The standard response from the Christian standpoint is that homosexuality is a personal choice. It is a sin, and those that live a homosexual lifestyle will be condemned to an eternity in hell. On the other side of the fence are the homosexual advocates and activists who claim that extensive scientific studies conducted over the past few decades have proven beyond all doubt that homosexuality is an inherited epigenetic trait, that homosexuals have no choice and no control over whether or not they are homosexual. They are simply born that way.
In a response to a recent Facebook post regarding the impact a pro-same sex marriage ruling by the Supreme Court could feasibly have on Christian schools, I received some interesting pro-homosexual (and anti-Christian) comments. Rather than lay them out as a series of similarly worded individual comments made by multiple individuals, I have, for the sake of clarity and space, simply combined them into one cohesive pro-homosexual argument.
“It is about time that they quit persecuting folks [homosexuals] who God made to be the way they are. In some societies, they are considered almost sacred and certainly special. I have two couples who are good friends, they have been together longer than any of their 'married' brothers and sister who have been married and divorced a couple of times. This isn't a choice people are making. A simple conversation about it with someone who is gay, or reading the science on the subject, will make this very clear. It is in their nature. It is not a thing they choose. Many even fight against it due to societal pressure, and strongly wish it wasn't the way they were 'wired.'
While I might not be keeping up with the studies, one scientist, William Rice, says, 'Most mainstream biologists have shied away from studying it because of the social stigma. It's been swept under the rug, people are still stuck on this idea that it's unnatural. Well there are many examples of homosexuality in nature, it's very common.' He says homosexual behavior has been observed in black swans, penguins, sheep and other animals.
Rice's model still needs to be tested on real-life parent-offspring pairs, be he says this epigenetic link makes more sense than any other explanation, and that his team has mapped out a way for other scientists to test their work. No sense putting it in my words when it has been studied and documented – most studies underway – you might want to read this: http://www.usnews.com/.../scientists-may-have-finally. I can give you countless scientific studies that show homosexuality is most definitely not a choice, but rather a trait passed down through heredity, even though the parents were not affected.
Some scientists say, 'Fascinating as it may be to understand the biological basis of sexual orientation, however, not everyone is convinced it's a necessary line of investigation. 'should we test this? Is it important for us to know?' Homosexuality is not a disease, it's part of natural human variation. I'm not sure there's a good enough reason to delve this deeply into it. I think we've reached the point that we have enough evidence that there's a biological basis for sexual orientation. It would be more helpful to people to get a better handle on the epigenetics of cancer or mental illness.'
I realize that you do not believe in science. There is no possible way you could since you truly believe every word in the Bible. You really believe that God wrote everything, even though a great many people actually penned the words. I think you might believe in science in a way, but only as long as it does not, in any way, challenge anything said in the Bible!
Yep, God made them that way. You think someone all these years would have chosen that? And no, I am not gay. Can't even say or write the other word, LOL! By the way, I know a few who are regular church goers. Christians they are and much better at it than a lot of profess to be.
It is extremely important to prove to the 'Word is total truth' folks [Christians], that homosexuals deserve to be accepted as Christians the same as anyone else! God made them, and God does not make mistakes. But, his Word can easily be misinterpreted!”
1. Science proves that homosexuality is an inherited trait.
2. Homosexuality is not a choice.
3. Christian's are anti-science.
4. Homosexual's should be accepted as Christians.
Point #1: Science proves that homosexuality is an inherited trait.
I Have read the USNews article that was presented as evidence to support the premise that homosexuality has been scientifically proven to be an inherited trait. Although throughout both the article, and the research paper the article has been based on, the scientists consistently claim this to be true, a closer look at these sources reveals that their premise is anything but true. Let's look at some of the statements made in the article (emphases mine):
“A group of scientists suggested”
“The hereditary link of homosexuality has long been established, but scientists knew it was not a strictly genetic link”
“thought to have some sort of hereditary link”
“Evolutionarily speaking, if homosexuality was solely a genetic trait, scientists would expect the trait to eventually disappear because homosexuals wouldn't be expected to reproduce.”
Although the premise of the article is that science has proven that homosexuality is an inherited trait, these statements seem to be saying the exact opposite. Their premise is actually only “suggested,” they knew it was “not a strictly genetic link,” and if it was an inherited trait it should have died out long ago. This should be troublesome to those who are determined to find such a link.
In December 2012 scientists Sergey Gavrilets, William Rice and Urban Friberg published their epigenetic homosexuality study (upin which the above article was based). Their research was based on the presupposition that there must be a biological foundation for homosexuality (the only alternative being, of course, that Christianity is correct and homosexuality is both a choice and a sin). This study proposed that there are certain epi-marks within the genome that determine whether a person becomes homosexual or heterosexual. Their theory is ostensibly based on the “many examples of homosexuality in nature” such as “has been observed in black swans, penguins, sheep, and other animals.” The scientists were so confident in their theory that they predicted, “This can be tested and proven within six months. It's easy to test.” (emphasis mine). In fact, they were so confident in their theory they went on to state, “If it's a bad idea, we can throw it away in short order.” That was in December 2012. Therefore, according to the scientists, their theory should have been tested and proven no later than June 2013. By Sept 2013, Gavrilets, Rice and Friberg were still only able to hypothesize, and still unable to prove their theory as they predicted; and as recent as 2014 it still had not been proven. This doesn't say much for either their theory or their prediction making skills.
Is there a “gay gene” as homosexual advocates continually insist? No. In spite of repeated attempts to find a genetic correlate to homosexuality, there has been no definitive link discovered thus far.
The initial pro-homosexual argument above quotes someone by the name of McCarthy (they gave no source) who states, “Fascinating as it may be to understand the biological basis of sexual orientation, however, not everyone is convinced it's a necessary line of investigation. 'should we test this? Is it important for us to know?' Homosexuality is not a disease [which I agree with this, although no one is really claiming it is, so this is a red herring], it's part of natural human variation [given that sin is our natural state in this life, I can agree with that as well]. I'm not sure there's a good enough reason to delve this deeply into it. I think we've reached the point that we have enough evidence that there's a biological basis for sexual orientation. It would be more helpful to people to get a better handle on the epigenetics of cancer or mental illness.”
This is an interesting comment to use to support the argument that homosexuality has a biological basis. What this McCarthy person is saying, is, “It's not a disease [no one said it was], we have enough evidence to prove our theory [no, there is no such evidence], so let's just forget the whole thing and focus on something more worthwhile.” This is nothing more than verbal slight-of-hand designed to distract people from the fact that there really is no evidence proving a biological basis for homosexuality.
Rather than limit my research to the single link provided in the initial pro-homosexual argument above, I dug a little deeper and found the same findings among other pro-homosexual advocate scientists. For instance, Dr. J. Michael Bailey, a psychologist at Northwestern University in Illinois, has conducted a study designed to support the existence of the so-called “gay gene.” The results of the study were presented at the 2014 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Rather than find the “gay gene,” however, the best Dr. Bailey and his colleagues could do was to note an area of the X chromosome (called Xq28) and an area of DNA on chromosome 8, which may play some role in male sexual orientation, however, Dr. Bailey and his colleagues had to admit that exactly how these chromosomal areas affect male sexual orientation are unknown, and exactly which, if any, of the genes in these areas affect sexual orientation are also unknown.
In fact, Dr. Bailey admitted that the gene or genes in the Xq28 area of the X chromosome which he believes may possibly influence sexual orientation have only a limited and a variable impact, and were neither sufficient nor necessary to make anyone homosexual. Let me say that again. The gene or genes that are “suspected” of “possibly” being the “gay gene” are neither sufficient nor necessary to make anyone a homosexual. Now, I am not the one saying this. Science is saying this.
The study went on to point out that in the case of identical twins who carry the exact replica of each other's DNA, when one twin is a homosexual, the twin is more likely to be heterosexual than homosexual. This fact alone tells us that the existence of a “gay gene” is nothing more than a myth. Even Dr. Bailey himself admitted that environmental factors are influential as to whether or not a person was a homosexual.
Dr. Alan Sanders, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Northwestern University and a colleague of Dr. Bailey, said, “Whatever gene contributes to sexual orientation, you can think of it as much as contributing to heterosexuality as much as you can think of it contributing to homosexuality.” In other words, while there are genes that contribute to a person's sexuality, that is all they do. They do not determine whether or not a person is heterosexual or homosexual. That is a choice.
Dr. Bailey stated in an interview with Science magazine, “It looks promising for there being genes in both of these regions. But until somebody finds a gene, we don’t know.” Is there a “gay gene?” One of the leading scientists in this area of research says, “we don't know.” “...until somebody finds a gene, we don't know.”
As I have been saying from the beginning, to date, there has been no “gay gene” found. Period. Regarding the relationship of sexual orientation and genetics, there have been various studies conducted by various scientists, many coming to different conclusions, and sometimes wildly different conclusions. The simple fact remains that there has never been discovered a single determinant, other than personal choice, for sexual orientation. Ever. The best that scientists can do is theorize that sexual orientation may possibly be determined by a combination of genetic, hormonal and social factors, although the genetic aspect of this theory has never been proven.
Point #2: Homosexuality is not a choice.
As pointed out in Point #1, science does not prove that homosexuality is an inherited trait. In fact, science, or at least a small overall percentage of scientists, have theorized it is an inheritaed trait, but they have been completely unable to prove their theory. Therefore, homosexuality is, as I have consistently stated, a choice, and it is a conscious choice.
God did not “make” anyone to be a homosexual. In fact, God has clearly and repeatedly stated in His Word that homosexual activity is a sin (see Genesis 19:1-13; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9). In fact, Romans 1:18-32 teaches that homosexuality (as well as other sins) is a result of denying and disobeying God, and those engaging in sinful behavior will be “given over” to their sin and allowed to receive the due penalty of their sin. This is known as the justice of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9 teaches that those who practice homosexuality will not enter heaven. This is due to the complete and perfect holiness of God (see 1 Peter 1:15-16; Isaiah 6:3; and Habakkuk 1:13). He simply cannot allow human beings who are still in their sin to live in His presence.
Therefore, God cannot “make” people to be homosexuals, as it would be contrary to his nature.
That all being said, however, I do agree that people should not persecute homosexuals simply because they are homosexuals. In fact, I don't believe anyone should be persecuted because of their beliefs or who they are. (the sole exception being, however, that I do think criminals should be incarcerated.) I do not believe people should be persecuted because of their race, their ethnicity, their gender (and there are only two – male and female), their disabilities, or their religious beliefs as long as those religious beliefs do not include physically harming another human being. This also includes Christians being persecuted by homosexual activists, the media and the state which is equally as wrong as persecuting someone simply because they happen to embrace a homosexual lifestyle. In the eyes of God, homosexuals are no different than any other unbeliever, in that all lost in their sin, and are worthy of the love of God, and the love of Christians. I think those who profess to be Christians, and who harbor hate in their heart against homosexuals, or anyone else for that matter, need to read Matthew 5:21-24 and 1 John 3:15, and then seriously examine his or her own Christianity. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 that not everyone who calls themselves a Christian is actually a Christian.
Point #3. Christian's are anti-science.
I have to confess that this premise from the above pro-homosexual argument actually made me chuckle. Not only is this a false statement but it is also a condescending and patronizing statement. This statement, or variations of it, are often used by atheists and other anti-Christians in an attempt to place Christians in a negative light, to make Christians appear as if they are ignorant, unintelligent, illogical individuals who cling to myths long ago refuted by science, and thus make any argument or defense presented by Christians immediately discountable.
What follows is a brief list of a few of the many, many highly respected scientists who have professed to be Christians. You may recognize one or two of these names:
Roger Bacon (c.1214–1294) one of the earliest advocates of the modern scientific method
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543) Introduced heliocentrism, the idea that the sun is at the center of the solar system, and that the earth and other planets revolve around it.
Francis Bacon (1561-1626): Considered among the fathers of empiricism and is credited with establishing the inductive method of experimental science via what is called the scientific method today.
Galileo Galilei (1564–1642): Italian physicist, mathematician, engineer, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the scientific revolution. Galileo has been called the "father of modern observational astronomy", the "father of modern physics", and "the Father of Modern Science".
Johannes Kepler (1571–1630): Gave us Kepler's laws of planetary motion, which was based on empirical data that he obtained from Tycho Brahe's astronomical observations.
René Descartes (1596–1650) French mathematician, scientist and philosopher. He is well known for, among other things, his work on geometry and is honored by having the Cartesian coordinate system used in plane geometry and algebra named after him.
Blaise Pascal (1623–1662): Well known for Pascal's law (physics), Pascal's theorem (math), and Pascal's Wager (theology).
Isaac Newton (1643–1727): He is regarded as one of the greatest scientists and mathematicians in history. Though some biographers label him as a deist who is strongly influenced by Christianity, he differed from strict adherents of deism in that he invoked God as a special physical cause to keep the planets in orbits.
Sir Michael Faraday (1791–1867) known for his contributions in establishing electromagnetic theory and his work in chemistry such as establishing electrolysis.
William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin (1824–1907) a British mathematical physicist and engineer, he did important work in the mathematical analysis of electricity and formulation of the first and second laws of thermodynamics, and did much to unify the emerging discipline of physics in its modern form.
Heinrich Hertz (1857–1894) German physicist who first conclusively proved the existence of electromagnetic waves theorized by James Clerk Maxwell's electromagnetic theory of light, thereby making possible the development of radio, television, and radar by proving that electricity can be transmitted in electromagnetic waves. The international unit of frequency (one cycle per second), is named after him.
Ernest Rutherford (1871–1937) British physicist responsible for a remarkable series of discoveries in the fields of radioactivity and nuclear physics. He discovered alpha and beta rays, set forth the laws of radioactive decay, and identified alpha particles as helium nuclei. He is known as the father of nuclear physics, and considered by many to be the greatest experimentalist since Michael Faraday.
Gregor Mendel (1822–1884): The "father of modern genetics" for his study of the inheritance of traits in pea plants.
Louis Pasteur (1822–1895): Inventor of the pasteurization method, a French chemist and microbiologist. He also solved the mysteries of rabies, anthrax, chicken cholera, and silkworm diseases, and contributed to the development of the first vaccines.
Max Planck (1858–1947): He won the 1918 Nobel Prize in Physics and is considered the founder of Quantum mechanics.
George Washington Carver (1864-1943): American scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor. He testified on many occasions that his faith in Jesus was the only mechanism by which he could effectively pursue and perform the art of science.
Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937): Guglielmo Marconi was known for his pioneering work on long distance radio transmission and for his development of Marconi's law and a radio telegraph system. Marconi is often credited as the inventor of radio, and he shared the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Johannes Stark (1874-1957): German physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1919 for his “discovery of the Doppler effect in canal rays and the splitting of spectral lines in electric fields.”
Georges Lemaître (1894-1966), Belgian cosmologist, mathematician, physicist. He is credited with the first definitive formulation of the idea of an expanding universe and what was to become known as the Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe, which Lemaître himself called his “hypothesis of the primeval atom.”
Wernher von Braun (1912–1977): Aerospace engineer and space architect, he was one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Germany and the United States and is considered one of the “Fathers of Rocket Science.” According to one NASA source, he is “without doubt, the greatest rocket scientist in history.” In 1975 he received the National Medal of Science.
Freeman Dyson (born 1923): He has won the Lorentz Medal, the Max Planck Medal, and the Lewis Thomas Prize. He also ranked 25th in The 2005 Global Intellectuals Poll. He has won the Templeton Prize and delivered one of the Gifford Lectures. He is famous for his work in quantum electrodynamics.
Werner Arber (born 1929): Werner Arber is a Swiss microbiologist and geneticist. Along with American researchers Hamilton Smith and Daniel Nathans, Werner Arber shared the 1978 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of restriction endonucleases.
Raymond Vahan Damadian (born 1936) An American physician, medical practitioner, and inventor of the MRI (Magnetic Resonance Scanning Machine), and collaborated on the development of an MRI compatible pace maker. Dr. Damadian also produced the first commercial MRI machine. Damadian received a National Medal of Technology in 1988, was honored with the Innovation Award in Bioscience from The Economist in2003, and his original MRI full-body scanner was presented to the Smithsonian Institution in the 1980s.
John Lennox (born 1945) An Irish mathematician, philosopher of science, and Christian apologist who is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford. He is a Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University, a Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science at Green Templeton College, Oxford and an Honorary Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. His works include The Theory of Infinite Soluble Groups (Oxford Mathematical Monographs).
Robert T. Bakker (born 1945): A world-renowned paleontologist, who helped reshape modern theories about dinosaurs, particularly by adding support to the theory that some dinosaurs were endothermic (warm-blooded). Dr. Bakker currently serves as the Curator of Paleontology for the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
Alister McGrath (born 1953) An intellectual historian, scientist, and Christian apologist. He holds three doctorates from the University of Oxford, a DPhil in Molecular Biophysics, a Doctor of Divinity in Theology and a Doctor of Letters in Intellectual History. He is noted for his work in historical theology, systematic theology, and the relationship between science and religion, as well as his writings on apologetics.
Mike Hulme (born 1960): Professor of Climate and Culture in the Department of Geography at King's College London. He was formerly professor of Climate Change in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia between 1988 and 2013, which included being a member of the Climatic Research Unit (1988-2000) and then the founding Director (2000-2007) of the Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research.
Rosalind Picard (born 1962) Rosalind Picard is a Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT, director and also the founder of the Affective Computing Research Group at the MIT Media Lab, co-director of the Things That Think Consortium, and chief scientist and co-founder of Affectiva, an emotion measurement technology company that grew out of MIT’s Media Lab, which has developed a way for computers to recognize human emotions based on facial cues or physiological responses.
Jennifer Wiseman: An astronomer, Dr. Wiseman received her bachelor's degree in physics from MIT and her Ph.D. in Astronomy from Harvard University in 1995. She discovered periodic comet 114P/Wiseman-Skiff while working as an undergraduate research assistant in 1987. She is currently a Senior Astrophysicist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, where she previously headed the Laboratory for Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics.
I remind the reader that this is, comparatively speaking, a very brief list of scientists who were and are professing Christians. A recent survey noted that at least two million scientists in the United States alone are professing evangelical Christians. In fact, this same survey also found that these “evangelical scientists are more active in their faith than American evangelicals in general.” If I had included the names of all scientists who simply professed a belief in God while eschewing conventional religion, the list would be astronomical.
Clearly, the oft-made claim that Christians do not believe in science or cannot believe in science due to their faith, quite simply has absolutely no basis whatsoever in reality.
Point #4. Homosexual's should be accepted as Christians.
This is a subject which must be addressed in light of the whole Word of God, and not simply cherry picking specific verses with which to support one's own preconceptions and biases. To do any less would be a disservice to Christianity, to homosexuals, and most importantly, to God Himself.
So, what exactly does the Bible say about homosexuality? There are five passages of Scripture that specifically address the issue of homosexuality. They are:
Leviticus 18:22 = “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.”
Leviticus 20:13a = “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination;”
Romans 1:26-28 = “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 = “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality*, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
[*The two Greek terms translated by this phrase refer to the passive and active partners in consensual homosexual acts]
1 Timothy 1:8-11 = “Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.”
Clearly, the Leviticus passages identify homosexuality as an abomination. It is not a natural sexual act. The passages do not identify whether the writer is speaking of consensual homosexuality or forced or ritualistic; nor does it really matter. The key to these verses is that homosexuality in and of itself is an abomination. It is not natural.
The Romans passage also describes homosexual activity as contrary to nature, thereby reinforcing what the two Leviticus passages state. But the Romans passage goes even further by describing homosexual passions, and not necessarily the actual act itself, but the emotional drive associated with homosexuality as being the product of a debased main. The First Corinthians passages takes this even a step further by using the Greek words that refer to both the passive and the active participants in a consensual homosexual relationship as being unable to enter into heaven because they are homosexuals. And finally, the First Timothy passage states that homosexuality (as well as other sinful behaviors) are contrary to sound doctrine, or, in other words, contrary to the moral standard as established by God in His Word.
So, in a nutshell, homosexuality, whether referring to the act, whether referring to a consensual partnership or not, or whether referring to only the emotional passion that drives such an act, are all to be considered as an abomination, contrary to nature, contrary to the moral standard established by God and as the product of a debased mind.
There are several other Scripture passages that clearly state that the moral standard that God has established regarding marriage and sexual immorality (of which homosexuality is included), is that marriage is between a man and a woman exclusively, and that those who engage in sexual immorality will not enter heaven – in other words, they are not Christian. [see: Mark 10:6-9; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; Colossians 3:5; Galatians 5:16 – among others]
Therefore, based on the Scriptures, the Word of God, homosexuals cannot be accepted as Christian's for the simple reason that a homosexual cannot be a Christian. To be a homosexual is to live a lifestyle patterned by sin, and, as 1 John 3:9 states, “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.” This does not mean that Christian's never commit a sin, but rather that a Christian cannot live a life that is patterned by sin. It is impossible because God the Holy Spirit indwells the Christian. Can a homosexual live a life that does not include homosexual encounters, whether physical, or mental fantasy's? No. Because once you remove those two items from a homosexual's life, they cease to be homosexual.
Two final points:
A refutation of the common objection that Scripture only condemns homosexual acts, not people who are born homosexual but never act on their homosexual desires.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-28, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Not only does this teach about committing adultery in the heart which is just as bad as actually committing it physically; but it also teaches us the principal that the passions that drive us to sin, when they are entertained in our minds, when we fantasize about committing that sin, that emotional passion, that fantasy, has caused us to actually be guilty of committing that sin! This is reiterated by the Apostle John in 1 John 2:16 when he writes, “For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.” (emphasis mine).
When a man fantasizes about a woman other than his wife, he has committed a sexually immoral act. The same is true if a woman does it, or even if a homosexual does it. That lustful look, that mental fantasy is no more than visual or mental fornication, or visual / mental adultery. And this is the concept that Jesus taught in Matthew 5:27-28. Jesus first states the seventh commandment, “you shall not commit adultery,” which is something the Pharisees He was talking to understood and agreed with. But then, He connected the eighth commandment with that part of the tenth commandment that says, “you shall not covet your neighbor's wife.” Jesus used the Greek word epithumeō to describe both the “commit adultery” when he quoted the seventh commandment, as well as the “covet” when we quoted the tenth commandment. The word means to long for, or desire, or covet or lust after. In other words, Jesus was teaching that the mental fantasy makes one just as guilty as if one had physically engaged in the sin, and in this instance, Jesus taught that desiring a person sexually was equal to engaging in sex with that person. The principal holds true whether talking about two unmarried people (which is fornication), A married person and someone other than a spouse (which is adultery) or fantasizing about a same-sex encounter (which is homosexuality). Homosexual desires that lead to homosexual fantasy's are no different in the eyes of God than engaging in physical homosexual activity. Both are equally sinful.
A Note To My Christian Brothers and Sisters Regarding Homosexuality
While we are correct to condemn homosexuality, we are wrong, very wrong, to condemn homosexuals themselves, especially when we consider that prior to our salvation we were just as guilty of sin and just as deserving of the hellish eternal destiny that is the lot of every unsaved sinner. Condemning any sinner, homosexual or otherwise is akin to pointing out the splinter in their eye while ignoring the plank in our own (Matthew 7:5).
As my pastor is fond of reminding us, we will never look into the eyes of anyone that the Lord does not love. We will never look into the eyes of anyone that the Lord did not die for. And this is an important thing to remember. Each and every sinner is deserving of our prayers and our compassion and our help. We are to take the gospel to the world (Matthew 28:16-20). That is our job, that is our responsibility. If we cannot love our fellow man, then the love of God does not dwell within us, and we cannot legitimately call ourselves Christian (1 John 4:20).
Therefore, we are to love every unsaved sinner, including homosexual's, and we are to minister to them the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sharing with them:
The truth about God (that He loves them completely – Romans 5:8; 2 Peter 3:9),
About sin (that all of sinned and fallen short and deserve the penalty of that sin, which is death – Romans 5:12; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23),
About forgiveness and love (that Jesus voluntarily died for them so as to provide them entrance into heaven – 1 Peter 3:18; Romans 4:25),
About repentance and confession (that they, like all of us, need to confess our sins to the Lord, repent of our sins, and seek forgiveness for our sin – 1 John 1:9; Matthew 3:2; Acts 3:19),
About our healing and our atonement (that God will heal us of our sinful desires if we live according to the Spirit of God, and that God sees us as cleansed from sin due to the Atoning death of Jesus Christ – Jeremiah 3:22; 1 John 1:9; Glatians 5:16-26; 1 John 2:2; Romans 3:25).
This is our responsibility, and if we shirk that responsibility either in part or in whole, as individuals or as a group, then we ourselves are in purposeful rebellion against God, living a life patterned by sin, and condemned by our unrepentant sin to an eternity in hell (1 John 3:5-9).
Sources:
All Scripture used is from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, used by permission.
Scientists May Have Finally Unlocked Puzzle of Why People Are Gay – Theory: Lesbians get it from their fathers, gay men from their mothers, By Jason Koebler, published Dec. 11, 2012, http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/12/11/scientists-may-have-finally-unlocked-puzzle-of-why-people-are-gay
Study finds epigenetics, not genetics, underlies homosexuality, National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS), published December 11, 2012, http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-12/nifm-sfe120612.php
Homosexuality via canalized sexual development: A testing protocol for a new epigenetic model, William R Rice,Urban Friberg, and Sergey Gavrilets, Published online July 19, 2013, Copyright © 2013 WILEY Periodicals, Inc., http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3840696/
“Frankowski BL; American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Adolescence (June 2004). "Sexual orientation and adolescents". Pediatrics 113 (6): 1827–32.”
“Långström, Niklas; Qazi Rahman, Eva Carlström, Paul Lichtenstein. (7 June 2008). "Genetic and Environmental Effects on Same-sex Sexual Behaviour: A Population Study of Twins in Sweden". Archives of Sexual Behavior (Archives of Sexual Behavior) 39 (1): 75–80.”
Religious Communities, Science, Scientists, and Perceptions: A Comprehensive Survey – A paper prepared for presentation at the Annual Meetings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, by Elaine Howard Ecklund, Rice University RUS Study PI, and Christopher Scheitle, Saint John’s University, RUS Senior Research Associate, February 16, 2014, http://elainehowardecklund.blogs.rice.edu/files/2014/02/RU_AAASPresentationNotes_2014_0220.pdf
50 Nobel Laureates and Other Great Scientists Who Believe in God, Copyright (c) 1995-2008 by Tihomir Dimitrov – compiler, M.Sc. In Psychology (1995), M.A. in Philosophy (1999), All rights reserved, http://nobelists.net
Matthew, IVP New Testament Commentary, by Craig S. Keener, Published by IVP Academic, November 5, 2011
Study: 2 Million U.S. Scientists Identify As Evangelical – A new NAE-backed initiative wants to see if they can help scientists and evangelicals better understand each other, by Christine Herman in Chicago/ February 20, 2014, (Web-only), http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/february-web-only/study-2-million-scientists-identify-as-evangelical.html
Scientists of the Christian Faith: A Presentation of the Pioneers, Practitioners and Supporters of Modern Science, Compiled by W. R. Miller, http://www.tektonics.org/scim/sciencemony.htm
Seven Reasons Why a Scientist Believes in God by A. CRESSY MORRISON, Former President of the New York Academy of Sciences
http://www.dlshq.org/messages/sciblgod.htm
God knows, scientists are more religious than you think
http://cathylynngrossman.religionnews.com/2014/02/16/science-religion-aaas-hamonnye-evangelical/
Famous Scientists Who Believed in God
http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/sciencefaith.html
25 Famous Scientists Who Believed in God
http://www.famousscientists.org/25-famous-scientists-who-believed-in-god/
Collins: Why this scientist believes in God
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/03/collins.commentary/
Scientists and Belief
http://www.pewforum.org/2009/11/05/scientists-and-belief/
List of Christian thinkers in science
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_thinkers_in_science
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