By: Dr Colin Hurt.
Homosexuality is Theologically Wrong
Tony Blair has told the world’s major religions that they have misunderstood their holy books when it comes to the issue of homosexuality. Texts which identify homosexual acts as morally wrong should be seen as ‘metaphorical’ not literal, Britain’s former Prime Minister claims. He also suggests that religions should follow shifts in the culture rather than hold firm to their historic beliefs. In an interview with gay magazine Attitude Mr Blair said: “When people quote the passages in Leviticus condemning homosexuality, I say to them – if you read the whole of the Old Testament and took everything that was there in a literal way, as being what God and religion is about, you’d have some pretty tough policies across the whole of the piece.” (Contained in a report from The Christian Institute Wednesday, 8 April 2009)
Is Mr Blair right? Let’s first of all examine the Old Testament texts to which he makes reference.
“Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.” (Lev.18:22 NIV)
“If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.” (Lev.20:13 NIV)
The first text (Lev.18:22) comes in a context where many other sexual deviations are forbidden: incest (v.6-18), adultery (v.20), bestiality (v.23). This is true of the second text (Lev.20:13): adultery (v.10), incest (v.11-12), bestiality (v.15-16) are also forbidden. As we can see, the texts in question are not an attack upon homosexuality alone, but on all forms of sexual deviation. In the modern world we have “gay pride” marches, but, so far, I have not heard of “adultery pride” marches, “incest pride” marches or “bestiality pride” marches. What makes homosexuals think they are a special case?
Mr Blair makes no reference to New Testament references to homosexuality, but let us observe what New Testament writers have to say on the issue.
First of all, the apostle Paul declares homosexuality to be unnatural, indecent and perverted.
“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.” (Rom 1:26-27 NIV)
Paul tells us quite clearly that these practitioners will not be included in God’s kingdom:
“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1Co 6:9-10 NIV)
It is important to note that this does not condemn only homosexuality, but also other forms of sin such as theft, drunkenness and swindling.
There are Christians who insist that homosexuality is not wrong because Jesus made no statement about it. They are wrong. When asked a question about divorce, Jesus defended the Judeo-Christian concept of marriage:
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’, and said, ‘For this reason a man (masculine) will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife (feminine), and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Mt 19:4-6 NIV)
The only kind of union recognised by Jesus is that which was originally initiated by God in the act of creation and in the institution of marriage.
Homosexuality is physiologically wrong
“Common sexual practices among gay men lead to numerous STDs and physical injuries, some of which are virtually unknown in the heterosexual population. Lesbians are also at higher risk for STDs… The only epidemiological study to date on the life span of gay men concluded that gay and bisexual men lose up to 20 years of life expectancy (emphasis added).” (JOHN R. DIGGS, JR., M.D.)
Many homosexuals justify their behaviour by claiming that they have a genetic disposition to be homosexual. There is no evidence that this is true.
“The question of how homosexual orientation originates has been the subject of much press, with the general impression being promoted that homosexuality is largely a matter of genes, rather than environmental factors. However, if one examines the scientific literature, one finds that it’s not quite as clear as the news bytes would suggest. … Attempts to find a “gay gene” have never identified any gene or gene product that is actually associated with homosexual orientation.” (Rich Deem – The Biological Basis for Sexual Orientation)
Even if it could be proved that homosexuality has a genetic origin, other studies have suggested that there is a possibility of alcoholism and paedophilia having genetic sources. Are we to conclude that alcoholics and paedophiles should be abandoned to their lifestyle because they have no choice? Why, then, should we make a special case for homosexuals? The Bible makes it clear that since the fall of Adam, the whole human race has a genetic disposition towards sin. This is to be resisted, not given in to.
Homosexuality is psychologically wrong
“It is well established that there are high rates of psychiatric illnesses, including depression, drug abuse, and suicide attempts, among gays and lesbians.” (JOHN R. DIGGS, JR., M.D.)
Homosexuality is sociologically wrong
Books such as Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus endorse the fact that men and women are different psychologically, mentally and emotionally. Heterosexual marriage brings together this diversity in a one-flesh relationship; homosexual partnerships bring together an imbalance of one sex attitudes which is detrimental to human relationships.
Children brought up in a heterosexual marriage achieve more educationally, socially and in their health than those brought up in single parent or homosexual environments.
“The Mothers Union, a passionate believer in marriage, says: “Marriage provides the foundation for a stable family. Children benefit from it emotionally, in their relationships with other people and in their performance at school. Children of married parents are also more likely to have a good relationship with their parents as they grow up, strengthening the whole family unit.” (www.yourchurchwedding.org)
“Society think tank Civitas has much to say on marriage and children. Their research highlights that children are more likely to have a healthy lasting marriage as adults if they grow up within an intact marriage. And, children who live with their own two married parents enjoy better physical health on average than do children in other family forms.” (www.yourchurchwedding.org)
Homosexuality is not irreversible
After cataloguing the things which will exclude us from the kingdom, Paul tells the Corinthians: “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1Cor.6:11 NIV). Christians should not believe that homosexuality is a sin that cannot be forgiven. Homosexuals, as well as adulterers and thieves, can be washed, sanctified and justified. That is the liberating message of the gospel.