Help? =[

[Teddybearlover]

This morning when I wokeup I went through the usuals motions; but in no way expecting my sexuality to be challenged once again. In sunday school the lesson was on homosexuality. It talked about how it was a sin, and how all homosexuals need Jesus. When I got home my brother (Who believes that homosexuality is a sin and that all homosexuals will go to hell without God) asked me if I believed that being LGBT is a sin because they talked about in Sunday school. To which I replied, "No" and walked into my room.

However some of the verses that were brought up do have me thinking and again I come to you guys for reassurance. It would be a great favor to me if you could look up the following verses and explain them to me further.

1.Genesis:1-9, 12, 13, 24, 25
2.Leviticus:18:22
3.Mark:10:6-8
4.Romans 1:24-27
5.1 Corinthians 6 9-11
6.Ephesians 2:1-7

I have read through these verses and the scripture around them, I would like to know your opinions.

[BruceChris]

And in the Bible, there are 6 admonitions concerning homosexuality, and 364 admonitions concerning heterosexuality. Obviously, God knew that heterosexuals needed to be watched a lot more closely.

In the first few weeks of life, we all have the same (female) body, and it is the complex interaction of hormones and hormone receptors that determine our gender identity, our sexual orientation, and our anatomy. Sometimes these are expressed in different combinations.

Homosexuality is not a choice, and no gay or lesbian person has ever said that it was. We are as God has made us.

Read About, and read our Resources, (see the toolbar across the top)

Read our members threads and posts, and get to know us.

Peace and Love, Bruce Chris

[Teddybearlover]

And in the Bible, there are 6 admonitions concerning homosexuality, and 364 admonitions concerning heterosexuality. Obviously, God knew that heterosexuals needed to be watched a lot more closely.

In the first few weeks of life, we all have the same (female) body, and it is the complex interaction of hormones and hormone receptors that determine our gender identity, our sexual orientation, and our anatomy. Sometimes these are expressed in different combinations.

Homosexuality is not a choice, and no gay or lesbian person has ever said that it was. We are as God has made us.

Read About, and read our Resources, (see the toolbar across the top)

Read our members threads and posts, and get to know us.

Peace and Love, Bruce Chris


Thankyou very much.

[Emproph]

There's been a lot of intellegent discussion on these over the years. And don't forget about the search feature at the top.

From the thread "A conversation with a Greek language professor (http://www.soulforce.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3829)," there are a couple of links to Andy's in depth analysis of Corinthians (http://www.soulforce.org/forums/showpost.php?p=15130&postcount=20) and Leviticus (http://www.soulforce.org/forums/showpost.php?p=26962&postcount=13).

And then here's one on Romans:
Responding to "Baker's Evangelical Theological Dictionary" (http://www.soulforce.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2108)

As far as Mark 10:6-8 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2010:6-8;&version=31;) goes...
But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.'[c] So they are no longer two, but one.
Only two verses later we have Mark 10:10-12 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2010:10-12;&version=31;):
When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."
And how many times have you heard that verse used to condemn remarriage as adultery?

As far as I'm concerned, if they don't condemn remarriage as adultery, as well as a host of other condemnations in the Bible that they ignore, then their beliefs about homosexuality are not based on the Bible, they're just using it to hide behind. Which is almost always the case, and I've sparred with many.

The whole male/female thing is a ruse in my opinion, and is just a take on the whole "the parts fit" song and dance - as though the shape of your genitals determines who you love and are attracted to.

If anybody uses that on you, ask them if that's how they determined that they were a heterosexual.

I've got plenty more to say on the subject, but suffice it to say that using the Bible to condemn LGBT people is nothing short of abusive, and it's sinful.

And don't fall for the 'we don't hate the homosexual person, we just hate the act,' it's just another lie they tell themselves. You can't hate someone's human-sexuality without hating their very humanity. To call a portion of someone's humanity a sin, is the epitome of unfairness.

Also, don't forget about Mel White's booklet which you can read here:

What the Bible Says - And Doesn't Say - About Homosexuality (http://www.soulforce.org/article/homosexuality-bible)
by Rev. Mel White, co-founder of Soulforce

In fact you might want to start with that one. ;)

[keltic63]

Our Dear Andy pointed out to me at one time, that in Genesis 2:18-20, it appears that God intended for man to choose a mate from the animals"


18Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone;(R (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=2&version=47#cen-ESV-49R)) I will make him a helper fit for[e (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=2&version=47#fen-ESV-49e)] him." 19(S (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=2&version=47#cen-ESV-50S)) Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed[f (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=2&version=47#fen-ESV-50f)] every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and(T (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=2&version=47#cen-ESV-50T)) brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam[g (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=1&chapter=2&version=47#fen-ESV-51g)] there was not found a helper fit for him.


Note that a literal reading of these particular verses, indicates that God parades the animals before Adam and expects him to choose a helper fit for him (God expects bestiality????) and it's only after Adam can't decide that God creates Eve.

[Jester25]

Welcome, TeddyBearLover. :)

What you need to understand is that the Bible was written many, many years ago by many, many people - and all of them thought they had the right idea about what the Powers that Be (or God or Allah or whatever you call it) wanted them to say and do. So, they wrote down what *they* thought, hence the different books of the Bible. Furthermore, the Bible has gone through so much revisionism and retranslation and nitpicking that not everything is clear anymore. Passages contradict both themselves and common sense, and some passages are no longer used at all, as Emproph brought up in his post. Such, however, is the same with many religious tomes.

So, to expect us mere humans to know what the Power really wants from us concerning Homosexuality is out of the question. We cannot and do not know for sure, but I am certain that the Power would not want to see us using its alleged words against ourselves. Humans are flawed, this we know. Humans make mistakes in translation as well as other things. So, how can we expect something a human wrote, much less something a human from several thousands of years past, to be the true 'Word of God'? It's certainly something to think about. :)