What Does The Bible Say About Homosexuality?

Hey Setanta ☺

But yes, we try to be.

Thanks Anthony, you haven't offended me. I'm already familiar with the church's distinction between homosexuality vs "the act". However in real life homosexuality and "the act" are inseparable. Most objection to either is religiously based and, I don't know how much you've dealt with it personally, but it does not end in a happy "live and let live" situation. As I said before, what makes it all the more difficult is that there is no debate to be had. When the protest over gay rights arise we are debating different issues so agreement is not possible. Your debate is about whether your scripture allows it. Our debate is about the evidence of why homosexuality does not cause harm and should therefore be recognised as equal. No matter what evidence is there, the fact that religious people have a belief that their scripture is sacred, creates this unquestionable veto every time. I just want you understand this causes a lot of grief for people beyond your own church walls.

Correction, you're spouting your religion's interpretation of the Bible and deem it as the Scriptures speaking for themselves. What's more, you accept the other person's viewpoint as long as it conforms to your religion's viewpoint. Understood.

Yes. It says to throw rocks at them till they die. That is both disrespectful and a great deal of mistreatment.

Then there are more modern interpretations of the Bible that say we should ignore that stuff about slavery, killing gays and disrespectful teens, no longer shun women who are having their period as unclean etc.

But they still consider it a "sin" of choice, when science is pretty clear that there is a genetic component to it and logic makes it pretty clear that they aren't harming anyone.

These modern Christians try to "cure" homosexuals and inflict an enormous amount of mental anguish on innocent teenagers in their misguided attempts to "cure" them of their very sexual identity.

These Christians are responsible for the suicides, depressions and mental health issues they are causing by their intolerant, ignorant and wholly indefensible beliefs.

But there are other Christians still who reject all of this, and while it doesn't make sense to me to cling to the religion and just pretend all its warts aren't there it's a great deal better than the fundamentalists who preach otherwise.

Still, there is no "respectful" way to tell a person that due to the sexual identity they were born with and developed they are "sinners" and especially no way to "respectfully" share the core belief that Christians have, that if you don't believe what they do you will spend eternity burning in Hell. That is simply not in any context a respectful position to take no matter how you sugarcoat it.

If you believe that rejection of Christian beliefs damns you to eternal hellfire that is fundamentally a harsh, disrespectful and rude belief to be sharing with others.

For the record, JW's don't believe in a torturous hell. Instead, those condemned to hell will have their lives finally and permanently extinguished.

Not as harsh, but still a pretty rough belief to preach. I get their dilemma though if you really believe that you will want to tell others and prevent them from it, but at the same time it's a fundamentally harsh belief.

I greatly appreciate your candor and the dignified way you present your position. If only more people would behave this way when discussing such highly charged subjects. It would possibly lead to the end of conflict and war.

Same sex attraction is not necessarily sinful. It is homosexual acts which are forbidden. Could there be an underlying health reason?

Women are less likely to get infections if they only have lesbian sex.

The sun causes sun burn and skin cancer. You take precautions; the sun isn't immoral.

No, no Health reason here

The Bible condemns Homosexuality greatly but it wants all homosexuals to know God and avoid condemnation. The basis for respect in the Bible is that you are a human being made in the image of God, not that you are gay or straight or good at math.

Who cares?!

Excellent thought! Yes, the Creator does not desire any to be destroyed as 2 Peter 2:9 reveals. It is not the person that he hates but it is what the person does, how he lives that can put him at odds with his Creator. That he desires persons to come to know him and his standards and make changes so as to gain his approval is highlighted at 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. What Jehovah states there is not just limited to the lifestyle of homosexuality but encompasses any lifestyle or conduct that he does not approve of.

OK..this is my perspective of this topic. I am a avid reader of the Bible. There are certain chapters within the Bible that appeals to me as a person...not the whole book. From what I've gotten from reading it is that God never actually said anything about homosexuality from his mouth. Anything that was mentioned were from his disciples or some of his followers, never from him. Its just like spreading gossip to me...you know...if you hang out with someone and then they go back and tell someone else about what was discussed but then...they change up what was said or add their own interpretation to the story as a whole. This is how I interpret what was mentioned in the Bible in regards to homosexuality. What I also noticed is that if God had something to say...he had no problem speaking upon it . What God does speak a lot about is love...God is love and he loves us all. Also, homosexuality was very prevalent in those times as well.

i totally agree with you but on one thing: homosexual practices were common among the roman population in that time... anyway, i think all what is said in the bible is more about promiscous and sordid sexual behaviors in general than homosexuality in particular

For the record Jesus never said a word about GLBT's one way or the other, not a single word.

Well, remember to whom he was speaking. He was talking to a people that knew the Scriptures (Law). Thus it would not be necessary for him to expressly mention every subject. Note how well Jesus addressed this. Consider the Sermon on the Mont recorded in the book of Matthew.

Starting at chapter 5 and verses 27 and 28 Jesus addressed the subject of adultery. Note that in verse 27 he uses the expression: "You heard that it was said". In saying this Jesus was referring to the regular practice the Jews had of having the Law of Moses read to them in their Synagogues. The commandment he referenced regarding adultery is found in the book of Leviticus 18:20.

Being a master teacher, Jesus knew that as he stated things pertaining to certain portions of the Law, his audience would naturally call to mind other portions of the Law as well. For example, he knew they would also call to mind what is stated in verse 22 of that same chapter 18 of Leviticus where it clearly states: "You must not lie down with a male in the same way that you lie down with a woman. It is a detestable act."

Add to this the position Jesus took regarding the entire Law of Moses when he said earlier at Matthew 5:17: "Do not think I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets, I came, not to destroy, but to fulfill." This shows that Jesus was in complete agreement with everything the law taught, including what it states regarding homosexuality.

Yes, because he was speaking to a people who knew the Bible he did not have to specifically mention every subject, including homosexuality, for the people to understand God's position on the matter.

said- "Jesus said earlier at Matthew 5:17: "Do not think I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets, I came, not to destroy, but to fulfill."
This shows that Jesus was in complete agreement with everything the law taught, including what it states regarding homosexuality."
--------------------------------------------------

It seems to be something of a grey area. For example if the Old T was all the human race needed, why did God send Jesus to give us the NEW T?
And although the Old T prescribed death for adultery, we see Jesus rescuing an adulteress from the mob!
He also overuled the Old T's "eye for eye".
As for gays, there's no record of him having any interaction with them, but as he preached love and compassion I doubt if he wanted people to kill them as prescribed by the Old T.
People gladly took on board his enlightened approach-

"The law brought us to Christ like a schoolmaster,but now through Christ we are not under that schoolmaster" (Gal 3:22-25)
"The covenant of which Jesus is moderator is superior to the old one" (Heb 8:6-13)
"Jesus is worthy of more honour than Moses" (Heb 3:3)
"The first covenant had rules of worship, but Jesus's rules are not man-made" (Heb 9:1-15)
"Through Jesus we are saved, and not through Moses" (Acts 13:39)
"The law was given by Moses,but grace and truth came by Jesus" (John 1 :17)
"The epistle of Christ,written not in stone,but in the heart" (2 Cor 3:3)
(Heb 1:1/2)
"We serve in the new way of the spirit,not in the old way of the written code" (Rom 7:6)