What if there were nothing in the Bible that apparently condemned homosexuality? I suppose that most people who are against it would still be against it. I suppose that if we drill down to the root basis of their discomfort with this state of sexual expression, it derives from something other than biblical passages.

I suspect that there is something embedded in most people that makes the thought of being in a same-sex experience abhorrent. The common word that gets used is “unnatural.” The usual quotation is, “it’s just unnatural for two men to be together, like that (or similar words).” Surprisingly enough, even gay men often have those discussions. After years of engaging in same-sex behavior they will often step back from the behavior and suggest that it doesn’t make sense. Yeah, it feels good, but it doesn’t make sense. Perhaps it’s even compelling, but it doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense for a lot of reasons:

1. Both men are aggressive by nature, so where’s the balance?

2. Men are predators, genealogically, so where’s the balance?

3. The most popular one: how are you going to have children and raise a family? (Yes adoption is a possibility, but it not as good as the real thing.)

We all have what the psychologists call our “shadow” side, i.e., the side of us that remains hidden within, or buried. Now it is hidden or buried for very good reason. It is too painful or incongruent for us to bring the parts of our personality to the surface that are hidden. We will often even submerge some painful experiences, like a rape or other molestation.

Here’s a hypothesis: What if we all have the capacity for same-sex love, but it remains buried inside for most of us? We will go through our lives never dealing with it because there is no reason to deal with it. We get married and raise a family and everything neatly fits our life script.

That is unless someone comes along (who is close to us) and acknowledges that he/she is gay. His/her acknowledgement doesn’t impact our life on the surface. But why is it that it evokes such passion within us? If they told us they were a vegetarian, would that stir up passion in us if we were not vegetarian? Perhaps we would even be interested in learning from them about the vegetarian lifestyle and how they came into that lifestyle. But if they come along and acknowledge that he/she is gay, it seems to evoke passion (generally negative) within us. Could it be that it touches some unexplored area deep inside us? Please know that I am in no way saying that we should explore that area inside; I am simply offering this explanation for our passionate response to someone who is gay.

Proverbs 16:1-7 

The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.  Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.  When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

This scripture is rich in its revealing. God has made homosexuals and heterosexuals, and asexuals and celibates; just like God has made sunshine and rain, snow and hurricanes. We don’t understand everything -- and don’t appreciate everything. To damn certain things though is profoundly arrogant.

I Corinthians 1:25-29

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence.

Being fully aware of who we truly are is a lifelong journey. Only through prayerful obedience can we ever hope to discover our personal truth. As we discover our own personal truths, we become more accepting of other people. There is a powerful paradox embedded in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” Our harsh judgment of other people is really our harsh judgment of ourselves.