- Apr 17, 2005
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Many people condemn the religious view that homosexuality is wrong and in the 21st century they feel it is a mere view of traditionally conservative religious views as opposed to true religious principle. In the end, many liberal Christians have even begun to regard homosexuality as not even necessarily a sin -- this view is very harmful to the Christian body as it utterly distorts the reality of the matter and in their effort to have "modern" Christian views they've only succeeded in making Christianity appear as a watered down religion, one subject to change and thus not subject even to the binding words of God.
More than that, few Christians seem to explain in the most coherent of terms why homosexuality is regarded as a sin and when they do so often revert to simple images of the intent of God as opposed to satiating the alternative opinion with longer, more apt explanations.
This is a simple explanation I have for the matter.
Homosexuality is a sin because of these few main reasons:
Man and woman were created to be together; woman was created to complement man and act as his companion; man and woman were put on this earth together to endure hard times together and to be fruitful and multiply (both very common themes in the Bible). The intent God has for human sexuality exists only in marriage. Outside of marriage, sexuality is considered a lustful and licentious, while in marriage it is sanctified, as we are to find comfort in our spouse as well as propagate mankind.
Sexual passions outside of this are disrespectful to our other half and dishonorable to our society. If we sleep with someone who is not our spouse and never will be our spouse we are in fact committing adultery: adultery against our spouse, adultery against their spouse (if they choose to have a spouse as opposed to staying celibate to God), and it is a transgression against each family, future and present, when immoral sexual acts are committed.
Non-marital sexual activity in Christianity, like it is in most religions ranging from Buddhism to Hinduism to Islam, is a form of indulgence and decadence. To have sex outside of the sanctified union is to engage in behavior harmful to your own family and to other families, to the community as a whole, as it creates pain in the lives of those affected. But even more than that: it is a sign of spiritual weakness.
Sexual impropriety is like drunkenness, greed, gluttony, vanity, passion for glory, passion for power, lying, cheating, pride. The soul which engages in these activities is finding their passions in their physical body, in fulfilling physical desires. These desires are temporary and fleeting and can grow into a form of addiction; these passions are divisive. They play to the most basic instincts of man.
Man is called to live a life of simplicity, enjoying the fruits of his labor and nothing more. Man is called to not possess much, to not wallow in his own luxury and power and pride.
The 21st century is difficult for the human soul as it is one where we have too much luxury, too much emphasis on personal glory and social position and have the power to submit to drunkenness, drug use, sexual indulgence and other things. But because it is a difficult and trying time for us, it does not mean we change our religion to justify the above but rather means we change ourselves.
Homosexuality can never be condoned because it is giving in to sexual desires. The only sex which is appropriate is within a marriage and of course, homosexuality can never be done within a marriage as man and woman were put on this Earth to be together as companions and to multiply on this Earth.
Homosexuals indeed have these feelings from birth, but there is a really glorious option for the homosexual people that has always existed. It is the outright path of the Saints. Many people through the centuries have given up their sexuality and no longer crave companionship, and instead revel in God and His Creation.
All people are called to suppress their worldly desires and only act on them in marriage; some are called to suppress them completely and pursue celibacy. It is a path that people ought to contemplate.
People who take vows of poverty, of celibacy, people who vow to never succumb to worldly passions have committed themselves to God and have been working for the alleviation of poverty across the world, providing education, health services and other charitable activities as their life calling. That is the absolute highest road that any person can take.
Even those who choose to marry ought to remember the great deeds of the Saints and recognize this path: we're called to never value riches or power, called to never give in to drunkenness or lust, to be charitable and loving of our neighbors, to be helpful. We enjoy the pleasures which God has given to us: each other, nature, our families, our companion, our friends, our arts and our God Himself.
The Christian life ought to carry the full weight of the Gospel of God and look for the profound truth therein, and as homosexuality is condemned for it being a form of sex outside of marriage and a form of sex outside of the intent God has for us.
I would like to leave you with the famous St. Isaac The Syrian quotation concerning the idea of death to the world:
"The world is the general name for all passions. When we wish to call the passions by a common name, we call them the world. But when we wish to distinguish them by their special names, we call them passions. The passions are the following: love of riches, desire for possessions, bodily pleasures from which comes sexual passion, love of honor gives rise to envy, lust for power, arrogance and pride of position, the craving to adorn oneself with luxurious clothing and vain ornaments, the itch for human glory which is a source of rancor and resentment, and physical fear. Where these passions cease to be active, there the world is dead....
Someone has said of the Saints that while alive they were dead; for though living in the flesh, they did not live for the flesh. See for which of these passions you are alive. Then you will know how far you are alive to the world, and how far you are dead to it." --St. Isaac the Syrian, 7th Century
Basically, we need to be dead to the world as much as we can be, and instead live in the Body of Christ.
By living a life free of all indulgences and worldly passions we can do more to help each other and do more to find inner happiness. Happiness that does not crumble with our wealth or power, happiness that does not decay with our aging body; happiness that does not even leave us when we are weak and persecuted, on our last legs standing against the world -- but a happiness that grows with each day we live, a happiness that is defined by our experiences and our relationship with our God that leads us down a glorious road so that even if we find ourselves in a prison cell or starving or sick, because our body is nothing but our vehicle we still have our Everything.
More than that, few Christians seem to explain in the most coherent of terms why homosexuality is regarded as a sin and when they do so often revert to simple images of the intent of God as opposed to satiating the alternative opinion with longer, more apt explanations.
This is a simple explanation I have for the matter.
Homosexuality is a sin because of these few main reasons:
Man and woman were created to be together; woman was created to complement man and act as his companion; man and woman were put on this earth together to endure hard times together and to be fruitful and multiply (both very common themes in the Bible). The intent God has for human sexuality exists only in marriage. Outside of marriage, sexuality is considered a lustful and licentious, while in marriage it is sanctified, as we are to find comfort in our spouse as well as propagate mankind.
Sexual passions outside of this are disrespectful to our other half and dishonorable to our society. If we sleep with someone who is not our spouse and never will be our spouse we are in fact committing adultery: adultery against our spouse, adultery against their spouse (if they choose to have a spouse as opposed to staying celibate to God), and it is a transgression against each family, future and present, when immoral sexual acts are committed.
Non-marital sexual activity in Christianity, like it is in most religions ranging from Buddhism to Hinduism to Islam, is a form of indulgence and decadence. To have sex outside of the sanctified union is to engage in behavior harmful to your own family and to other families, to the community as a whole, as it creates pain in the lives of those affected. But even more than that: it is a sign of spiritual weakness.
Sexual impropriety is like drunkenness, greed, gluttony, vanity, passion for glory, passion for power, lying, cheating, pride. The soul which engages in these activities is finding their passions in their physical body, in fulfilling physical desires. These desires are temporary and fleeting and can grow into a form of addiction; these passions are divisive. They play to the most basic instincts of man.
Man is called to live a life of simplicity, enjoying the fruits of his labor and nothing more. Man is called to not possess much, to not wallow in his own luxury and power and pride.
The 21st century is difficult for the human soul as it is one where we have too much luxury, too much emphasis on personal glory and social position and have the power to submit to drunkenness, drug use, sexual indulgence and other things. But because it is a difficult and trying time for us, it does not mean we change our religion to justify the above but rather means we change ourselves.
Homosexuality can never be condoned because it is giving in to sexual desires. The only sex which is appropriate is within a marriage and of course, homosexuality can never be done within a marriage as man and woman were put on this Earth to be together as companions and to multiply on this Earth.
Homosexuals indeed have these feelings from birth, but there is a really glorious option for the homosexual people that has always existed. It is the outright path of the Saints. Many people through the centuries have given up their sexuality and no longer crave companionship, and instead revel in God and His Creation.
All people are called to suppress their worldly desires and only act on them in marriage; some are called to suppress them completely and pursue celibacy. It is a path that people ought to contemplate.
People who take vows of poverty, of celibacy, people who vow to never succumb to worldly passions have committed themselves to God and have been working for the alleviation of poverty across the world, providing education, health services and other charitable activities as their life calling. That is the absolute highest road that any person can take.
Even those who choose to marry ought to remember the great deeds of the Saints and recognize this path: we're called to never value riches or power, called to never give in to drunkenness or lust, to be charitable and loving of our neighbors, to be helpful. We enjoy the pleasures which God has given to us: each other, nature, our families, our companion, our friends, our arts and our God Himself.
The Christian life ought to carry the full weight of the Gospel of God and look for the profound truth therein, and as homosexuality is condemned for it being a form of sex outside of marriage and a form of sex outside of the intent God has for us.
I would like to leave you with the famous St. Isaac The Syrian quotation concerning the idea of death to the world:
"The world is the general name for all passions. When we wish to call the passions by a common name, we call them the world. But when we wish to distinguish them by their special names, we call them passions. The passions are the following: love of riches, desire for possessions, bodily pleasures from which comes sexual passion, love of honor gives rise to envy, lust for power, arrogance and pride of position, the craving to adorn oneself with luxurious clothing and vain ornaments, the itch for human glory which is a source of rancor and resentment, and physical fear. Where these passions cease to be active, there the world is dead....
Someone has said of the Saints that while alive they were dead; for though living in the flesh, they did not live for the flesh. See for which of these passions you are alive. Then you will know how far you are alive to the world, and how far you are dead to it." --St. Isaac the Syrian, 7th Century
Basically, we need to be dead to the world as much as we can be, and instead live in the Body of Christ.
By living a life free of all indulgences and worldly passions we can do more to help each other and do more to find inner happiness. Happiness that does not crumble with our wealth or power, happiness that does not decay with our aging body; happiness that does not even leave us when we are weak and persecuted, on our last legs standing against the world -- but a happiness that grows with each day we live, a happiness that is defined by our experiences and our relationship with our God that leads us down a glorious road so that even if we find ourselves in a prison cell or starving or sick, because our body is nothing but our vehicle we still have our Everything.
