only recently become Christian, I grew up in an atheist family and basically raised to be completely accepting of someone who is gay. I strongly supported gay marriage before, then once I became Christian all I heard from other Christians was that homosexual actions are wrong and sinful and also that marriage is meant to be between a woman. I realise that the Bible is very clear about those topics but the thing is, after years of learning to be accepting of someone's sexuality and life style if they are gay, it really makes it hard to follow those things. I'm not gay but I have a few bisexual friends.

So here's my question: What is a homosexual meant to do to be happy? Living a life of celibacy can be very depressing and lonely and doesn't the Bible say people are not meant to be alone or something? Also some people say homosexuals should just marry someone of the opposite gender but I don't feel like that is very good for either of them because marriage is about making the other person happy. It would be difficult to make them happy if you're not physically and/or mentally attracted to them.

If you are a gay Christian or a Christian who supports gay rights then I have another question for you: How do you justify that from a Christian point of view?

Answer 1

Why not ask that same kind of question of drug addiction, or alcoholism, or any other lifestyle that is not acceptable to the Lord? Why always pick on all them poor homosexuals all the time?



By the way, there is a program, called Teen Challenge (not just for teens any more), who use Biblical precepts to help people be set free of their life-controlling problems.



Also, remember that God has NEVER rejected a repentant sinner (including, but not limited to, homosexuals), but homosexuals reject God - and that, continuously.



N

Answer 2

Solve the bisexual thing first. Can someone in that situation not be a sinner by definition. To be multiply attracted cannot excuse what is promiscuity by any definition.



I don't see that you have to do anything but be their friend, their true friend. At some point they might say (as people on here do constantly) If you are my friend you will accept what I do.



That is where your reason and faith come in. You accept yourself and you do many wrong things, correct ? but that never means that you have to say the wrong you did was actually right.

Answer 3

A good, thoughtful question.



For myself, I have decided that it is possible to separate my relational Christianity from my personal viewpoint. I believe it is wrong to make a judgment on someone for any reason. Their spirituality and conviction is between them and the Holy Spirit. I should have nothing to do with it.



Personally, I believe homosexuality is not God's desire for His children. For myself, I would consider it sin to practise a homosexual lifestyle, were I to find myself with homosexual tendencies. (Coping with a "thorn in the flesh" is not something I'll discuss here - I'll just say that everyone I know has a "thorn in the flesh" of some kind or other, including myself.)



As for choice - I think that already we're discovering that there's a range of reasons why people are homosexual. It's not black-and-white. Some choose to be (a small number) whereas some are "born that way" and others are led into it by conditioning (a good number become homosexual through early homosexual experiences/abuse by members of the same sex). So I don't think we can be dogmatic about the reasons.



A long running world-wide study on identical twins (with a very large number of participants) has shown that only a third of identical twins whose twin is homosexual also turn out to be homosexual. So the tendency is not necessarily genetic. Of that one-third, it is perhaps genetic, but perhaps not - depending on the other factors which could have influenced the person.



God doesn't make a person homosexual, as some have said. It is something the enemy has done to us. Just as some people have cystic fibrosis or NF or other problems, either genetic or acquired.



People get very emotional/angry about this topic. And indeed it's a very sensitive one. But we're not going to learn the truth or become more sympathetic individuals by allowing ourselves to get carried away by emotions.



In the end, only God knows a person's make-up. I am so glad He is the judge and not some of the people I know! Two of my good friends are homosexual, and although I am sad about that (it hasn't been an easy road for them) it hasn't altered my feelings for them and I appreciate them as deeply as my heterosexual friends.

Answer 4

In Genesis, long before Leviticus was instigated, God said of his creation of man, "And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." (Genesis 2:18)



God said that humans should not be on their own. By God's word, we are allowed to find a companion (help) suitable (meet) for us.



Note that Genesis does not say that the companion for Adam must be a woman. God only stated "a help meet for him". For Adam, that suitable companion was Eve, who happened to be a woman. But for the gay guy named Adam down the road, the suitable companion could very well be named Steve.



Also, when it comes to laws, remember that Jesus (who is God) said that with his death, the old canon laws no longer apply to Christians. Old canon laws (including Leviticus) were only for the Jews. Christians follow the new laws. For example, Jesus said, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Matthew 5:38-39). This is in direct contradiction to what God stated in Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, and Deuteronomy 19:21. So why would Jesus tell us to ignore the same rule, in 3 different books from Scripture, a rule that was implemented by God, unless we were meant to?



Also, what did Jesus ever say about homosexuals? Nothing whatsoever. The only ones Jesus condemned were the salesmen and moneylenders who used the temple as their market grounds. Nobody else, no matter what sins they committed, were condemned by Jesus. He did not condemn the adulterous woman (John 8:11), he did not condemn rich tax collectors like Zacchaeus (Luke 19). So why do some people think they have the right to condemn homosexuals in the name of Jesus, when even Jesus did not condemn us?

Answer 5

My personal opinion, The Bible was written in a time where Zeus made lightning and Raptor Jesus commanded the dinosaurs, people also were grossed out about homosexuals back then. Times are different now and being a homosexual is completely natural, you are born that way from antibodies seeing the fetus as a foreign object yada yada yada. (look it up.) Anyone who says homosexuality is wrong probably isn't used to it and can't accept new things. Just because we could beat our wives back then, doesn't mean we do that now. Just saying.



I'm an atheist, and I just personally find the Bible's teachings to be wrong, they should update the Bible to be less "hitting your baby's head into a rock" sort of book.

Answer 6

This is a hard question to answer because as human beings, we all have a sin nature. If everyone was brought up to really love and listen to Jesus, there would be no problems but, we aren't. I strongly believe that those who have chosen to be other than strait, do so because of their upbringing, the lack of parents who really love God or them and involving themselves with pornographic literature, thoughts, movies and situations with other people.



If one has experienced these things, it has pulled them away from God just as any sin does.



When a person begins to realize that they are not alone. They have a friend in Jesus and Christian friends who want to live for Him, it will help them to overcome their problems.



What we think about and practice is how we live and who we are.

Answer 7

You hit the nail on the head.

It is exactly for those reasons that many gay people feel that Christianity has failed them. To believe that something so deeply ingrained in a persons nature will condemn them to hell just fills a gay person with self loathing.



For those that retain their faith, it is done by closely examining the scriptures, the context, the original language, and the cultural needs and expectations of the time that they were written.



The guy in the link is a gay Christian who provides all the counter claims for homosexuality being a sin.

Answer 8

Unfortunately you had a bad upbringing. You can be overcome it. It's your responsibility. Most people do not overcome a bad habit until calamity strikes. Lets hope you beat the odds.



No use in quoting scripture in your case. If you are a born-again Christian, baptized in water and/or the Holy Ghost, then you should have the strength and desire to live in according to Gods will. If you don't have the will power or mindset, then you are no Christian.



Life with God is not a club, and you can't just pick your favorite topics. Unfortunately modern society has corrupted the masses; especially the young and gullible.

Answer 9

So, so sad that turning Christian automatically causes you a human rights problem!



Is it a sect or cult you have joined?



HOMOPHOBIA: irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals. - - - - - - - - Please note this is a psychiatric definition!



Primitive religion has always lagged behind the improvement in moral attitudes and that is what these people are doing to Christianity – making it primitive!



There were people who opposed the abolition of slavery, emancipation for women, the banning of discrimination of women, the attempts to eradicate racism and now the need to eradicate homophobia!



Taking one sin to indulge in intolerance, hatred, bigotry, homophobia and persecution will never be acceptable in the eyes of God!



Anglican leaders from around the world have clearly stated their opposition to the "victimization or diminishment" of gays and lesbians, saying demonizing and persecuting them was "totally against Christian charity and basic principles of pastoral care".



"We say that no one should have to live in fear because of the bigotry of others."



The Mormons poured millions into forcing through prop 8 in CA: to ban gay marriage. In August 2010 the court held that to be unconstitutional. On 15 June 2011 the San Francisco court upheld that decision because it violates the constitutional rights of citizens. On 7 February 2012 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck the California law again finding that the California state constitution banning same-sex marriage violated principles of due process and equal protection under the law.



The court found that the ban violates equality laws to target a minority group and withdraw a right that it possessed, without a legitimate reason for doing so. Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California. The constitution simply does not allow for laws of this sort.



The Supreme Court upheld the early court decision. Thus anyone married in any state or country where gay marriage is legal is legally married in all American states and most countries in the world!



Gay marriage is now legal virtually everywhere and that will be marriage and not civil partnership!



In the UK The intolerance, bigotry and homophobia from Christians resulted in it being classed as a hate crime with severe sentences. It has led to the government framing legislation which if enacted will replace "Civil Partnership" with full marriage. France, New Zealand, Spain and ten other countries have legalized gay marriage and others have commenced legislating to do so!



The loving god works in mysterious ways.

Answer 10

Some gay Christians believe that God does not want them to be sexually active, so they choose to be celibate. Many others choose to date and marry just like straight Christians, with the only difference being the gender of the person.



Someone gave me this article and I thought it was pretty good. I'm straight but I think gay is not a choice.



http://www.gaychristian.net/faq.php

Answer 11

The original in the Hebrew Bible says: (Leviticus 18:22) And with a male, thou shalt not lie down in a woman's bed; it is an abomination (to'evah). A taboo, therefore, like not shaking hands with a woman in case she is menstruating. A woman's bed was her own property and even her husband was not always allowed into it. Leviticus is a list of rules for Jewish priests, not for ordinary folk.

“To’evah“ is explained by rabbinical authorities as "making a mistake" - hardly a sin).

Subsequent translations into Greek, Latin and English translate it wrongly and manage to include a condemnation of homosexuality into it. The Emperors Theodosius II and Justinian picked this up and included the condemnation in Roman law, primarily so that they could use it against men they wanted get rid of, the first one being a gay bishop of Alexandria.sexuality is absolutely forbidden, for it is an enormous sin"

New Living Translation (1996): "Do not practice homosexuality; it is a detestable sin.

A “mistake” has become an “abomination” (meaning something Jewish priests should not do).

Then “abomination” becomes “an enormous sin”

and “a detestable sin” all In stages easily swallowed by the gullible, who couldn't or wouldn't read for themselves.

The "living Bible" is a joke, by the way. It reduces the scene between David and Jonathan where they wept and kissed and David “exceeded“ and they then went on to discuss their semen to - wait for it - "they shook hands".

Ruth 1:14, referring to the relationship between Ruth and Naomi, mentions that "Ruth clave onto her." (KJV) The Hebrew word translated here as "clave" is identical to that used in the description of a heterosexual marriage in Genesis .

When Saul of Tarsus set about his takeover of the early Christian churches, he found them all practising a form of Christianity older than his new project. They also allowed women to speak in church and sex between men and men and between women and women. He fired off some managerial directives to Corinth and Rome to get them to stop that, because he hated all forms of sex,as he admitted.

However, it is clear that what those churches were practising was the original form of Christianity as preached by Jesus, and it condoned homosexual relationships.

So what's your problem? I reckon it's preacher talk that got to you and those deliberately falsified1946 American “translations“ of the bible.

Answer 12

People are tempted to do different things. some people are tempted to be alchoholics, to commit adultery, to steal, to engage in homosexual relationships, etc...But just because someone desires to do something, doesn't mean they should give into that temptationn and do it. The Bible clearly teaches that God designed sex and marriage to be between a man and a woman. We as Christians should love everyone, including those who struggle with homosexual temptation, but we should not approve of homosexual relationships.

Answer 13

Well, I will speak from what I've learned from my gay Christian friends. The way they justify it is that the Bible says men can't have sex with each other (well, that's how they are interpreting it, anyways) and my friends are all virgins, so they aren't sinning....yet. :O

Answer 14

I would prefer they not get married in a church, thus desecrating the Bible's teachings. If they want to marry in a civil ceremony, fine. And I wish there was a different term for civil marriages and those performed under the auspices of a religion.

Answer 15

It sounds like you are in a Bible thumping faith. With many of them they seem to think homosexuality is not a part of human nature, and by doing so they also seem to be trying to prove that mercy and understanding is not part of it either. There are many Christian faiths that openly accept homosexuals. Episcopalian is one.

Answer 16

Jesus had the answer when he said even pagan kings love their own , and no doubt gang leaders as well , but that doesn't make them right

Answer 17

A homosexual, as anyone who desires to do something other than what God commands, must retrain themselves to desire what God commands.



A thief must now be honest and work.

A liar must now tell the truth

ETC.

Answer 18

When the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD truly dwells inside you - you desire the things of GOD!

Answer 19

god created poofs, so he must be ok with them