They assert that the Bible defines all homosexual acts as sinful, instructs them to exclude from full participation in the church all non-repentant sinners (including gay people), and morally calls upon them to publicly (or at least resolutely) denounce homosexual acts. However, they contend that they have no choice but to do these things, based on what they say is a clear directive about homosexuals delivered to them by God through the Holy Bible. Using their position within society as spokespersons for God to proclaim that all homosexual relations are disdained by God, thus knowingly contributing to the cruel persecution of a minority population.Ĭhristians do not deny that they have done these things.Damaging the bonds between gays and their straight family members, thus weakening the comforts and spiritual fruits of family life for both gays and their families.
Banning their participation in the sacrament of marriage, thus depriving them of the comforts and spiritual fruits of marriage. Banning their participation in the church, thus depriving them of the comforts and spiritual fruits of the church. What cannot be denied is that Christians have caused a great deal of pain and suffering to gay persons, by: If there is no clearly stated directive in the Bible to marginalize and ostracize gay people, then it is morally indefensible for Christians to continue to do so. We can trust God we can trust that God is loving.Īnd we can trust that we can-and that we certainly should-take God, in this matter, as in all things, at his word. All it takes is reading those passages of the Bible wherein homosexuality is mentioned with the same care that we would any other passage of the book. Reconciling the Bible with unqualified acceptance and equality for LGBT people does not necessitate discounting, recasting, or deconstructing the Bible. God would not ask or expect Christians to ever choose between their compassion and their faith. The text of the Bible on one hand, and full equality for gay and lesbian people on the other, is a false dichotomy. The answer is that no Christian is called upon to make that choice. What Christian can possibly choose between the two? Our Christian hearts, runs the (usually impassioned) argument, compel us to grant full moral and legal equality to gay and lesbian people our Christian faith, comes the (usually impassioned) rebuttal, compels us to cleave, above all, to the word of God.Ĭompassion for others is the fundamental cornerstone of Christian ethics the Bible is the bedrock of the Christian faith. The debate itself is usually framed as essentially pitting the Bible, on one hand, against compassion and social justice on the other. 
God does not ask us to choose between compassion and faith in the Bible.Ĭhristians are increasingly divided over the issue of the acceptance and inclusion of gay persons into the church. (The text below an excerpt from UNFAIR: Christians and the LGBT Question.)
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