Faith and Homosexuality
By Brian Smith
Editor-In-Chief
kra_tos@livejournal.com
Since October, I have, with my family, been attending a non-denominational church here in Plymouth. For the most part it has been a rich experience.
But there have been a few parts of it that bother me.
We began attending the church during a series on the Ten Commandments. One of the early weeks was a discussion on Exodus 20:14: "You shall not commit adultery." The Senior Pastor, a brilliant public speaker and someone very well connected with the Bible, gave the traditional warnings about faithfulness to one's wife. But then he spoke to sexual integrity as a whole, and referred to the abomination of homosexuality as stated in Leviticus. I took it as a challenge to find out what my place within that church was.
I found my place a few weeks ago among the members of the church's college ministry. The past two weeks have included incidents that have led me to question the motivation of the people I surround myself with, and led me to contemplate the marriage between faith and homosexuality.
Last week, a fellow college student was discussing a paper he had to write regarding homosexuality, and how he derided homosexuality in the paper as a sin "...but they are good people." I stood alongside, watching this happen, and was silent.
This week, I was riding home with someone I've known for several years, but have just rediscovered in the church setting. We were talking about the church and she made a comment on how southern boys rock. And I said, "Yeah they do." And she turned around at the red light, giggling insanely as if I had just made this amazing joke. And again, I said nothing.
So I am left this morning to examine myself, to wonder why I was silent. To wonder why I didn't say anything, why I didn't stand up for who I am. I am a good person. Why must I hide my true self to make it a step closer to acceptance? Would someone with less self-esteem than I feel even worse about himself than I do now?
I think God and gay have a place together. They are not mutually exclusive to me. Because of what I have been through in my life, I feel that God has indeed been watching out for me. EVEN IF (and I'm not saying I believe that it is) homosexuality is a sin according to the Bible, the Bible also teaches us that Jesus died on the cross to absolve us of our sin and adopt it as His own. So those who say that homosexuals are going to Hell do not understand the Bible themselves. Romans 6:23 tells us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord."
Editor-In-Chief
kra_tos@livejournal.com
Since October, I have, with my family, been attending a non-denominational church here in Plymouth. For the most part it has been a rich experience.
But there have been a few parts of it that bother me.
We began attending the church during a series on the Ten Commandments. One of the early weeks was a discussion on Exodus 20:14: "You shall not commit adultery." The Senior Pastor, a brilliant public speaker and someone very well connected with the Bible, gave the traditional warnings about faithfulness to one's wife. But then he spoke to sexual integrity as a whole, and referred to the abomination of homosexuality as stated in Leviticus. I took it as a challenge to find out what my place within that church was.
I found my place a few weeks ago among the members of the church's college ministry. The past two weeks have included incidents that have led me to question the motivation of the people I surround myself with, and led me to contemplate the marriage between faith and homosexuality.
Last week, a fellow college student was discussing a paper he had to write regarding homosexuality, and how he derided homosexuality in the paper as a sin "...but they are good people." I stood alongside, watching this happen, and was silent.
This week, I was riding home with someone I've known for several years, but have just rediscovered in the church setting. We were talking about the church and she made a comment on how southern boys rock. And I said, "Yeah they do." And she turned around at the red light, giggling insanely as if I had just made this amazing joke. And again, I said nothing.
So I am left this morning to examine myself, to wonder why I was silent. To wonder why I didn't say anything, why I didn't stand up for who I am. I am a good person. Why must I hide my true self to make it a step closer to acceptance? Would someone with less self-esteem than I feel even worse about himself than I do now?
I think God and gay have a place together. They are not mutually exclusive to me. Because of what I have been through in my life, I feel that God has indeed been watching out for me. EVEN IF (and I'm not saying I believe that it is) homosexuality is a sin according to the Bible, the Bible also teaches us that Jesus died on the cross to absolve us of our sin and adopt it as His own. So those who say that homosexuals are going to Hell do not understand the Bible themselves. Romans 6:23 tells us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord."