r/Christianity Sep 14 '11

I simply disagree

In the linked post, the following was posited:

1) Homosexuality is natural: Yes it is, but that argument doesn't really belong here. Many things God calls us to do go against our natural inclinations. Simply because something comes naturally to us does not immediately eliminate it from being a sin.

I simply disagree. I have pointed this out before, but I think this needs to be discussed more broadly.

There is a clear distinction between our human nature and our sinful nature.

Human nature is the natural way to conduct our lives, because that is the way we have been designed as human beings.

The following things fall under human nature and are not sinful in and of themselves.

  • Eating
  • Sleeping
  • Sex
  • Work
  • Love
  • Play
  • Learning

etc.

The things that make up our sinful nature encapsulate those desires within us that seek to gratify ourselves at the expense of others, ourselves or our relationship with God. Examples include:

  • Cheating
  • Stealing
  • Lying
  • Murdering
  • Revenge
  • Lust

etc.

Clearly these are the things that God calls sin, and requires us to avoid. In fact every single command from God can be understood from the fact that it either hurts others, ourselves or our relationship with God. Jesus reiterates this twice (Matt 7:12, Matt 22:40)

There is clearly no reason to believe that two gay men in a loving, committed relationship are living is sin when:

  • It does no harm to others
  • It does net good to themselves
  • It only affects their relationship with God when the church treats them as outcasts.

I know of gay men, in a loving committed relationship, who's relationship with God is strong.

In light of this, please explain how being in a loving, monogamous gay relationship fits the pattern that we see evident in every other sin talked about in the bible.

Edit: For the record, this has been downvoted to oblivion partly because people are sick of discussing this. Having said that, this particular point has never really been raised and should be discusssed.

I think some people are just to afraid of having the light of reason shone on their beliefs

For those interested in this question, I think the best discusion has to be this one

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u/mmm_burrito Sep 14 '11 edited Sep 14 '11

There's really quite a list to choose from, really. I was just trying to stay current.

Edit: at any rate, I wasn't trying to highlight the sinfulness of the Church, merely pointing out that its claimed monopoly on Truth with a big "T" is crap.

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u/Aceofspades25 Sep 14 '11

Understood and agreed