Homosexuality

Today we face a society that the prophet Isaiah described in Isaiah 5:20,

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” 

We are truly seeing a culture emerging that calls good evil and evil good. For example, when a Christian or even a proponent of the traditional family, out of love and concern, speaks out against the proven ills or the biblical prohibitions of homosexuality, they are accused of hate speech. On the other side of the coin, we see the same crowd call death-producing behavior a “Gay Lifestyle.”

In the information I am about to share, it is my intent to prove from a biblical view that the warnings Christians speak against homosexual behavior are not hate speech, but the highest form of speaking the truth in love for their fellow man and society in general. Secondly, it is my intent to prove from a biblical view and through scientific data that it is incorrect to call homosexual behavior a “life” style, much less a “gay” lifestyle.

First, let me begin with the issue of hate speech. I am not poised to defend any form of derogatory or slanderous speech leveled at the person versus the practice of homosexuality, because I am opposed to all forms of slander and speech intended to harm and degrade. What I strongly contest is the attempt to lump logical Christian dialogue into the category of hate speech for political reasons.

The simplest way to understand the love behind pro-traditional family speech in the context of a warning and prohibition of homosexuality is the picture of a loving mother warning her young child of the dangers of wandering into a nearby busy street. Because the child is inclined to do so, she first warns. If her warning is not heeded, she then prohibits the child to go there. This is inherent in love and the speech that proceeds out of a concern for anyone she cares about. This is clearly the motive that the Christian who presupposes a biblical worldview which condemns homosexuality as sin. Based on Romans 6:23, the Bible clearly teaches that the wages of sin is “death,”therefore giving the clear divine logic as to why we should not sin, which in turn produces a genuine concern for those who are inclined to do so. The Scripture teaches in Ephesians 4:15 to speak the truth in love. To warn one against sin may indeed be one of the highest expressions of this biblical mandate of “speaking the truth in love.”

The second concern of the author is the redefining of the term “lifestyle” in the phraseology “gay” or homosexual “alternative lifestyle.” I challenge this language of calling a death-producing behavior a lifestyle. The question, “Is homosexual behavior life-producing or death-producing?” is primary. I want to submit to the reader that it is death-producing and not life-producing. Therefore, we are to warn and prohibit what some are inclined to do. For the Christian, it is imperative to recall the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 30:19:

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”

We are confronted with life and blessings, death and cursings and then commanded to choose LIFE that we and our children may live! I believe this command transcends our immediate family and behavior and reaches into the realm of public policy and society.

The next question we need to examine as a Christian from a biblical perspective is, “Does the Word of God condemn homosexuality as sin?” If so, according to Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death;” it is, indeed, death-producing. First let’s go to the Law. I think we do well as Christians to remember that a divine and eternal law is very different from a human statute or piece of legislation in that laws are eternal principles and realities and are irrevocably established truths which can never be altered – no matter the amount of counter legislation. Here’s an example. We can protest the law of gravity. We can deny the law of gravity. We can counter-legislate against the law of gravity. We can try to do all these things, but we will never stop the reality of the law of gravity. So are all the moral laws of an Almighty Creator of the universe. This is why I first go to the Law of God. The Law of God reveals the inherent nature of every act of human behavior as to whether it is evil (sin) and thus death-producing or if it is good and thus life-producing. Whenever God condemns an action to death by capital punishment it matters not if the execution is of an immediate human administration or by the inherent death nature that drives it; it will experience the death sentence for which it has been condemned.

Leviticus 20:13 says,

“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”

Today in our society homosexuality is no longer illegal, much less a capital crime. The question is this: Does the divine death sentence of Leviticus 20:13 still carry out its curse? (“…their blood shall be upon them.”)

I believe death is more than an event, but is more often a force of sin which produces death on multiple levels such as moral, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical death. I believe the homosexual claims of a gay lifestyle being a viable alternative should be put to the reality test of statistical information. In so doing, I think we’ll find that not only is it not viable, but inescapably under its own death sentence. Allow me to give you some clear examples:

Homosexual behavior significantly increases the likelihood of psychiatric, mental and emotional disorders, according to a study in the Netherlands. Youth are four times more likely to suffer major depression, almost three times as likely to suffer generalized anxiety disorder, nearly four times as likely to experience conduct disorder, four times as likely to commit suicide, five times as likely to have nicotine dependence, six times as likely to suffer multiple disorders, and more than six times as likely to have attempted suicide. This research comes from the Netherlands where homosexuality has been accepted and mainstreamed for years, negating the mindset that a lack of tolerance of homosexual behavior and lifestyle produces these psychoses. (Study of 5,998 Dutch adults. Theo G.M. Sandforte, T. Graaf, R. Bijl, R. Schnabel, P. (2001) Same-Sex Sexual Behavior and Psychiatric Disorders: Findings from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence, “Archives of General Psychiatry.” 58, 10: 85-91.)

HIV/AIDS is rampant in the homosexual community. Epidemiologists estimate that 30 percent of all 20-year-old homosexually active men will be HIV positive or dead of AIDS by the time they are 30. (Goldman, E. “Psychological Factors Generate HIV Resurgence in Young Gay Men.” Clinical Psychiatry News. Oct. 1994) HIV infection rates more than doubled from 1997 to 2000 as safe-sex practices were abandoned. In Los Angeles and five other major cities, one in 10 young homosexual or bisexual men is infected with HIV. (“L.A. Studies Show Increase in Risky Sex by Gay Men,” Los Angeles Times, Feb. 17, 2001) Among homosexual African Americans, the HIV infection rate is one out of three. (“Young Gay Black Men Suffer High HIV Rates,” Associated Press, Feb. 6, 2001.)

The median age of death for those who regularly engage in homosexual behavior leaned in the direction of less than 50. The data suggest a “20- to 30-year decrease in lifespan because of substantially elevated rates of sexually elevated diseases… cancer and heart conditions, and violence among homosexual men and women.” (Four data sets: obituaries from the homosexual press; two 1994 sexuality surveys; homosexual marriage records for Scandinavia; and Colorado medical records.) (Paul Cameron, Kirk Cameron, and William L. Playfair)

The second expression of death after physical death is death to the moral conscience. Romans 1:24-28, 32 says,

“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

We see Paul’s reflection on Sodom and Gomorrah and the homosexuality practiced there that resulted in a reprobate mind or, one could say, a death of their moral conscience (void of moral judgment). Verse 32 says the actions are “worthy of death.” It is obviously a judicial statement of the mandate for capital punishment recorded in Leviticus 20:13 and apparently warrants a turning of the soul over to a state of depravity. Consider the research:

In Los Angeles County, homosexual jail inmates have as high as a 94% recidivism rate. These inmates with communicable diseases, such as AIDS, syphilis, and hepatitis, infect others in the community upon their release and then infect still others back inside the jails if they return. (Beth Shuster, Los Angeles Times, “Sheriff approves Handout of Condoms to Gay Inmates,” November 30, 2001)

Thirty-two percent of homosexual men and women abuse alcohol, as compared with 7% (10% of men and 5% of women) in the general population. (Fifield, L., Latham, J., Phillips, C. (1977) Alcoholism in the Gay Community: The Price of Alienation, Isolation, and Oppression, A Project of the Gay Community Service Center, Los Angeles, CA)

According to Centers for Disease Control interviews, 50% of male homosexuals had over 500 sexual partners, the first several hundred homosexual men diagnosed with AIDS had an average of l,100 lifetime partners. (Rotello, G. (1997). Sexual Ecology: AIDS and the Destiny of Gay Men. NY: Dutton.)

The incidence of domestic violence among homosexual men is nearly double that in the heterosexual population. (D. Island and P. Letellier, Men Who Beat the Men Who Love Them: Battered Gay Men and Domestic Violence, New York: Haworth Press, 1991, p.14.)

“Individuals from 1% to 3% of the population that are sexually attracted to the same sex are committing up to one-third of the sex crimes against children.” (Timothy J. Dailey, Homosexuality and Child Sexual Abuse, Homosexuality and Child Abuse)

The list goes on and on that testifies to the loss of moral conscience among the homosexual population.

The third recipient of the divine death sentence is society itself if homosexual behavior is allowed to continue on. Genesis 19:12, 13, 24, and 25 states, “And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.”

The city of Sodom had grown so wicked that they wanted to molest the angels that God had sent to pronounce divine judgment on them. This truly is the reprobate mind spoken of in Roman 1:28, ”God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;“ The sin of homosexuality was so widespread and rampant in that day that it had overtaken an entire area of the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Like a cancer out of control, so was the desire for a militant mass molestation of the two most holy beings in their midst. Truly any semblance of a peaceful and procreative heterosexual society had come to an end and lost its divine purpose given to them in Genesis 1:27-28, ”So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply…“ It was the mercy of God that put the sexually insane cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to their death sentence. There comes a time when death must die or sin must be stopped to have mercy on that which remains. Today, this death of a society is carried out, not by God’s direct intervention, but by the practitioners of homosexuality themselves suffering from the inherently non-procreative sinful nature of social self-destruction.

According to homosexual writer and activist Michelangelo Signorile, the goal of homosexuals is: “To fight for same-sex marriage and its benefits and then, once granted, redefine the institution of marriage completely, to demand the right to marry not as a way of adhering to society’s moral codes but rather to debunk a myth and radically alter an archaic institution… The most subversive action lesbian and gay men can undertake… is to transform the notion of ‘family’ entirely.” (Michelangelo Signorile, “Bridal Wave,” Out, December 1994.)

As we can see, the homosexual agenda is to change the institution of marriage and family altogether to a homosexual-based ideology which represents only 3% of the population. To change marriage and family is to destroy and to put to death society itself, for all of society rests upon the foundation of family (Genesis 1:27-28). When family breaks down, the next generation and society suffer. (The gay agenda includes a transformation of the notion of family entirely.) Any altering of the traditional family whether by divorce or same-sex parenting creates inherent instability and devastating effects on the next generation.

There is a wealth of evidence linking family breakdown with many adverse health outcomes for children and society as a whole. Government policy therefore should be to strengthen the marriage-based family of husband and wife. “Gay marriages,” with their inherent instability, will contribute to the many adverse effects family breakdown has on children and on society. Here is some research to consider:

• At the root of many of the problems we see in children and young adults – such as emotional and behavioral difficulties, poor school performance, substance misuse, precocious teenage sexuality including teenage pregnancy and juvenile delinquency – is the dramatic increase in family breakup and ‘relationship turnover’ of parents, adversely affecting their children. (For an overview see: Rebecca O’Neill. Experiments in living. CIVITAS. 2002)

• As a result of family breakdown, children have on average more ill health including higher mortality, emotional problems (including a higher suicide rate).

• Children from broken families have poorer school performance including poorer performance in math, reading and writing.

• Children from broken families are more likely to live in poverty. As a result of family breakdown, many single parent families live in poverty.

• Children from broken families are also more likely to have problems with substance misuse and poor sexual health including teenage pregnancy.

• Furthermore, children from broken homes are more likely to be engaging in criminal activity and are disproportionally over-represented in the prison population. (www.lifesite.net/features/marriage_defence/SSM_MD_edividence.pdf)

The first three expressions of death produced by homosexual behavior being physical, moral and social are minor in comparison to the fourth expression, which is eternal death. The Scriptures speak of this in no uncertain terms. Those who practice the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah are in danger of eternal death. Jude 1:7 says, “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” The context of verse 7 is that of a list of those who suffered eternal judgment culminating with the citing of Sodom and Gomorrah’s suffering vengeance of eternal fire. Clearly this is a warning for us today not to practice the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah lest we also suffer the same fate.

The Apostle Paul also reinforces with undeniable clarity that those who practice homosexuality will not inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NASB says,

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.”

As Christians, we must not be intimidated by the false charges of hate speech in light of what Paul the Apostle wrote in Colossians 1:28,

“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:”

If this is true, it is our responsibility to warn the gay community, that their lifestyle produces physical death, moral death, family death, societal death, and finally, eternal death. As we can plainly see from scriptures and scientific research, the odds are against true happiness and fulfillment in the so-called “Gay Lifestyle.” Our message should not just be a message of warning but also one of hope, repentance, and forgiveness to those for whom Christ died.