the Bible... is not anti-homosexual

I have recently posted about my feelings against Bible passages being inappropriately used to discuss homosexuality (particularly taking an anti-homosexual position). However, in my recent quiet times and devotionals, I have felt led to more Bible passages that I think actually take an opposing view.

Firstly, a recap of the problems with traditional objections....

1. "It's not natural". This argument falls down very quickly. Firstly, who is to say that all things natural are good? Put a pack of hungry wolves in a room with a defenseless child and that child will be mauled. Good? No. Natural? Yes. Secondly, there are allegedly cases in the natural world of homosexual behaviour. I can't refer to these directly, but it is a good point to make - if an anti-homosexual argument rests on the case that it is not natural, then a finding that it is natural would completely wipe out that argument.

2. "Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve". A catchy slogan, even if rather simplistic! A verse often referred to in Genesis (Gen 2: 24)is "For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh". A problem with this is that we would be selectively choosing one verse at the expense of others. For example, the very next verse (Gen 2: 25) says "The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame". If we take verse 24 to state that God designed one man for one woman, then we have to take the verse 25 to state that God designed men and women to be naked. In fact, they only wore clothes as a result of sin. Therefore clothes are a product of a fallen world. Are we to say therefore that practising clothes-wearers are sinning? Personally, I believe that homosexuality is a product of a fallen world, but I also believe that old age is a product of a fallen world. We accept old age and do not exclude people from positions of leadership in the church on account of it, but some feel we should excluse homosexual people from such.

3. Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. Two verses about homosexual practice. However, they are in a long list of other "forbidden practices" such as wearing clothes with mixed fibres, witholding a man's wages overnight, planting a field with two different kinds of seeds and cross-breeding animals. It sounds much more like an instruction to help a wandering people seeking to learn life in a community, very practical and also relating to sexual health. Some argue that Leviticus has "moral laws" alongside other laws that are more civil or practical. This is a rather desperate attempt to reconcile a text that does not sit comfortably with us if you ask me. Who are we to decide which laws are moral and which are practical? In Leviticus 17 it is clear that eating blood is forbidden. Is this practical or moral? Does this mean we can't eat black pudding (blood pudding) today? Surely this depends on our interpretation of what kind of law it is... and this is the problem with Leviticus as an argument against a same sex relationship.

4. Romans 1:18-32. This is a fascinating passage that mentions "un-natural relations". However, it is also in the context of worshipping man made idols and this hints strongly that we are talking about pagan temple worship, that included prostitution and same sex promiscuity. To pick verses from this passage runs the same risk as picking verses from Leviticus. In verse 29 we read "They are gossips" and in 30 "they disobey their parents". Does this mean that people who gossip (including sites like Facebook and Twitter) deserve death? What about rebellious teenage children? It says in verse 32 that "those who do such things deserve death". No, to me this sounds like a much more serious situation than a loving same sex relationship. This is about degrading of our bodies, sexual promiscuity and openly worshipping false gods.

5. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. "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." This is a fascinating passage, particularly as we know that Christ came to save sinners, proclaiming almost the reverse message. To understand this passage, you have to understand the whole context of the letter. Paul was writing to a church surrounded by pagan temples with sexual activity relating to worship. The church Paul was writing to was slipping into "worldly ways" with people suing each other and acting in dishonorable ways (one man sleeping with his step-mother for example). Paul is exhorting them to not live in this way but to remember that they have been washed and sanctified and justified by Christ Jesus. However, many people look at this list, and selectively ignore the words "drunkards", "slanderers" and "greedy" and instead look at "homosexual offenders" and jump on this to claim that homosexuals are offenders and therefore God is anti-homosexual. However, this is a very dangerous game to play. We don't use the term "homosexual offender" nowadays. The closest term we have is "sexual offender". A sexual offender is someone who commits a crime that is sexual in nature. It is not a crime to be sexual. I would therefore argue that a homosexual offender is someone who commits a crime that is homosexual in nature. It is not a crime to be homosexual.

This type of debate can go on, but I hope to have shown that the most common arguments to state that the Bible or God is anti-homosexual are very weak indeed. True, if you start from a position of believing that homosexuality is wrong, you will find verses to back up your world view. The same happened with slavery, the same happens with people who don't want women in positions of leadership in the church and no doubt many atrocities throughout history.

However, if you approach the Bible with a different mind-set (I would like to say "open mind" but we are all subject to our own prejudice) then you can see a totally different message.

The Apostle Paul goes against the "Genesis principle" when he says in 1 Corinthians 7 that it is better not to marry. A single person is able to devote themselves fully to God, but a married person is concerned with "worldly affairs". However, he makes a concession - he states in verse 9 that "if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion". I wonder if Paul would have said the same of Civil Partnerships between same sex couples. It is better for them to 'marry' and be commited to one another in a loving, monogamous relationship than to burn with passion and sleep around.

Paul also says in verse 17 that "each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is a rule I lay down in all the churches." If a man or woman is gay and becomes a Christian, is it not anti-Biblical to try and "convert" them to heterosexuality?

The most compelling book in the Bible on the topic is actually Galatians. This was used by Luther as a foundation for reform. In it, Paul comments on Christians who tried to force other believers to abide by Old Testament Laws (in this case, circumcision). Paul makes a very eloquent argument that if you try to receive righteousness by observing the Law, you become subject to the whole Law and are under a curse. Furthermore, Christ then died for nothing. Paul says we receive righteousness by faith in Christ Jesus, not by our own strength in following Old Testament Law. How dare we try and force a section of our church to follow a few random laws from Leviticus when we ourselves continue to sin in many ways yet are saved by grace.

Perhaps the most compelling argument that Christians who believe God and the Bible to be anti-homosexual (or anti homosexual practice) is found in this same letter. In Galatians 3:28 Paul says "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." We are all one in Christ Jesus, and this includes homosexual Christians. To artificially raise divisions, separating "good Christians" from "Christians who are active homosexuals" is totally against the spirit of Christianity and the Word of God.

A good measure of our actions and attitudes is to look at Galatians 5:16-26. Here Paul talks of the fruit of spirit and the acts of the sinful nature. If your life is full of sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like... then you are not living a spirit filled life as a Christian. If, however, you are full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control, then you can be assured that you are living by the Spirit.

In the current debate in the church of Scotland, a minister has responded to a call to be a minister in a church in Aberdeen. He informed them about his sexual orientation, that he would move in to the manse with his Christian (male) partner. He was voted in by a majority and this was agreed by a majority vote by the Presbytery of Aberdeen. Those who testify to the character of this man say that he is a kind, loving man and a wonderful preacher.

A few objected to his appointment, resigned from the church, wrote letters of complaint to the General Assembly. Others took up this movement and started a petition against his appointment, claiming that the Bible is unambiguous in its condemnation of homosexual practice (oh, if only they would read this blog!). They are trying to raise enough objection to stand against this minister's appointment and are encouraging others to join this group.

I can totally understand where they are coming from. A few years ago I would have signed this petition. But today, when I look at the fruit of the Spirit and compare this with "dissensions and factions" I think I know where I stand on this matter. I will not be signing this petition.

Only when we can accept homosexual couples can we start to minister to these people, helping them in their relationships, drawing them to the love of Christ, encouraging them towards lives of purity and love and then in turn drawing others.

I pray a blessing on the Church of Scotland, on the worldwide church and on you, the reader. May God have mercy on us, may Christ surround us with his love, may the Spirit guide us and draw us together in peace, love and unity.

God bless <><