Is homosexuality harmful?

[RickD]

Wearing clothes of the opposite sex is a sin?

I'll have to tell my wife that Audacity doesn't approve of her wearing my sweatshirts.

[Philip]

Studies, smudies (yes, data can be informative)!

What REALLY matters - for CHRISTIANS - concerning the questions surrounding homosexuality - SHOULD be: WHAT does Scripture actually say about it? And do you BELIEVE what it says? From a comprehensive study of Scripture, it is very clear that God hates the PRACTICE of homosexuality. We question the hierarchy of how God views that sin all day long. But, obviously, as to its long-term, defiantly, deliberately unrepentant, embraced practice, God sees such as a spiritual marker amongst people He gives dire warnings to. Does that mean that a person practicing homosexuality and saved? Yes, certainly that is possible. All Christians sin! But a Christian knowing Scripture should be prayerfully struggling to overcoming that practice - like all Christians should against all sin. Should Christians love them? Of course! Should we shun and discriminate against them? Absolutely NOT! Should we accommodate or somehow endorse this sinful practice, or assert it is NOT sinful - the reality it's VERY unloving to do so. Did God CREATE people to function is a way He says is shameful? How silly to believe. Scientific - PLEASE! Can people so identifying as gay live against their desires for that sin? Absolutely - all Christians struggle against all manner of sinful temptations.

Really, for Christians, concerning this issue - you either believe Scripture or not. If the Scriptures are not true - then this is an irrelevant question/issue, at least from a spiritual standpoint. This is not a gray area in Scripture. The only gray area is for those who don't believe it means what is says - or for those who don't believe the relevant Scriptures were God-inspired.

What is really sad is when Christians equate loving homosexuals with asserting that God created them as such, or that Scripture doesn't condemn its PRACTICE. Such people simply don't believe what the Bible clearly and comprehensively teaches. Let's not forget, there is not ONE example in Scripture of a God-honoring homosexual relationship - monogamous, committed, or otherwise. Wonder why?

Except for what God says about this, the rest is mostly mere opinion - much of it wildly uniformed.

[Philip]

Rick: I'll have to tell my wife that Audacity doesn't approve of her wearing my sweatshirts.

RICK sweats?

[RickD]

Rick: I'll have to tell my wife that Audacity doesn't approve of her wearing my sweatshirts.

RICK sweats?

And apparently tattoos are a no no for Christians as well.

And no drinking?

Audacity, where do you come up with this stuff?

[Nessa]

It's a perversion of what God planned, even likened to pedophillia or porn

They deviate from what God originally desired sex to be about. And if they are all truly sins, then they bring with it their own harm.

And what harm is that?

The most serious harm would be separation from God. Sin separates us from him.

That's not to say you can't be a struggling Christian battling sin though

So it's really of no more concern than any of the other sins:

Lust
Gluttony
Greed
Sloth
Wrath
Envy
Pride
Arrogance
Adultery
Blasphemy
Carnality
Wearing clothes of the opposite sex
Dressing immodestly
Condemnation
Boasting
Cursing
Deceit
Fornication
Despising one's neighbor
Drinking
Extortion
Faultfinding
Tattling
Foolishness
Fortune telling
Gambling
Denying Jesus
Mischief
Hate
Idolatry
Impudence
Killing a mother bird in the nest
Not being kind
Laziness
lying
Malice
Slander
Occult
Impatience
Tattoos
Rioting
Selfishness
Sex with a prostitute
Vanity
Witchcraft
etc.
etc.

Actually no, it isn't any greater.
Adultery, for example, would be a far worse sin.
See engaging in a homosexual act is a sin, much like any other sin really, BUT the reason it gets so much press is that homosexual don't want it to be a sin.
You don't see anyone arguing that adultery is a sin or that staling and lying and profanity are sins.

I think Paul brought up a crucial point. Alot of people simply dont want homosexuality to be a sin.

Also I'm not sure the mentality of homosexuality being just a sin like any other is always helpful.

It's helpful in the sense that we all sin and no one can boast but it's not helpful in the sense that some people try to use this mentality to minimise it.

Well we all sin everyday

I don't think that is necessarily the best way to look at it.

We need to stop always comparing and look at the sin on hand. Take it seriously.

[Nessa]

And sex with a prostitute is not necessarily a sin.

[RickD]

And sex with a prostitute is not necessarily a sin.

Really?

[Audacity]

It's a perversion of what God planned, even likened to pedophillia or porn

They deviate from what God originally desired sex to be about. And if they are all truly sins, then they bring with it their own harm.

And what harm is that?

The most serious harm would be separation from God. Sin separates us from him.

That's not to say you can't be a struggling Christian battling sin though

So it's really of no more concern than any of the other sins:

Lust
Gluttony
Greed
Sloth
Wrath
Envy
Pride
Arrogance
Adultery
Blasphemy
Carnality
Wearing clothes of the opposite sex
Dressing immodestly
Condemnation
Boasting
Cursing
Deceit
Fornication
Despising one's neighbor
Drinking
Extortion
Faultfinding
Tattling
Foolishness
Fortune telling
Gambling
Denying Jesus
Mischief
Hate
Idolatry
Impudence
Killing a mother bird in the nest
Not being kind
Laziness
lying
Malice
Slander
Occult
Impatience
Tattoos
Rioting
Selfishness
Sex with a prostitute
Vanity
Witchcraft
etc.
etc.

Actually no, it isn't any greater.
Adultery, for example, would be a far worse sin.
See engaging in a homosexual act is a sin, much like any other sin really, BUT the reason it gets so much press is that homosexual don't want it to be a sin.

Truthfully, I've never seen such a reason ever given. In my opinion its popular because it's a safe sin to attack because it isn't applicable to the vast majority of finger pointers.

"As a lazy drinker who indulges himself in a bit of adultery let's not be too quick to condemn those of us best with these weaknesses. However, as a macho heterosexual I think homosexuals deserve to be sent to hell for their sin. ASAP!"

You don't see anyone arguing that adultery is a sin or that staling and lying and profanity are sins.

Do you see many homosexuals arguing that homosexuality is a sin? If anything I would imagine that those who care about sinning and such stuff would be arguing that it isn't a sin.

[Audacity]

And sex with a prostitute is not necessarily a sin.

1 Corinthians 6:15-18(NIV)
15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.

If it isn't "necessarily" a sin, under what circumstances would it not be a sin?

[Nessa]

And sex with a prostitute is not necessarily a sin.

Really?

STOP!

Before you go running off

There are certain conditions...

Tell me, did hosea sin by sleeping with gomer?

[Storyteller]

Homosexuality isn't "natural" Is it harmful? In some ways, yes but I don't think I hold with the opinion it's a choice either, not always. I had a good friend at school who killed himself because he was gay. Not because he was ashamed of it but because his life was filled with abuse and anger about his sexuality from other people. He was with his boyfriend since the age of 14, he died at 23.

Ness... how is having sex with a prostitute not wrong?

My view on sin is that sin is sin, end of, no shades of grey. Lie? Same as murder, all sin.

We ALL sin, that's why we need Christ. Which is why a homosexual can find salvation, as can a murderer, liar, drunkard, whatever.

So is homosexuality harmful? Practising it, maybe. Being it, no.

[Audacity]

I think Paul brought up a crucial point. Alot of people simply dont want homosexuality to be a sin.

I imagine these would only be the Christian homosexuals

Also I'm not sure the mentality of homosexuality being just a sin like any other is always helpful.

So what do you want to do. Elevate it from "just a sin" to what?

It's helpful in the sense that we all sin and no one can boast but it's not helpful in the sense that some people try to use this mentality to minimise it.

Or ignore it like so many of the other sins that people commit. I believe the reason homosexual Christians dislike it is that others, non-Christians included, actively use it to demean them.

.......................................


Where are these people with their signs saying "God Hates Drinkers," or "God Hates Gamblers"?

We need to stop always comparing and look at the sin on hand. Take it seriously.

So, can we expect to see you creating threads on

Lust
Gluttony
Greed
Sloth
Wrath
Envy
Pride
Arrogance
Adultery
Blasphemy
Carnality
Wearing clothes of the opposite sex
Dressing immodestly
Condemnation
Boasting
Cursing
Deceit
Fornication
Despising one's neighbor
Drinking
Extortion
Faultfinding
Tattling
Foolishness
Fortune telling
Gambling
Denying Jesus
Mischief
Hate
Idolatry
Impudence
Killing a mother bird in the nest
Not being kind
Laziness
lying
Malice
Slander
Occult
Impatience
Tattoos
Rioting
Selfishness
Sex with a prostitute
Vanity
Witchcraft
etc.
etc...................................................................?

[Storyteller]

One thing wrong with the God hates [homosexuals] sign, it's not true.
He hates the act, not the person.

[Nessa]

People that continually like to deflect that homosexuality is no worse than other sins (to the point of minimising it) are no better than the people holding up the signs. Harsh? Probably.

My 10 year old is great at deflecting... He always point the finger to his younger brother and often refuses to own his own actions.

Is it right for the men in the picture to do what they are doing in the way they are doing it?

No.

Doesnt alter the fact that homosexuality is still a sin.

Homosexuals can be just as good at pointing the finger. Is that the fault of similar attitudes such as the guys in the picture? No. Not as long as we are all responsible for our own actions and behaviours.

[Nessa]

So unless I create a thread on every conceivable sin, I'm being unfair?