The design of the body and its appropriate uses

I don't really want to be too graphic with this posting, but I have been asked on a few occassions to explain how it can be appropriate for 2 people of the same gender to have sexual activity when their bodies are clearly not designed for this.

It is an interesting question.  I was specifically asked by someone to address this issue without recourse to Scripture, so I will attempt to do so (my initial response was that we do not judge our morality from our biology or anatomy, but from the Bible).

A good example to explain my views on this is the act of romantic (mouth to mouth) kissing.  Our mouths are clearly designed for eating, speaking and partial breathing.  Kissing mouth to mouth is a very human thing to do (unlike the transfer of partially digested food in birds to their young, for example).  It is not natural in the sense that it is using a body part for a purpose it was not created for.

We know from studies that kissing has a chemical and hormonal effect on our bodies (mostly beneficial, but also the transfer of germs and bacteria).  However, it is clear that the primary function of kissing is not reproductive in nature.  Instead, it is an emotionally intimate interaction between two people.  That interaction serves a purpose.  Most consider it good and enjoyable.  Many cultures believe that owing to the intimate nature of mouth to mouth kissing it should be only between close partners.  There is no clear or unified teaching on the theology of kissing (that I am aware of!).

The key point, however, is that it is the use of a human part of the body to engage in an activity for which that part was not designed.

If you genuinely believe that no part of the human body should be used to do something for which it is not designed, then homosexual activity would be precluded, as would kissing and a host of other unnatural uses of any part of the human body.

My very young daughter finds it hilarious to sit on her mother or father's head when they are lying down.  She is not using her bottom for the purpose it was made, but I would be hard pushed to scold this behaviour in light of her using it as a form of humour and bonding with her parents.  We do, of course, help her understand that there are times, places and people where this would not be appropriate!

Within the intimate relationship of a couple, the use of sexual organs clearly has a reproductive function.  However, for couples unable to have children, we would be hard pressed to find a respected Christian argument that they should not engage in sexual intercourse because their bodies are not being used for the purpose of reproduction.  Instead, there is a clear romantic, intimate, bonding and stress reducing purpose to that behaviour.  My argument would be that this applies equally to a couple of the same sex as they express their sexual orientation this way.

Before anyone jumps on the "but the Bible says it is wrong" argument, I would like to remind that I was asked to discuss this without recourse to scripture.

I must however, return to my Biblical beliefs.  I believe that this level of sexual intimacy should be (for Christians) within the loving relationship of a marriage covenant (although there is interestingly no passage that says sex before marriage is wrong).  This is why I believe we need to extend marriage to include homosexual Christians who wish to honour God with their most intimate relationship and commit to lifelong fidelity and love.