Gay Rights

During the last few years, the issue of homosexuality has become a focus of increasingly heated debate in all realms—religious, political, clinical, and academic. The debate over homosexuality and the Bible—specifically whether or not the Bible condemns homosexual acts in all cases—will do no less than rip the body of Christ apart within the next decade. It will force believers to declare, in black and white terms, where they stand on issues of sexuality and biblical interpretation. The emotions generated during the debate will, as always, color and cloud the issue. You are already participating in the battle. Whether you’re a fighter, a family member impacted by a loved one’s homosexuality, or an interested party, at some point you’ll be approached by someone who will claim that Scripture doesn’t forbid homosexual practices. That person’s argument will force you to give an answer for your beliefs.

But before we look at the debate over homosexuality and the Bible, we must focus on the cause or the movement of the gay rights. In our research on the history of gay rights we come across an individual by the name of Jerry Sloan (keep in mind he offered no evidence for his statements). Jerry Sloan traced the history of

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As Christians, we need to ask ourselves, “How will I react to gay and lesbians within my community?” Looking at the facts about gays and lesbians within our community, we know that there are individuals we will interact with that struggle with this issue. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (NIV). ” Contrary to what is often proclaimed by modern fundamentalist preachers, such as Jerry Falwell, that homosexuality doesn’t exist in the animal kingdom, it is well documented that numerous species such as the famous “lesbian pigeons” or the pansexual Bonob o, a rare breed of chimpanzees said to most resemble humans, engage in homosexual conduct. While people may not be responsible for their orientation, they are responsible for what they choose to do with it. He was not ashamed to allow Mary Magdalene to wash his feet and she was a woman of sexual immorality. A person caught in the deception of sin is surely in need of the love of God. By 1970, 5,000 gay men and lesbians marched in New York City to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots; in October 1987, over 600,000 marched in Washington, to demand equality. In this passage, Lot entertains two angels who come to the city to investigate its sins.

Does the Bible condemn homosexuality? There are those who say that the Bible doesn’t condemn homosexuality. ” Through God, a gay or lesbian has the ability to change their life and start fresh. Choosing to “come out of the closet” and publicly proclaim their identity, they ushered in a social change movement that has grown substantially. Almost overnight, a massive grassroots gay liberations movement was born. Paul describes the practice of homosexuality as unnatural—distorted by the ruinous influence of sin in the world.

Approximate Word count = 1909
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

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