Introduction
Even though attitudes towards homosexuality currently seem to have become more liberal, especially in the advanced Western nations there is still significant variance with regards to the worldwide level of homonegativity (Moon, 2014). Homosexuality refers to the expression of sexual desire on a member of the same sex. In the current era, homosexuality has significantly increased and this issue has attracted various views from religions. Religions have different points of view concerning homosexuality. According to Christianity, their point of view on homosexuality is mainly based upon the Bible, the divinely inspired Word of God. A truly Christian standard of ethics is undertaking things through divine revelation and not through public opinion or statistical research. According to Christianity, the Bible is admitted to be the final authority both concerning behavior and belief (Moon, 2014). This essay will discuss the Christian point of view on homosexuality that may support or condemn homosexuality.
Condemning views
According to Christianity, homosexuality is strongly condemned. They view homosexuality as something morally wrong and contradicting God’s purpose for his creations. They argue that according to the bible in the book of Genesis God created male and female to complete each other. Male and female were also created by God for procreation. Even suppose the couple is not capable of having children, the sexual unable to bear children, the sexual union remains theoretical open to the bearing of children (Nkosi & Masson, 2017). Males and females were created for a reason and there is nowhere in the bible that homosexuality is endorsed. Christians simply view homosexuality as an act of defiance and disobeying God’s will. God is the Supreme Being who everybody should respect and follow his will. The fact that God created male and female to complete each other as well as to procreate, the act of homosexuality whereby two individuals of same-sex come together to complete each other is total disobedience and defiance against God’s will and purpose of creation (Nkosi & Masson, 2017). They considered it as correcting God’s will which is unacceptable according to Christianity. God is the most powerful being who should be respected, feared and his will followed.
The scripture condemns homosexuality specifically by the Apostle Paul, a writing that was inspired by the Holy Spirit, declaring in (1st Corinthians 6:9; 10) that those that engaged in homosexuality will not inherit God’s kingdom (Subhi et al., 2017). In this verse, Apostle Paul not only condemns homosexuality but also fornication, idolatry, adultery, thievery, and reviler. According to Christianity, their ultimate aim is going to the kingdom of God’s afterlife. And for one to enter the kingdom of God, he or she has to live a righteous life by living and acting according to God’s will (Jäckle & Wenzelburger, 2015). This verse condemns homosexuality and the bible acting like a guide for all Christians such that they need to follow it and act according to it. Engaging in the act of homosexuality is a clear act of negligence and defying the word of God. According to Christians, the bible is a Holy Book, which needs to be followed and obeyed. Therefore, since the bible particularly the book of (1st Corinthians 6:9; 10) condemns homosexuality, homosexuality remains unacceptable and not tolerated within Christianity.
Moreover, according to Christianity, God forbids the illicit lust of homosexuality. This is evident in the book of Leviticus whereby it states that suppose a man lies with a male as it should be with a woman, that is an abomination committed by both and they will be put to death and their blood will be upon them (Leviticus 20:13) (Jäckle & Wenzelburger, 2015). In this scripture, homosexuality is strongly condemned as a big sin, a sexual perversion. However, according to Christianity, a Christian is now allowed to alter the viewpoint of God or even depart from it. Engaging in homosexuality is both altering God’s viewpoint and also departing from it. From the scripture above, it is clearly stated by God that the illicit lust of homosexuality is condemned, a big sin since it alters God’s viewpoint and is more of departing from it. Additionally, Christians strongly believe in God, his words are final and should be respected. The book of Leviticus condemns homosexuality making this act to be unacceptable to Christianity. The bible is the guide for Christians and the bible has dictated that homosexuality is forbidden and for this reason, Christians view homosexuality as an illicit and forbidden sin.
Christianity also views homosexuality as wickedness. Apparently, in the bible, sodomy is the synonym for homosexuality. In the bible, God spoke about homosexuality by saying that there will be no whore among the Israelite daughters, nor a sodomite among the Israelite sons (Deuteronomy, 23:17) (Jäckle & Wenzelburger, 2015). This verse categorizes the sodomite and the whore into one category, homosexuality. These verse does not permit any act of homosexuality to exist in our society. God spoke that there will be no sodomite among the Israelite sons. This simply means that God does not allow gays among male Christians. Drawing from this scripture, it can be deduced that Christianity does not allow homosexuality at all. Additionally, the context of homosexuality in Genesis 19 is very vivid. In this verse, Lot pled with the men not to behave wickedly. It emphasizes that homosexuality is wickedness and should be acknowledged as such else hope is not there for homosexuals seeking help to be freed from the debauched way of life. It is stressed that salvation is not there for those engaged in homosexuality. Therefore, Christians are asked not to engage in this wicked act of homosexuality as God commands.
Christianity also condemns the union between two people of the same sex and cannon to call it marriage but rather a misnomer. The Bible describes marriage as a divine institution ordered to establish a permanent union between a woman and a man to complete each other, procreation or continuing the human race. The Bible strongly emphasizes that a man and a woman should complete each other through marriage. People of the same sex cannot complete each other and it is very unacceptable. It is God’s order that a divine union should be made between one man and one woman (Genesis 1:27, 28; 2:24; Matthew 19:5). Essentially, suppose when creating humans God would have created two people of the same sex without considering opposite sexes, humans would not be existing today (Jäckle & Wenzelburger, 2015). The notion of creating two people of different sexes was for procreation which God wanted to be. He wanted the human population to grow and propagate. Therefore, the idea of homosexuality is absurd, senseless and unreasonably stupid since it does not uphold God’s will and purpose of creating humans of both sexes to procreate and complete each other.
With regards to the bible, the books of Romans 1:24-27; I Timothy 1:10 and Jude 7, Christianity views homosexuality as evil. In the Roman passage, Paul associates the men and women’s moral wickedness of homosexuality with rejecting the truth of God (Jäckle & Wenzelburger, 2015). He asserts that those who engage in homosexuality have refrained from retaining God in their knowledge therefore ousting God and venerating themselves. This is to means that those that engage in homosexuality forsake God and rather take things into their own hands while undermining God’s will and commands. Such an incidence is depicted in the Bible Old Testament whereby it vividly condemned homosexuality though, during the time of Paul, some people rejected his teachings. And since they rejected God’s commands, God punished them. This also applies to our society today, Christians still believe that practicing homosexuality is rejecting God’s commands and such rejection is punishable by God. To avoid being punished by God, Christians are called to refrain from homosexuality.
Christians view homosexuality as a sin. Apparently, in the bible, the book of Romans 1:26-31, it has listed 23 punishable sins and homosexuality leads in the list. In this verse, Paul asserted that since this cause God granted the vile affections, such that even their women altered their natural usage to the one it is against nature (Moon, 2014). And also men having left the natural usage of women will be burned (Romans 1:26, 27). The scripture communicates that individuals engaged in sexuality are suffering within their body as well as their personality which is the unavoidable consequence of their wrong actions. The Bible describes homosexuality as a vile affection meaning an evil affection. The Bible strongly emphasizes this as a bad sense of degrading passion. The bible condemns both desires for homosexuality and the act itself as sin.
Supporting views
However, some Christians have a positive view towards homosexuality by arguing that since a sexual union cannot lead to children, it is inappropriate forbidding an act that entails physical expressing of genuine love. They believe that sexuality is a good gift given to them from God, a way they embody as well as expressing themselves in the present world. They believe that sexuality was given to humans to express genuine love regardless of the sexes engaged (Nkosi & Masson, 2017). So long as two people even if they belong to the same sex have genuine love, they can express their love through sexual love and their expression of love should not be forbidden. Essentially, the purpose of sexual love is to give and receive pleasure with our intimate partners. It serves the purpose of deepening as well as strengthening the existing intimate union and this can only be healthy and righteous suppose our behavior is consistent with the Christian teachings and also our orientation. The main idea is that sex is not only for procreation but also for pleasure. So, homosexuals should not be denied sex amongst themselves.
Additionally, some Christians argue that Jesus came to preach the message of salvation, love, and acceptance. Therefore, Christians should love and accept homosexuals rather than condemning them (Subhi et al., 2017). We have to follow the example of Jesus who loved and accepted everyone who was isolated from being considered sinners and accept homosexuals in our society. They also argue that God is a fair God and would not punish a Christ-centered, loving and monogamous homosexual relationship (Nkosi & Masson, 2017). In this context, they argue that homosexuals who are God-fearing cannot be punished since they live their Christian life and their homosexuality is not a sin but rather a way of expressing their love and for pleasure.
Conclusion
To sum it all, Christianity has two views on homosexuality. According to Christianity, their point of view on homosexuality is mainly based upon the Bible, the divinely inspired Word of God. It appears that most Christians condemn homosexuality. They view homosexuality as something morally wrong and contradicting God’s purpose for his creations. According to the bible, those that engaged in homosexuality will not inherit God’s kingdom. God forbids the illicit lust of homosexuality. Homosexuality is also viewed as wickedness. Christianity views homosexuality as evil and sin. Alternatively, some Christians support homosexuality claiming that since a sexual union cannot lead to children, it is inappropriate forbidding an act that entails physical expressing of genuine love. They also argue that Christians should love and accept homosexuals rather than condemn them just as Jesus taught love and acceptance. All in all, the two Christian perspectives on homosexuality are contradict but it appears that Christianity is more of condemning and not tolerant of homosexuality.