why God might allow homosexuality to exist
Submitted by F.O.D. on June 29 1999 at 15:25:45
In reply to Re: to Ben Submitted by Ben on June 28 1999 at 20:55:35
|
"why God might allow homosexuality to exist?" - well I guess that's the million dollar question. From one perspective the origin of homosexuality and its relationship to God can make sense. If we would assume that God is against homosexual practice, then it makes sense that "natural homosexuality" is just one of many consequences of the Fall (I know Ray doesn't like to understand the Fall in this way, but then neither does he accept the first premise, so it doesn't matter. We are being hypothetical). That is, one of the consequences of man pitting his own knowledge against God's was that the physical universe was thrown upside down. "Cursed is the ground because of you" Gen 3:17. So, physical work became difficult, the plants themselves became changed, producing thorns and thistles. The whole creation started groaning and being frustrated (Rom 8:19-23). As an aside, one might well suppose that natural selection (evolution) started at this point. So, we might conjecture that the warping of man's genes was another physical result of the Rebellion, causing all manner of diseases and cancers. And also, giving rise to homosexuality, insofar as it is genetically or physically determined. Which certainly in no way makes a homosexual guilty of his being so, no more than a more with cancer is guilty for having that. But just as having cancer is bad, so, "having" homosexuality would also be bad, given the initial assumption that God really is against it. Insofar as homosexuality is socially determined, this could still fit under this model of the curse of the Fall, looking at the woman's curse, which is more socially rather than physically based. "Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." Gen 3:16. A breakdown in husband-wife relations, leading to the formation of dysfunctional, homosexual children. So what I'm suggesting is that God being against homosexuality can be seen to be consistent with the existance of homosexuality. In other words, he did not "create" homosexuals. We, mankind collectively, are responsible for "creating" homosexuals when we rebelled against God. It's just a natural consequence of our rebellion. In this case a homosexual man who refuses to give in to his natural inclinations would be seen as a hero, putting the Kingdom of God ahead of his own desires. Now to bring the other side in, the problem as I understand it is not that the doctrine of opposition to homosexuality is in contradiction to God creating homosexuals, but rather that the doctrine appears to be in contradiction to the nature of God himself. The fundamental nature of God is love, is relationship. 1 Jn 4:16 etc etc. I'm not aware that the fundamental nature of God is procreation, as far as I can tell procreation is more a means of filling the world than an end in itself, although the child-parent relationship certainly creates another opportunity to love another, which is the main thing. So then, if the fundamental thing is to love another, then why is one man loving another an intrinsic action of rebellion against love and against God? Why is homosexuality fundamentally opposed to the very nature of God, if it is an expression of love and relationship? That is the bit that I can't see, and it's what leads me to wonder if we have been reading the standard verses on homosexuality correctly. With respect to AIDS, it seems clear that this disease is a consequence of an immoral life of promiscuity, rather than an intrinsic consequence of homosexuality itself. The book "Straight & Narrow" by Thomas Schmidt mentions a couple of medical problems that would be intrinsic to male homosexuality, but I wasn't convinced on how honest a problem that is. I need to check with some doctors to be sure. What did you mean by "persecution"? Do you mean the almost universal vilification of homosexuals by heterosexuals? I would understand that simply in terms of the majority fearing that which is different. Xenophobia happens the same way. I hope that was interest ing to read. Love, Fod ps I read the NIV too, but I like checking with other translations from time to time. One of these days I'll go learn greek and hebrew properly :) |