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EDITORIAL
The difficult issues of homosexuality

Jim Coggins

We have been trying to decide whether we are excessively brave or excessively foolhardy to attempt to address the issue of homosexuality in the Herald. It is an issue that is plagued by conflicting viewpoints, and the “facts” are often deeply biased by the researchers who discover them. Yet it is an issue that will not leave us alone. It is also an issue that has huge implications for how we understand theology, creation, the fall, salvation, ethics and Bible interpretation. In approaching this topic, we wanted to produce an issue that was balanced and that focused on ministry. Yet, preparing this issue has been difficult and frustrating, and balance has been very hard to find.

Love

At least in theory, our MB position, on this and other issues, has always been to hate the sin but love the sinner. In this issue, we wanted to focus on loving the sinner. However, too many people on both sides of the issue seem to be more interested in pushing an agenda than in responding in love.

On the one hand, homosexual lobbyists insist that loving homosexuals must mean accepting their actions. They insist that loving the sinner must include loving the sin.

At the other extreme are “Christians” and others who express loathing of homosexuals. For them, hatred of the sin seems to include hatred of the sinner too.

In between, I think and hope, are many Christians who want to love homosexuals while not accepting their sin. Theirs is a very difficult task, given the current emotionally charged atmosphere, where many people hate homosexuals and many homosexuals hate Christianity. Sometimes it seems that the message of love is falling on deaf ears, but we must continue to deliver it.

Homophobia

We also need to distinguish between the proper Christian attitude to homosexuality and homophobia. Homophobia is officially defined as “hatred or fear of homosexuals or of homosexuality” (Canadian Oxford Dictionary). This definition is complex and hence confusing.

I think it may be legitimate to “hate” homosexuality as an evil force that distorts God’s intention and entraps human beings. It is not legitimate for Christians to hate homosexuals. We are to love homosexuals as we are to love all human beings. They are not the enemy; sin is.

I don’t think it appropriate for Christians to fear either homosexuals or homosexuality. We may rightly have concerns about a number of areas. We should beware lest we ourselves are tempted in this area. We should fairly recognize the health risk from those heterosexuals and homosexuals who have AIDS. We can rightly resist the changes in society’s moral standards that the homosexual lobby might want to make. However, we should never allow these Christian concerns to become an irrational fear that paralyzes us or keeps us from doing the things that we should do, including loving homosexuals.

Homophobia is a broad and negative term that is often unfairly thrown at Christians. We do well to reject it. Accepting the biblical teaching that homosexual practice is sinful does not make us guilty of either hate or fear.

However, in rejecting the term, I think we also need to carefully and honestly examine the reality. There really is some irrational fear, either of homosexuals or of homosexuality, in the Christian community, and possibly also in ourselves. We must not let this kind of fear prevent us from dealing with both homosexuals and homosexuality appropriately.

Similarly, there is real hatred of homosexuals within the Christian community, and maybe even in ourselves. While not all opposition to homosexuality can fairly be called hateful, we must admit that some words and actions by some of those in the Christian community have indeed been hateful. These words and actions have embarrassed Christians and understandably created anger among homosexuals. We need to repent of these.

Orientation

Christians should also distinguish between homosexual orientation and homosexual practice. A homosexual orientation (being sexually attracted to members of the same sex) is not sinful (any more than facing heterosexual or pedophile temptation would be), but homosexual sexual acts are sinful.

Unfortunately, few seem interested in this distinction either.

Homosexuals announce they are gay, and take it for granted that this homosexual orientation includes the right to practice.

Human rights codes forbid discrimination on the basis of “sexual orientation,” but in reality almost every case heard by human rights tribunals deals with discrimination on the basis of sexual practice. In these cases, neither side even tries to make a distinction between orientation and practice; they assume the tribunals would not accept such a distinction.

On the other hand, there are Christians who condemn “homosexuals” without distinguishing between orientation and practice – they condemn those who have the orientation but who do not sin, along with those who practise the most flagrant of homosexual sins.

MB Herald, like many other Christian organizations, uses the term “practising homosexual” to distinguish those who engage in homosexual sexual acts from those who simply have the orientation. A person with a homosexual orientation who lives a celibate life should be as acceptable in our churches as any other single person. In a church, care group, pastoral care situation or Christian friendship, those with a homosexual orientation should readily receive help resisting temptation, just as a heterosexual single person might. Too often, neither homosexual lobbyists nor Christians are willing to treat homosexual orientation like any other temptation; homosexuals deny it is a temptation, while Christians think it is worse than other temptations.

Practice and lifestyle

We must also distinguish between homosexual practice and a homosexual lifestyle. Homosexual practice is sexual relations between two members of the same sex. Many homosexuals also engage in what has been described as a homosexual lifestyle, characterized by pornography, gay bars, sex in public washrooms and public parks, and sex with multiple partners. This lifestyle may be accompanied by alcohol and drug use, depression, suicide and AIDS.

Not all homosexuals follow such a lifestyle. Some remain celibate. A few are in monogamous, committed homosexual relationships (these are the homosexuals often portrayed by the homosexual lobby or in the media). Are there practising homosexuals who live normal, respectable lives in other respects? Sure.

The point is that we should react to homosexuals as individuals just as we should to heterosexuals, not making assumptions about their actual practice or lifestyle. We should recognize their gifts and strengths as well as their sins and weaknesses.

Orientation II

The homosexual lobby tends to say that homosexuality is not a choice but an accident of genetic disposition – people are born with a homosexual orientation. Other observers may agree that homosexual orientation is deeply ingrained but say that it is caused by environment and experience – by sexual abuse, an absent father, a controlling mother, etc.

On the other hand, many Christians assume that homosexuality is purely a choice – homosexuals choose to participate in homosexual acts.

The issue again seems to boil down to the question of orientation and practice. The homosexual has an orientation, but he or she chooses whether to act on it.

Sexual brokenness

We should also be clear that while having a homosexual orientation is not sin, it is not entirely morally neutral either. This is not the way things were intended to be at creation. A homosexual orientation is a result of the fall of humanity into sin; it is a broken reflection of God’s original design. Homosexuals get angry at some well-meaning and misguided attempts to “fix” them, but the truth is that they are afflicted with something that could well be called “sexual brokenness.”

An analogy that might help us here is to think about physical diseases and disorders, for these, too, are a result of humanity’s fall described in Genesis 3. Some people have genetic deformities or diseases – they are born with them – even though such diseases and deformities were not part of God’s original design for humanity. Other people develop diseases and deformities through viruses or accidents or other environmental factors. The individual’s personal choice may have played a role in the disease (such as the choice to smoke cigarettes), or the disease may have come through no fault of the individual. Whatever the source of the disorder, the fact remains that the individual is in need of healing.

Confronted by a man born blind (in John 9), Jesus’ disciples asked whether the disease was due to the man’s sin or the sin of his parents. In this case, Jesus said, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned.” The crucial point was not whose fault it was, but that the man was blind and in need of healing. Similarly, people may have a homosexual orientation because of genetics or because of sexual abuse they have suffered. In either case, it is not their fault, and they are guilty of nothing. What they are responsible for is what they do with their orientation. They may choose to act on their orientation; they may remain celibate and live with the orientation, just as other people live with a physical deformity; or they may seek healing. The answer to such an orientation is always Jesus Christ. From Christ and His church, those with a homosexual orientation need to receive assistance to live a godly life in spite of their orientation. In Christ and His church, they may also receive healing from their orientation.

Addiction

Many people talk of “alternative lifestyles,” “freedom to express one’s sexuality” and “human choice.” As Christians we must also recognize the tremendously binding power of sin. For those deeply enmeshed in a homosexual lifestyle, homosexuality can be a very addictive, destructive force that is not easily overcome. Moreover, sin in one area of life can corrupt other areas – people often tell lies in order to cover up other sins, for instance.

The problem of addiction to a homosexual lifestyle cannot be solved by simply telling homosexuals to stop practising – any more than we can help alcoholics by simply telling them to quit drinking. As when we are dealing with alcoholics, we must be willing to provide long-term prayer, counselling and support to help those struggling with a homosexual lifestyle to achieve the profound transformation that they need.

Therefore

Heterosexual Christians cannot change the way homosexuals talk and act. However, we are responsible for the way we talk and act. Let us commit ourselves to love homosexuals while continuing to oppose homosexual sin. Let us commit ourselves to rid ourselves of our irrational fear of homosexuals so that we can deal redemptively in the situation. Let us resolve not to criticize those struggling with homosexuality but to come alongside them, love them, speak truth to them and help them. Thankfully, we do not have to try to do this alone. The God who made human beings can also heal them through Jesus Christ. We may be His instruments, but He ultimately will do the healing.

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Last modified November 16, 1999.

© 1999 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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