Why is homosexuality not in the 10 commandments?

Question

I'm just curious, because people are like accusing homosexuals as "criminals" but it's not in the 10 commandments. So is it a major sin? Or is it a sin at all?

Answer 1

The Ten Commandments were just a summary of the general principles that the rest of the Law explained how to implement.

Similar example: Think of the U.S. as promoting "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" and holding up the Bill of Rights, and then all the detailed laws of our country (millions of them) as explaining HOW to uphold the Bill of Rights on a practical, daily basis.

Homosexuality was never covered in the broad ten general principles, specifically. It was merely mentioned in one of the zillions of laws explaining how to implement the Ten Commandments.

The lack of "coverage" in the Bible could be read in one of two ways: Either it didn't matter much to the writers, or it was so obviously wrong to the culture that the writers didn't feel that it needed to be emphasized.

We do know that the surrounding cultures included such practices and other unbridled sexual activity in their pagan worship; and the Israelites very much viewed themselves as separate, consecrated, "set apart" for God and needed to distinguish themselves from that behavior.

People are debating whether homosexuality was banned simply as another aspect of "separation" from the pagans or whether the activity itself was against what God wanted for human relationships.

DirtyWhiteGuy's post: Yep, Sodom and Gamorrah didn't describe any homosexuality in the population, and the sex act that the townspeople wanted to inflict upon the visitors was not about homosexuality per se but really "gang rape" -- an act of violence inflicted by the mob upon guests they should have treated reverently. (This is one reason why the sin of Sodom is considered "inhospitality.")

I do agree with you that the issue becomes far too much a focus in current Christian/non-Christian discussion, and I think it distracts from what it really means to believe in Jesus -- he's sort of getting lost amid the arguing.

At the same time, sexuality is a large part of anyone's identity; and people want to find some way to live without guilt and feel as if they are pleasing God, so the issue does need to be explored.

Answer 2

I don't think it is in the 10 commandments because the 10 commandments were made as the basis of the religion. There wasn't much of the Judaic/Christian religion until that time and there weren't clear set rules. So the 10 commandments are the big ones, the most important rules. People do accuse homosexuals of being criminals, but a lot of "people" are uneducated in the actual religious rules. It is a sin, just like the 10 commandments. It is in the bible (though the passage escapes me) "all sin is equal in the eyes of the Lord" which means no matter the sin, it weighs the same. People, not the churches, not the bible, make it worse than it is.

Answer 3

For one only a fraction of sins are covered in the 10 commandments. The Bible never says that it is a sin to be a homosexual, but the sin is in having sex with a man like a woman. The specifically say anything about women, but it's implied.

Answer 4

"Homosexuality is not in the ten commandments because it has already been deemed a sin through the bible."

Let's see. the bible, which contains the story of the Exodus, where Moses gets the 10 commandments, obviously was written after Moses led the Hebrews from Egypt. Otherwise it would say, "Moses will lead the Hebrews from Egypt" and "a false idol of gold will be built"
Your statement seems to invert chronological order.

besides, Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so.

Answer 5

Homosexuality is covered under fornication and adultery. Is homosexuality a greater sin than stealing. NO. The bible talks about sexual in being a sin against your own body, which is the Temple of the Lord, but Sin is Sin.

Answer 6

Dear God, why do so many others of your followers insit on trying to make Sodom about homosexuality?

Seriously, let's think about this. One, the verb in the original Greek is wrong for "to have sex". Two, rape in any form is wrong. Three, check out Ezekiel 16:49-50. "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; the did not help the ppor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me." The end is vague and could easily refer to any other sin. Notice where the focus is, though? Inhospitality is why Sodom was destroyed.

Investigate any of the six verses that could possibly deal with homosexuality and you find one thing missing: they never deal with loving relationships between those of the same sex. All that is ever condemned is lust, and that is condemned many many more times for hetersexal people, yet we don't go condemning them for their loving relationships.

And to those of you who love to throw about "Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve" I say this: a lot of stuff isn't mentioned in the story of Creation, but we don't insist that isn't they way things should be. If you were to look at Creation for how things should be, no one should ever be single, because it was Adam and Eve, not just Adam or Eve. But we accept that people can be without a partner. Why do we apply a separate standard otherwise?

Love is the key. Many people could stand to better grasp this concept.

Answer 7

Homosexuality according to God is an abomination.

Thats God's word, not mine.

But God loves all of us, and none is short of sin, regardless of the sin. The only people accusing people who are homosexual of being criminals are probably the same ones telling straight people that only the missionary position is proper. Go figure...

Answer 8

Look at all the f'in experts that suddenly crawled out of the wood work!!!

Read all of the answers here. Collectively, none of you can truly agree on anything.

Don't you see that this is how religion causes so many problems?! Even amongst "Christians" you can't agree. Can't you see that your bibles, your loose interpretations and pathetic attempts at understanding the vague and archane are completely worthless because you yourselves can't understand and are incapable of thinking for yourselves? You only THINK you know, but you don't. Have you ever considered that your god put things this way to challenge you mentally. To have you consider the world around you with your own eyes and to develop your own truths?

Religion or not, another man's life is not for you to judge! What happens in my bedroom is my own business. What doesn't happen in yours is your business.

For the record, Sodom and Gemorrha weren't populated completely by homosexuals. In fact, I CHALLENGE ANYONE with a bible to find me a solid, unbiased reference that indicates their assumption that homosexuals EXCLUSIVELY populated one or both cities.

Finally, I think you people need to get over this really morbid fascination and preoccupation with homosexuality and religion. It's just not healthy for you, mentally or spiritually. You should be worrying about your own issues. If you don't believe that homosexuality is a good thing, that's cool. You're entitled to your opinion, even if it is misguided and ill-informed. Just move on with your lives. Don't let it consume you. Being so judgemental of others doesn't make for a happy life, nor afterlife.

Answer 9

Homosexuality is not in the ten commandments because it has already been deemed a sin through the bible. They didn't have to write it because they didn't expect it!

Answer 10

There is a passage in Leviticus that says something like "Man shall not lie with man as he lies with the woman." This is in the same chapter that forbids eating shellfish. Most of the laws in those early Old Testament books are ignored by modern Christians, but not that one! Also, in Romans, Paul attributes a church's decline to the homosexual acts of some of its members. Again, this is condemning the act of homoerotic sex, not the feelings of homosexuality. Christians who believe the Bible says anything forbidding homosexual feelings are confused. Those who hate homosexuals because of it are pathetic. True Christians disagree with those who have homosexual sex, but try to convert them anyway, with love instead of hate.
Have a pleasant day.