Replies

I identified and lived as a lesbian a long time ago, and on this man’s statements I’ll tell you what I believe.

But I also have to add that in my belief, also, it is not possible to talk about what he says without also talking about the church today, and how it has been and is slowly abandoning its foundation of God’s Word. That means that homosexuality’s acceptance today isn’t what’s causing people to turn from Christianity, but that the church itself is helping this happen and the acceptance of homosexuality is also in part a consequence of that. This is a most serious matter.

For the better part of two decades now, I’ve lived as a Christian who rejects homosexuality, and as I said, that includes the life I lived myself. So I’ve now had quite a lot of time to consider the question of whether or not same-sex attraction is a sin, and on that I would have to say that I essentially agree with the article writer.

I will talk about whether or not I believe same-sex attraction itself is part of our sin nature, but for the moment, I just want to consider the question of what is happening when someone experiences same-sex attraction, and whether or not that experience is sin even if someone doesn’t act on it, and rejects it in his or her thoughts.

1. The Bible passage that is brought up having most to do with this is when Jesus says that a man has already committed adultery if he looks on a woman to lust after her.

On this, I agree with the author’s interpretation, and believe it is faithful to the Bible.

When he experienced a moment of same-sex attraction, he took the thought captive. And from what he writes, it is implied that he isn’t trying to take the thought captive as a mere formality to permit him to engage in homosexual acts or fantasy.

In other words, he isn’t saying that he tried to follow what the Bible says and just couldn’t, so it must not work. He demonstrates that he knows that “taking the thought captive” means seeking to follow the Lord all the time, and not just waiting to think of Him when temptation happens.

2. What being a Christian really means is not being saved from Hell, but to live with God and know Him, and Jesus Christ whom He sent:

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)

The Christian’s life ISN’T ABOUT SIN, even so as to avoid it, but about KNOWING GOD.

And Paul in Philippians 3:9-10:

“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”

What it really comes down to, then, is living a life of faith, or not.

And I agree with this man, then, when he experiences a moment of same-sex attraction, and takes the thought captive, he is glorifying God. He is demonstrating the conversion God performed in his heart, so that he recognizes the sin tempting him for what it is. And I believe he also demonstrates faith that he believes the life he has in the Lord, having repented of his sin, is the way of true life and fulfillment.

4. On whether or not same-sex attraction itself is a sin, I agree with what the author says when he points out that God made the sexes for each other, and so same-sex attraction goes against the nature He gave to Adam and Eve.

But there are other things to consider:

With all that people in ancient times had to deal with that we don’t, and all the things that we have that they don’t, marriage to them didn’t mean the same thing as it does today. Meaning that today, it is almost entirely about happiness through continual romance (and if and when the romance ends, so often does the marriage). Back then it was about happiness, too, but happiness included many other things, not the least of which is to reliably secure the basics of life for the sake of physical comfort.

Biblical marriage is still the only sexual relationship that truly works but modern life has undermined it.

And then, as we know, some people, including Christians, have chosen celibacy. We have a record of that in the Bible. I have wondered if many who chose it during that time especially did so because they were more suited to it by not having so much attraction to the opposite sex, and likewise many of them did so truly, too, out of their devotion to God. And they were also aided in living celibate lives as, for one thing, same-sex relationships were unthinkable.

5. Something else to consider, too, is what I mentioned about the church in these times. We live in a decadent culture and over time the church has more and more accepted the decadence. Paul wrote about being content with food and clothing, and that idea is in keeping with the whole New Testament. The Christian life was the way of the Cross. Today, though, the church has invited in almost all the pleasures of the world, under the idea that “God wants us to be happy and enjoy His creation.” That’s true enough, yet He wants us to enjoy it according to His commands and according to His will for us.

I have to say, as someone who did live as a lesbian, it is a terrible sight to see so many Christians speak against homosexuality and then excuse all manner of sin and ungodliness because certain sins happen to be their sacred cows. Today, for instance, the fruits of secular entertainment are clear, and there are Christians who recognize that, but many others who will zealously attack anyone who exposes these fruits. God is a God of mercy, but He calls us to follow the upward call towards spiritual maturity, through meditation on His Word and calling up on Him. And Christians only get there by committing to be fruitful all the time. The world has the notion of there being work time and leisure/idleness time, to fritter away one’s time in pleasurable pursuits, but there is no such thing for Christians. When we don’t follow the world’s ideas of leisure - that is, to be unproductive - but instead seek to serve and honor God even in “leisure,” then we won’t end up with the emptiness that the world ends up with, but our cup will runneth over with joy.

Thanks for posting very helpful. I only want to post the following to be as helpful to you:

In your paragraph 4 you wrote, “And they were also aided in living celibate lives as, for one thing, same-sex relationships were unthinkable”

This is not entirely correct and I think makes the choice of some back then to live celibate lives in service of God look like some escape from their own temptations. As we in the Catholic Church can attest it’s a disaster to encourage men who have SSA to become priests.

No I think most who entered into a celibate life in Biblical times probably had a normal sexual appetite, as today. This is mainly because homosexuality was even MORE celebrated back then (in pagan Rome) than today. It wasn’t “unthinkable” at all.

The fact that those who chose (and still choose today) to live celibate had normal sexual desires makes their sacrifice all the more pleasing to God. He doesn’t make people homosexual in order to force them to be celibate (although that is the ultimate calling for such people if they never develop normal sexual desires). He calls many who have normal sexual desires to be celibate too.

That vocation has nothing to do with whether or not one is afflicted with SSA. Just wanted to make that clear.