Posted on 12/04/2004 5:17:59 PM PST by Mr. Silverback
Note: The following commentary includes graphic descriptions. This is not suitable for children.
“I’m at my wits’ end,” the young woman wrote. “I’ve asked pastors, friends, parents, God, and message boards this question and still haven’t received an intelligent answer that I can live with. Why are homosexual acts wrong? I’m a Christian and believe in the Bible, but this part always stumps me.”
According to my friend, Dr. J. Budziszewski, author of the excellent new book, Ask Me Anything: Provocative Answers for College Students, disturbing questions like this show that church leaders aren’t providing young people with the whole picture about sexuality. They may be faithfully teaching God’s rules, but when asked why God made these rules, too often they say, “Take two aspirin, and wait for the questions to go away.”
The good news, says Budziszewski, is that we can answer disturbing questions. Where are the answers found? In our creational design.
“People say homosexuality isn’t natural,” the young woman complained in her letter, “but that can’t be true because it’s found among animals.” Budziszewski answers, “But our nature is how God designed us. What’s natural for human beings isn’t whatever you can find some animal doing; it’s whatever fulfills our design. Men and women were plainly designed for each other—not men for men, nor women for women.” Children can be born in no other way.
“But homosexual acts don’t harm anyone,” said the young woman. Budziszewski answers, “The idea that homosexual acts don’t harm anyone isn’t even close to being true; they harm those who perform them at every level. To begin with the most obvious level—the physical—how could it not harm a man to suffer physical trauma because body parts are repeatedly forced into bodily openings that were designed for a radically different function?” And the rates of a long, long list of diseases are also much higher among practicing homosexuals, and contrary to popular belief, this is true for lesbians as well as for “gay” men.
At the emotional level, Budziszewski explains, the damage of homosexual acts is just as grave. God designed the male-female pair to balance each other; by contrast, same-sex mating drives them out of balance. If you want an example, think of the anonymous, no-brakes promiscuity of men who have sex with hundreds, even thousands, of other men.
“And what about spiritual harm?” asks Budziszewski. “In homosexual acts, you’re seeking union with someone who is only your own mirror image, so in a way, you’re still trapped inside yourself. You haven’t experienced the power of marital sexuality to take you beyond the Self; you’re rejecting the challenge of union with someone who is really other. In that way, homosexual acts are less like marital intercourse than like masturbation with another body.”
That’s frank, even startling language, but what’s happened to our culture is startling too. When young people confused by the culture ask questions, they need clear, unvarnished answers to set their thinking straight. That’s why I recommend this great new book Ask Me Anything: Provocative Answers for College Students.
God’s rules for sex are never arbitrary; they are based on how He made us. As Budziszewski rightly says, it’s all in the design.
The very fact that we are having this discussion belies that thesis.
On the contrary, Reason can often be made a whore of Man. Faith cannot.
I found this...
When a woman called in to say she and her husband couldn't have children, asking if her marriage was therefore invalid, Budziszewski was befuddled....as it didn't fit the paradigm.
...quite interesting. Even when one is operating from reason alone, one could say, "Your marriage is valid because we're talking about models and intent. The intent of marriage was to provide a stable, loving and joyous environment for procreation. Just because you can't procreate doesn't mean it's not a marriage, you're still staying as close to the model as you're able. If the suspension on a four-wheel drive truck is broken and it can't go off-road, that doesn't mean it wasn't intended to go off-road, or that it's no longer a four wheel drive truck." And as far as the Bible goes, there's not just the prohibitions against homosexuality, but also the fact that one of the intents of marriage for the Christian is to serve as a model for Christ's relationship with the Church. One doesn't need to have children to exemplify that model.
Please see post 47.
Well, if an NPR reporter said it, it must be true! ;-)
Anal sex is an unnatural act. Homosexuality should be in the closet because of acts like these.
What makes you think the Law is still in force?
bump for later
Bingo!
Anybody think Tolkien got Lewis to be a Christian without using any secular information?
Sadly, I've seen a lot of this, too. And often, it doesn't take "many years."
True, but the person who asked him the question already is a believer, so...
Throughout the history of our Republic (and while the various original states were colonies) there were many laws against the practice of sodomy - in most colonies, and then states, sodomy was punishable by death. Same sex sodomy was usually more severely punishable, at least according to the laws I've read. I have no idea how often anyone was arrested or punished.
Up until this summer, quite a few states had laws against same sex sodomy. The SCOTUS in its ignorance, did away with the right of individual states to govern themselves regarding same sex acts.
The term often used historically and legally for same sex acts was "crime against nature".
Any more questions?
GREAT DOC.
THANKS.
True, but see post 47.
Since you're new here, and could use a bit of info, here's a couple of very good links, the first one is a huge bunch of articles about homosexuality, the second is particularly about children and homosexuality.
Check 'em out!
The light of truth is the best weapon against ignorance.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1026551/posts
Homosexual Agenda: Categorical Index of Links
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1291742/posts?page=50 EdReform's post about child/adult sex
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