Is it wrong to believe in same sex unions?

Question

OK so heres the conflict I grew up in a Christian home I"ve read the bible and I think by now I know it by heart. In it, it says that God Loves everyone and we should do the same no matter what so why is it that Christians are so hostile toward the homosexual community? telling them that they are gonna burn in hell or that God hates them( which I certainly don't believe) I mean God made us all in his own image he loves us all the same just as we are and he wants us all to follow his lead. SO tell me is it wrong for me to believe in same sex marriages? Does it make me an ungodly person who's gonna go to hell? I've been struggling with those to questions for quite sometime and I personally stand firm in my beliefs whether or not people don't approve of them and I'm not gonna change it .... So thanks in advance for answering my question

Answer 1

Yes it is wrong. The scriptures and writings of the Church Fathers are very clear that Homosexuality is a Grave sin.

Scripture
Gen. 1 & 2 - we see from the beginning that the complimentarity of the sexes reflects God's inner unity and His creative power and Fatherhood. God created man and woman to become one flesh which is consummated in the act of marital love.

Gen. 2:18 – throughout the creation story, God says “it is good” seven times. But when God pointed out that man was alone, God says “it is not good.” God then created woman. Man and woman therefore belong together by God’s design, according to His natural and supernatural law.

Gen. 2:24 – God created man and woman so that they could share communion. This communion is consummated in the marital act (which must be between a man and a woman). This communion is also a reflection of the eternal communion of the Blessed Trinity, who created man in His own image and likeness.

Gen. 19:24-28 - the Lord rained fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah as punishment for the sin of homosexuality. Homosexuality perverts God’s covenant with humanity.

Gen 13:13; 18:20: while homosexuals argue that the sin in Genesis 19 was the sin of “inhospitality,” these verses show that the Sodomites were evil and wicked people before the alleged sin of inhospitality. That is because the Sodomites were guilty of homosexuality, not inhospitality. In fact, 2 Pet 2:6:8 says that Lot witnessed their evil sexual practices “day after day.” The Sodomites’ sin was daily and pervasive.

Gen 19:5: this confirms that the Sodomites’ sin is homosexuality. Here, the Sodomites mistaken the two angels for men and, surrounding Lot’s house, ask to have sex with them. When the yell to Lot “bring them out that we may know them,” the Hebrew for “to know” (yadah) in Gen 19:5 means having sexual relations. See, for example, Gen 4:25 where “yadah” refers to sexual relations between Adam and Eve.

2 Pet 2:6-10: Peter also proves that the Sodomites were guilty of homosexuality. He says God condemned them for “licentiousness” and “lust of defiling passion,” which is where we get the title “Sodomite” for a homosexual. The Greek “aselgeia anastrophes” for lustful behavior is also found in Rom 13:13; Gal 5:19; Eph 4:19 and Jude 4.

Jude 7: Jude also confirms the Sodomites’ sin is homosexuality. Jude says they “indulged in unnatural lust” (Greek, ekporneusasai) and went after “strange flesh” (Greek, sarkos heteras) in reference to their homosexual sins.

2 Peter 2:4-6: Peter also reveals that the Sodomites are suffering in hell for their sins by comparing the Sodomites’ punishment to the eternal punishment of the evil angels. Just as God did not spare the angels when they sinned but cast them into hell, so He did the same with the Sodomites when He “condemned them to extinction and made them an example to those who were to be ungodly.”

Jude 5-7: Like Peter, Jude confirms that the Sodomites are in hell by saying that they had the same fate as the evil angels. Jude says just as the evil angels were condemned to hell, the Sodomites “likewise” (Greek, hos) acted immorally and are undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. “Undergoing” (Greek, upechousai) is a present participle which means their suffering is ongoing. See also the clear polarity between those who are saved (v.5) and those who are condemned (vv. 6-7,11,13).

Lev. 18:22, 29 - God commands a man never to lie with a male as with a female, or he will be cut off. This refers to supernatural death which is eternal separation from God. While the Old Covenant laws have been abrogated by the New Covenant, the Church has adopted their moral principles. Thus, the moral prohibitions on homosexuality still apply in the New Covenant, as Peter, Paul and Jude demonstrate.

Lev. 20:13 - God says that if a man lies with another man, he shall be put to death. From the very beginning, God has revealed that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered, unhealthy, and mortally sinful.

Deut. 22:5 - cross-dressing is also considered an abomination before God.

Matt. 19:6 - after referring to God's divine plan for man and woman, Jesus says a husband and wife become one flesh, which ultimately reflects God's union with humanity through the Church. Homosexual unions pervert this divine truth of God’s love for and union with the human race.

Rom. 1:26 - also, when a woman lies with another women (lesbianism), this is unnatural and a perversion. God wants His children to be pure and holy as He is holy. Paul condemns all homosexual acts, whether committed by men or women.

Rom. 1:27 – Paul calls the practice of homosexuality shameless, unnatural and a perversity. It is contrary to the natural law, as it eviscerates the life-giving aspect of human sexuality and reduces it to a selfish, pleasure-seeking end.

1 Cor 6:9: Paul teaches that sodomites will not enter into the kingdom of God. The Greek word for “sodomite” (arsenokoites) literally means “male copulation” or “male sexual relations.” The Greek “arsen” means “male” and “koites” means “coitus” or “sexual relations.” Paul uses the same word in 1 Tim 1:10.

1 Tim. 1:10 - sodomites are called ungodly and sinners, unholy and profane, lawless and disobedient. They are called by God to chastity. It is important to note that homosexual attractions and inclinations, while disordered and dangerous, are not by themselves sinful per se. It is the acting out on homosexual attraction that is sinful. Those with homosexual desires can still live a life worthy of Christ by remaining chaste and pure as they abstain from acting out on their desires.

Tradition / Church Fathers
"You shall not commit fornication; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not be a corrupter of youth." Letter of Barnabas 10 (A.D. 74).

"You shall not be a corrupter of boys, nor like unto such." Letter of Barnabas 10 (A.D. 74).

"You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill one that has been born." Didache 2:2 (A.D. 90).

"[W]e have been taught that to expose newly-born children is the part of wicked men; and this we have been taught lest we should do anyone harm and lest we should sin against God, first, because we see that almost all so exposed (not only the girls, but also the males) are brought up to prostitution. And for this pollution a multitude of females and hermaphrodites, and those who commit unmentionable iniquities, are found in every nation. And you receive the hire of these, and duty and taxes from them, whom you ought to exterminate from your realm. And any one who uses such persons, besides the godless and infamous and impure intercourse, may possibly be having intercourse with his own child, or relative, or brother. And there are some who prostitute even their own children and wives, and some are openly mutilated for the purpose of sodomy; and they refer these mysteries to the mother of the gods." Justin Martyr, First Apology 27 (A.D. 151).

"All honor to that king of the Scythians, whoever Anacharsis was, who shot with an arrow one of his subjects who imitated among the Scythians the mystery of the mother of the gods . . . condemning him as having become effeminate among the Greeks, and a teacher of the disease of effeminacy to the rest of the Scythians." Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Greeks 2 (A.D. 190).

"[According to Greek myth] Baubo [a female native of Elusis] having received [the goddess] Demeter hospitably, reached to her a refreshing draught; and on her refusing it, not having any inclination to drink (for she was very sad), and Baubo having become annoyed, thinking herself slighted, uncovered her shame, and exhibited her nudity to the goddess. Demeter is delighted with the sight--pleased, I repeat, at the spectacle. These are the secret mysteries of the Athenians; these Orpheus records." Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Greeks 2 (A.D. 190).

"It is not, then, without reason that the poets call him [Hercules] a cruel wretch and a nefarious scoundrel. It were tedious to recount his adulteries of all sorts, and debauching of boys. For your gods did not even abstain from boys, one having loved Hylas, another Hyacinthus, another Pelops, another Chrysippus, another Ganymede. Let such gods as these be worshipped by your wives, and let them pray that their husbands be such as these--so temperate; that, emulating them in the same practices, they may be like the gods. Such gods let your boys be trained to worship, that they may grow up to be men with the accursed likeness of fornication on them received from the gods." Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Greeks 2 (A.D. 190).

"[A]ll other frenzies of the lusts which exceed the laws of nature, and are impious toward both [human] bodies and the sexes, we banish, not only from the threshold but also from all shelter of the Church, for they are not sins so much as monstrosities." Tertullian, Modesty 4 (A.D. 220).

"[God forbid the Jews to eat certain foods for symbolic reasons:] For that in fishes the roughness of scales is regarded as constituting their cleanness; rough, and rugged, and unpolished, and substantial, and grave manners are approved in men; while those that are without scales are unclean, because trifling, and fickle, and faithless, and effeminate manners are disapproved. Moreover, what does the Law mean when it…forbids the swine to be taken for food? It assuredly reproves a life filthy and dirty, and delighting in the garbage of vice…Or when it forbids the hare? It rebukes men deformed into women." Novatian, The Jewish Foods 3 (A.D. 250).

"[T]urn your looks to the abominations, not less to be deplored, of another kind of spectacle…Men are emasculated, and all the pride and vigor of their sex is effeminated in the disgrace of their enervated body; and he is more pleasing there who has most completely broken down the man into the woman. He grows into praise by virtue of his crime; and the more he is degraded, the more skillful he is considered to be. Such a one is looked upon--oh shame!--and looked upon with pleasure…nor is there wanting authority for the enticing abomination…that Jupiter of theirs [is] not more supreme in dominion than in vice, inflamed with earthly love in the midst of his own thunders…now breaking forth by the help of birds to violate the purity of boys. And now put the question: Can he who looks upon such things be healthy-minded or modest? Men imitate the gods whom they adore, and to such miserable beings their crimes become their religion." Cyprian of Carthage, Letters 1:8 (A.D. 253).

"Oh, if placed on that lofty watch-tower, you could gaze into the secret places--if you could open the closed doors of sleeping chambers and recall their dark recesses to the perception of sight--you would behold things done by immodest persons which no chaste eye could look upon; you would see what even to see is a crime; you would see what people embruted with the madness of vice deny that they have done, and yet hasten to do--men with frenzied lusts rushing upon men, doing things which afford no gratification even to those who do them." Cyprian of Carthage, Letters 1:9 (A.D. 253).

"[T]he mother of the gods loved [the boy Attis] exceedingly, because he was of most surpassing beauty; and Acdestis [the son of Jupiter] who was his companion, as he grew up fondling him, and bound to him by wicked compliance with his lust…Afterwards, under the influence of wine, he [Attis] admits that he is…loved by Acdestis…Then Midas, king of Pessinus, wishing to withdraw the youth from so disgraceful an intimacy, resolves to give him his own daughter in marriage…Acdestis, bursting with rage because of the boy's being torn from himself and brought to seek a wife, fills all the guests with frenzied madness; the Phrygians shriek, panic-stricken at the appearance of the gods . . . [Attis] too, now filled with furious passion, raving frantically and tossed about, throws himself down at last, and under a pine tree mutilates himself, saying, `Take these, Acdestis, for which you have stirred up so great and terribly perilous commotions.'" Arnobius, Against the Pagans 5:6-7 (A.D. 305).

"[H]aving forbidden all unlawful marriage, and all unseemly practice, and the union of women with women and men with men, he [God] adds: `Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for in all these things the nations were defiled, which I will drive out before you. And the land was polluted, and I have recompensed [their] iniquity upon it, and the land is grieved with them that dwell upon it' [Lev. 18:24-25]." Eusebius of Caesarea, Proof of the Gospel 4:10 (A.D. 319).

"He who is guilty of unseemliness with males will be under discipline for the same time as adulterers." Basil the Great, Letters 217:62 (A.D. 367).

"If you [O, monk] are young in either body or mind, shun the companionship of other young men and avoid them as you would a flame. For through them the enemy has kindled the desires of many and then handed them over to eternal fire, hurling them into the vile pit of the five cities under the pretense of spiritual love. At meals take a seat far from other young men. In lying down to sleep let not their clothes be near yours, but rather have an old man between you. When a young man converses with you, or sings psalms facing you, answer him with eyes cast down, lest perhaps by gazing at his face you receive a seed of desire sown by the enemy and reap sheaves of corruption and ruin. Whether in the house or in a place where there is no one to see your actions, be not found in his company under the pretense either of studying the divine oracles or of any other business whatsoever, however necessary." Basil the Great, The Renunciation of the World (A.D. 373).

"[The pagans] were addicted to the love of boys, and one of their wise men made a law that pederasty…should not be allowed to slaves, as if it was an honorable thing; and they had houses for this purpose, in which it was openly practiced. And if all that was done among them was related, it would be seen that they openly outraged nature, and there was none to restrain them… As for their passion for boys, whom they called their 'paedica,' it is not fit to be named." John Chrysostom, Homilies on Titus 5 (A.D. 390]).

"[Certain men in church] come in gazing about at the beauty of women; others curious about the blooming youth of boys. After this, do you not marvel that [lightning] bolts are not launched [from heaven], and all these things are not plucked up from their foundations? For worthy both of thunderbolts and hell are the things that are done; but God, who is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forbears awhile his wrath, calling you to repentance and amendment." John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew 3:3 (A.D. 391).

"All of these affections [in Rom. 1:26-27]… were vile, but chiefly the mad lust after males; for the soul is more the sufferer in sins, and more dishonored than the body in diseases." John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans 4 (A.D. 391).

"[The men] have done an insult to nature itself. And a yet more disgraceful thing than these is it, when even the women seek after these intercourses, who ought to have more shame than men." John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans 4 (A.D. 391).

"And sundry other books of the philosophers one may see full of this disease. But we do not therefore say that the thing was made lawful, but that they who received this law were pitiable, and objects for many tears. For these are treated in the same way as women that play the whore. Or rather their plight is more miserable. For in the case of the one the intercourse, even if lawless, is yet according to nature; but this is contrary both to law and nature. For even if there were no hell, and no punishment had been threatened, this would be worse than any punishment." John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans 4 (A.D. 391).

"[T]hose shameful acts against nature, such as were committed in Sodom, ought everywhere and always to be detested and punished. If all nations were to do such things, they would be held guilty of the same crime by the law of God, which has not made men so that they should use one another in this way." Augustine, Confessions 3:8:15 (A.D. 400).

"[Christians] abhor all unlawful mixtures, and that which is practiced by some contrary to nature, as wicked and impious." Apostolic Constitutions 6:11 (A.D. 400).

Answer 2

Electra you have mis-understood something somewhere along the way. I am a christian, I believe that marriage is defined in the Bible between man and woman. I don't believe any one can change Gods law, including our states, or government. I respect that if a woman wants to live with another woman, I will treat them as a family and respect that, but we can't change God's law to be politically correct. God would never hate anyone, he hates the sin that is created. And i have never seen a christian who was hostile against a homosexual in our non denominational church , or say that they were going to hell. As christians that would be judging and there is only one who is just and fair in doing that. Each one of us makes our own decisions in life, thus we are our own judges when we stand before our Lord to give account for our actions. Which sin will be the one that will keep us from heaven? homosexuality, Adultry, or just shacking up? A sin is a sin! We are to love one another are we not with the love of the Lord? You have just done what you accused the christian community of doing, and that is judging all as being under the same beliefs. God say ask for wisdom and he will give you wisdom. If your family is under the mis conception that you have stated here about the christian community I would ask them just what I have pointed out here. Sometimes we have to open the Spiritual eye's of those who say theirs is open. The surprise is yet to come dear. Because some of those who say and claim to know the Lord, will find themselves where they did't expect they would end up! And that day they could be very well sitting in the pews right next to the one they thought wouldn't make it that did. Our God is a loving and forgiving Lord. I leave this so you may respond if you wish. But I do ask you reconsider you views on christians, and judging all as one. God Bless! and I hope this has been of value Steve

Answer 3

By your own admission, you said you know the bible by heart. You must have forgotten some of it then. The bible calls homosexuality an abomination. It says they will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. It says men should not lie with a man as with a woman. This is just a few of the passages from the book you know so well. If you are so firm in your beliefs that you are not going to change, why ask the question, since you do not care anyway? I think you know the answer and are struggling with the consequences of your decision. I pray you reconsider before it's too late.

Answer 4

GOD doesn't hate homosexuals he hates the sin that they commit. HE speaks very explicitly against it. All thru the Bible. Why do u think he destroyed sodom and gamorah< there was no repentance there 4 there sin, He told Abram (Abraham) that He wouldn't destroy it for just a few righteous sake. What He has done in the past He will do again I believe. But it is a sin that can and will be forgiven, if the offender has true repentance in his or her heart. If not, then I believe the persons will be in hell.

Answer 5

*sniff*... a real Christian who displays Christian love. I thought I'd never find one here.

Though I'm not a Christian, I sometimes think that I understand that religion a lot better than many Christians. The overall picture is to be loving and kind... but a lot of Christians are bent on the obscure technicalities in the Bible.

Answer 6

As someone who does not believe in God, even I can figure this one out.

First and foremost, religion is to stay out of our government law. It states that in the Constitution. There is no such thing as God's law in polotics, period! - End of discussion when it comes to that horse pucky.

About homosexuality...

There's two convenient schools of thought with Christians who compartmentalize parabels and then take them out of context.

One is, God doesn't hate homosexuals and the other is that he does.

The one where he doesn't hate them is the parabel about "He loved us so much that he sent his only begotten son to die for our sins."

The one where he does hate them is demonstrated in the story of, "God destroying Sodom and Gomorrah." - According to that doozy of a story... He didn't even give them a chance to be judged after death. That interpretation is pure hatred. Anyone wish to challenge me on that one without cutting and pasting contradictory parabels?

Anthropologists can tell you that Sodom and Gomorrah was not the fable the bible portrays. It was a rival tribe or faction during war time and painting a convenient picture that God destroyed it for homo reasons is a way to control the masses.

Both of these stories leave open an assumption that is open to interpretion. Even though its not written in the bible specifically, people say "Homosexuality is a choice."

HOW CONVENIENT!

To this day, you will see people in the deep south holding up signs that says "God hates homosexuals."

Less extremist Christians say that God loves them so much that he sent his only begotten son to die for our sins, so he loves homosexuals.

So, you either accept the bible as law or you don't. My understanding is that God does hate homosexuals if you "read the bible."

Both use the "free will" quote to conveniently explain that homosexuality is a choice in order to keep their religious doctrine. After all, if it wasn't a choice, the scriptures would be wrong, and they can't be wrong or they would be forced to abandon their doctrine.

Therefore, the people who are heterosexual and have had no homosexual desires say that its a choice.

This means that other people who are attracted to the opposite sex, have a say as to what homosexuals think and feel.

This also means, they are the authority over the homosexual's ability to fall in love with the same sex.

Sick, I know... But, it does take away ones responsibility to take care of the planet and to respect each other unconditionally.

After all, we breed more soles to go to daddy in heaven, and we can't have any homosexuals around or they won't go to heaven, right?

In the mean time, another Christian family gives birth to another homosexual child and they experience the shoe on the other foot.

The child is then subject to a life time of abuse because love is conditional, according to God...

Or, the parents are mature enough to love their child unconditionally and say...

"Wait a minute! We had it all wrong!" - Only to experience their own community turn on them.

So, you are fighting a no win situation when you are trying to appeal to people's logic who have none.

Religion doesn't allow logic. It is the blind leading the blind under a false premise that there is a penalty or a reward after you die.

Answer 7

First, there is nothing wrong with believing anything. Behavior is more important than belief.

Second, there is nothing wrong with being an ungodly person. There are many atheists who live good lives being ungodly.

Third, there is no evidence to support the existence of any god or hell.

Answer 8

Before I lost my faith, the pastor at my church used to tell us that he 100% had no problem with homosexuals. He loved them, though he didn't agree with what they did. He said that this is the way that we should all be. Though you may not believe someone is doing right, you should love them anyway, as God does the same.

Answer 9

You have to decide if you are going to follow your god or a bunch of pretentious arrogant ego-maniacs who want nothing more than to scare more people into the pews to make more money.

Answer 10

Any union that is loving and committed is a good thing, regardless of sex. Homosexuality has been here forever and exists in the animal kingdom too and it's not going to die out. Another case of religions being high and mighty and bigoted and judgemental.

Answer 11

God does not hate any sinners, but he does hate the sin that they do. the biggest problem with homosexuals sin is that they try to tell us that it is not a sin and it is OK for them to do. it is the only sin that they try to make us the bad guys for saying it is wrong to do.