Comparison of six views of
homosexuality with regard to:
God's expectations for homosexuals, faith groups, and society
Sponsored link.
The six viewpoints, from:
 | "Condemnation" -- the most conservative and
traditional -- to |
| "Liberation" -- the most liberal -- |
are actually
stereotypes. They don't necessarily fit the opinions of individual people. Many
will hold beliefs that combine more than one viewpoint.
Presenting data
in this way emphasizes that there are more sets of beliefs than the two extreme views that
one hears so often in the media.
| One sentence description (repeated):
| Viewpoint |
Description or main emphasis |
| "Abomination" |
Homosexuality is profoundly immoral at all times. |
| "Change is expected" |
Homosexuals can change their sexual orientation, with effort |
| "Celibacy is expected" |
Homosexuals must either change or be celibate. |
| "Marginally acceptable" |
Committed
homosexual relationships are the least awful option. |
| "Equality" |
Seek equal rights. Homosexuality, is morally neutral. |
| "Liberation" |
Reinterpret the Bible. Homophobia, not being lesgay, is the main evil. |
|
| God's expectations of homosexuals:
| Viewpoint |
God's expectations of homosexuals |
| "Abomination" |
Acknowledgement of their sin, repentance, renounce their earlier
choice of the homosexual lifestyle, trust Jesus as Lord and Savior,
resist further temptation to sin, regain their original heterosexual
desires, and marry a person of the opposite sex. |
| "Change is expected" |
Repentance, seek counseling through a Christian source, seek to
restore their gender identity. Become a heterosexual and either marry,
or choose celibacy. |
| "Celibacy is expected" |
Cessation of all homosexual behavior. This is followed by:
| For youths: counseling and seeking spiritual healing. |
| For bisexual adults: consideration of the possibility of
marriage -- a very difficult option, but potentially rewarding. |
| For the vast majority of homosexuals: celibacy. |
|
| "Marginally acceptable" |
Acknowledge that one's homosexuality is disordered. Attempt to
become heterosexual via therapy, counseling and prayer. In the vast
majority of cases, this is impossible; celibacy is the next option to
consider. If this is unachievable, the last resort and least desirable
option is to consider a loving, committed same-sex relationship, in
spite of the moral compromises that this necessitates. |
| "Equality" |
Recognize that one's homosexual orientation is immutable, is a gift
of God, and is normal and natural for a minority of adults. Chose a
single lifestyle or attempt to form a single committed loving, same-sex
relationship. All behavior is to be free of exploitive behavior,
coercion, dishonesty, lack of authenticity, and promiscuity. Help other
gays and lesbians to make these same choices. |
| "Liberation" |
As for the Equality viewpoint, the first step is to recognize
that one's homosexual orientation is immutable. It is a gift of God, and
is normal and natural for a minority of adults. Work towards the reform
of Christianity so that themes of justice and love are emphasized, and
homophobia rejected. Cooperate with other oppressed groups -- women, the
poor, the transgender, immigrants, etc., seeking a society based on
caring, liberty and justice for all. Seek same-sex relationships that
are authentic and free of manipulation and dishonesty. |
|
| God's expectations of faith groups with respect to homosexuality:
| Viewpoint |
God's expectations of faith groups |
| "Abomination" |
- Condemn homosexuality at every opportunity.
- Stubbornly resist any attempts to legitimize and accept
homosexual behavior
- Expel all unrepentant homosexuals from churches.
- Urge gays and lesbians to seek counseling and spiritual healing
of their condition.
- Support ex-gays -- those who have successfully escaped from the
homosexual lifestyle.
|
| "Change is expected" |
- Condemn homosexual behavior at every opportunity.
- Proclaim God's promise to cure homosexuals from their disorder
and disability.
- Educate gays and lesbians concerning the availability of
reparative therapy and services of transformational ministries.
- Accept some individuals with a homosexual orientation into
fellowship -- specifically those who are celibate and those who are
struggling to escape from homosexuality.
|
| "Celibacy is expected" |
- Proclaim that homosexual behavior is against God's will.
- Treat homosexual sin in the same way as any other serious sin.
- Urge gays and lesbians to seek healing of their homosexuality.
- If healing is impossible, urge celibacy as the only option.
|
| "Marginally acceptable" |
- Proclaim God's intention that sexual activity be limited to
opposite-sex marriage.
- Support homosexuals who are seeking healing.
- If healing fails, urge them to try celibacy as the preferred
option.
- If this is unattainable, urge them to seek a loving, committed,
supportive same-sex relationship.
- Deny same-sex relationships the blessing of the church, as this
would detract from the status of opposite-sex marriage.
|
| "Equality " |
- Confess past homophobic attitudes and actions.
- Eliminate any residual homophobia left in the church.
- Expose misinformation that is being spread about homosexuality,
particularly that distributed by other Christian groups.
- Promote a society that:
| Accepts homosexual and bisexual orientation as normal and
natural sexual expressions |
| Is free of oppression of
sexual minorities, and |
| Encourages same-sex marriage among homosexuals. |
|
Welcome gays, lesbians and bisexuals into the church as full
members, leaders, and clergy.
Create church rituals, patterned after existing marriage
ceremonies, which recognize and bless same-sex relationships.
|
| "Liberation" |
Same as the "equality" viewpoint. |
|
| God's expectations of society, with respect to homosexuality
| Viewpoint |
God's expectations of society |
| "Condemnation" |
- Civil law must reflect God's revealed moral law: Homosexual
behavior must be re-criminalized, hate-crime legislation and civil
rights laws repealed, and sex-ex classes in schools modified to
teach that homosexuality is disordered, abnormal, unnatural, sinful,
and degenerate.
- New legislation and structures are needed to prevent the
tolerance or promotion of homosexuality.
- Commit effort to protect the public -- particularly vulnerable children --
from predatory homosexuals.
- Prepare for God's "righteous wrath and a retributive
judgment" 2
which will pour out on the land, and affect just and unjust alike,
if society does not actively oppress and discriminate against
homosexuals.
|
| "Change is expected" |
- Work towards a society which neither affirms or legitimizes the
homosexual lifestyle, nor actively oppresses homosexuals.
- Repeal laws giving "special rights" as a
protected class to homosexuals in the
area of civil rights, hate-crimes,
employment discrimination, accommodation discrimination, etc.
- Preserve marriage as a union of one man and one woman.
- Encourage homosexuals to seek a cure for their disordered
condition through reparative therapy and/or
the efforts of transformational ministries.
- Develop a culture which expects and encourages a minority of homosexuals
-- those who cannot be cured -- to remain celibate.
|
| "Celibacy is expected" |
- Repeal laws which criminalize private homosexual behavior among
adults, or limit their access to accommodation or employment.
- Oppose laws allowing same-sex marriage
and others which affirm or legitimize homosexual behavior.
- Encourage homosexuals to seek a cure for their disordered
condition through reparative therapy and/or
the efforts of transformational ministries
- Develop a culture which expects and encourages the vast majority of homosexuals
-- those who cannot be cured -- to remain celibate.
|
| "Marginally acceptable" |
- Repeal laws which criminalize private homosexual behavior among
adults.
- Pass laws to prevent discrimination against homosexuals in accommodation and employment.
- Oppose laws allowing same-sex marriage
and others which "...imply any moral correspondence between
homosexual partnerships and heterosexual marriage."
3
- Encourage homosexuals to seek a cure for their disordered
condition through reparative therapy and/or
the efforts of transformational ministries
- Develop a culture which expects the vast majority of homosexuals -- those who cannot
be cured -- to:
| choose to remain celibate, or: |
| If this is impossible, to try to enter into a
loving, committed same-sex relationship. |
|
|
| "Equality" |
- Repeal laws which criminalize private homosexual behavior among
adults.
- Pass laws to prevent discrimination against homosexuals in accommodation and employment,
to protect them against hate-crimes, and to allow them to enter into
same-sex marriages.
- Encourage and facilitate therapy for those gays, lesbians and
bisexuals who have internalized society's homophobia or who have
difficulty accepting their sexual orientation.
- Modify sex-ed classes in schools to teach the moral equivalent
of homosexual, heterosexual and bisexual orientations, and the full
diversity of family structures.
|
| "Liberation" |
Same as the "equality" viewpoint. |
|
 L.R. Holben, "What Christians think about homosexuality: Six
representative viewpoints," Bibal Press, (1999).
Read
reviews or order this book safely from Amazon.com online book store- Ibid, Page 45.
- Ibid, Page 144.
* Quoted in Reference 1.
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Copyright © 2004 by Ontario Consultants on
Religious Tolerance
Originally written: 2004-SEP-19
Latest update: 2004-SEP-19
Author: B.A. Robinson
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