Is homosexuality a sin?

Since Barack Obama's election victory there have been many prominent leaders of the gay community speaking out against his selection of Rick Warren (who is the preacher of the nations biggest church, which is located in Sattleback, California) to give his invocation speech during his inauguration, which takes place on January 22. (for a prime story go to http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/17/obama.warren/index.html?iref=newssearch)

Well what does this have to do with the Christ's Church? There is a movement among those with in the body of Christ as well as denominations that are adamant that a homosexual marriage is scriptural and that there is nothing wrong with this lifestyle because "science" has proven that humans can be "born gay." This begs the question what does God's written word day about the matter and is there any outside evidence that proves humans are not born gay?


One of the primary argument made by those in the Church that support the homosexual lifestlye and marriage is the proposition that Jesus never said anything about gay marriage. However the Bible clearly depicts Jesus speaking about the institution of marriage. In Mathew 19:3 Jesus is approached by the Pharisees and they asked him"Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?" Jesus responded by saying "Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female...For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." (Matthew 19:14-5). (If we do a little bit of Biblical digging, we find that Jesus is quoting Genesis 2:24). Jesus then said in verse six, "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." Clearly, Jesus had every opportunity to suggest that a homosexual marriage was approved by God. However, the only marriage that Jesus refers to as being valid in the sight of God is the one between a man in a woman by which they become "one flesh." By re-enforcing the institution of marriage as being between a man and a women, Jesus has automatically eliminated any other form of marriage that man might call "scriptural."

Secondly, the apostle Paul (who was called by Jesus, Acts 9,22) notates in his letter to the Corinthian church about those who will not inherit eternal life He writes "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God"(1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Paul specifically list acts of the heart that will lead a person to hell. We can clearly see that a homosexual lifestyle is listed with in the context of the passage.

Thirdly, Paul makes a second reference to the homosexual lifestyle in his letter to Timothy. In 1 Timothy 1:8-11, Paul expressed to Timothy the reason for the gospel by writing "But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which i have been entrusted." From Paul's letter to Timothy we can understand that it is because of these acts listed are the reason for the gospel being preached to the world, so that the sinner might be able have salvation. Clearly stated in the context of the passage homosexuality is listed as a sin.

Biblical evidence clearly shows that homosexuality is an act of sin. Therefore, if homosexuality is a sin, what then does that make a homosexual marriage? The simple answer would be unscriptural considering the only marriage Jesus mentioned as being "brought together by God" is a marriage between a man and a women. Simply put, Biblically homosexuality and homosexual marriage does not fit the bill.

There is still one question that remains? Is there scientific proof that people are born homosexual? In August 2004 Brad Harrub, who holds a PhD. in in Anatomy and Neurobiology from the University of Tennessee (www.focuspress.org/brad and David Miller who attended Southern Illinois University where he earned his PhD. in speech communication (www.apologeticspress.org/staff/dm), published their findings about homosexuality.

Dr. Harrub and Miller found that

"In the 2000 census sheds even more light on the subject. The overall
statistics from the 2000 Census Bureau revealed:
The total population of
the U.S. is 285,230,516. The total number of households in the U.S. is
106,741,426.
The total number of unmarried same-sex households is
601,209.
Thus, out of a population of 106,741,426 households, homosexuals
represent 0.42% of those households. That is less than one half of one
percent! But since most people are not mathematicians, we would like to make
this
point in a way that most individuals will be able to better comprehend.
If we were to start a new television sitcom, and wanted to accurately portray
homosexual ratios in society, we would need 199 heterosexual actors before we
finally introduced one homosexual actor" (www.apologeticspress.org/article/2553).

However one of the most cited studies used in support of homosexuality is the famous LeVay Study, which was conducted in 1991. Dr. Simon LeVay studied the brain differences between the homosexual and heterosexual male and came to the determination that brain matter in a homosexual male is the same as that same brain matter of women. (for more specific details go to www.apologeticspress.org/article/2553).

yet there are a series of problems with the study. Dr. Harrub and Miller
found that

"When looking at the methodology of the LeVay study, one of the key problems
is that the study has never been reproduced. As William Byne noted, LeVay’s
work has not been replicated, and human neuroanatomical studies of this
kind have a very poor track record for reproducibility. Indeed, procedures similar to those LeVay used to identify nuclei have previously led researchers astray (1994,27[5]:53, emp. added).Additionally, of nineteen homosexual subjects used in the study,all had died of complications of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS has been shown to decrease testosterone levels, so it should be expected that those who suffered from that condition would have smaller INAH.

Furthermore, in a scientific environment where controls and standards are a necessity, LeVay did not possess a complete medical history of the individuals included in his study. He therefore was forced to assume the sexual orientation of the non-AIDS victims as being heterosexual, when some may not have been. In addition, bear in mind that he had no evidence regarding the sexual orientation of the women whose brains he examined. LeVay has admitted:
It’s important to stress what I didn’t find. I did not prove that homosexuality is genetic, or find a genetic cause for being gay. I didn’t show that gay men are born that way, the most common mistake people make in interpreting my work. Nor did I locate a gay center in the brain (as quoted in Byrd, et al., 2001, emp. added).."(www.apologeticspress.org/article/2553).

These are Just a few of the finding that Dr. Harrub and Miller found throughout their study of homosexuality with the population of America. For a more information go to www. apologeticspress.org/article/2553). These finds ultimately show that Homosexuality is clearly not passed down through hereditary means. Simply put there is no Gay Gene. Even without these findings, common logic would suggest that it would be impossible for there to be "born" gay people. The reason for this is the make up of our society. From the study Dr. Harrub and Miller produce we find that %96 of the population is Heterosexual and that %4 claim to be gay. However, since homosexual couples cannot reproduce, that leave the production of the gay community to heterosexual people. So in order for there to be a gay population at all heterosexual people have to produce them? This does not make sense.

However, there is hope for those that find themselves wanting to be followers of Christ. In Acts 2:38 after receiving Peter's sermon there were those who were pierced to the heart and they wanted to know how they could be saved and Peter replied "Repent and be baptized each of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sin." There is hope for those that desire to follow Christ, that by obeying the gospel and giving up the homosexual lifestyle they too may become one with Christ.