Quick comment on the homosexuality question.

After this post on homosexuality, I got a very detailed response in the comments section. I thought it would just be hiding there, so I decided to give it a little more prominence. I don't agree with some of the opinions included therein, but I think its always important to keep the dialogue going. He seems to be seeker, so if you have any answers or comments for him (I think it is a him, I did not ask), please feel free to share.

Here goes:

As for your questions: Should homosexuality be criminalized? - I think you provided a good answer in part II, that is, if fornication is not criminalized, then why criminalize homosexuality? As for your second question: Should Christians be casting out the "evil spirit"? - I'm doubtful if that is even possible. Earlier this year I saw former Evangelical pastor Ted Haggard on Larry King Live. He previously had homosexual relations and said that he was undergoing treatment. Despite treatment he admitted that "I have thoughts from time to time, but not compelling thoughts." Doesn't sound like a "cure" to me. He still had one more year of treatment left however. Here's an article about it: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/29/lkl.ted.haggard/. In the same breath, I don't want to ascribe any limits to the power of the Holy Spirit, but does Jesus want us to try to convert homosexuals to heterosexuals? I don't know the answer to that question.

As a black person and a Christian (or at least a Christian wanna-be), I am troubled by the Church's stance against homosexuality. So I appreciate reading what you had to write about the issue, though it did not resolve any of my main concerns. As I see it, the Church's stance creates a context that facilitates discrimination, for example, the denial of the same rights and privileges to same sex couples. In my opinion, if it facilitates discrimination, then it cannot be right. How can I be a Christian and not accept what the Bible says on this? It is interesting that you say somthing very similar to what my friend said; he said if I believe the Bible is the Word of God then I have to accept the whole thing. Unfortunately, that's not good enough for me! As a black person especially, I don't want to have any role in discrimation against another group of people (regardless of what the Bible may say). (Hence the reason I'm "troubled"!).

I also look at the somewhat spotty record of the Church on other moral issues. The slave trade, segregation in America. More recently (about 50 years ago), in Canada and Australia, Church sponsored schools took First Nation children away from their families in an attempt to destroy the First Nation culture. While there may have always been groups within the Church opposed to these moral failings, it took a long time for the Church as a whole and the Church going population to realize that these things were wrong. I'm afraid that the Church's stance on homosexuality is just another example of this. I'm afraid that 10 or 20 years down the line we may find that this whole issue was due to a mistranslation of the original Hebrew/Greek text; how then will we explain our actions and pronouncements to our children.

One of the links you provided (http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_bibh5.htm) was quite interesting. It noted that "There was no Hebrew word that meant 'homosexual.' Thus, whenever the word is seen in an English translation of the Bible, one should be wary that the translators might be inserting their own prejudices into the text." The Bible I use uses the word homosexual, so that's good to know.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents. Thanks again for sharing your views.

Mmmm! Interesting view. What do y'all think?