{"id":30300,"date":"2011-11-22T20:50:00","date_gmt":"2011-11-23T02:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=30300"},"modified":"2024-12-18T12:44:17","modified_gmt":"2024-12-18T18:44:17","slug":"i-think-the-bible-treats-homosexuals-worse-than-other-so-called-sins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-think-the-bible-treats-homosexuals-worse-than-other-so-called-sins\/","title":{"rendered":"I think the Bible treats homosexuals worse than other so-called sins"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t<h2>Question:<\/h2>\n<p>I am in utter shock. Being homosexual is not a choice, no one wants to be different if it was not meant to be. The Bible says we should stone children who disobey their parents, same as homosexuals. I only see the concept being applied to homosexuals. The Bible was written by man, it is not objective. We all understand it in our own way. If being gay means that I am not a child of God, so be it. After all, we do not know the truth, it is based on what you think. Men and women have sex before marriage, and it is considered a sin. Since when are some sins greater than others? 100% of the population will burn in hell it would seem since we are all sinners. Judging others and not accepting is a sin. To me, it seems like, people who are gay are subjected to more cruelty than people who are not. But because you are not gay, you do not have to worry about burning in hell or whatever threats the Bible imposes. It&#8217;s almost like if you do not do this or that, you will burn in hell. Sad world we live in. Fortunately, people are seeing more and more that the Bible and Christianity aren&#8217;t as clear as they should be.<\/p>\n\t<h2>Answer:<\/h2>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;<em>Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: &#8220;That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged<\/em>&#8221; (Romans 3:4).<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;<em>Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth<\/em>&#8221; (John 17:17).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>You claim that the Bible isn&#8217;t clear, yet you seem to be very clear that the Bible&#8217;s teachings condemn homosexuality. You don&#8217;t agree with that position, but it isn&#8217;t logical to claim that views that oppose your own are of necessity unclear.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, you seek to diminish what makes you uncomfortable. You claim it was written by man, but it claims to have come from the mouth of God. &#8220;<em>All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work<\/em>&#8221; (II Timothy 3:16-17). You claim that each person must interpret the Bible in their own way. The Bible says it isn&#8217;t for personal interpretation. &#8220;<em>Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit<\/em>&#8221; (II Peter 1:20-21).<\/p>\n<p>You claim that different sins are not treated equally. That, too, isn&#8217;t true. &#8220;<em>But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death<\/em>&#8221; (Revelation 21:8). What makes a difference is whether sins are repented of or not. &#8220;<em>When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die because of it. But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he shall live because of it<\/em>&#8221; (Ezekiel 33:18-19). That most won&#8217;t repent of their sins is also a truth. &#8220;<em>Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it<\/em>&#8221; (Matthew 7:13-14). But fact that most won&#8217;t make it to heaven isn&#8217;t a reason to say the Bible is wrong.<\/p>\n<p>The claim that homosexuality must not be a choice because no one wants to be different is trivially false. There are people who seek to be different &#8212; the Gothic movement in high schools would be a simple example. This is not proof. Better is the statement from the American Psychological Association:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The attempt to prove that homosexuality is determined biologically has been dealt a knockout punch. An American Psychological Association publication includes an admission that there&#8217;s no homosexual &#8220;gene&#8221; &#8212; meaning it&#8217;s not likely that homosexuals are born that way.<\/p>\n<p>For decades, the APA has not considered homosexuality a psychological disorder, while other professionals in the field consider it to be a&#8221;gender-identity&#8221; problem. But the new statement, which appears in a brochure called &#8220;Answers to Your Questions for a Better Understanding of Sexual Orientation &amp; Homosexuality,&#8221; states the following:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors. Many think that nature and nurture both play complex roles&#8230;.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>That contrasts with the APA&#8217;s statement in 1998: &#8220;There is considerable recent evidence to suggest that biology, including genetic or inborn hormonal factors, play a significant role in a person&#8217;s sexuality.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>[<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20120320125106\/http:\/\/www.onenewsnow.com\/Culture\/Default.aspx?id=528376\">OneNewsNow, &#8220;APA revises &#8216;gay gene&#8217; theory,&#8221; 5\/14\/2009<\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>You claim a stronger position than the experts in the field claim.<\/p>\n<p>Then, the claim that somehow the Bible is morally inferior to you is also a weak position that isn&#8217;t possible to defend. See: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/since-children-are-no-longer-stoned-for-disobedience-how-can-homosexuality-be-called-wrong\/\">Since children are no longer stoned for disobedience, how can homosexuality be called wrong?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>What is amusing is that you claim to be shocked that someone actually believes and supports the teachings in the Bible. Yet you know that Christians follow the Bible, and you know the Bible defines homosexuality as a sin. This shouldn&#8217;t be news to you.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Question: I am in utter shock. Being homosexual is not a choice, no one wants to be different if it was not meant to be. The Bible says we should stone children who disobey their parents, same as homosexuals. I only see the concept being applied to homosexuals. The Bible was written by man, it&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[35],"class_list":["post-30300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-homosexuality"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":27801,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-god-condemn-homosexuals-when-he-made-them-that-way\/","url_meta":{"origin":30300,"position":0},"title":"How can God condemn homosexuals when He made them that way?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 19, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have read many of\u00a0your answers regarding homosexuality\u00a0and how it is a sin no different than stealing or adultery. Being gay myself, and having both a Christian mother and Atheist father, I have constantly pondered about religion and my sexuality. What do you feel is God's reason or justification\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":56932,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/higher-percentage-of-homosexuals-among-young-adults-than-seniors-what-does-this-mean\/","url_meta":{"origin":30300,"position":1},"title":"Higher Percentage of Homosexuals Among Young Adults Than Seniors: What Does This Mean?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 16, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"by Andy Sochor via\u00a0Plain Bible Teaching As time goes on, homosexuality is increasingly becoming more accepted in our society. As it becomes more accepted, it will become more common. A recent Gallup survey found that\u00a03.4% of adults in the United States identified themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":32184,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-speak-to-my-friends-who-are-homosexuals\/","url_meta":{"origin":30300,"position":2},"title":"How do I speak to my friends who are homosexuals?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 17, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I found your answers on this page very helpful:\u00a0How do I tell someone they are sinning? I'm hoping you can help me speak to several friends I have who are gay. Most of them do not go to church or say that they were shown nothing but hatred\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":39058,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-you-answer-some-questions-about-my-coming-out-as-a-homosexual\/","url_meta":{"origin":30300,"position":3},"title":"Can you answer some questions about my coming out as a homosexual?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 29, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I had contacted you once about this. I don't know if you didn't get it yet or are too busy to respond or just not interested in being a part of this kind of thing, but here is a little bit about my project to give you more of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15192,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/telling-people-that-homosexuals-can-change-is-doing-them-harm\/","url_meta":{"origin":30300,"position":4},"title":"Telling people that homosexuals can change is doing them harm","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 28, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I'm sorry, but in saying that people can change and pointing them to Exodus International, you're doing a terrible amount of harm. If you're going to say homosexuality is some sort of terrible life-altering, life-absorbing sin, it should be comparable to alcoholism, right? That would be good news, since\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6942,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-homosexuals-going-to-hell-because-they-found-themselves-to-be-homosexual-yet-remain-chaste\/","url_meta":{"origin":30300,"position":5},"title":"Are homosexuals going to hell because they found themselves to be homosexual, yet remain chaste?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 20, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: When Jesus said to love your neighbor, he did not distinguish between gay and straight, sinner or saint. He said to love your neighbor. I have gay and straight neighbors. Jesus himself\u00a0 welcomed \"sinners.\" The article treats homosexuals as if they were a great downfall to society. I know\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30300"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30300\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}