I recently read a book entitled, Is God Anti-Gay? by a Christian man who experiences Same Sex Attraction (SSA).
He talked about the need for Christians to develop a context where people who struggle with homosexuality and identity issues are able to feel welcomed and loved by Jesus. He talks about how the church should feel more like a waiting room in a hospital than a waiting room for a job interview.
At the same time, this author spoke clearly on the biblical belief that practicing homosexual behavior is a sin against God and His design for how someone should live in response to His love.
He summarizes his book like this: "The great gift Jesus gives us is himself. He is not the means to some other end. It is Jesus who satisfies our deepest emotional and spiritual needs. He is the prize--for all of us, irrespective of our issues and complexities. ANyone who comes to hime will find fullness of life. The invitation is there for everyone. And so precious is this gift that God cannot be truly said to be "anti" anyone to whom this wonderful gift is being offered."
What are your thoughts on all of this?
In your experience, how has the Christian church handled the issue of homosexuality?
What are your thoughts on the whole issue?
It seems to me that sexuality is not black and white (straight or gay), but a spectrum like every other natural phenomena. I think we all experience some degree of SSA, though that attraction usually doesn't lead to the desire of physical intimacy.
ReplyDeleteFor example, I find Michelangelo's David to be a beautiful human body. I admire the muscle tone and would like to meet a person who is so confident when posing nude. Am I "gay"? Well, if straight is 0 and gay is 1, one could say I am somewhere around 0.1. The attraction fizzles out far before a strong sexual attraction - I have no desire to engage sexually.
I agree that the church could be more understanding of sexuality. They could help people understand the sexual spectrum, explain to them why it's okay to be anywhere on the spectrum. Attraction is not a choice, but an evolutionary response based on genetics, experience, and our current environment.
I think that Jesus, knowing the current understanding of sexuality today, would have advocated a very accepting approach to any way of life, so long as it caused no harm to others and increased individual virtue. Thus his surviving church, it seems to follow, would absolutely not be anti-gay.