More on Homosexuality

I have definetely bit off more than I can chew. It's been a while since we talked about this. I was hoping for more discussion. Also, this issue has led me to see my own struggle with ethics more clearly. I believe that homosexuality is a sin, because I believe that the Bible says so. The Bible does not say so in a clearly imperative way, but the Apostle Paul makes a strikingly convincing argument against it. I base my ethical system on the truth conveyed in the Bible. But I also believe that we use our reason to access its truth. This leads to several paradoxes and philosophical conundrums, but if you see my position on philosophy in an earlier post, I am at least consistent to my own worldview. I am afraid that homsexual sympathizers will not be willing to listen to anything I say or write because I base my belief in the immorality of homosexuality on the Scriptures. I request their patience, and respect their right to disagree. I refuse to oppose them in any activist way. I don't believe that would be becoming of a follower of Jesus. I will continue to uphold my own position however. I hope that I may still have homosexual friends. Sure, I am saying their lifestyle is an offense to God, but isn't all of ours at some point. I bring up the issue not because I am afraid of homosexuality, not because I am homophobic, but because homosexuals need to hear the other side of the issue, partly because of their own ignorance and narrow mindedness, but mostly because of truly unbibical actions perpetrated by so called bible believers under the name of Christians. I don't want them to be representatives of Christianity or the Bible, because the truth is that they are poor representatives, and bear the brunt of the responsibility for any homosexual resentment. I hope to make my opinion seem reasonable to all, worth hearing, honest, but overflowing with authentic love. The truth is that homosexuals are human, made in the image of God. Bible-thumping fundamentalists are equally human, equally made in the image of God. And I am included. This means that sometimes some of us are wrong and some of us are right. And when we know we're right we can still be friends with the ones who are wrong. I believe that this debate is multilayered. It is a debate that for homosexuals is very personal, and non-homosexuals need to be sensitive to that. It is a debate that is religious, political, theological, and is at its base, philosophical, more specifically epistemological. The main reason I am anti-homosexuality is that I believe the Bible is authoritative for morals, and that it makes an anti-homosexuality argument I find impossible to misinterpret or refute. To accuse me of reading into the Bible my homophobia would be judgmental, unfair, and untrue. If anything it is much easier to demonstrate homosexuals reading their homosexuality into the text. I have more respect for the person who throws out the biblical worldview alltogether recognizing its incompatability with their own worldview than the one who trys to make the Bible adhere to their own worldview. And by the way, if you have enough respect for the Bible that you wish to make it agree with you, then you ought to have enough respect for the Bible to let it speak for itself. If I say to you, "I believe that homosexuality is wrong because the Bible says..." And you say to me..."no, this is what the Bible actually says..." , then our debate is theological, and I think I could demonstrate that you have barely a theological leg to stand on, I think. But try me. However, I say to you, "I believe homosexuality is wrong because the Bible says..." and you say to me, I don't believe the Bible is right on this one..." well then we have a philosophical debate on our hand. To be perfectly honest, that's what I think this debate is at the end of the day, an epistmelogical debate. In other words, why do people believe there is nothing wrong with homosexuality? What worldview is supporting them? It cannot be the Biblical worldview.
I wish to demonstrate in these upcoming posts how a "plain hermenutic" when it comes to interpreting Scripture leads rather naturally to an anit-homosexuality position. For the sake of focus I will not delve into a discussion of the liberal point of view on this topic, or the moderate point of view. For what its worth, the liberal point of view is definitely susceptible to accusations of eisegesis. I invite homosexual sympathizers to take another listen to a sincere Christian with a conservative point of view on this issue, and not dismiss it out of hand. I offer an argument for love along with a rebuke for some so called Christians for their repugnant attitudes towards homosexuality or lack of candor in communicating their opinions. I wish to show that disagreement and intolerance are not the same thing. I also wish to motivate Christians to consider whether or not they look like Christ to all all the time, and how looking like Christ to homosexuals and other" liberals" has been lacking lately. All in all, I wish to make progress in this discussion. If these means that we agree to disagree, and that's all, well at least that's a start. Most importantly, thereis any oppurtunity here for love and tolerance to flourish, for redemption to happen, and for the re-thinking of worldviews to have their proper place.