Frequently Asked, and Other Questions
Homosexuality
Q. I am taking an . . . public speaking class and have been assigned to a debate on Homosexuality.I am part of the Affirmative team, who has to argue that Homosexuals should not be denied the right to adopt children. I need some religious background on this topic,e.g.) whether it is still believed that it is against the bible to be gay, and whether it should also be against the bible for gay people to adopt. Where does the bible stand on this issue. I know that it says vanity, selfishness, hatred, envy, and discrimination are all sins, however, we as humans commit these sins more than we'd like to admit. So is it any different if we commit homosexuality? Please get back to me as soon as possible, my debate takes place on . . . . Thank you for your time, . . .Response:
Perhaps we can help you in several ways here. First, to understand what you are up against and to answer "whether it is still believed that it is against the bible to be gay, ".
The Bible is not an authority unto itself. It is the "Manufacturers Operating and Maintenance Instructions" and "Warranty" that is provided to us for the care and maintenance and successful operation of our bodies, including our minds.
The authority lies with God who created us and gave us the Bible as instructions and as a recorded example of what happens when we do "right" by his standards (and receive blessings and eternal life) or do "wrong" by his standards (and receive cursings and eternal death) (See Deu. 30:15, 19).All specific mention of homosexuality in scripture shows it to be condemned by God. The first is the account of Sodom and Gommorah, (from which it became known as "sodomy") and in this account it is the only "sin" mentioned. (Gen. 18:20, 19:1-13, all scriptures are KJV unless noted otherwise).
It is specifically condemned in Lev. 18:22, "You shall not lie with mankind as with womankind: it is an abomination." This is in the middle of a list of sexual sins including incest, adultery, fornication, bestiality, and child sacrifice by burning them alive, verses 6-30.
The penalty was death, Lev. 20:13.
It is condemned in Deu. 23:17-18, (the "price of a dog, in the context of "the hire of a whore", refers to male prostitution).
It is also mentioned as "wickedness" in Judges 19:16-25. It is called "sodomy" in 1 Kings 14:24 and is referred to as an "abomination". Asa is declared righteous for "taking away the sodomites out of the land" (killing them or driving them out) and for putting an end to idolatry, 1 Kings 15:11-12. Lesbians appear to be included in the term "sodomites" as seen in 2 Kings 23:3-7.
Paul, a prominent teacher of Christianity, shows that both homosexuality and lesbianism were still condemned after Christ's death and resurrection, Rom. 1:22-32. He also mentions it in a list of sins in 1 Tim. 1:10.
Those who do not repent of these sins shall not inherit the kingdom or eternal life. "Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous , nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Cor. 6:9-10.There are some "churches" and some "ministers" who accept homosexuality. Some refer to certain scriptures regarding David and regarding Christ and express their opinion that these men had homosexual relationships with others. This requires reading meaning "into" the scriptures. It also requires that one ignore all the above scriptures as they cannot be explained away.
Please note that we are not condemning anyone here. Every man or woman condemns himself by his own wrong choices. We didn't write the Book, we just point out the obvious. We are all free to choose blessing or cursing, life or death. We encourage everyone to take God's advice and choose life.