> > Exactly where do the tenets of Christianity condemn homosexuals? I've heard people quote the passage from Leviticus that states "a man shall not lie with another man" (may not be the exact wording, that was from memory), but I have heard numerous, and far more convincing, arguments that seem to show that homosexuality is not the abomination to God that some people make it out to be. I know there are a lot people in this forum that are well-versed in the Bible, so please tell me once and for all...where does the Bible condemn homosexuality?? Keep in mind, if the sole reason for this is Leviticus, then you'd have to condemn people who eat pork as much as you condemn homosexuals.
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> The language is too strong to say that the Judeo-Christian worldview is specifically out to "condemn homosexuality." No; such an expression is inflammatory and incorrect at core. Rather, we should say that Christians and Jews (and Muslims), have always abjured to one another that believers themselves who desire to stand straight in God's sight will *abstain* from any immoral acts which are hurtful to self, to others, and to God. Sodomy, adultery, incest, temple prostitution, cross-dressing, drunkenness, slander, swindling, theft and extortion were all examples of immoral actions to be avoided by those professing to be children of God. Paul was not singling out homosexuality in specific to condemn it beyond all other sins. As Rabbi Martin S. Cohen points out, to believe that the Bible "condemns homosexuality" -- by prohibiting ONE homosexual act -- is like arguing that Scripture means to condemn *heterosexuality*, just because it speaks against a whole series of undesirable heterosexual behaviours. What this means is exactly as Sam says: the practice of homosexual actions is simply a sin, like any other, that a Christian must repent of in order to be forgiven. Biblical Law (expressed in Leviticus and echoed in Corinthians) looks upon issues of sexuality and morality as a matter for maintaining one's own purity and righteousness before God. But until Christ came, of course, no one could ever be called fully 'righteous'. Therefore, again, it is utterly hypocritical madness for a Christian to publically go out and denounce and revile homosexuals as being 'perverted'.

THANK you, Wolf! I don't know how many times I've heard people (yes, and ministers, too) use some words from the Old Testament--that have been interpreted from their original language--to single out homosexuality as a sin that is somehow worse than other sins. The point is that sodomy and adultery are considered Biblically wrong, and homosexuality falls under one or both of those of those sins. If you're going to say that a homosexual is a freak of nature or a spawn of the devil (or any other term along those lines), that is an opinion that is not Biblically based. Additionally, if you do say that homosexuals are freaks, then you should also say that heterosexuals are freaks.

> The rule for us to follow as compassionate beings should remain as always... "Hate the sin, but love the sinner." Gay pride doesn't become a worse sin than any other. Yet neither is it something we should tacitly accept among ourselves as wholesome, and desirable, from the mere 2% of the population which practises the "alternative lifestyle".

As a side note, the 2 percent figure is debatable. Some sources say that number could be as high as 10 percent, and there is no way of accounting for those who are "in the closet," so to speak.

>Cohen remarks that the language used in Leviticus for certain sins does indeed give people pause when they read the word 'abomination'. Used in the Bible to mark the degree to which God finds particular sins objectionable (such as swindling customers by using false weights), this word unfortunately is an inadequate translation from the Hebrew contraction 'toêvah'. More precisely the word 'abomination' ought to be retranslated from the sense of the full Hebrew expression -- to'eh 'atah bah -- which simply advises no more than, "You may err in this".
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> So the Bible does not promote censure but a bit of cautionary advice... one that I believe is well worth keeping in mind.

I've refrained from joining this discussion partly because I've had my mind full of mid-terms, partly because it can stir up a lot of animosity between friends, partly because I don't feel that I know enough about it, and partly because I don't want to get emotionally dragged into this subject. After some hesitation, I decided that this is probably the only place where I would even consider getting into such a conversation. I respect and value the opinion of the people who visit Rinkworks, so what better place to voice my opinions?

Ell"Probably not making any sense any more"myruh