I'll start by saying thank you to all the people who took the time to leave feedback on the last post, to message/email me, and all that jazz. 17 essays in the form of comments, plus 3 messages, not bad for one post.
And thanks especially to EAP. If you're still wondering why I don't post my reasons for leaving, go back and reread points #1 and #5 in his comment...they say things as well as I ever could have. I don't mind at all being asked in person (or on the phone) about it, but beyond that I'll pretty much keep such things to myself.
Now, the question of the day for the readers.
A couple weeks ago I was in the cafeteria at OSU, and "overheard" this interesting conversation that these two girls were having at a table close to me.
This conversation went all over the place, but what really got me was when they started talking about the one girl's sexual orientation.
This girl went on to say (in a nutshell) how she's lesbian, that she doesn't feel right about it, that she also never chose to be gay, that she's prayed over and over that God would take that away from her, and that she doesn't know what to do. All the prayer, Bible reading, churchgoing, and confession she's doing aren't changing the fact that she still feels an attraction to other girls.
Most of you reading this probably grew up in a fairly conservative environment, just like I did. And most of you probably grew up not thinking to highly of the homosexual community, just like I did. And most of you have probably been taught at some point in your life that being gay is a choice, just like I was.
And so, my question to you is this: Does the fact that this girl is gay mean she's automatically in sin and/or going to Hell, and if so, why? Because judging from everything that was said I'm 98% certain that this girl's a genuine Christian and was telling the truth. How do you reconcile that with what the Apostle Paul had to say about homosexuality in Romans 1? Is there a difference between simply being attracted to others of the same sex and (insert phrase that wouldn't offend even the most conservative Mennonite
) with others of the same sex? Thoughts?
P.S. Is this page easier to read now that I moved the Trail Blazer logo to the side? Speaking of the Blazers, they seem to be
stinking it up right now...
Comments (8)
I'll start by saying thanks for your last post, I read it but didn't have time to comment. I'll be prayin' for ya, man (and that's not being typed in a critical way)...
Yes, easier to read with the logo on the side.
I'll have to think about your question of the day, too tired right now. Good post.
Yeah, I think there definitely is a difference between feeling homosexual feelings and actually practicing it. The scenario you brought up is a really tough one, and maybe no "easy" answers. There is counseling available today for stuff like this, and with God's grace, I believe these feelings can be overcome, however.
I think some Mennos have missed the mark a bit when they just flat out declare that it is only a choice. From the little I know, it seems to me that the inner desires are not always chosen. But it is a choice as to whether they will live in that or not
I've never been there, so I want to speak with compassion to people in those situations. But the Bible is very clear on the subject of homosexuality. And from the little I have read and studied on the subject, I think the Bible more clearly spells out the sin of the "practicing" homosexual. I believe I have read something that would suggest so, but I can't find the verse right now.
Some other verses I found that speak to this very cleary: Romans 1:26-32 very clear here, I guess you referred to that in your post.
Having said all that, I think we need to be very careful with our attitudes towards these people. Some have these desires and don't wish to. But that still doesn't make it right to practice it. If God's Word says its wrong, then it's wrong.
Not an authority on the subject, but that's what I understand from what I read in the Bible. Matt, you come up with quite the subjects. That's a good one though!
We all have temptations and impulses, but we are judged for our choices/behavior/sin, not the temptations. I would guess this girl's attraction is because of something in her past beyond her control (abuse or whatever). But the issue is: is she acting on this, is she feeding it, is she fighting it or not?....incidentally the same questions that apply to any person with heterosexual temptations outside of marriage.
I second what your mom said!
And yes this page is MUCH easier to read with the Trail Blazer logo on the side!
Off the top of my head: temptation does not equal sin.
The knee jerk reaction, and the answer I would have given you a year ago was it was nothing more then a choice.
I have since had to reform my own position. And the reasons why are actually right under your nose.
in 1998 under the behest of the USDA, the #1 university for agriculture in American (Oregon State) began a study on homosexuality in livestock. The aim was to find out why they were gay so that it could be spotted early and farmers wouldn't buy... pink sheep as breeding stock.
The Findings: "By studying difference in the animal's brains after slaughter, the study also showed what could be a biological determiner for what makes a ram male-oriented instead of female-oriented sexually. The scientists' results showed that the anterior preoptic area of the rams' hypothalamus was 50 percent smaller in male-oriented rams as opposed to female oriented rams"....
..."The sheep researchers postulate that low levels of aromatase hormones in the brain of a developing male sheep fetus may have kept the brain from fully masculinizing, leading to sexually male-oriented rams." -Wikinews
This would actually make homosexuality a developmental disorder, making it a product of luck of the draw or even possibly genetics.
But animals aren't people right, we're different aren't we? Not really...
"A 1991 study of human brains of AIDS victims showed a similar hypothalamus size difference between gay and heterosexual men."
-Wikinews
While this was inconvenient to my stance on homosexuality at the time, it also happens to be the results of real science conducted with an honest, unbiased agenda which focused only on why it was happening.
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/U.S._study_of_gay_sheep_may_shed_light_on_sexuality
http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2005/08/12/news/community/fri02.txt
http://www.eastoregonian.info/Main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=206&ArticleID=42596
links for more info
Hmmm, way to ask the hard questions. In response to your question, I think your mom said it best, the action not the temptation is wrong. I have done some research on this myself. (Genesis 19; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:22-29; 1 Corinthians 6:9;; 1 Timothy 1:10; Jude 1:7) This is what the Bible has to say about it. Plus the whole idea that marriage is meant to be one man one women for life. This site- http://www.exodus.to/ answers a lot of questions about this issue.