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PERSPECTIVES OF HOMOSEXUALITY

A FINAL PAPER SUBMITTED TO DR. HOLLINGER OF GORDON CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE ISSUES IN SEXUAL ETHICS AND BIOETHICS ET 681

BY STEVEN HERNANDEZ

SOUTH HAMILTON, MA APRIL 10, 2012

I. NATURE OF THE ISSUE

II. VARIOUS ETHICAL POSITIONS OF THE ISSUE

III. MY VIEW

IV. CHURCH ADDRESSING THE ISSUE

NATURE OF THE ISSUE The most basic premise of our discussion is; is it wrong, and is it always wrong to be a homosexual? But to take this one step further we can speak in more specific terms and with various scenarios; what if the couple plans on getting married, having or adopting kids, is it still wrong? Being homosexual is not merely limited to one night stands and sex crazed people, but of those who are actually committed to loving each other. So the question still remains, is it wrong? If so, why? Another matter in question is how does one become a homosexual, is it like becoming a heterosexual, in the sense that we are just born that way? Are there genetic factors involved that no one can control, and is it fate that some people are homosexual while others are not? Or is being homosexual just a preference as in the case of a male who is attracted to a female with blonde hair as oppose to dark brown hair? Recently I read a status update on a friends Facebook page that read, If being gay is a choice, then when did you decide to become straight? We will also explore the definition of homosexual and what constitutes an individual to be considered a homosexual? Is it having same-sex attraction, a selfproclamation, when males have feminine characteristics and vice versa that constitutes one to be considered a homosexual? If two individuals of the same-sex happen to commit a onetime act will they also be considered homosexual or is it only when two people have an ongoing physical or emotional relationship with the same-sex? VARIOUS ETHICAL POSITIONS OF THE ISSUE There are many ways one could answer these questions, and the answers differ based on the religious or nonreligious beliefs, and even political stance held by the responding party. Homosexuality is defined as Sexual, emotional, and/or romantic

attraction to the same sex.1 A homosexual is a man or woman whose feelings of sexual attraction are for someone of the same gender. The word homosexual was first used by Karl Maria Kertbeny in an 1869 pamphlet in which he argued for the repeal of Prussias antihomosexual laws.2 There does not seem to be a differentiation of what constitutes a person to be a homosexual in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community. If a person has a same-sex attraction without acting on this feeling he or she is still considered a homosexual. This might be because if someone were to admit to a differentiation than it would allude to the fact that being homosexual is a choice rather than fate or destiny. If one is only a homosexual when he or she acts upon the feelings that would defeat the idea that people are born as homosexuals and they cannot change this desire. As Homosexuals they should not try to be something they are not, they should just be themselves. The LGBT community for the most part believes that they are homosexuals because they were simply created that way and there is nothing wrong with them. One individual likes the color brown while the other likes pink or yellow; one male likes women and another likes men. The fact that they are created like this means that they cannot change if they wanted to, and they should not be forced to be put into a separate category because of this. They deserve the same rights as anyone else, and if they decided to get married or adopt why should they be denied because of something that they do not have control over? Sexual orientation-homosexual, heterosexual, or bisexualhas everything to do with feelings or attraction and nothing to do with actual sexual experience.3
1
2

Http://geneq.berkeley.edu/lgbt_resources_definiton_of_terms#lgbtiq accessed April 9, 2012

Eric Marcus, Is It a Choice? : Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Gay & Lesbian People. (New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1999), 1. 3 Ibid., 6.

Homosexuality, a particular manifestation of sexuality, is viewed as essential to ones core identity; in this case it is intertwined with ones need for sexual actualization.4 If it is granted that a homosexual orientation is involuntary it is unjust to present celibacy as a calling.5 My behavior is not unnatural, and being homosexual is neither a sin nor a sickness. In fact, its as natural for me to be homosexual as it is for a black man to be black or a white woman to be white.6 As far as civil rights and the public arena goes some have suggested that being homosexual is the new black in that sense that homosexuals are being discriminated against, and are the objects of peoples irrational hatred and fear, and verbal, emotional and even physical abuse; although African Americans were far more serve in their suffering.7 On the other side of the discussion Christians believe that being homosexuality is not the way that God designed male and females to interact, but is a ramification of the Fall of man. As Christians our ethics are guided by the Bible as our final authority, and our relationship with Jesus. There are many factors that can play a role is the belief systems that we adapt such as experience, reason, science, tradition and sacred scriptures. We hold the Bible as the ultimate standard even if reason, science, and experience tell us differently. Unfortunately the Bible does not cover every single issue that has or will occur, but with the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit we can come to a better

David L. Balch, Homosexuality, Science, and The Plain Sense of Scripture. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000), 80.
5

Protestant Episcopal Church, Standing Commission on Human Affairs, Blue Book of the Episcopal; Church General Convention (1991), pp. 199, 202.
6

Michael L. Brown, A Queer Thing Happened To America. (Concord, North Carolina: EqualTime Books), 199.
7

Ibid., 198.

understanding of homosexuality from a Biblical perspective. Is our sexual preference purely a matter of personal taste? Or has God revealed His will regarding a norm? In particular, can the Bible be shown to sanction sexual partnerships, or at least not to condemn them? What in fact, does the Bible condemn?8 We will not address these issues now but will answer them further along the way. One such caricature of the traditional Christian condemnation of homosexual behavior is the charge that traditionalist view all experiences and expressions of homosexual orientation as deliberate and willful.9 In regards to being delivered or transformed from a homosexual lifestyle they LGBT communities respond there is no such thing as exgay. There is repress-my-innate-immutable-characteristics-and-deny-their-existance, but no such condition as ex-gay.10 Christians believe that homosexuality is a preference or willful decision and the individual can change if they desire to. Although this is a more orthodox or traditional understanding of Scripture an opposite understanding of monogamous homosexual relationships are not condemned in the Bible for other Christians. Those who hold to this view believe that the prohibitions are culturally biased (Lev. 18, 20)11 Tony Campolo suggests that, while all things are possible with God, most of those professing to be former homosexuals were probably bisexuals in the past, since it is extremely rare for a homosexual person to become heterosexual.12
8
9

John Stott, Same-Sex Partnerships? (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Fleming H. Revell, 1998) 15.

Balch, 75.
1 10

http://www.washblade.com/print.cfm?contentent_id=5922, (Accessed June 1, 2006, but no longer available online.)


1 11

David S. Kuehne, Sex and The iWorld: Rethinking Relationship Beyond an Age of Individualism. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2009), 158-159. 12 Tony Campolo, Speaking My Mind: The Radical Evangelical Prophet tackles the Tough Issues Christians Are Afraid to Face. (Dallas: Word Publishing Group, 2004), 61.

Not only has the political agenda been pushed but also science has been brought into the discussion to stand as a witness on behalf of homosexuality. The frequent failure to cite specific studies, and the frequent failure of authors to describe explicitly the bearings of the findings upon the moral argument in question13 There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay, or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors.14 A strong pro-gay Association even asserts no one is born homosexual. Michael Brown uses Neil Whiteheads research of over 20 years and 10,000 scholarly papers and publications on the subject that shows that genes dont make you do it. There is no genetic determinism, and genetic influence at most is minor.15 Brown also makes note of John DEmilio, a well-known gay activists interview that says the scientific evidence for it is thin as a reed, yet it doesnt matter.16 Perhaps the greatest shock to the mental health community came in 2001 when Dr. Robert Spitzer of Columbia University published his study on the efficacy of efforts to change ones sexual orientation. The upset came in that Spitzer has long been known to be a friend of the gay community, and was instrumental in removing homosexuality from the list of mental disorders from the Diagnostics and Statistics Manual (DSM), the manual by which mental health professionals diagnose and treat mental illnesses. After extensive study, the skeptical Spitzer published his findings in the
1 13

Balch, 74.
1 14

http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/sexual-orientation.aspx (Accessed March 30, 2012).


1 15

http://www.mygenes.co.nz/summary.htm (Accessed March 30, 2012).


1 16

http://isreview.org/issues/65/feat-demilio.shtml (Assessed March 30, 2012).

Archives of Sexual Behavior in 2001 concluding that sexual orientation can successfully be changed.17

Brown notes that even if someone was has a propensity to be ruthless as in the cases of Hitler or Stalin, or being delinquent or criminally minded that correlation is not causation, and predisposition is not predetermination. If a person were to have a destructive behavior we should be willing to work harder to help them change. 18 So the same is true for those who may or may not be predisposition towards that same-sex, we would not encourage Hitler or Stalin to go, celebrate, and be who God created you to be! So why would we tell the homosexual to do this? Apart from science in the Christian realm and often those who counselor others believe that homosexuality is caused by broken families, of either a male or female child growing up with a physical or sexually abusive, and or absent father figure. The first of these studies conducted by Kinsey in the 1940s had these reasons for those who prefer homosexuality relationships; early homosexual experience with adults or peers 22%, homosexual friends/ around a lot 16%, poor relationship with mother 15%, heterosexual partners unavailable 12%, social ineptitude 9%, unusual development (couldnt get along with own sex) 15%, and born that way 9%.19 It can also be learned behaviors from parents, family or school mates, and with all media outlets in great celebration it can be picked up and add to the confused adolescent or child.
17

http://exodusinternational.org/2009/04/what-does-science-say/#.T4C_ZppWrIM (Accessed April

7, 2012).
1 18

Brown, 208-210. 19 http://www.biblebelievers.com/Cameron3.html#footnote (Accessed April 9, 2012).

MY VIEW I would side with Dr. Hollinger and Dr. Mike Brown in the fact that God has a special purpose for sex, and function for the two genders. If scientist were ever to find a gay-gene than it still would not be an excuse for those to engage in homosexual activity, just as in the research of the cheating gene, criminal, alcoholic, and ruthless gene we would still hold them accountable for their actions. Under no circumstances should homosexuality be deemed appropriate. Sexuality and sex should be individually defined and to help dissolve their interchangeableness from what many today have made them. We can define sexuality as our maleness and femaleness as human beings. All humans are sexual beings whether or not they engage in acts of sex. We all have a biological gender and then develop a sexual identity integrated with that gender.20 Sex, on the other hand, is the act of intimacy reflecting our sexuality Sex, in contrast, is the acting out of our sexuality in physical acts with others, accompanied by emotional and mental states of being.21 As so, sexuality is apart of every being, sex is not.22 A person can be complete without having to ever act out his or her sexuality. I dont agree with those who say that God wants me to be fulfilled; and sex is essential part of relational fulfillment; therefore the Bible cant really mean what it says about sexual boundaries because that would rob me of fulfillment.23 As David Kuehne
2 20

Dennis P. Hollinger, The Meaning of Sex: Christian Ethics and the Moral Life. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2009), 15.
2 21

Ibid., 16. 22 Dr. Dennis Hollinger, during class lecture, Spring 2012 Semester on January 31, 2012, at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, in the course of Issues in Sexual Ethics and Bioethics Et 681.
2 23

Kuehne, 161.

points out then divorce, remarriage, cohabitation must not be wrong after all, because anything in the way of my fulfillment has to go.24 Some have tried to rebut the passages of the Bible, by saying that the biblical writers did not understand sexual orientation and if they did they would not have written what they did. Others yet have said that the fact that Jesus was silence on the topic of homosexuality shows He did not see it as a problem. In Judaism of Jesus time homosexuality was not as a pressing issue, but He did in fact affirm the Genesis paradigm. In Genesis 1-2 male and female were ordained at creation, and this relationship of male to female alone is reaffirmed in the rest of scripture. The silence of Jesus showed that He agreed with the only viewpoint in the public discourse of early Judaism. If He wanted His disciples to take a different viewpoint He would have said so.25 Jesus also did not speak about bestiality, or rape as being forbidden, should we also conclude them as acceptable? Of course not! Homosexuality is also considered wrong because it does not fulfill the Biblical purposes of sex; the consummation of marriage, procreation, love, and pleasure.26 CHURCH ADDRESSING THE ISSUE Do I want to be a source of affirmation and support to these fellow-human beings, people who are also created in the image of God, or do I want to add to their pain? Do I want to stand for justice for those who are oppressed, or do I want to be an oppressor?27 We as the church can bring help to those who are outcast and who feel unloved,

2 24

Ibid., 160.
2 25

Dan O. Via & Robert A. J. Gagnon, Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003), 68. 26 Hollinger, 95-111.
2 27

Brown, 200.

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for the most part the church has committed more hurt than reconciliation among homosexuals. We should love them enough to hear their stories and struggles and try to be a source of support rather than condemnation. However strongly we may disapprove of homosexual practices, we have no liberty to dehumanize those who engage in them.28 Nobody (with the sole exception of Jesus of Nazareth) has been sexually sinless.29 The voice of the church in society should be different but very similar from the voice of the church in the Church. People are transformed through discipleship and relationships. Our voice should be one of truth and love. A few questions when counseling have been out lined by Ed Hurst are: What is the nature of your problem? Why do you consider it a problem? What is your biblical perspective on this issue? What are your expectations for change? Do you believe it is possible to change with Gods help, and if so do you want to change? Do you have a good relationship with other Christians? In your relationship with God, what rank and order would you say the following play: duty, faith, fear, grace, guilt, love, need, other?30 It seems helpful to never assume when counseling someone struggling with homosexuality. This way we can let them speak and get to know their situation. When addressing the issue in the congregation we should seek to teach people what it really means to love people who are hurting. I have heard of many stories of homosexuals wanting to change but when they went to church they were not accepted, the LGBT communities surely accepted them with open arms. We should not place homosexuality
2 28

Stott, 9.
2 29

Ibid., 12. 30 Ed Hurst & Dave and Neta Jackson, Overcoming Homosexuality. (Elgin, Illinois: David C. Cook Publishing, 1987), 61-70.

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as the Sin of all Sins, and ones affair or fornication as a lesser sin against God. Many in Exodus International who are known as ex-gays have given some great advice. Our attractions are real, yes, but like our other feelings they dont necessarily tell us the truth all the time. Your attractions are an experience you have-they are not who and what you are.31 Sometimes sex in a way that is oppose to Gods way may feel good and that may be because Sin is entirely self-focused. God didnt create sex just to give us a high. He created it as a way to make intimacy between a man and wife transcendent-that is, taking their spiritual and relational commitment and bringing it into the physical. Thats what the phrase consummating the marriage means.32 Lust and sexual feelings are not limited to homosexuals, for a heterosexual to go from dating multiple women to being monogamous and married and to stop looking at women with lust is not a one time event and may take a lot of discipline to break those old habits. Is it wrong to love someone of the same-sex? Its not. God is love, and He created us to love Him and each other. You have a very real need to love and be loved by someoneby several someonesof the same gender. But God does have a lot to say about how love is expressed in different kinds of relationships. He created sex to be sacred and special, protected and pure.33 If you are exposed to sexual activity in a way God didnt intendsuch as through abuse, or with someone youre not married to, or someone of the same genderand your body experiences some degree of pleasure, that does not mean that you are gay, bi or anything else. It does not mean that that sexual experience was right for you. It simply means that your body is
3 31

http://exodusinternational.org/2008/09/will-my-same-sex-attractions-ever-goaway/#.T4Daw5pWrIM (Accessed April 7, 2012).


3 32

http://exodusinternational.org/2008/09/will-my-same-sex-attractions-ever-goaway/#.T4Daw5pWrIM (Accessed April 7, 2012). 33 http://exodusinternational.org/2007/12/why-is-it-wrong-to-love-someone-of-the-same-sex/ (Accessed April 7, 2012).

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working, and thats all. Sometimes our emotions can get caught up in these experiences, too, and we have confusing feelings toward people or circumstances when we begin to associate them with sexual pleasure. 34 God has called us to be His ambassadors in this broken and confused world, in the church and in society we should be examples of Jesus love to them. He gave mercy to those in sexual sin but did not condone it; they often left with joy and empowerment to live for God all the more. We too should follow suite and do likewise.

BIBLOGRAPHY Balch, David L. Homosexuality, Science, and The Plain Sense of Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000. Brown, Michael L. A Queer Thing Happened To America. Concord, North Carolina: EqualTime Books. Campolo, Tony. Speaking My Mind: The Radical Evangelical Prophet tackles the Tough Issues Christians Are Afraid to Face. Dallas: Word Publishing Group, 2004. Hollinger, Dennis P. The Meaning of Sex: Christian Ethics and the Moral Life. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2009.
3 34

http://exodusinternational.org/2008/01/i-was-molested-by-someone-of-the-same-sex-and-it-feltgood-does-that-mean-im-gay-or-bi/#.T4DnjZpWrIM (Accessed April 7, 2012).

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Hurst, Ed & Dave and Neta Jackson. Overcoming Homosexuality. Elgin, Illinois: David C. Cook Publishing, 1987. Kuehne, David S. Sex and The iWorld: Rethinking Relationship Beyond an Age of Individualism. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2009.

Marcus, Eric. Is It a Choice? : Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Gay & Lesbian People. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1999. Protestant Episcopal Church, Standing Commission on Human Affairs, Blue Book of the Episcopal; Church General Convention. 1991. Stott, John. Same-Sex Partnerships? Grand Rapids, Michigan: Fleming H. Revell, 1998. Via, Dan O. & Robert A. J. Gagnon, Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003. http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/sexual-orientation.aspx (Accessed March 30, 2012). http://www.biblebelievers.com/Cameron3.html#footnote (Accessed April 9, 2012). http://exodusinternational.org/2009/04/what-does-science-say/#.T4C_ZppWrIM (Accessed April 7, 2012). Http://geneq.berkeley.edu/lgbt_resources_definiton_of_terms#lgbtiq accessed April 9, 2012 http://isreview.org/issues/65/feat-demilio.shtml (Assessed March 30, 2012). http://www.mygenes.co.nz/summary.htm (Accessed March 30, 2012). http://www.washblade.com/print.cfm?contentent_id=5922, (Accessed June 1, 2006, but no longer available online.)

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