Of homosexuality and sin

I started this post on Friday, but it's taken me the entire weekend to formulate it (mostly because of family time, rather than taking time to think carefully about the words I'm using or sentence and paragraph construction). Before you get all up in arms about it, I should say that this is a journal post - designed more to help me gather my thoughts and conceptualise them than to start a real discussion amongst readers.

One of the judges I met at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists Cape Town Regional competition this past week is a lesbian. So let's open this can of worms, shall we? Why not? It's weekend after all, and the perfect time for reflecting on big issues (or not...).

All the gays, lesbians and bi-sexual people I know are lovely, lovely, wonderful people. Warm, funny, caring, in touch with themselves, confident, assured. They've got to be, to survive the comments and attitudes of society towards them. As a result, I think I would often choose them as a friend over a heterosexual.

And yet... (why are there always 'and yet's with me??)

And yet, whenever I realise someone is a homosexual, or they tell me they are, something inside me recoils. I have to consciously remind myself that they are just as worthy of my love and friendship as any other person. Then, inside, I start to relax again. I never seem to relax completely though. A part of me always seems to remain tied up.

In reflecting on this again, having met this lovely lesbian lady this week, I've realised that the portion of me that remains tied up is because of the tension I feel between my experience as one human being towards another, and my faith. Over the years, I have vacillated from thinking that homosexuality is sinful, to accepting it, and back again. I have really struggled with this issue, with trying to be true to the Bible while trying to make allowances for recent Biblical exposition.

There have been several high profile Christian theologians who have studied the Bible and come to the conclusion that the traditional understanding of the practice of homosexuality as being sinful is incorrect. As a human being, I struggle to comprehend that God would create a person and then require them to deny part of their identity. Thus, I want to believe that this liberal interpretation is correct. Yet, when I read the same texts for myself and listen to Christian theologians I respect and trust, I agree that these interpretations simply don't hold water for me.

I quite like Dr James Dobson's explanation of the traditional position though. Modern science indicates that alcoholism is caused by an inherited gene. Thus, an alcoholic literally can't help themselves - they are born to drink. However, that does not make it morally acceptable for the alcoholic to drink. The alcoholic must refrain from drinking any alcohol as even the smallest sip can send them spiralling out of control and may ultimately kill them (either through damage to their liver, through alcohol poisoning during binge drinking, or through an accident caused by their intoxication). Thus, there is something in their genes that causes them to act in a certain way and that can ultimately kill them.

This can be likened to homosexuality. If, as many homosexuals claim, being a homosexual is inherent to these individuals, then it is caused by one or many genes they have inherited. These genes cause them to behave in a certain way. Physically, these actions can also kill them. (I won't go into it now, but there is a dearth of information about the biological effects of homosexual sex and the physical damage it may do to individuals who practice it, particularly for men.)

The Bible teaches that being drunk on wine is sinful. The Bible is saying that alcoholics following their nature and doing what their genes have predisposed them to do, is sinful. It's not saying that being an alcoholic is sinful (although the Bible does teach that ALL people are sinful) - it's saying that acting on their nature (drinking till they're drunk) is sinful. Likewise, the Bible teaches that homosexual acts are sinful, rather than just being inherently homosexual. Alcoholics who are trying to stay dry continue to call themselves alcoholics for the rest of their lives, even if they never drink again. Thus, it is possible to BE something without acting on that nature.

Homosexuals who are also Christians are called to a life of celibacy. This seems so unfair. Yet, alcoholics have to lead a life of sobriety in order to avoid becoming drunk. They have to become tea-totallers. They may not allow one drop of alcohol to pass their lips - EVER. This is an incredibly difficult thing for them to do and requires incredible self-control. In fact, the only thing that seems to help alcoholics deal with their addiction is admitting that they need the help of a higher power and do not, in fact, have the self-control needed to stop drinking. (That's step 1 in the 12-step programme followed by AA.) Graeme's cousin has recently admitted she is an alcoholic, and watching her trying to come to terms with her addiction, deal with it, and stay dry is an incredible lesson in self-discipline for the rest of us.

Since there are thousands of alcoholics who have been able to stay dry for years, there is no reason why there cannot be thousands of Christian homosexuals who are able to remain celibate. It will require the same amount of self-discipline, but they have the added support of the help of the Holy Spirit.

If truth be told, my pride (which is an inherent part of my character) could do with the same treatment and level of self-discipline to control it. Each of us, I think, has something that requires an inordinate amount of effort to purify and keep under control. Even the great saint Paul said that he found himself doing the things he hated and not doing the (pure/ moral) things he desperately wanted to do.

I have been shown grace, therefore I must show grace. So, while part of me knows that the homosexuals I meet are sinning by having a same-sex relationship, the rest of me strives to show them grace, to love them, accept them for who they are, welcome them with open arms and not stand in judgement. It is this tension that ties me up inside. It is a tightrope I walk, trying to balance not minimising the truth God has given us with demonstrating the grace I am expected to display. Ultimately, I just thank God that it is God who must be the judge and sort this mess out!