Osodecentx said:
BaylorJacket said:
Osodecentx said:
I don't remember any poster saying it is an acceptable lifestyle. I have said there are people who have same sex attractions and who struggle with temptation.
There are people who are heterosexual who struggle with temptation (e.g. adultery or serial fornication).
Both groups have struggles with temptation
I am advocating that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle, even from a Christian worldview.
It is unfair to compare a straight person's struggle with adultery to a gay person's same-sex attraction. The straight person has the legal freedom to love and marry someone, and yet chooses to pursue a relationship outside of this marriage. Beyond spiritual implications, this action directly hurts their spouse.
What is the solution for a gay person who "struggles" with same-sex attraction? To be celibate the rest of their lives? Celibacy is something that one should choose themselves if they feel led and called to, so that they can focus on other aspects of their lives. However, forcing someone to be celibate seems cruel in my opinion.
I disagree. To say homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle from a Christian worldview would require ignoring many passages of scripture. That lifestyle is not God's best for you. The design is one man and one woman, but original sin ensued and lots of things God's plan changed for the worse.
Would love to continue this conversation if you are interested. Fully agree that the vast majority of animals partake in heterosexual activities, and regardless if you believe in a divine creator, or natural evolutionary processes - we can agree that the most natural sexual state given our anatomy is heterosexuality.
I would like to push back some though that scripture is clear on if homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle or not. Here is a high level why, any happy to further discuss any specific verses you find convincing:
1. Old Testament: The Old Testament is quiet on the topic, except some may point to Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis (19 or 20 I believe). In the story, the men of Sodom demand that Lot turn over his male guests so that they can "know" them, which is a euphemism for sexual assault. The story's focus is on the sin of in-hospitality and the extreme nature of the Sodomites' behavior.
2. New Testament Jesus: Jesus is silent on the topic as well, but some point to his teachings in Matthew 19 and try to interpolate the meaning. In this passage, Jesus is specifically responding to a question about divorce between a man and a woman, emphasizing the importance of the commitment between the two in marriage.
Divorce between same-sex couples was not a thing in 1st Century Jewish/Christian cultures, as same-sex marriages were not even viewed culturally as a concept. Jesus using the creation narrative, something his audience is likely very familiar with, to help answer the question on divorce is unsurprising. If one's takeaway from this chapter includes that marriage is solely between a man and a woman (and otherwise is a sin), I think it misses the point Jesus was trying to make.
3. New Testament Paul: The most commonly used Pauline writing I have seen to denounce homosexuality is Romans 1. The Greek word used in Romans 1:26-27 to describe same-sex relations is "arsenokoites," which is a compound word that combines the words for "male" and "bed." However, it is unclear what specific meaning this word had at the time Paul wrote his letter to the Romans. Some scholars believe that Paul may have coined the term, and its meaning has been debated ever since. In the context of the time, homosexuality was often associated with pagan religious practices that were considered morally objectionable. Therefore, Paul was perhaps not condemning all arsenokoites, but rather the specific practices that were associated with pagan worship. I believe it would be intellectually dishonest to conclude that we know what Paul meant here.
Summary: Since the bible is not clear on this topic (whether it's granted or a sin), I prefer not to take away people's freedoms due to the lack of explicit divine permission; rather, I would like to focus on promoting understanding and inclusivity.
My goal here is not to convince the conservative evangelical board-members that being gay is not a sin - rather, that it is a difficult and grey area when approaching scripture. Especially, when the core themes of Jesus' teachings are love, compassion, and forgiveness.
Hopefully this makes sense - looking forward to hearing your thoughts.