It is the concept of sin that perpetuates the notion that homosexuality is a choice. Whether a gay person believes in God or religion, there is no doubt that conservative religious dogma underlies almost all of the political opposition to gay people today. Religion is the last barrier to full societal acceptance. The problem is that the case against homosexuality in the Bible is very weak.
The Bible
The Bible was written some 2,000 years ago. Although the scientific method was developed in ancient Greece, the Bible did not incorporate It. The Bible seeks to provide answers to some of life’s big questions. The Bible in general reflects the best answers which were available at the time.
It was written to pass down these answers to future generations. For centuries after the Bible was written, the scientific method was seldomly deployed and there was little expansion of human knowledge.
With the introduction of the industrial revolution, all that changed. Now, 2% of the population, rather 98%, engages in farming, leaving a great deal of time for academic pursuits and scientific research and development.
Human nature may not have changed since the Bible was written. Our understanding of human nature has broadened considerably including our understanding of homosexuality. Yet societal prohibitions against homosexuality persist. How strong is the basis for these prohibitions in the Bible and how much does science elucidate the subject?
Homosexuality as Sin
There is scant evidence against homosexuality in the Bible.
In the first place, homosexuality was a well-known phenomenon during Jesus’ life. Jesus condemned many activities as sinful during his life but never uttered a single word against homosexuality.
Secondly, according to acclaimed Baptist ethicist David P Gushee, there are 31,273 verses in the Bible and only 15 of these verses purport to deal with homosexuality. These verses are contained in three passages in the Old Testament and three passages in the New Testament.
Sodom and Gomorrah
One passage often miscited is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. It’s where the pejorative term Sodomite comes from. Christ makes clear in the gospel of both Luke and John, that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah is one of inhospitality, not homosexuality.
An Abomination
The other two passages in the Old Testament call homosexuality an abomination. This was part of the Mosaic code which consisted of rituals and prohibitions to prove to the Savior that when he came, the Jews were worthy. Wearing clothing made of different cloths, eating pork and shellfish were also considered abominations. Jesus expressly abolished the Mosaic Code and replaced it with the Messianic Code in the Sermon on the Mound. These rituals and prohibitions were no longer necessary.
The New Testament
As for the New Testament, only Paul addresses homosexuality and only in three places. Scholars have argued that the sin of homosexuality was not a cause for spiritual death. Further, the one passage which appears to be the most damning of homosexuality may very well have been Paul’s reaction to the murder of the Roman emperor Domitian, who forced his soldiers, including his generals, to have sex with him against their will. One of the generals allegedly stabbed the emperor in the groin and others killed him.
Also, the New Testament is rife with passages which assert that if you love your neighbor as yourself or do good works for others, you will be saved. Gay people are just as capable of loving their neighbor as themselves.
Other Biblical Missteps
Finally, there is more support in the Bible for the institution of slavery than there is against homosexuality. The Bible says in two places that if you want to go to heaven, you must sell all your goods and give the money to the poor. Nobody does this in today’s day and age (nor did they likely do it in Christ’s time). The Bible says that the sun revolves around the earth, that it is ok to sell your daughter into slavery, that the handicapped should be kept from the sight of God and that corporal punishment is ok. Genocide is glorified. Our mores have changed drastically since the Bible was written.
Under all these circumstances, it is difficult to justify the condemnation of homosexuality.