Why does the church judge gay people so harshly?

Question

I mean a sin is a sin. There are no grey areas. It is a black and white issue. So if you are gay (which is not a choice, but that's another issue) which the church believes is a sin, what makes them different from the couple next door that is living together before marriage? Both situations are open and honest, yet the unmarried couple is likely to receive a warm welcome to the church (with perhaps a stern lecture) while gays are outright made to feel not welcome. Why are the situations so very different? They are both a sin in the eyes of God.

BTW, I am living with my fiance and have never felt out of place in my church. The priest has never even said anything. And it is common knowledge that we have lived together for 3 years.

I'm straight, by the way. Some answerers seem to think I am gay. I just asked this question because I truly don't understand why the church is hiding behind it. If it was just a matter of sin, they should start cracking down on everyone else.

Answer 1

Since I don't believe in the "biblical" definition and consequences of sin, I appreciate your question (and the fact that you are questioning this obvious discrepancy in the interpretation of the Bible).

One possible explanation is that the church members feel much more comfortable with the idea of a heterosexual couple living together because in their narrow perspective, these people can be "saved" with only a minor adjustment in their lifestyle (ie: marriage)...whereas the gay couple is doomed to hell without hope of salvation unless they deny who they are and live the lie of false-reversion.

Answer 2

The church is not judging, simply relaying what the Bible states about homosexuality. The Bible states that this lifestyle is a perversion and abomination (Lev. 20:13; Romans 1:21-32). An entire city was even destroyed because of this sin (Genesis 19). If a homosexual couple comes to a church service, they should not be treated as outcasts, but nor should their sin be treated as fine. Christians need to have love and compassion for others, which is the example of Christ; yet truth and compassion must be preached from the pulpit, according to God's Word. The same is true for the sins of fornication and adultery...

Answer 3

Notice again the bible people answer with scripture and no intelligent thought. They honestly believe that homosexuality is a choice. Can you imagine what the general population of the christian world would think if those scriptures were never written?
Even though there are homosexual ministers and priests who are good Christians, they still believe in the 2000 year old good book. There were homosexuals in the world since time began and NO, not that Adam & Eve time began story book. People are people, homosexuals, christians, muslims, athesists, etc. We all must live together on this planet. Get along or get out.

Answer 4

Well according to scripture, you are right, your situation is no better or worse than the homexual partnership. In a lot of churches though you would be taken aside, talked to, studied with and if you refuese to either marry, or live a absitinate life until you marry, you would be disfellowshipped.

If your church accepts you then scripturally they should accept homosexual couple.

I was in a brotherhood for many years who did not gay bash and did not treat gays bad. We never had a gay person to meet with us, but the teaching on the subject is that homosexuality is a sin along with adultry, fornication and any other sin and the gay person should be treated with respect and love as any sinner. They way to win a person over to your side is with love.

Answer 5

Christians really have no idea what their scripture really says, do they? They wouldn't be so quick to point fingers and deliver a message of divine condemnation if they actually took a moment and figured out what their "good book" says. The Bible does NOT condemn homosexuals and does NOT consider homosexual sex a sin.

The passages in Leviticus (18:22 and 20:13), understood IN THE CONTEXT of the time and place, are not an admonishment against loving sexual relationships between people of the same sex but instead against sex as a form of domination and control. Besides, these passages are part of the Holiness Code which is not binding to modern day Christians (or anyone else for that matter).

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah was a warning against rape, inhospitality and xenophobia. The reason for Sodom's destruction is made clear in Ezekiel 16:48-50. According to Ezekiel, the sins of Sodom were pride, laziness, being inhospitable, neglecting the needs of the poor, greed, and idolatry (the worshiping of idols). Nothing about homosexuality is mentioned. If Jude 1:7 describes anything about the sexual immorality and perversion in Sodom and Gomorrah, it's describing RAPE.

1 Corinthians 6:9 was a mistranslation of the word "malakee". It's used elsewhere in the Bible to mean someone who lacks discipline or one who is morally weak, and never is it used in reference to sexuality or gender.

1 Timothy 1:9-10? Also a mistranslation. 1 Timothy was an admonishment against male prostitution, not committed, loving same sex relationships.

The words "physin" and "paraphysin" in Romans 1:26-27 have also been mistranslated. Contrary to popular belief, the word "paraphysin" does not mean "to go against the laws of nature", but rather implies action which is uncharacteristic for that particular person. An example of the word "paraphysin" is used in Romans 11:24, where God acts in an uncharacteristic (paraphysin) way to accept the Gentiles. When the scripture is understood correctly, it implies that it would be unnatural for heterosexuals to live as homosexuals and for homosexuals to live as heterosexuals.

Answer 6

If your church is harsher on homosexual sin than on, say, a straight couple that are living in sin, it is most likely because in your church culture, homosexuality is seen as something worse than pre-marital sex. In other words, it is because of culture.

Often, culture has a greater influence on people's attitudes than the Bible. I don't think it is a coincidence that those churches that ordain gay bishops are found in countries where the culture says that homosexuality is good, and those churches that oppose the ordination of gay bishops are predominantly in parts of the world where the culture, Christian or otherwise, regards homosexuality as unnatural and immoral.

Other examples of cultural differences amongst churches include attitudes towards using drugs like alcohol and tobacco, polygamy, demons and exorcism, women in positions of authority, bearing arms and killing in wartime, material wealth, etc.

Answer 7

The same reason the Ku Klux Klan judges African Americans so harshly -- fear, dogma, superstition, tribalism, blind faith, etc. The difference between the treatment of gay vs. unmarried couples is just a matter of degree to which they engender the above traits. Add to that the subconscious need to propagate the species (in their likeness, or even at all), and you have a visceral reaction that does not succumb to reason, compassion nor respect.

Answer 8

simply,and without any complicated answer,because it is the community that against them not the church,honestly i don't deal with gay as i deal with strait,but i have to accept the gay as a normal person,a medical fact.
why people against them?(1st reason)because they don't do what the gays do so they feel it is something strange,to make it more clear e.g:the non smokers feels different to smoker people ,if you want to imagine how they feel,if you are a smoker remembered how was your feeling toward the smoker before you start smoking,
surprisingly,a survey of random selection done in one of the states that have an average numbers of gay comparing to other states , the result
more than 70% of the population have been experienced once in their life homosexuality.wow,that's mean if a family with 5 persons there will be at least one is included.this survey was taken as not to study USA community but human behavioral.
now you reach to a paradoxical conclusion,how come they refuse gay while surveys show the opposite.
i tell no it is not paradoxical it is a typical behavioral,which is called defense mechanism(2nd reason). as much as the number of the people experienced homosexuality increase as more as the people will be against gay.

Answer 9

And therein lies one of the biggest problems betwixt me and organized religion!

I always believed in a kind and forgiving God and that churches were a "hospital" of sorts for sinners...with nobody being turned away, nobody judged, etc. But the people who run the churches...and, hence, the religions...evidently don't feel the same way that I do.

EDIT TO POST: Minister, do you approach your prison ministry with the same lack of tolerance and compassion that you've displayed here on this forum? I have lived on the very buckle of the bible belt that runs through the deep south and I still -- and most mercifully -- haven't heard anyone quite as sanctimonious as you. Have another glass o' sweet tea and get over yourself.

Answer 10

sin is sin irrespective of how big or small, how relevant or irrelevant. at the end of the day how you live your life is your business the church is there to guide you, and remember what God says in the Bible man was given free will to choose, people choose how to live and what to do, the only person that will judge at the end is God and if you want to check that you are on the right track study the Bible clearly.