I tried to do some research after I realized one of my favorite tv actors of all time is an homosexual. It didn't quench my thirst for his work. In fact I found him even more fascinating and I said to myself, "Too bad for me". This made me to want to find out what I could in the bible. I got some amazing passages from which I would now write what I grasped.
In Gen 19: 1-13, tells about two angels that were sent to Lot in Sodom. The angels were threatened with homosexual rape by the men of Sodom. Lot even offered his daughters yet they refused. The men of Sodom insisted it was his visitors they wanted and even threatened to "deal worse" with him. The angels in turn smote them with blindness and told Lot and his family to leave. Then, they destroyed Sodom. I think it is important to note that even before the angels arrived into Sodom, God had made up his mind to go to Sodom and Gomorrah because the cries he had heard and their sin was grievous (Gen 18:20). God had concluded in Genesis 18: 22 if he found 10 righteous in the city, he would not destroy it. The angels that were sent just might have spared Sodom if the men did not do the wicked act towards them.
Lev 18: 22 is another passage homosexuality is said to be addressed. The chapter started off with God telling Moses the ordinances he has made to set apart the Israelites from the Egyptians and Canaanites. These things warned against were considered abominable customs (vs30). Vs 22 says you shall not lie with mankind as with womankind for it is an abomination. The chapter also talks about how one should not "uncover naked" relations such kinswoman and family members. It was with the neighbor's wife it was specified "lie carnally". Although it was said not to "lie" with beasts too. God told the people not to defile themselves of such things. Lev 20 talks more about the punishment due to the breaking of these ordinances. Vs 13 says the man that lies with a man as he does a woman have both committed an abomination and should both be put to death. This chapter also says the same for adultery. We should recall in the new testament when the Pharisees brought the adulterous woman to Jesus and she was forgiven of her sins. It can then be said now that Jesus would in turn say, "Go and sin no more" rather than put to death an homosexual as the psalmist says, " If you O Lord should mark our guilt, Lord who would survive".
The original word abomination was translated to in this passage meant something morally disgusting and it may say some strong implication of idolatry. Also the word "homosexual" was coined in the 19th century and the bible talked of sexual topics in code like phrases.
The book of Corinthians by St. Paul in chapter 6 talks about the way people should relate to themselves keeping in mind that our bodies belong to God and not for fornication or unrighteousness. Vs 9-11 says nothing unrighteous shall enter into God's kingdom and also "abuser of themselves with mankind" among others. St Paul also spoke in Romans 1 of unrighteous men who hold the truth in unrighteousness and how God gave them up to uncleanliness through lust, Vs 24 to dishonor their bodies between themselves. Romans 1: 26 said God gave them up to vile affections- which included homosexual acts between and women alike. This came to them because of their idolatry of changing the image of God into an image made like the corruptible man. 1 Timothy 1 urged Timothy to stay put and make sure no other doctrines was taught. 1 Timothy Vs 8-10 mentioned that the law is not for the righteous but the lawless and disobedient and among those mentioned are those that "defile themselves with mankind".
These passages have shown that sexual orientation is not a sin. It is certain actions that are prohibited by the Bible teachings not tendencies or feelings. If a personal has homosexual feelings it may be a passing phase that will fade away in time meanwhile such feelings should not be given much thought so they become an obsession with the feeling of indulging in this kind of sexual activity - lasciviousness.
Gal 5 : 19-21 continued from where Romans 1 left off telling about faith, love, the law and warnings of satisfying the flesh which is against the Spirit even with lasciviousness- meaning feeling or showing strong sexual desire. These goes without saying that the verses are for all sexual desires. It is said that it is these sins that defile a man from the inside. Mark 7 talks even more about holiness. The Pharisees and Scribes thought of Jesus' disciples as eating defiled food because they didn't wash their hands. Jesus however rebuked them saying God's love was more important than the laws of man. He further said that it was what came out of a man that defiles him. Mark 7: 20- 23 spoke of such sins including adultery, fornication and lasciviousness. It is the same account that was given in Matt 16: 19- 20.
Now some my argue that marriage is for everyone and that everyone should, at some point in their lives, find a partner and be wedded as husband and wife. Gen 2: 21-25 talks about the creation of a woman out of a man to be of help to the man and how the man and woman were made to be "man and his wife". Also, Matt 19: 4-6 says God created a man and a woman and they shall be one flesh. Matthew further explained it wasn't for everyone. That there are eunuchs from their mother's womb, some made from men and other who made themselves for the sake of heaven (vs 10-12). 1 Cor 7 talks also about marriage and celibacy. Vs 7-9 stresses how gifts from God are different from one person to another and how it would be good for the unmarried and widows to abide. 1 Cor 7:6 stressed this wasn't a commandment but more of a guideline.These passages helps one to understand that marriage between a man and a woman is not for everyone and it is most wise to be a celibate or eunuch otherwise as stated in the verses because keeping God's commandment is the ultimate.
Some have believes there is existence of homosexual relationships in the bible. Although there was love spoken between these persons, the word it was translated from was 'agape' which in the biblical terms wasn't a sexual love. The friendship between David and Jonathan is one the examples sited. 1 Sam 18 :3-4 spoke about the friendship of these two men and how a covenant was struck between the two for Jonathan loved David as his own soul. Also Jonathan striped himself of robe, garments, sword, bow and girdle and gave it all to David. Jonathan and David were said to be been knit in the soul (1 Sam 18:1) . The story of David and Jonathan cannot be complete with the mention of Saul. Saul was the king at the time and also Jonathan's father. Saul also had enmity with David. In 2 Sam 1 : 1 - 12, David mourned the death of Jonathan and Saul. Vs 26 said how David called Jonathan his brother and how Jonathan's love to him was "wonderful and passing the love of women".
The relationship between Ruth and Naomi as also be sited as an example. Ruth 1 tells the story of Naomi and Ruth and how they were mother in law and daughter in law. The death of the men in their lives prompted Naomi to long to return to Israel from the land of Moab. Ruth however was a Moabite and insist she followed Naomi back to Bethlehem despite her refusal. In Ruth 1 :16, Ruth said she would follow Naomi and her-Naomi's God would be her God. Naomi in turn helped Ruth to gain security with Boaz until he married her became mother to the lineage of David. The relationship between Jesus and a disciple some say is John is also sited. John 13: 23 gave an account of the last supper and how a disciple that Jesus loved leaned onto Jesus. The same disciple was said to behold his mother and for the mother to behold her son at the foot of the cross in John 19:26. In John 2 1:7, the disciple Jesus loved was the one that recognized him at the sea of Tiberias and vs 20 says Peter saw the disciple Jesus loved following. All the bible verses never mentioned John by name but from the verses, the disciple Jesus loved was a HE.
These relationships between these persons have between people of the same sex but it was a love of God 'agape' and nothing sexual.
The bible seldom mentioned what happened to Sodom. The prophet Ezekiel spoke of Sodom in terms of justice not in terms of sexual sin. Judges 19 was the story of a man who gave shelter to a stranger as Lot did the angels in Sodom. The men of the city rounded the house and spoke the old man to bring out his visitor so they may know him. The stranger gave his concubine to them instead and they ravished her until dawn and she died. The man divided her body into 12 parts and sent her into all the coasts of Israel. This led to a war between the Israelites and the house of Benjamin. The war was great and Israel ended up destroying all the cities they came to that had the Benjamins both their men and Beasts alike (Judges 20: 48)
We are all sinners in our way. In Romans 3, St Paul spoke on we men are all sinners and
yet God is all so merciful. Romans 3:10 rightly said, "There is none righteous, no, not one". Vs 23 continues and says all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. 1 John: 8 says if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. There are some sins not mentioned in the ten commandment such as a lot of sexual sins, unrighteousness, wickedness, drunkenness and others both old and new testament alike.
Some hate groups go on like, "God hates Gays". This is not right even to the bible standards. The bible warns us not to shun or discriminate against 'sinners' lest we would be self righteous. Matt 9:10-13 gives an account of the Pharisees and their reaction to Jesus and his disciples while eating with sinners and taxmen. They asked the disciples were eating with sinners and ended up making themselves look better than the 'sinners'. In vs 30 they rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him (John the Baptist's baptism). Luke 18 was about parables which are earthly stories with heavenly meanings. There was one of two men that went up to the temple- the Pharisee and the tax collector. The self righteous boasting of the Pharisee can be seen in constract to the tax collector's "God be merciful to me a sinner". The tax collector was justified than the Pharisee at the end of the parable.
The bible also warns us to avoid judging the moral choices of others. Matt 7: 1-5 warns us not to judge and we should fix the "beam" in our own eyes before we can fix the "smote" in others. Romans 14 also tells us not to judge others based on our opinions. Vs 4 asked who are we to judge another man's servant. Vs 10 asks why we shall you judge your brother for we all shall stand before God's judgement sit. Vs 12says every man shall give account for himself. James 4 asks us to be wary of wars and fights, not grieve God's spirit in us and for us to resist the devil. Vs 11 says we shouldn't speak evil of our brother or judge him lest you become a judge and there is only One lawgiver who is able to save and destroy and that is God. All of these would be much easier if we loved the said brother. Matt 22:36-40 urges us to love our neighbor as ourself. This too shouldn't be a problem if we love God with all our hearts, our soul and mind. As these are the two commandments Jesus gave to us. With these two commandments of love, we shouldn't judge or hate other persons - homosexual or not. There should also be equal civil rights for the gays and lesbians as a requirement of Bible teachings as we MUST act with kindness and respect for all people.
Author's note:
Some folks might have thought it a bit lame that I was talking about the whole chapter as I wrote but it was partly because I found it hard as a person to have my bible present when reading articles such as this online. I hope someone was able to grasp something from my various days of research. I used the King James Version of the bible so there maybe some other meanings to words used that I did not have the idea of. There wasn't any mention of consensual homosexual sexual relations in the bible. There was mention of pederasty which was basically a boy kept for sexual relations with a man or a male prostitute in general which the Greek word "carmite" stands for. Also there is mention of "arsekoites" which is a Greek word meaning sodomite which in turn translates into homosexual.
Different church groups have their take on the topic of homosexuality. I am Roman Catholic so I would talk on the stand of the Catholic church in my own words. The church believes homosexuals are called to chastity so as to fulfill God's will for their lives. The examples of the acclaimed homosexual relationships in the bible I thought was absurd but put it to document all I found on the subject. I had some help from websites which I didn't put down which is my mistake. I admit that I had help because it's not like I started to flip my bible from Genesis to Revelations till I found something. I thank God for giving me the inspiration to do this and all errors are entirely mine of course.
