This post is inspired bya conversation I had with my wife the other day…
My wife works directly with at least three gays. At another location in town, there is at least one other whom we (my wife and I) have significant contact with. I have several friends who are either gay or bi-sexual. Living in Oregon for some time, I have had a tremendous amount of contact with the LGBT community – sometimes by choice, but usually because our paths just happen to cross. My wife works for a company that – in my experience – has a rather high number of gay employees – it’s just the nature of the company. I tend to spend a lot of time at various locations of this company. We are currently living in an area that is not very hospitable to the gay community…that really bothers us.
Recently, a co-worker ask my wife what it was that I was in school for. When she replied that I was in seminary with plans to become an ordained minister, he was taken aback. He asked, “So you’re pretty conservative then?”
“I’m pretty moderate.” My wife replied.
“Who do want for our next president?”
“I’m leaning toward Obama.”
“You’re not a republican?”
I’ve always found that to be an odd assumption. Here in west Michigan, when people find out we came from Oregon, the assumption is that we’re bleeding liberals who support everything the most liberal democrats push for. West Michigan is a very conservative, staunchly republican area of the country. I get a bit amusement out of telling people that I’m a pastor. That really confuses them – am I liberal or conservative? My wife and I tell people we’re pretty good moderates – we see strengths and weaknesses on both sides and we do our best not to take hardline stances on major societal issues.
The next question threw my wife for a loop, “So what do think about people like me and —- and —-?” (names withheld for obvious reasons)
This was the first time she had ever been asked this question so plainly. Although she stumbled through an impromptu answer, the basic gist was “I don’t have a problem with you as people. I respect you as the human beings you are. I don’t agree with the lifestyle, but I don’t condemn you simply for being gay.”
The co-worker seemed to let out a huge sigh relief at hearing her answer. He then went on to tell her about someone who was a part-time minister at a local congregation who looked him/her straight in the eye and said, “I believe you’re going to hell because you’re gay.”
This is where I get to my main point…
I know a few Christians who hold this very same idea. I know what proof texts they point to in order to defend their thinking. But let me be clear: Nowhere in Scripture will you find one single statement condemning being gay. What you will find, are plenty of statements condemning homosexual activity.
Some of my brother and sisters seem to be unable to make this distinction. That does absolutely nothing for the spreading of the Gospel. That does absolutely nothing to bring glory to God. That does absolutely nothing communicating the love of Christ for all people.
Leviticus 20:13 is a popular proof text that people use to condemn homosexuality:
“If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.”
This verse is often taken out of context and cited in exactly the same way I just did. Even the quickest of looks at this text will show just as clear as can be that all of Leviticus 20 is dealing with various sexual sins. It’s worth noting that verse 13 is the only prohibition directed at homosexuality; every other verse deals with heterosexual sexual immorality.
However, let me also make this clear: This does not in any way excuse certain individuals from engaging is sin of this sort. Gay members of this society are prohibited from engaging in the exact same activities straight people are prohibited from. The Bible prohibits a straight couple from sleeping together just as much as it prohibits a gay couple from sleeping together. Unfortunately, many overlook half the command.
What does this mean for how we as Christians are to treat gays? We show them the same love and grace God has shown those who believe in His son – gay or straight. Does that condone the actions? No more than it condones the actions of non-gays engaging in the same activities.
We all need Christ in our lives. Isn’t it about time the larger Christian community begins to act like it?
Filed under: Bible Study, Christian Living, Christianity, Evangelism, Ministry
stumbled across your blog… great post.
very interesting.
i’m adding in RSS Reader
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http://moleskinprojects.wordpress.com/
I’ve enjoyed perusing your blog. I agree with your main point re Christianity and homosexuality. My stand is similar. The sin is not in being homosexual, it is acting on your homosexuality. It grieves me that followers of Christ often treat gay people as being the wors of sinners. However, I believe the Bible is clear that marriage is a union between a man and a woman. I do not believe that “gay marriage” is in God’s design. What do you think?
Blessings to you.
I would fully agree, gay marriage is not permitted by Scripture. There’s a reality that marriage is the spiritual/relational/sexual union between a man and a woman. Scripture is clear about that. And for that reason I’m bound to only recognize, support, and approve of “traditional” marriages.
I’ve considered writing a follow-up post on this topic out of anticipation of the marriage issue being raised. I may still do that – but no promises.
In any case, thanks for stopping by.
Wow. Fascinating stuff. I wrestle with all this: what Christ would have us answer to the question posed to your wife.
A thought experiment that stopped me in my tracks:
What if the gender I was attracted to was prohibitted by God? (E.G. what if heterosexuality was an “abonimation”)
I believe that I was born attracted to the opposite sex. Tenatively, I accept the idea that some people are born attracted to the same sex.
I know that God tests and challenges us. I know that we all have thorns we’ll deal with. But if God gave me a thorn that size, I’m not sure that I could overcome it.
When I combine this consideration with the translation difficulties in the the words we translate as “homosexual”, with the differing culture contexts (e.g. “temple prostitution” is entirely a different issue than monogomous homosexuality) this gets more difficult for me to navigate.
And the fact is, we set up a certain situation: when we say to gay people “You can’t marry” and “Nobody should have sex outside of marriage” what we end up doing is setting up a catch 22. I understand that some people might feel that we cheapen the institution of marriage. What they don’t realize is that we’ve cheapened the value of monogomy already… By saying “You can’t have a legitimate relationship” we’ve given them no reason to buy into related values, such as abstinance outside of commitment.
Jesus spoke explicitly about divorce. Yet me make room in our churches for divorcees, as we should. But somehow we leave the LGBT community in the cold.
The best I can do has lots of problems. For whatever it’s worth, this is how I see as the appropriate Christian response to homosexuality (which on the ground doesn’t differ much from yours, I think)
1) Cultivate an inclusive environment that gay people would feel welcomed in.
2) Admit the ambiguity I see in the scriptures.
3) Challenge people to seriously confront the scriptures, and to listen to the Holy Spirit.
In the end, I just don’t see a way to look into somebody’s heart and determine whether homosexuality is a thing to overcome or a part of ourselves that God made. I think the person might determine this for themselves, though…
Hey Jeff, Thanks for stopping by and thanks for your comment.
I’ve been asked before by other Christians if I believe God creates people gay or not. My answer is usually, “I don’t think I have to take a stand on the issue.” Ultimately, I just don’t know. I don’t think the Bible tells us. I think the Bible condemns certain actions (which some people struggle with more than others) that are ultimately meant to represent the relationship between Christ and the Church, and the members of the Trinity to one another. Actions that are meant to be two people coming together “as one flesh.” I want to say that however God created you is how he created you. He did so because He has a particular purpose for you to fulfill. The Calvinist in me wants to say that the purpose ultimately comes down to “some for salvation, some for damnation” all to bring glory to God. I don’t think sexual orientation automatically condemns one to a certain “purpose.”
Thanks for your thoughts. I’ll mull those over. It’s a really tough issue.
You’re right, it is a tough issue. Lots and lots of Biblical wisdom required. The problem though is that we’re all flawed and we all screw this stuff up. Being gay doesn’t automatically condemn someone to hell (the “purpose” I was referring to above). If fact, I’ve known several gays who I have no doubt in my mind are going to be in heaven. I also don’t want to say that their salvation is dependent upon the lifestyle they choose to engage in (by “choose” I mean the actions of “messin’ around” or even sex; one chooses to engage in those activities). The jury is still out with me in determining whether or not a gay person can be in a monogamous relationship and still be faithful to Scripture. I know many who would say absolutely not…I just don’t feel as though I have the ability to make that decision yet. I’m still growing in that area.
[...] Painful Lesson 2 03 2008 It may be helpful to read my post “Christianity and Homosexuality” for some background information before reading this [...]