"You
brought up points that are hard for me to think about, but I believe
they are worthy of consideration. You see, I can experience
gossiping, lying, and cheating. Without prayer and watchfulness I can
get involved in these things. But I could not even consider
homosexuality. The very thought is revolting to me."
And that seems to be a very common feeling and the
basis of most of the homophobia that is out
there. I submit that the thought of gossiping, lying, and cheating
should be at least as revolting to Christians. After all, more people
get hurt thereby.
"How do you think
someone becomes homosexual?"
Your question implies that all are born heterosexual
and some "become" homosexual somewhere along the way. I
believe that implication to be somewhat inaccurate. There is some
pretty compelling evidence to indicate that many, if not most,
homosexuals are indeed "born that way." For a little broader
treatment see "How
Do People Become Gay?" [back to top]
"But God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah
because of this sin."
This is perception is based totally on tradition
but cannot be proven by the biblical text. By the time the inhabitants
of Sodom threatened to rape Lot's guests, God had already pronounced
judgment upon them, and the rest of the Bible does not mention
homosexuality in regard to Sodom. For a more exhaustive
treatment of the subject, see my separate essay on "Sins
of Sodom."
"God pronounces
the death penalty in the Torah for such behavior. It is hard for me to
believe that He made someone this way."
I don't believe God made them this way. Neither
would I say that "God made him that way" for other
hereditary characteristics. We live in the land of the enemy, and
there is much that is unfair and much that is excruciatingly painful.
It's not an easy road for homosexual people, but they deserve a hand
of friendship from their Christian brothers and sisters, and they need
to know that God loves them unconditionally -- just as He loves you
and me. Too often Christians have said by their attitude, if not by
their words, that "God hates fags." [back
to top]
"Whenever someone dies,
from my understanding of Scripture, they get a new body, but not a new
character (thoughts and feelings). If a man is to die a
homosexual he would still have homosexual desires in the kingdom of
God?"
H'mm . . . he would be in no worse shape than the
heterosexual man who still had heterosexual desires in heaven, would
he? After all, Jesus said there would be no marriage in heaven.
(Matthew 22:30) Judging by which "sins" would be most
out of place in heaven, I would rank dishonesty, pride and selfishness
far above homosexuality, as they have far more negative effects on
one's "neighbors" -- especially since the problem of sexual
activity would seem to be eliminated.
One of the problems seems to be that I may be seeing
salvation as happening quite differently than you do. I see that we
are saved by grace through faith alone -- not by works, lest anyone
should boast. What we do is simply an evidence of whom we trust
and love. Thus the state of our our heart allegiance is far more
important to God than our physical activity. And that means the reasons
we do things are more important than what we do. That also means, of
course, that if we choose to sin "because God will forgive,"
God knows that in our hearts we love ourselves better than we love
Him. Thus it is certainly not a matter of "lowering the
standard" to speak of heart service.)
If someone engages in homosexual activity in knowing
defiance of what he understands to be God's direct commandments, s/he
is thereby separating her/himself from God -- just as much as you or I
would separate ourselves from God by choosing our own way instead of
God's. For instance, I'm a Seventh-day Adventist, and
substituting Sunday for the seventh-day Sabbath is not an option
because I believe that God set aside the seventh day as a memorial of
creation and a symbol of redemption as well as a special time to
fellowship with Him. Choosing a different day would be an act of
rebellion for me. But it is not so for my Sunday-keeping Christian
friends who are not thus convicted. I believe that some homosexual
Christians serve God in all sincerity and love their homosexual
partners with devotion without being convicted on the subject of
sexual activity. God is working with them in other areas of their
lives, and it's not my business to judge them. [back
to top]
"Of course, we will be in a theocratic form
of government then and no practicing homosexuals will be allowed
whenever the law of God is the law of the land."
As I suggested above, Jesus indicated that there
wouldn't be any "practicing heterosexuals" either. So the
question seems to be a moot one.
"So,
I cannot believe that God created anyone with homosexual
desires."
As I suggested above, the way we are born has much to
do with the great laws of heredity and the degeneration of the human
race. And thus we cannot say that God created us individually
"that way." Whether or not you believe that homosexuals are
"born that way" doesn't change facts -- unfortunately. Would
you also say that you cannot believe that some were born with selfish
desires? Do you believe that He created men with the tendency to be
attracted to women even if they aren't married to them?
"You wrote, 'If Jesus
were here and we brought a gay person before Him, I'm sure His words
would be the same as then: "Let him that is without sin cast the
first stone." And His piercing look would convict us of our own
sins. Then He could ask again, "Where are your accusers?'"
But you did not finish the story, He then said, 'Go, and sin no
more.'"
Indeed. And He says the same to you and me. His
commandment to "Judge not, that you be not judged" indicates
to me that one of the "sins" we should do no more is to
judge our brothers and sisters regarding their relationship to God.
You see, I can't always be sure of what sin He's
convicting my brothers and sisters. Can you? So I conclude that the
safest and best thing I can do is to introduce them to my Savior --
the One who reads hearts and sends His Holy Spirit to convict of sin,
and of righteousness and of judgment. I wouldn't want my blundering
self to get in the way of His work.
The Apostle Paul admonishes us, "Test yourselves
to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!" That
is always safe advice, for we can not know the state of heart of
another nor the delicate strands by which they still hold on to life
and trust in God. [back to top]
