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From: CSvax:Pucc-H:aeq@pur-ee.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Christianity and Homosexuality
Message-ID: <278@pucc-h>
Date: Mon, 12-Sep-83 21:12:23 EDT
Article-I.D.: pucc-h.278
Posted: Mon Sep 12 21:12:23 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 13-Sep-83 17:36:57 EDT
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
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References: <132@denelcor.UUCP>

This article was originally posted to net.religion as a response to a previous
article which appeared there and in net.books; however, I have had a request
to post it to net.singles also, so here it is.

Reply to Robert Wahl (excerpts from his article indented):

		"Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality" by John
		Boswell, University of Chicago Press (Phoenix Books), 1981.
	
	 Of all the books I have read on homosexuality (or religion, for that
   matter), this one has to be the most informative.  It begins by analysing
   the Bible and other early Christian writings, and shows that there is
   *nothing* to indicate that homosexuality was regarded as a sin.

	 Most people who object to homosexuality on religious grounds quote
   the story of Sodom or I Corinthians 6:9.

I would point you to the second half of Romans 1 (I must make a practice of
keeping my Bible in my backpack; alas, I haven't a Bible with me now).  In
that passage, Paul says something like "The men abandoned the natural function
of the women and burned with lust for each other", and says something similar
about women.  The indications in that passage are pretty strong that God
eventually gives up on those who choose to continue doing that, i.e. that
homosexuality is a sin.  However, I should also point out that Paul, if I
recall rightly, equates this with "worshipping the creature instead of the
Creator"; in other words, homosexuality is only a symptom of a deeper sin,
but that doesn't make it right.  A fever is only a symptom of an infection,
but that doesn't make a fever right.  Also, I remember reading somewhere in
the Pentateuch, probably in Exodus, Leviticus, or Deuteronomy, that sexual
relations between men or between women were against the Law.  While I will
admit I have not read the Hebrew or the Greek, the translations of these
passages (and not just 20th-century translations) certainly appear to denounce
ALL homosexuality, not just isolated cases such as the male prostitutes
Mr. Wahl mentioned as the actual stars of I Cor. 6:9.

	There is not even evidence in the literature of the day
   to assume that homosexuality would be thought of as a sexual proclivity -
   no social distinction was drawn between homosexuality and heterosexuality,
   nor were the Jews noted for being "straight", a fact which would have
   stood out.

Just because the Jews may not have followed the Law too carefully does not
mean the Law wasn't there, speaking strongly against homosexuality!

I should also point out my own analysis of the feelings which might start a
person on the road to homosexuality--an informed analysis, because I've been
uncomfortably close.  Not too many months ago, I went through a period of
deep despair over my chances of ever attracting a female.  During this period,
I had to fight down some strong homosexual feelings.  These had occurred
earlier in my life during similar "down" periods, though never with quite
such intensity.  Such feelings themselves are NOT sinful.  However, if I had
chosen to act upon them, to seek sexual involvement with another male, that
would have been the sin--choosing an ersatz way of finding "love", closeness,
intimacy, healing of the pain of loneliness.  The right thing to do about
such feelings was to (as one pastor friend of mine advised me) "show God my
dirty pictures", i.e. admit these feelings to Him and let Him work on the
underlying despair.  (It worked, too; I have actually begun dating women now.)

In summary, I would just say that the fact that the Bible condemns
homosexuality (which I maintain it does) or anything else is not what makes
it horrible; rather, the fact that it is horrible is the reason the Bible
condemns it.  The fact that something is in the Bible is not what makes it
true; rather, it is in the Bible precisely BECAUSE it is true.

-- Jeff Sargent/pur-ee!pucc-h:aeq