Common pro-gay arguments:
For pro-gay theological arguments see here. The gay propaganda has pushed three main points on the public:
None of these are true2, but that is what they want us to believe. The following are some popular gay arguments and they depend on assumptions 1 and 2 in particular. The fundamental issue is whether same-sex intercourse is a sin or isn't a sin.3 A classic example of the deceit of the pro-gay propaganda was the 10% myth. This was convenient for a while but the actual figure for gay men is closer to 2% and for lesbians 1% (in the West).4 Common pro-gay arguments: Argument 1. I was born this way and it is natural to me, I am attracted to men and you are attracted women. Response: This emphasises the inborn/natural argument, which is based on a lie, people are not born gay. This may be true in a person's experience, but there is only a limited amount of scientific evidences that there is a gay gene. Much like the person who is an alcoholic. The argument assumes that because it feels natural then it must be right. This is hardly a Christian argument, we often have to fight what feels natural to us. It also puts what we feel or experience above scripture, but for the Christian we should scripture above what we feel. The scripture is full of admonitions to deal with our bodily passions so that they do not rule over us. The fundamental issue is whether God has the right to tell us what to do with our bodies, especially sexually?5 Argument 2: What is wrong with a loving natural consensual long-term same-sex relationship? Response: Love does not make sin right. Love does not make sex before marriage right, love does not make incest right, love does not make adultery right and love does not make same-sex intercourse right. Paul is not calling for responsible same-sex intercourse, or responsible adultery or responsible incest he would call for abstinence6. It is only within marriage that sex is not a sin (1Cor 7:36 because then it is legitimate, 1Cor 7:2-5). In fact the vast majority of male homosexuals are incapable of maintaining long term exclusive relationships.7 This is hardly surprising since men find monogamy difficult even in heterosexual marriage. Put two men together in a partnership then you would expect outside sex partners, because they do not have the counterbalance of a woman in the relationship. Argument 3: We love each other. Response: This is the same as the above. Even for a Christian heterosexual couple who love each other deeply sexual intercourse before marriage is not lawful. Argument 4: Jesus said more about love and never mentioned homosexual love. Response: The argument from silence, but it ignores the rest of scripture. It also neglects the fact that love and truth go together ((love) it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth (1Cor 13:6)). Jesus knew the Levitical prohibitions against same-sex intercourse and he taught that marriage is to be between a man and woman. He also proscribed sexual immorality (porneia) which covers all sexual sin; see his vice list in Mark 7:21. The phrase "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." comes from Lev 19:18 (sandwiched between the Levitical prohibitions in Lev 18 and 20). See the section on Jesus was silent on same-sex intercourse. Argument 5: God allows heterosexuals to have love and sex why not homosexuals that would be unfair. Response: This uses the equal rights argument, it appeals to the emotions (Argumentum ad populum). It also accuses God of being unfair. God created men and woman to get married, and to have sex and maybe have children. Those who are incapable of marriage like the eunuchs and homosexuals should remain celibate. Not all heterosexuals, who want to, get married, in fact there are twice as many singles who would like to marry than there are homosexuals. Note: for homosexuals the state has already legalised sex and in many countries the state has sanctioned civil marriage, so this request for fairness (equal civil rights) has partly been granted already. However, the final icing on the cake is to have God's blessing on homosexual marriage (via the church). Unfortunately, the bible (God's word) says that same-sex intercourse is a sin, I have searched the bible diligently and I have yet to find a loop-hole around this, unless I twist and distort scripture, something that I am reluctant to do, as I regard truth to be important to me. Unfortunately, not many in the Church have been exposed to these arguments, I have and I do not believe them for one minute. They appeal to the public and to God's sheep; it is an emotional appeal devoid of the word of God. It is also a full frontal attack on the bible and on God as Creator. See the book by Joe Dallas "A Strong Delusion" for longer answers. (for a web based version see here) Our response to a gay Christian. a) 1 Cor 6:9 teaches that some in the Corinthian church were practising homosexuals (past tense). This means that people can repent (of their actions) and that it can be forgiven. b) Jesus died for sinners including sexual sinners (the woman caught in adultery, the prodigal son who spent his inheritance on wild living and prostitutes, the woman at the well with five husbands). c) With the woman caught in adultery (the OT penalty was death), he did not say "OK go on and continue to sin", he said "sin no more". And he later went on to die for her sin to pay the death penalty for her sin so that she could live (eternally). d) See Romans 6 compared to the Romans 1 sexual sinners. They were freed from slavery to sin (Rom 6:6), and Paul teaches them "just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification." Rom 6:19. e) A homosexual man is not required to repent of his orientation but only of his actions. The gospel frees a man from the total control to his innate passions i.e. frees a man from slavery to sin (Rom 6). It does not promise to eradicate those passions entirely even if they are wrong, as with an alcoholic. f) If anyone comes into our church and says "I repent of my sins" then we should help him or her get right with God. Their eternal destiny is at stake. The church aught to be able to help adulterers, alcoholics and homosexuals. People who do not want to repent of their sins do not usually come to church. g) Jesus left the 99 who did not need to repent to reach out to the one who needed to repent because his soul was in danger. h) Regarding church membership there are minimal requirements. A person must not be engaging in unrepentant serial sin. Sexual sin, theft, drunkenness, swindling, etc. Perfection is not required, but there should be evidence of repentance by their behaviour (Acts 26:20). If these minimal standards are required for membership, then greater standards are required for church offices like deacons, elders and bishops. (1Tim 3:1-13, Tit 1:5-9) i) Jesus did associate with sinners, but there is no evidence that he stayed for long with unrepentant sinners (examples of repentant sinners, Zacchaeus, the woman with many sins) Jesus attitude to sexual sinners: For longer article see here
The pro-gay theologian can only appeal to experience, science or love or try to twist scripture. The church is being judgmental. The Church is concerned with both this life and the next life. Homosexual practise affects both homosexuals and society in this life and jeopardises any hope of eternal life in the next life. If the church did not speak out against something that is plainly unbiblical, then it would be failing its job as the church. Unlike the other false analogies usually quoted by pro-gay apologists (Slavery, Women in the church, Divorce, Remarriage, Being black), the issue of homosexuality has eternal consequences for those who practise it. The GLBT is only concerned about social justice in this life. The church should have the same pastoral attitude as Paul who warns us not to be deceived, those who do these things "will not inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor 6:9). The church needs to speak the truth as well as minister to those who seek eternal life. This issue will polarise the church into conservatives and liberals. When the church conforms to this world it ceases to be the church, it is no longer salt and light in the world (Mat 5:13-14). If the church speaks the truth, that is not being judgemental or homophobic, the church should be in the business of seeking and saving the lost. The MCC say that "Homosexuality: Not a Sin, Not a Sickness"3. This sounds good if it can be backed up biblically, but it cannot, the biblical arguments used are very poor indeed. I would not trust my eternal soul to people who have such poor arguments that plainly distort scripture. Within the church itself a battle is being fought over whether same-sex intercourse is a sin or is not a sin, which is a fundamental issue. We have examples in scripture where the church is too tolerant of sexual sin. a) The problem is that the church is being too tolerant. In 1 Cor 5:1-2 the Corinthian church tolerated the incestuous Christian man among them. See the example of how Paul deals with the incestuous man in 1 Cor 5:13, they were to "Purge the evil person from among you" (excommunicate). b) The church is to judge those within the church and to purge the wicked man from among them. 1 Cor 5:12-13, for the purpose of restoring his soul. God will judge those outside of the church. The incestuous man in 1 Cor 5 was restored see 2 Cor 2:5. It is the churches job to judge those within the church. c) See also the church in Pergamum (Rev 2:14), and Thyatira who tolerated the woman Jezebel who seduced God's servants into practicing sexual immorality (Rev 2:20). Much like the pro-gay theologians and teachers deceive God's people into sexual immorality today, using false teaching. Those who think that they are gay.
Footnotes: 1. Same-sex intercourse is hardly benign to those who practise it especially for men. There is a 25 to 30 year decrease in life expectancy. Chronic, potentially fatal, liver disease - infectious hepatitis, which increases the risk of liver cancer. Frequently fatal rectal cancer. Multiple bowel and other infectious diseases. A much higher than usual incidence of suicide. (Homosexuality and the politics of truth, Jeffrey Satinover, p51.) In a study of nearly 7,000 homosexuals and heterosexuals, they found that gay life span, even apart from AIDS, and with a long term partner, is significantly shorter than that of married men in general by more than 30 years. AIDS further shortens the life span of homosexual men by more than 7 percent. (ibid p69) 2. Homosexuality and the Truth: The Tide May be Turning by Alan P. Medinger. See also chapter 7 of Christian Sexuality: Normative and Pastoral Principles. Ed Russell E. Saltzman. 3. This is precisely the argument of the MCC in Rev. Elder Don Eastman's, Homosexuality: Not a Sin, Not a Sickness. "A growing number of biblical and theological scholars now recognize that Scripture does not condemn loving, responsible homosexual relationships. Therefore, gay men and lesbians should be accepted - just as they are-in Christian churches, and homosexual relationships should be celebrated and affirmed!" 4 See for example Straight and Narrow by Thomas E Schmidt p 102- 105. 5. It may come as a great shock to a new Christian to find out that God does tell us what to do with our bodies sexually. e.g. 1Cor 6:18-20 ESV Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. (19) Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, (20) for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 6. Homosexual Theology Written by Kerby Anderson 7. "Straight and Narrow" by Thomas E Schmidt, p105-108. Also Jeffrey Satinover p 52. Robert Gagnon says "While male homosexual unions have a greater likelihood of longevity than female homosexual unions, they also have a much greater likelihood of “open” relationships. A 1994 Dutch study of “close coupled” male homosexuals showed that by the sixth year of the relationship the number of outside sex partners averaged eleven. A 1997 Australian study showed that only 13% of homosexually active males aged 50 or over had had as “few” as 1-10 sex partners “lifetime”; three-quarters had over 20 sex partners and half had over 100 (for these two studies and others, see my The Bible and Homosexual Practice, 452-60). J. Michael Bailey, chair of the psychology department at Northwestern and one of the foremost researchers of homosexuality (and prohomosex in outlook), contends that “because of fundamental differences between men and women” and “regardless of marital laws and policies,” “gay men will always have many more sex partners than straight people do. Those who are attached will be less sexually monogamous” (The Man Who Would Be Queen [Joseph Henry Press, 2003], 101)." Other articles
For a 112 page article by Robert Gagnon. "Why the disagreement over the biblical witness on homosexual practice?" http://www.westernsem.edu/files/westernsem/gagnon_autm05_0.pdf
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