[CS-FSLUG] God Didn't Say That

[K Montgomery]

On Jan 6, 2005, at 6:56 PM, Ralph De Witt wrote:

> On Thursday 06 January 2005 12:28 pm, K. Luckenbaugh wrote:
>> I said it before, I'll say it again...     "It is an abomination for a
>> man to lay with a man.  Does not nature itself prove this."
> Kelly:
> Homosexual animals occur naturally in nature. IIRC there are several
> homosexual penguins in the New York zoo. The zoo keepers report that 
> they
> keep there nest cleaner than the heterosexual penquins, and have a 
> stronger
> bond between each other. They are more loving and carrying toward each 
> other.
> Is this what you are trying to prove. Homosexual animals have been 
> observered
> in other species also.
> -- 
> 	Yours,
> 	Ralph.

It's unclear to me whether Ralph's intent here was to justify 
homosexuality or simply to pose a counter-argument to Kelly's 
statement.  But for everyone's information, I will add to the points 
Tim has made (that "naturally occurring" does not equal 
appropriateness, and that the world is corrupted by the Fall) that 
sexuality (homo- or hetero-) is very much "learned" in a sense, and not 
automatic.  A person's sense of his own gender, and how he responds 
others of the same or opposite gender, is developed in childhood, long 
before sexual behavior is an issue.  Sometimes dysfunctional 
relationships and harmful experiences "break" a child's gender identity 
-- homosexuality can be a result.  If you apply God's healing to that 
broken identity, a homosexual person can gradually "re-orient" 
themselves to heterosexuality.

I won't say that's the exclusive origin of homosexuality.  I'm not a 
psychologist, but I know what the Lord has revealed to me personally, 
and I believe the experts I've heard, the testimonies I've read, and 
the evidence of former gays who are my friends.  I don't believe that 
homosexuality is genetic.  Still, for the Christian this is really 
irrelevant because God identifies it as sin in the Scriptures.  
Therefore he must want us to come out of it.

That raises the question: Is it OK for a Christian to "stay gay," just 
as long as he doesn't act out sexually?  In Psalm 51 David says to the 
Lord, "You desire truth in the inward parts" (v. 6) and "Create in me a 
clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me" (v. 10).  
Proverbs 23:7 says "as [a person] he thinks in his heart, so is he."  
In Matthew 23:27-28, Jesus accused the Pharisees of being "whitewashed 
tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of 
dead men's bones and all uncleanness" which "outwardly appear righteous 
to men, but inside ... are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."  
Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it 
spring the issues of life."  Matthew 5:28 says, "whoever looks at a 
woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his 
heart."  These are but a few examples to illustrate that God's concern 
is always primarily with the heart, not with outward behavior.  Thus a 
Christian who knows that homosexuality is wrong, but refuses to 
confront it in his heart, is still in sin.  Still, anyone can change 
who wants to and who trusts in God.  Many people have.

- Kathy