Concerning homosexual behavior, a simple reading of scripture reveals this: an attempted gang rape of the two angels by heterosexual men in Sodom (Gen. 19); the Levitical code prohibition for the Jewish nation (Lev. 18: 22; 20: 13); heterosexual men who because of their idolatry and lust committed homosexual acts contrary to their nature. I do not accept Gagnonç—´ interpretation of Noah and Ham (I think it is these two!?), which postulates Ham homosexual raped his father. Even if that were true, we would have a heterosexual male involved in an incestuous rape.
What scripture condemns is heterosexuals engaged in homosexual acts � whether gang rape, or mutually agreed upon acts between heterosexuals. Likewise, scripture presents the boundaries within which sex is to be engaged, whether by heterosexuals or homosexuals, in my humble opinion.
I知 not trying to find loopholes, and I am not trying to force Scripture to say anything other than what it actually says and presents � honest exegetical investigation and hermeneutical application to current situations.
What does scripture _actually_ say? A whole lot about heterosexual relationships, but even when it talks specifically about marriage, the type of marriage it speaks of is not generally what we conceive of marriage in 21st century America. It speaks of abusive homosexual sex acts, understood then to be engaged in by heterosexuals. It speaks of heterosexuals giving up their heterosexual nature and engaging in homosexual sex. If we can resist reading into Scripture and making is support our particular wants or views, we can get down to what it actually means and what it actually says for us today.
Furthermore, science has not proven one way or another what causes people to be heterosexual or homosexual. What scientific research has shown is that for whatever definitive reason, the homosexual orientation is something that is not controlled by the individual. It is something that happens so early in life, if not during the earliest stages of fetal development, that the individual is not responsible in any way for the orientation � again, whether heterosexual or homosexual. Behavior is under our domain of control, orientation is not. The orientation, whether heterosexual or homosexual, is not changeable. To demand homosexuals live celibate lives is contrary to Paul痴 admonition that if one cannot abide in celibacy, then one should be married. How this is worked out in the lives of homosexuals is still undetermined, but is what much of this debate is all about.
In my opinion, Scripture does not oppose same-gender, mutual, loving, life-long relationships � it is within the permissive will of God, not declared forbidden by Scripture. If the whole institutions of marriage and family will be destroyed by a small minority of people having legal recognition of their same-sex relationships, then the institutions of marriage and family are not a very stable, strong, and viable institutions to begin with. How little faith in heterosexual marriage and families people must have to think that homosexual relationships can destroy something God has instituted. How little faith in God, and how much faith in the ability of Satan to destroy that which God has institute, is implied in all this rancor.