God and Gays – To be or not to be (Part 1)
Homosexuality… Is it a matter of choice? Are some born like this? And if so, how could God condemn him? Or does he do it? Does it make any difference? Who offered it as an “alternative lifestyle”? Are homosexual impulses due to conditioning? Are gays and lesbians a freak of nature? Something weird to make fun of? Would it have been better never to have been born? All these questions and more are just some of the many that go through people’s minds; causing controversy, heated arguments and emotional wounds, while words fly back and forth without a care.
It might be safe to say that homosexuality is the result of many factors. But who is to blame? Should we put a guilt trap on someone’s doorstep? Maybe mother, then again there’s the father who didn’t think too much. Society? Genoa? The stars? Most people know their sexual orientation from adolescence. They don’t suddenly discover that they are “straight” and “come out” about it. Let’s be realistic.
Who will accept responsibility for our actions? Some have felt “gay” since they were very young and therefore imagine they were born gay. Others seem to pick up on, adopt, or assimilate homosexual tendencies by association. They must have already had an inclination towards him. They got it. Then there are those who were bored and needed a change. They wanted to try it and see if they liked it. Sometimes, due to the “force” of circumstances, men in prisons, children’s homes, and/or monasteries may resort to homosexual activities. Later, as soon as possible, some of them return to their heterosexual ways, while others continue to enjoy “the best of both worlds” as bisexuals. Are “bestiality is best” fans born that way? Or are incestuous relationships something innate? Do we have a chemical predisposition for incest? Are we prepared for such a fall from birth? Would that justify or excuse us? Is promiscuity simply a part of man’s “animal instincts”? Is the challenge of the hunt a primitive holdover from the “days of the hunt”? Actually, ALL of the above are just DISTRACTIONS! It’s not about who or what we feel most comfortable with, prefer, like, or are attracted to; those are just attempts to circumvent the real problem!
God is not only the Creator, but the Sustainer of the entire universe. As such, His Majesty’s Government, based in the highest heaven, has issued (at Mount Sinai) various health rules and regulations (Malachi 4:4). The Creator-King has predetermined, in his infinite wisdom, what “foods and medicines” are safe for us to consume.
If we take into account the reason for our mortal existence, the SUPREME PURPOSE of our human being; to establish contact with our Higher-Self and develop a relationship with Him, then we will know and understand that everything God does is for our benefit. God wants to help us, not hinder us. He enjoys encouraging us to reach our goals and develop our potential (Luke 12:31-32). The Father knows best – what He has in store for us is beyond our wildest dreams (Ephesians 3:20; 1 Corinthians 2:9)!
The high cost of living
Whoever chooses to be a full member of the homosexual community is entitled to all its privileges and persecutions; but first he must COUNT THE COST to see if it is too high a price for him to pay, as Christians are told to do (Luke 14:28).
If someone decides to engage in illicit sex or become entangled in “foreign affairs,” they are living a lie if they believe God might approve of their inappropriate behavior, and they are compounding their problems if they mislead others by trying to condone such flagrant sin (Rom. 1:32 ). Do what you want, but don’t misrepresent God and his clear biblical teachings. Don’t try to put words in his mouth or censor what he actually said (Rev. 22:18-19).
Yes, GOD IS LOVE! That is because He hates certain practices with a passion. He frowns on a dishonest life of theft, an unfaithful habit of “cheating” on our spouse, a disrespectful attitude towards our parents or people in authority, religious holidays that are hollow and do not hallow His name, wanton murder and slander, idolatrous distractions that stand between us and God, an endless trivial pursuit and concern for ourselves and others, instead of putting God first. God loves us and wants us to love him back, but he considers love more than a four letter word: love is an attitude exemplified by actions, words backed up by deeds (James 2:26). That is why Jesus said that if we really loved him, we would show it and not just say it (John 14:15).
safe sex
Since God is love, and the Father knows best, He wants us to practice safe sex. Safe sex that is good and healthy, clean and pure, and is only available within a marriage where both partners keep their vows and honor their commitments (Hebrews 13:4). Sexual intimacy, hugging and intercourse, belongs in the bedroom (of those united by the Bible), and must involve the union of minds and bodies (Gen. 2:24). Married couples are challenged to be compatible in every sense of the word. A marriage certificate doesn’t have to be “just a piece of paper” or become another broken record! God acknowledges the fact that marriage is not for everyone (Matt. 19:11), but expresses his will that singles remain celibate (1 Thess. 4:3).
God only promises to bless those foods (or relationships) that are sanctioned by His Word (1 Timothy 4:4-5). He is not sure of himself or his ways, he is not fickle or foolish, and his Word is trustworthy, trustworthy, and not subject to change. This hasn’t caused the scriptures to be too popular at times, but they refuse to succumb to peer pressure and stay true to themselves. They are not what you need to change anyway. We make. God has not lowered his moral standards or compromised with his dietary laws, but he does offer to help us rise to his Divine Plan. Christ can cleanse us from our unclean lives (Acts 10:15, 28), because God has not called us to stay in Egypt but to go to the Promised Land. Don’t just stand there, move! And leave your excess baggage (sin) behind.
kosher food
Although God created us with a hunger drive, an appetite, He does not want us to become gluttonous pigs. Neither does he want us to act like dogs in heat (1 Corinthians 6:13). God has also shown us that just because various foods have been mislabeled as “delicacies,” we don’t have to put them in our mouths (Lev. 11). We are expected to be mature, not act like children. God warns us to guard the doors of our mind, not expose ourselves to a fall, and discern what we digest (Ephesians 4:27; Hebrews 5:14). We are instructed to scrutinize our food to think and remember “we are what we eat” and “we become what we think about” (Prov. 23:7). God wants us not only to watch what we put in our mouths, but also what we allow into our minds (Philippians 4:8). For a free list of “government approved” think tanks; what is clean and unclean, pure and unclean, kosher and not kosher – check out Ga. 5:19-23; ephesians. 5:11 and Philip. 1:11.
We are not supposed to continue being raw material. God has given us a brain to refine ourselves and keep our lower “instincts” in check (2 Peter 2:12). The Holy Spirit offers us the help we need to do this work (John 1:12). We must refuse to be reduced to an animal level, simply sensual creatures, choosing instead a higher level of life. The lack of “if it feels good, make it” and “if it looks good, eat it” mentality should be considered an insult to those striving for God’s superior intelligence.
Regardless of why you are gay, bisexual, or “trysexual” (you’ll try anything once), whether or not you ever had a choice about it, you have the choice to exercise proper self-control. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A SLAVE TO YOUR SENSES (John 8:34), nor allow sexual temptations to dictate nonsensical reactions (Gen. 19:4-11). You can resist suggestions and reject impulses (2 Corinthians 10:5). Every fleeting thought, random idea, or stray notion doesn’t have to take root and grow if you don’t give it fertile ground (James 1:13-15). You can consider its origin and nip it in the bud. A “NO TRESPASSING!” You can develop a frame of mind to defend yourself against intruders. Protection is possible. You can say NO! You can curb your appetite! YOU CAN CHANGE!