Homosexuality was not a sin that was rampant in Judea, Samaria, and Galilee at the time of Jesus. When Jesus preached, he condemned the vices that were there (the self-righteous hypocrisy of the Pharisees, and forgave the sins of the tax collectors and prostitutes that were reforming their ways). However, God clearly condemns homosexulaity as a sin through the pen of Paul (see, in Christianity, the words actually spoken by Jesus aren't the only ones who count. The whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is inspired by God and thus inerrant. Quoting Paul is as foundational for a Christian's faith as quoting Jesus). Paul did his missionary work in Asia Minor and Greece. In Greece and Rome homosexuality was a severe problem. Thus, Romans, 1 Corinthians, etc. have passages pointing to the sin of such a lifestyle.
In regards to Leviticus. Yes, there is condemndation of homosexuality there as well as many other things, but any so-called Christian who would use those passages to out-right condemn something doesn't really have their head on straight. At best we might get an idea of God's feeling towards certain things through the Mosaic law, but there's a few things to keep in mind:
1) The whole of the Ceremonial Law (those laws dealing with sacrifices, worship, etc.) were all a foreshadowing of Christ. The blood of the animals pictured the blood of Jesus. Those sacrifices didn't actually do away with sin, but all pointed to the coming Messiah. Thus, Christians do not offer sacrifices at worship. The all-sufficient sacrifice has already been made for the sins of the whole world in Jesus' death on the cross.
2) In the Mosaic law there are also those laws which we refer to as the Civic Laws. Remember, after their release from Egypt, Israel was on their way to the promised land. And there they would have no king and would be a theocracy, a nation ruled directly by God. So many of their laws are for civic order and the state. A secondary reason for these laws was to set them apart. Israel would be different from other nations because they were the "chosen people," the ones from whom God would bring for the promised Savior. So some laws were set to differentiate the people from the nations around them, even in things weren't actually wrong.
A good example of this is the law against wearing a cloth made of two kinds of material. It's not that blended cloth was wrong it and of itself, but it was a reminder for the Isrealites that they weren't to be mingling their religion with the pagan religions around them, and really shouldn't be intermarrying. Sadly, they heeded none of those reminders.
So, many of the laws in the Mosaic law either because of fulfillment or because we don't live in the theocracy of Post-Moses Israel do not apply. But many still do--the Moral Law, which we'd immediately think of as the 10 Commandments, still apply as the New Testament repeatedly backs them up. Likewise, homosexuality (a segment of the 6th [or 7th depending on the numbering system you're used to] Commandment) is condemned.
A sin doesn't magically become not a sin because it feels natural for you. It might feel natural for me to sleep with every woman I come across that will have me (luckily I married the only woman on earth who would, so I'm ok
), but that doesn't make it not an offense to God. At the same time, neither of those beyond God's forgiveness.
Lilboo, I hope you don't feel like I'm picking on you. I've said these things because I care about you and don't want you to be hurt. You're absolutely right when you condemn pick-and-choose Christians who select this passage but not that one. And that's exactly why homosexuality cannot be considered "A-OK" for a Christian, despite what many of the bigger church bodies may decide, over and above God's Word.
This thread need not turn into a giant debate. If we want that, someone make a thread in the VS. forum, or we can take it to PMs. And evan, I've asked you nicely once. Please stop posting inflammatory things against Christians/Christianity in this thread.
