How do people rationalize belief in the bible with acceptance of homosexuality?

Question

Here's where I'm coming from...
I have nothing against homosexuals.
I DO have something against the bible.

And I just don't get people who profess to be Christians yet say they accept homosexuals. The bible is pretty clear on the subject: along with a lot of other stuff, God hates gays.

So why not just be honest with yourselves and accept being open minded without feeling the need to justify yourselves through an archaic set of beliefs?

I'm seeing a lot of "love the sinner, hate the sin." My questions isn't about acceptance of homosexuals.. it's about acceptance of homosexuALITY.

Oh, and if one part of the bible may be in error... then how do you know which parts are right at all?

Answer 1

I think what many people are trying to do is to get across the point to bible-believers that judging a person on the basis of his homosexuality is not a moral thing to do.

By "judging" I mean trying to block or limit another person's rights, by discriminating against him -- and supporting a state or national amendment based on that bigotry.

It happens to be true, that a lot of the bible is junk: executing witches and adulterers, locking women outside when they're menstruating; stoning your kids to death for misbehaving, all nonsense -- and the sticking point there is that bible-believers recognize (although don't like to admit) that many biblical ideas are simply wrong, yet they cling on to the anti-homosexual bigotry with a passion.

Answer 2

I really like your question! Something really interesting and profound is happening in humanity. Certain values or morals have been slowl coming into question for a vry long time, and as they do, yet other ideas, morals and prejudices come into question. People do want to feel love and accceptance with all other people, but their religions often prevent it. We humans, despite our large and trouble making brains are still drawn to one another. We are EVOLVING ever constantly. I think a lot of christians are at a crucial point where the realize that they can no longer take the bible word for word and that "god" probably loves homosexuals and lesbians, and yeah, islamic people just as much as the bible pounders. (oops, did I say that ?) this profound change has been occuring for a long time, as I said before. Im not sure when it started, but look along the lines of human history. There was a time when we slaughtered women, homosexuals, witches, and animals without a thought. HUmanity still keeps challenging itself to grow with every turn. Its just evolution my friend, and there is MORE. way more. The truth is even wiler than we think.

Answer 3

I don't get it either. Like all those gay ordained ministers. I think Christianity is the religion of convenience not belief. But the bible says (i think) hate the sin and not the sinner so maybe Christians who accept homosexuals are going by that motto (which makes sense) and not saying the act is right. I don't know. I think all religions are slightly crazy.

But what I really don't understand are gay Christians. How do they reconcile that. I feel like I can't be a woman as a christian, so I would like to know the answer to that.

Answer 4

God does not hate anybody. Christians are commanded to love everyone. Jesus ate with prostitutes, tax collectors and other "sinners". However the Bible says that someone living in sin and continues to do so after being addressed by church members are to be kicked out of the church.
The church is for Christians to worship and grow. The people that continue to live in sin which is different than committing a sin should not be a member of the church because they are bringing down the other members. However we are still commanded to love them. God hates sin, not the sinner.

Answer 5

There isn't a single christian sect that follows the bible to the letter. They all pick & choose. Typically they start by declaring the OT to be irrelevant, even though their Jesus was QUOTED in the bible as saying that he come "to overturn NO law". Then there's the parts where Jesus says he has no problem with slavery, etc.

Anyway, christians just use the bible to rationalize what they already believe. If they find something in the bible that they disagree with, they rationalize it away, call it allegory, outdated, fallible, etc. It's hypocrisy at its worst.

Answer 6

You haven't read the Bible much, have you? The Church uses six verses to condemn homosexuality. Three in the New Testament, three in the Old. Of those, none of the New Testament verses refer to homosexuality at all. They refer to sexual immorality in general, and literally do not apply.
As for the three O.T. verses, two make specific reference to prohibiting that conduct as a part of Temple worship, (No male prostitutes as part of the Temple kind of thing.) not homosexuality in general. So, in terms of life outside the Temple, these verses do not apply either. The only one directly on point is in the "Holiness Code" of Leviticus. Reading it literally in Hebrew (the language it was written in), is a bit confusing... it can be read to condemn homosexuality, or to condemn a man violating a woman's bed. Assuming the worst, Leviticus calls being gay an "abomination" to God. However, just a few verses earlier, it makes the same charge against someone who wears two types of fabric in the same garment (which means anyone wearing a cotton/polyester blend is just as evil as someone who is gay).

Further, the O.T. refers to the relationship of David and Johnathan as one between lovers... to the point when David married Saul's daughter he called David his son-in-law twice (married to both his daughter and Johnathan, his son.) When Christ was faced, directly with the issue of homosexuality he did not condemn it, but praised the man as having greater faith than any man in Israel. (This is the story of the healing of the centurion's servant. The English version calls him a "beloved servant". The Greek is very clear... he was a homosexual lover).

Without any scriptural basis for hatred of homosexuality, there is no reason for a Christian not to be accepting. Those that aren't, aren't acting as Christians.

Answer 7

He hates the act --- not the person. The bible tells us that the act is against the natural use of the body --.(Romans 1:26-32)

God also doesn't like fornication, stealing, murder etc...
I don't know the people you know that claim to be Christian and accept the act of homosexuality - you'll have to pose your question to those people.... there's no scripture for advocating the act of homosexuality ---

Answer 8

No God loves all people that is why He willing paid our penalty. The answer to your question is easy though it is as simple as loving the sinner but not the sin. In the case of your question the Christian and God love the homosexual, but not his lifestlye because the Bible is clear that it is a sin.

Answer 9

i wonder about all these people as well justifying their oppinions because of that book. Are they all also stoning to death everyone that works on the Sabbath? What about the planting of multiple crops next to each other, the Bible wasn't keen on that idea, also punishable by death. And I look forward to when I can purchase the youngest daughter of these people that they have every right to sell into slavery.

It's archaic, it doesn't apply now.

Answer 10

God doesn't HATE anyone. We are HIS children and HE loves us, even when we sin. Forgiveness is the key. You have to ask. If you really don't want to live that lifestyle, then ask God to bring you out of it. If that's the way you wany to live, then you are choosing to live an abominable lifestyle. The Bible clearly says that homosexuality is an abomination. Of course it's wrong, but we can't condemn others. That is not our place. Love them and pray for them is what the Bible teaches us.